The Cavern
Rock & Words
PENDULUM (Creedence, 1970)
Artist: Creedence Clearwater Revival (B)
Recording Dates: Nov ‘70
Release Date: December 15th, 1970. USA
Record Label: Fantasy
Producer: John Fogerty
Rating: 7.5
Era: Country, Country Rock and Southern
Subgenre: Southern Rock
Best Song: Have You Ever Seen The Rain? or Pagan Baby
Tracklist: 1) Pagan Baby; 2) Sailor's Lament; 3) Chameleon; 4) Have You Ever Seen The Rain; 5) (Wish I Could) Hide Away; 6) Born To Move; 7) Hey Tonight; 8) It's Just A Thought; 9) Molina; 10) Rude Awakening Number Two.
Six albums in three years is no small feat. And this is where Creedence starts to sink into the swamp. Not catastrophically like two years later, but Fogerty decides to make a stylistic shift after receiving criticism that CCR was too "rustic." And so they begin to move towards poppier, lighter songs, with a dominant presence of keyboards and horns, stripping away that dark, swampy energy of Country-Blues that was so irresistible and magical. They also lengthen the songs more than necessary. That's justifiable when you unleash a killer solo like on previous albums, but here, of the longer tracks, only "Pagan Baby" justifies its length. Anyway, it's not a bad album. Let's just say they muddied their boots, and even Willy & The Poorboys seems inferior to me. By comparison, they'd be up to their hats in the Mardi Gras.
After the huge success of Cosmo's Factory, the band embarked on a massive European tour that further strained the internal dynamics of the group. During the recording of Cosmo's Factory , John had assumed dictatorial control of the band, not only creatively but also financially. John was virtually their manager , deciding where they played, and one day even decreed that they would not perform encores at their concerts, much to the frustration of Tom, Stu, and Cosmo.
By the end of October 1970, they were back at Cosmo's house (The Factory) preparing the new album. Due to criticism that Creedence was incapable of evolving and moving beyond their raw sound, they decided to take a more pop-oriented approach, lowering the volume and guitar presence, adding keyboards, saxophone , and a slight psychedelic touch that, by 1970, sounded completely outdated. It turned out that they had Booker T. and The MG's as their opening act for some dates that year, and John had been captivated by the keyboard sound, so he wanted to experiment more with it as the main instrument instead of the guitar. Unfortunately, it seems that on this planet only Pete Townshend can master both instruments more or less equally well. Creedence spent all of November recording Pendulum at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco, and they could have finished much sooner, since the demos were recorded with all four members playing their traditional instruments live in just a couple of weeks. But John insisted that he would play the horns and keyboards himself, as well as do the overdubs for the backing vocals, and all the production work. And well, although the keyboard jam at the end of "Born To Move " isn't bad, John Fogerty is a guitarist… a GUITARIST!
The album isn't bad, but it sounds very mellow compared to what we're used to. "Pagan Baby" is the only rocker. Old-school ass-kicking , with John proving that he was still a guitar wizard, that he hadn't lost his magic, he'd just gotten fed up.
And so, without being bad or lacking inspiration like Poorboys , Pendulum is a much lighter and more agreeable album, made that way quite intentionally. Without knowing Creedence's history, one might think this was their debut. Being a band that leaned more towards roots rock than psychedelia when the latter was the fashionable genre, it's strange that they made a smooth and colorful album precisely when psychedelia was a thing of the past. And to avoid being accused of being unexperimental, John also included an instrumental track as a closing number, which ends up being a nauseating avant-garde collage surpassed only by " Revolution #9" in terms of sheer awfulness.
During the recording sessions, Tom had numerous clashes with his brother, and he was rumored to be leaving the band, but then he would return and carry on as if nothing had happened. However, two months after the release of Pendulum , the Fogerty brothers had an epic argument worthy of the Gallaghers, and Tom quit. This time for good.
CCR continued as a trio. John, considering that his brother might have had "a point," decided they would record another album, if and only if it was a democratic album in which Stu Cook and Cosmo Clifford also contributed songs, but that's another story. A very sad and regrettable one.
Creedence lacked the capacity to reinvent themselves, and this is proof of that. Perhaps they could have continued making melodic, pleasing, pretty albums. But we all agree that what made CCR great was that blend of dark, aggressive, menacing, swampy country blues—a unique and inimitable style that made them immortal, but from which they couldn't escape. The formula was exhausted, and I think this would have been an excellent farewell, a decent swan song.
