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Dec 13, 2009 Creedence Clearwater Revival By Frank Valish

The 30 songs on The Singles Collection effectively compile Creedence Clearwater Revival’s first 15 singles in chronological order. All the most recognizable material is here, and, as such, this collection is nearly identical in content to the band’s Chronicle Vol. 1 greatest hits album, excepting the addition of a few more tracks, the early “Porterville”/“Call It Pretending” single, and the single edit of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” What distinguishes this collection is the way the material is presented, as the band released it, A-side followed by B-side, from the band’s early years through its most successful era. And this is what is most impressive about CCR. Sure, we’ve all heard “Proud Mary,” “Bad Moon Rising,” “Fortunate Son,” “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” But seldom do we experience the band’s commercial history in such succession. Single after single was a greatest hit (at one point the band had eight consecutive singles go gold). Each song was a smash, consistently through what amounts to the bulk of this set. The packaging here lacks extensive detail about the songs; the music is simply presented to stand on its own. A bonus DVD contains four videos that provide some visuals. But this collection is a musical one first and foremost, and an impressive one at that. (www.creedence-revisited.com)

Author rating: 6/10