CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL/BAYOU COUNTRY LBS 83261 (-69) UK

A semi-repost. As the Spanish I wrote about earlier came on another label with partly different sleeve design and audio, thought I'd add the UK original as well. "Green River" early became my CCR favorite due to personal circumstances (see earlier post). But honestly not much happened with the band musically between the 1968 debute and their next five albums up to the 1970 "Pendulum". Makes sense - if you have a catchy million dollar sound that keeps selling, why change it? It was an almost perfect meeting between well made selfpenned and covers, simple recordings with garage style backing and attractive vocals, conveyed by direct natural audio. This second album is no exception, also including top hits "Born On The Bayou" and "Proud Mary". Never had a US first press, but kept UK copies since first release and they always brought me close to the band - so natural it's like personal invites to the studio. The Spanish original I posted earlier had more bass and came through a lot darker with slightly different balance. Probably an attempt to make it further more compatible and fitting for the many one-channel equipments still in use there at the time. Sounds rawer and more primitive, like some obscure mid-sixties garage mono, still fitting the music rather well. That's an oddity and worth while as such, but for listening this is it. Super clear with lots of presence. Premiere US on Fantasy (8387). Also issued as mono in Australia and a couple of south american countries. First UK had label as shown here and thin fully laminated cover. (CÖR*) (CPYC*)