The album opens with “Pagan Baby”, which immediately creates the illusion of a continuation of Cosmo's Factory, with a brilliant, shimmering intro , followed by the entrance of those dirty, flawless guitars that are Creedence's signature. John comes in singing in impossible tones, reaching the very limits of his incredibly high vocal range. It's very simple, but after all, almost all of these guys' epic and brilliant songs are incredibly simple. The trick is how they do it, without overcomplicating things, barely alternating the verses with those arpeggiated scales from the intro to give the song dynamism, making small variations, like turning the drums off and then speeding them up, adding tambourines, and generally adding subtle details that prevent a very simple riff from overwhelming the song. At 2:50 the guitar solo kicks in, initially repeating the same patterns before exploding at 3:30 into a tremendous blues-rock jam that demonstrates John's true genius on the guitar. In this massive coda, they barely change key, yet it hooks you, keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what they'll do next, and you can almost picture John playing his guitar with complete naturalness and ease. The rhythm section is tight, with Clifford and Cook making subtle variations and speeding up when John goes wild, leading to an apocalyptic finale. A true gem, the last one with the band's true signature sound and feeling , which I think is somewhat underrated within CCR's discography.
Just as you're bracing yourself for another mammoth country-blues- rocker , the first notes of "Sailor's Lament" come in, with that mono, flute-like keyboard, and you're like, WTF???? Don't get me wrong. It's not bad, it's just a tremendous departure from Creedence's style. John Fogerty was a great songwriter, and he knew it. He knew that if he let others interfere with the songs, what happened at Mardi Gras would happen. The point is, even with the stylistic shift, adding female backing vocals and creating a soft rock sound complete with a sax solo that sounds like elevator music or doctor's office reception music, the song is beautiful. It hooks you with that two-tone back-and-forth, the backing vocals, John's slightly nasal voice this time, and that serene, warm feel.
“Chameleon” is a bit faster, but again the horns dominate from the start, before giving way to an electric piano, while the guitar takes a purely decorative role in the background, even disappearing when those sonic walls of horns return. John sings again with that raspy tone, and in the verses he sounds slightly menacing. But I don't know. They sound soft. It reminds me of Janis Joplin on Kozmic Blues. It makes me think they would have continued to be successful in the 70s, but no longer alongside bands like The Who or Deep Purple, but on radio stations alongside Air Supply or Al Stewart.
Here comes another of the great tracks from Creedence Clearwater Revival's discography. “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” was the first CCR song I ever heard, performed by the Blue Jeans when I was a teenager who was allowed into their rehearsals, and it impressed me so much that the next day I ran out and bought Chronicle. It was the first of their songs I learned on guitar, and it forced me to learn how to barre chords, since the opening chord progression required it with the F chord. It was also one of the first songs where I learned the bass line when I switched to that instrument, and it made me realize that Stu Cook isn't exactly a whirlwind, but he creates very creative lines, without which the songs could fall apart. And it was the first Creedence song I was so exposed to that I got fed up with it for a while, since it was also overplayed on some retro radio stations. However, that doesn't change the fact that it's a fantastic song and one that still holds great emotional significance for me. Many underestimate it because it has the same mood as " Who'll Stop The Rain," another beautiful acoustic ballad released before it. However, while it seems everyone values " Who'll Stop" more, I find "Have You Ever" superior, although I must admit there's a lot of sentimental value in it. I've always been fascinated by that brief acoustic intro , punctuated by the bass. I find it sung in a more emotional way, especially those "I Know! "s in the even-numbered verses. The chorus is melodic and charming, absolutely catchy. The keyboards are used subtly and fit perfectly, and the bass line is one of my all-time favorites . I insist , it's not a complicated line, but without a lead electric guitar, Cook's gentle swaying (and I don't mean that in a suggestive way) ends up being crucial to the song. For a long time, there was speculation about whether the lyrics were another reference to Vietnam. No, that's " Who'll Stop." John Fogerty would later acknowledge in the '90s that this song deals with the fractures and dismantling of Creedence Clearwater Revival at that time, and the imminent departure of his brother, which explains the almost painful way he sings the chorus and the bittersweet imagery. I don't know if it's my favorite Creedence Clearwater Revival song. If anything, it's my favorite ballad, and it brings back the smell of rain from that summer when I learned the ABCs of rock in the Blue Jeans' rehearsal room.
