INDY'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTING ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

John Fogerty

Murat Theatre
Saturday, Dec. 1, 8 p.m., $39.50-$59.50, all-ages

Even though his previous solo albums have garnered some critical acclaim and a measure of commercial success, John Fogerty admits it wasn’t until his latest effort, Revival, that he’s felt truly at home with his efforts.

“It just seemed like all the records I have made since Creedence Clearwater Revival have all been sort of pushed off center,” Fogerty says. “I felt like I was dancing around the outskirts of what is my true center. With this album, I really wanted to stay on the mark, right in the middle, right where rock ’n’ roll is. I wanted this one to be easier, a lot more fun than some of the past records have been.”

And Fogerty has achieved just that with Revival. From the opening notes of the catchy first track, “Don’t You Wish It Was True,” the listener is treated to an enjoyable collection of songs that resonate with the classic CCR sound — a mix of swamp rock (“Creedence Song”), gospel (“River Is Waiting”), rockabilly (“It Ain’t Right) and rock (“Summer of Love”), with a couple of jabs aimed at the country’s current administration thrown in for good measure (“Long Dark Night” and “I Can’t Take It No More”).

Revival is also Fogerty’s first album of new material on the Fantasy label after a well-documented 30-year battle with the label regarding his CCR catalog. Fogerty’s return to the label led to the first complete retrospective of his career, The Long Road Home, which was released in late 2005.

The Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Famer says seeing his latest record with a Fantasy logo is quite “surreal.” The talented group of musicians who worked with Fogerty on Revival included drummer Kenny Aronoff, guitarist Hunter Perrin, bassist David Santos and guest Benmont Tench on keyboards. The project did not take long to put together; Fogerty and company laid down the basic tracks in just 12 days.

“A lot of times on prior albums,” Fogerty admits, “there are those moments where you’re in the studio or rehearsing and you’re going through this agony, you’re very unsettled or anxious because you’re not completely sure it’s going to work. Even in rehearsal this time, I knew it was all going to work.”