While Pendulum had a few hits, and was released later in 1970, Cosmo's Factory was the end of CCR's amazing run of albums starting with their self titled debut in 1968. They dropped 4 all-time great records in just two years. No one but The Beatles did that.
A few days ago we chatted about the best American band of all time, CCR is definitely in that conversation. Cosmo's Factory is a big reason why, even with it's silly/ugly album cover.
The album opens with the longest original, "Ramble Tamble" and by now the band had made fans ready for these excursions. This one is great, sounding like a train moving down the tracks. The blues cover "Before You Accuse Me" is fine, while "Ooby Dooby" is better. Fogerty's originals are really starting to expand their scope on this record. The Vietnam cinematic "Run Through The Jungle" is masterful in it's simplicity while "Looking Out My Back Door" is a tribute to that Bakersfield sound. "Travelin' Band may be the best of the bunch with it's punky driving sound.
On the B Side Fogerty's tunes keep cranking with "Up Around The Bend" and "Who'll Stop The Rain" both ringing with great guitars drums and singing. The covers again one is fine, "My Baby Left Me" flashes some cool riffs but "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" is something else. While this may be blasphemous, I think this track is much better than the original and improves immensely on the group's extended "Suzie Q". With Grapevine the group gets groovy, dark, trippy and take the listener on a really exciting journey. Coming down off that trip, "Long as I Can See The Light" feels like a triumphant finale.
It is hard to say which is the best Creedance album. RtBE would vote for Willie and The Po'Boys, as #1 but Cosmo's Factory is #1B. There isn't a bad track on it and proves the band was clicking on all cylinders in the summer of 1970. Having recently seen Fogerty live, these songs all still sound great 55 years later.
Slap on the Cosmo's Factory today to celebrate, here are a few RtBE favorites to get you started:
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