After a Rangers game a few years back, my in-laws caught Creedence Clearwater Revisited, the John Fogerty-less oldies revival act playing many of his classic hits that he rarely played as a solo act. My in-laws claimed Fogerty’s replacement (one John Tristao) was almost as good as the original. Now, years after the ridiculous lawsuit brought on by his old record label that prevented him from playing his own songs had been settled, Fogerty is out on the road in support of Revival, his eighth and possible best solo effort.
Of course, even as good as Revival is, it’s still not Creedence Clearwater Revival. And it’s not as if Fogerty’s heading off in any semblance of a different direction. Songs such as “Don’t You Wish it Was True” and “Gunslinger” mine the same Bayou-country vein as his band did in its golden era. As accomplished as his new sidemen are, the rhythm section just can’t do what Stu Cook and Doug Clifford did in the late '60s. The new songs are good, even great on occasion, but they are still echoes, shadows of “Who’ll Stop the Rain” and “Fortunate Son.” Those songs, by America’s greatest rock band, will be mixed in with the new material on tour. Fogerty’s recent output couldn’t be anything but mild tributes, snatches of glorious memories brought quickly to mind by his still remarkable voice. -- Darryl Smyers
John Fogerty performs 8 p.m. tonight at Nokia Theatre in Grand Prairie. $106-$115.
