Creedence Clearwater Revival is some of the best classic, American rock in my opinion. Their sound incorporates this Americana sound that is hidden underneath strong guitar riffs that I'm sure sounded far more hard-rock than they do now. For me, listening to "Green River" was literally an "Oh yeah, this rocks" kind of experience. You have to love CCR. Also released in 1969 (like so much good music), this album is a sweetly succinct and cleanly produced album. It's got intention, it's got drive, it's got variety, and it's got strong stories behind it. But again, it stays committed to the kind of Americana, classic hard rock. They are one of the most clearly recognized classic rock bands. John Fogerty's vocals on tracks like "Tombstone Shadow" and "Bad Moon Rising" are unmistakeable. In this album, I hear the clean guitar lines that are typical of rock during this time, backed by noisy and persistent drumming, and topped off with the reverb-laden vocal tracks. It creates a harder sound that is still accessible, but distinguishes itself from other bands of the time. This is a great album, plain and simple. Nothing wild, nothing long and epic, but it's so great and so easy to listen to and enjoy.

Track Listing Side One

1. Green River
2. Commotion
3. Tombstone Shadow
4. Wrote a Song for Everyone

1. Bad Moon Rising
2. Lodi
3. Cross-Tie Walker
4. Sinister Purpose
5. The Night Time is the Right Time