"Mardi Gras" is the seventh and final studio album by American band Creedence Clearwater Revival, released in 1972. The group broke up after this album was released.
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.
Track listing
01. Lookin' for a Reason (John Fogerty) - 3:28
02. Take It Like a Friend (Stu Cook) - 3:00
03. Need Someone to Hold (Cook, Doug Clifford) - 3:00
04. Tearin' Up the Country (Clifford) - 2:14
05. Someday Never Comes (Fogerty) - 4:01
06. What Are You Gonna Do? (Clifford) - 2:53
07. Sail Away (Cook) - 2:29
08. Hello Mary Lou (Gene Pitney, Cayet Mangiaracina) - 2:14
09. Door to Door (Cook) - 2:09
10. Sweet Hitch-Hiker (Fogerty) - 2:59
Released: April 11, 1972
Genre: Roots Rock, Country Rock, Swamp Rock, Southern Rock
Length: 28:04
Label: Fantasy
Producer: Doug Clifford, Stu Cook, John Fogerty
Personnel
Doug Clifford - drums, vocals
Stu Cook - bass, rhythm guitar, lead guitar, piano, vocals
John Fogerty - lead guitar, rhythm guitar, keyboards, vocals
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