50 years ago, John Fogerty, Tom Fogerty, Doug Clifford, and Stu Cook released their first album together as Creedence Clearwater Revival, providing the perfect soundtrack for a tumultuous period in American history.  Over just seven albums issued between 1968 and 1972, the band's rootsy rock-and-roll sensibility yielded such all-time classic hits as "Proud Mary," "Bad Moon Rising," "Green River," "Down on the Corner," "Who'll Stop the Rain," and "Have You Ever Seen the Rain."  To celebrate the band's fiftieth anniversary, Craft Recordings is releasing a deluxe box set containing CCR's complete seven-album studio discography.  The Studio Albums Collection, on seven LPs, arrives in stores on November 30, and contains new half-speed masterings of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bayou Country, Green River, Willy and the Poor Boys, Cosmo's Factory, Pendulum and Mardi Gras.

Each album in the new box set has been mastered at half-speed by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios, pressed on 180-gram vinyl, and housed in a tip-on-style jacket, replicating the look and feel of the original pressings.  Additionally, the box set contains an 80-page book with liner notes by journalist Roy Trakin, and numerous photos and memorabilia reproductions.

In its press release, Craft describes the mastering procedure for this collection: "Using high-res transfers from the original analog tapes, the half-speed mastering process involves playing back audio at half its recorded speed while the cutting lathe is turned at half the desired playback speed. The technique allows more time to cut a micro-precise groove, allowing more accuracy with frequency extremes and dynamic contrasts."  Miles Showell offers further insight into his own approach: "I've tried to be as authentic as I could, and just make it sound like music. Not over-hyped, not over-processed. Up until now a lot of processing has been done on these recordings, so my approach was to strip them right back and just expose them for what they are - because what they are is great music."

Despite the personal and professional tensions that plagued the band, CCR's joyous brand of Americana keeps on chooglin'.  The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers are still active today, with John Fogerty headlining his own solo shows, and Cook and Clifford performing as Creedence Clearwater Revisited.  (Tom Fogerty died in 1990.)  The Studio Albums Collection is due from Craft Recordings on November 30.  You'll find the complete track listing and pre-order links below!

Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Studio Albums Collection (Craft Recordings, 2018) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

 LP 1: Creedence Clearwater Revival (Fantasy 8382, 1968)

Side A:

1. I Put a Spell on You
2. The Working Man
3. Suzie Q

Side B:

1. Ninety Nine (And a Half Won't Do)
2. Get Down Woman
3. Porterville
4. Gloomy
5. Walk on the Water

LP 2: Bayou Country (Fantasy 8387, 1969)

Side A:

1. Born on the Bayou
2. Bootleg
3. Graveyard Train

Side B:

1. Good Golly Miss Molly
2. Penthouse Pauper
3. Proud Mary
4. Keep on Chooglin'

LP 3: Green River (Fantasy 8393, 1969)

Side A:

1. Green River
2. Commotion
3. Tombstone Shadow
4. Wrote a Song for Everyone

Side B:

1. Bad Moon Rising
2. Lodi
3. Cross-tie Walker
4. Sinister Purpose
5. The Night Time Is the Right Time

LP 4: Willy and The Poor Boys (Fantasy 8397, 1969)

Side A:

1. Down on the Corner
2. It Came Out of the Sky
3. Cotton Fields
4. Poorboy Shuffle
5. Feelin' Blue

Side B:

1. Fortunate Son
2. Don't Look Now (It Ain't You or Me)
3. The Midnight Special
4. Side O' the Road
5. Effigy

LP 5: Cosmo's Factory (Fantasy 8402, 1970)

Side A:

1. Ramble Tamble
2. Before You Accuse Me
3. Travelin' Band
4. Ooby Dooby
5. Lookin' Out My Back Door
6. Run Through the Jungle

Side B:

1. Up Around the Bend
2. My Baby Left Me
3. Who'll Stop the Rain
4. I Heard It Through the Grapevine
5. Long As I Can See the Light

LP 6: Pendulum (Fantasy 8410, 1970)

Side A:

1. Pagan Baby
2. Sailor's Lament
3. Chameleon
4. Have You Ever Seen the Rain?
5. (Wish I Could) Hideaway

Side B:

1. Born to Move
2. Hey Tonight
3. It's Just a Thought
4. Molina
5. Rude Awakening #2

LP 7:  Mardi Gras (Fantasy 9404, 1972)

Side A:

1. Lookin' for a Reason
2. Take It Like a Friend
3. Need Someone to Hold
4. Tearin' Up the Country
5. Someday Never Comes

Side B:

1. What Are You Going to Do
2. Sail Away
3. Hello Mary Lou
4. Door to Door
5. Sweet Hitch-Hiker