Next up is “(Wish I Could ) Hide Away”, another ballad, but this time with a more soulful feel. The organ dominates from beginning to end, from that dramatic intro that gradually slows down to a leisurely tempo. It's one of John's more unusual vocal performances, starting with that raspy, high-pitched, and inimitable tone, and then dropping to a half-voice for the choruses, which he finishes with a falsetto , essentially showcasing his entire vocal range. It's lovely. I like the contrast between the dramatic and bittersweet verses and the sweet calm of the choruses. The lyrics are a farewell, but a well-conceived one—not to a girl. Hmm , to a friend? Or to a brother? As I said, it's lovely, but far from being one of the band's best.
We return to the upbeat themes with “Born To Move”, and that descending riff built by the horns and guitar. It’s an old-school rocker , or rather, a soulful track reminiscent of James Brown in the early 60s (even the bass line at 2:30 is a clear homage). Aside from the descending riff, there aren’t many other elements, but the band realizes they only have enough for 1:40 without getting bogged down, and from there they create an instrumental break that begins with the bass building intensity almost from silence, along with the drums, before giving way to a psychedelic keyboard that this time attempts to pay tribute to the style of Booker T and The MG’s , with jazzy touches leading the crescendo and coda. It doesn't sound bad, especially considering it's John himself who plays the whole solo, but it does sound a bit dated for 1970. Then they return to the descending scale, and it would have been perfect if they'd ended it there around the 4-minute mark with a fade-out. out , but they extend the jam for another 2 minutes, without much direction.
“Hey Tonight” is another retro track, with a great vibe , the kind that puts a smile on your face, gets you moving, and is impossible to hate. The guitar is dominant again, with a great, gritty, swampy intro. It doesn't reach a threatening level of tension because the song isn't trying to be, but it does capture the band's classic style. There are good tempo changes in the bridges, a catchy chorus, and a discreet yet effective piano. The song stands out here, but I agree that on previous albums it would have been just another average track. Even so, it's a good return to their earlier style, albeit a bit lighter and more easygoing.
With “It’s Just A Thought”, we return to ballads with the organ as the lead instrument. Again, it has a soulful , gospel feel . The organ is indeed what makes it work, but it also gives me the impression that Creedence would have ended up like this, making ballads with a very dated, 70s-style organ. The lyrics are possibly also dedicated to Tom. They're not bad, and in fact, they would have made a very decent album closer considering their previous albums were about the same length as this one. But they're not memorable either, and it's one of John's weaker melodies.
And then we come to "Molina", which is personally one of the few melodic Creedence songs I can't stand. It seems to me that this is John's ultimate flirtation with mindless, complacent pop. Right from the little piano Boogie , the sax solo , the somewhat stupid choruses, and the lyrics are a lot. The structure is too simple, and everything that worked in "Good Golly Miss Molly" goes down the drain in this sort of rip-off. I think it's one of the few songs that treats the listener like an idiot with the mountain of clichés, but it's also true that you can't get the chorus out of your head for a week.
The tenth track is a Mardi Gras prelude. In fact, “Rude Awakening #2” starts well, with a cute little acoustic guitar embellishing the tracks, and then the band joining in to create a warm, simple, and flowing melody. At 1:46, an electric guitar enters to add a dramatic effect in minor keys, followed by a continuous synthesizer sound. It could have easily remained there as a harmless two-minute instrumental . But then, I don't know what on earth they were thinking, stretching it out and adding noises like crazy, with reversed recordings, bagpipes, flutes, whistles, maracas, and other paraphernalia that is truly grating. A kind of mix between “ Revolution #9” and the second disc of Ummagumma , extending to almost 6:30. A senseless collage, completely out of sync, that makes you question the band's sanity at this point. It's not a violent awakening. It's a nightmare on Elm Street. What on earth were they thinking?
Only God knows, as Brian Wilson would say. The fact is, Creedence Clearwater Revival would never recover. Tom left the band two months after the release, and John managed to convince the other two to continue as a trio. Although Pendulum didn't do badly in sales and a couple of singles were hits, the change they'd taken baffled everyone. It was too radical a shift from the masterpiece Cosmo's Factory, released just six months earlier.
In short. Three good songs, five that aren't bad but drag down the average due to their lack of memorability , and a couple that are truly awful. The worst part is that they're deliberate blunders , unlike anything seen on this band's previous albums. But it's still worth it. I think Tom's departure must have discouraged them from ending the band on a high note, but they kept going for a couple of years as a live band, touring here and there, with John showing remarkable patience while his two bandmates finished their songs for a final album that should never have been made and ended up being the biggest "I told you so" in rock history...
By Corvan
Apr/15/2013
