As a founding member and eventually the guiding force of Creedence Clearwater Revival, singer/songwriter/guitarist John Fogerty was largely responsible for creating the distinctive ”bayou rock” sound that resulted in a slew of hit singles for the San Francisco quartet in the late `60s and early `70s.
Following Creedence`s breakup in 1972, Fogerty released one album as the Blue Ridge Rangers and another under his own name a few years later, then more or less dropped out of sight.
Now he`s back with ”Centerfield,” a one-man band album that frequently recalls Creedence (particularly in the rocking ”The Old Man Down the Road,” released earlier as a single) but also manages to sound fresh and timeless simultaneously.
While much of the music is uptempo, there is a strangely gentle feel throughout; though some of the songs (”Mr. Greed,” the bluesy
”Searchlight”) deal with frustration, the overall mood is bittersweet rather than bitter. ”I Saw It on T.V.,” a resignedly bemused backward look at the last three decades, is particularly affecting; so is the joyous, ultimately optimistic title track. For both its beguiling music and its individualistic approach, Fogerty`s first solo effort in nearly a decade is well worth hearing.
