Search - Tom Fogerty :: 1st / Excalibur

The first album is a toss away, but the second one is a find

steve'o | New York | 12/04/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The first album on this CD simply titled, "Tom Fogerty" is a toss away. The songs are loose without a sense of direction and Tom sounded unsure of his voice. (Of course who wouldn't have been nervious after a successful run with Creedence Clearwater Revial, and living in little brother John's spotlight).



However on the second album he joins forces with Jerry Garica of the Greatful Dead and together they released a really fine overlooked and hard to locate recording. (I spent 30 years looking for this album on CD).



"Excalibur' opens with a great steel guitar song titled, "forty years" it plays well and the words are strong and to the heart.

(Forty years we labor with these chains, workin' forty years for anoher man, forty years, forty years, long long years, give the man your blood sweat and tears). That's a song with a real punch.



Then Fogerty picks up the pace with a string of funky blue/grass rockabilly songs starting with "Black Jack Jenny" "Rocky Road Blues" which features some outstanding guitar work by Garcia.



Good friend of both Garcia and Fogerty, (Merl Saunders) also ripped it up on the key boards through the whole set.

The final song, "Hold on Annie Mae" is one hell of a jam tune and it's the best that I have ever heard Garica on Any song on any record.



This one is worth the search and the only reason I didn't give it a perfect five star rating is because the first album is so weak.

But Excalibur is the jewel in this set so look at the first album as a buy one get one free on one CD.



"