This comprehensive retrospective features, for the first time ever, all of the songwriter's most poignant and enduring hits. Included are seminal tracks from the Creedence catalog, along with the crème de la crème of his solo work, including "Centerfield," "Déjà Vu (All Over Again)," and "Hot Rod Heart" from the GRAMMY(R) Award-winning CD Blue Moon Swamp. Also on the disc are four new tracks recorded live by Fogerty during his 2005 tour of the United States: "Hey Tonight," "Bootleg," "Keep on Chooglin'," and a blistering rendition of "Fortunate Son."They were together just five years, and between the potent era of 1969-'71, Creedence Clearwater Revival reached the Top 10 with nine different singles, an accomplishment the band's architect John Fogerty has cracked just once ("The Old Man Down the Road") since CCR's demise in 1972. And now that the three-decade battle between Fogerty and the Fantasy label has ended, the man-and-band reunion comes full circle with a 25-song compilation that packages many of CCR's made-for-radio hits with a sprinkling of solo numbers and live recordings from recent Fogerty tours. Fogerty hasn't penned a whole lot of clunkers, and his CCR catalog sparkles with modernly remastered chooglin' classics like "Bad Moon Rising," "Travelin' Band," "Fortunate Son," "Lookin' Out My Backdoor" and "Have You Ever Seen the Rain." But the non-chronological sequencing is unpredictable, and far too many Creedence gems were left on the cutting room floor to call this package "The Ultimate." --Scott Holter
John Fogerty has finally made peace with his old label, Fantasy Records. One of the results of this is the first ever assemblage of his Creedence Clearwater Revival hits with his less classic solo work. The Long Road Home is a mixed bag, though. Since there are plenty of worthy Creedence hits packages, fans likely already own 14 of these 25 tracks (four more CCR songs appear in recently recorded concert versions). But there's never been a compilation of Fogerty's inconsistent, occasionally inspired solo career, and unfortunately only seven tunes from six studio discs make the cut. There are no selections from the spotty Eye of the Zombie or his first post-Creedence covers album, the excellent Blue Ridge Rangers. Only two tracks from 1975's terrific yet obscure John Fogerty make an appearance, and both are represented in spirited but inferior live performances. The Long Road Home remains an enjoyable listen, but these limitations prevent it from living up to its "ultimate" subtitle. --Hal Horowitz
