On this, the classic 2cd album from CCR, we get more long, slow tracks with a staggering 5/7 rating 5/5*. The band have found their distinctive swamp-rock sound and albums just don't come much better than this in that genre.

Three absolute classics open the album. The first, the 5 minute "Born on the Bayou", is my personal favourite, being swamp-rock and John Fogerty at its best, perhaps even defining the genre or at the very least being one of its best ever tunes. One of my top 10 favourite tunes ever, its groove and guitar riff is simply phenomenal. You have to hear it or know it to realize exactly what I mean. The lyrics are classic too. "Wish I was a fast freight train just chooglin' on down to New Orleans" "I can still hear that old hound dog barking ...".

"Bootleg" is another of my favourites, once again being swamp-rock at its best. Mid-paced and repetitive (though in a good way) it simply worms its way into the brain.

The "Graveyard Train" powers along… more »

On this, the classic 2cd album from CCR, we get more long, slow tracks with a staggering 5/7 rating 5/5*. The band have found their distinctive swamp-rock sound and albums just don't come much better than this in that genre.

Three absolute classics open the album. The first, the 5 minute "Born on the Bayou", is my personal favourite, being swamp-rock and John Fogerty at its best, perhaps even defining the genre or at the very least being one of its best ever tunes. One of my top 10 favourite tunes ever, its groove and guitar riff is simply phenomenal. You have to hear it or know it to realize exactly what I mean. The lyrics are classic too. "Wish I was a fast freight train just chooglin' on down to New Orleans" "I can still hear that old hound dog barking ...".

"Bootleg" is another of my favourites, once again being swamp-rock at its best. Mid-paced and repetitive (though in a good way) it simply worms its way into the brain.

The "Graveyard Train" powers along slowly in an unstoppable manner, as its title infers and is the longest track, clocking in at over 8 minutes.

Though a cover, "Good Golly Miss Molly" is a very good one that, whilst not being as good as the other tracks, harks back to the raw guitar sound of the 1st LP and is certainly not filler. It's just that after three such excellent slow swamp-rock tracks its rock & roll sounds like a bit of a let down.

"Penthouse Pauper" is the other poor relation on the LP. Compared to the other tracks it and "Good Golly Miss Molly" just don't cut the mustard and rate only 4/5*.

The classic single "Proud Mary" rolls along like the riverboat in its lyrics - an absolute gem of a John Fogerty song and CCR's first hit single in GB in 1969. This single unusually was issued in GB twice that year with different B-sides - "I Put a Spell on You" from the 1st LP and "Born on the Bayou", edited from the track on this one.

The final track, "Keep on Chooglin'",which clocks in at nearly 8 minutes and lent its name to a later 5 track CD compilation, picks up the pace a little. It's largely instrumental, with wailing harmonica, a nice little riff and an insidious guitar and bass-line plus some nice guitar solos, again harking back to the raw sound of the first LP.

It's a photo finish between this and the first LP for which is CCR's best ever album and to be honest I think only you can decide after listening to them both back to back. For me the first LP just pips this at the post by a nose.