Pared down to a trio, Creedence Clearwater Revival had to find a new
way of doing business, since already their sound had changed, so they
split creative duties evenly. It wasn't just that each member wrote songs
-- they produced them, too. Doug Clifford and Stu Cook claim John Fogerty
needed time to creatively recharge, while Fogerty says he simply bowed
to the duo's relentless pressure for equal time. Both arguments make sense,
but either way, the end result was the same: Mardi Gras was a mess. Not
a disaster, which it was dismissed as upon its release, since there are
a couple of bright moments. Typically, Fogerty is reliable, with the solid
rocker "Sweet Hitch-Hiker," the country ramble "Lookin'
for a Reason," a good cover of Ricky Nelson's "Hello Mary Lou,"
and the pretty good ballad "Someday Never Comes." These don't
match the brilliance of previous CCR records, but they sparkle next to
Clifford and Cook's efforts. That implies that their contributions are
terrible, which they're usually not -- they're just pedestrian. Only "Sail
Away" is difficult to listen to, due to Cook's flat, overemphasized
vocals, but he makes up for it with the solid rocker "Door to Door"
and the Fogerty soundalike "Take It Like a Friend." Clifford
fares a little better since his voice is warmer and he wisely channels
it into amiable country-rock, yet these are pretty average songs by two
guys beginning to find their own songwriting voice. If Clifford and Cook
had started their own band (which they did after this album) it would
be easier to be charitable, but when held up against Creedence's other
work, Mardi Gras withers. It's an unpretty end to a great band.
(by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All
Music Guide)
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