CCR — Creedence Clearwater Revival (Half Speed Master)

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s first album kicked off an incredible two-year streak that saw five records and five top-10 singles from the former Golliwogs. CCR’s debut album is a gritty sampler of what the guys were into, from roadhouse rockabilly to Stax soul. John Fogerty’s stellar songwriting had not kicked into full gear yet, but Creedence Clearwater Revival is chock-full of well-imagined covers, including Wilson Pickett’s Ninety-Nine and a Half, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ I Put a Spell On You and CCR’s tripped-out version of Dale Hawkins’ 1957 rockabilly raver, Suzi Q.
Side 1

1. I Put a Spell on You (4:25)
2. The Working Man (3:02)
3. Susie Q (8:34)

Side 2

4. Ninety-Nine and a Half (3:35)
5. Get Down Woman (3:02)
6. Porterville (2:13)
7. Gloomy (3:48)
8. Walk on the Water (4:16)

If you’re wondering if a half-speed mastered record is all that ... well, it is. And you don’t need an audiophile-quality turntable to appreciate the sound. On any decent system, you’re going to hear clearer treble, better stereo separation and just an overall fuller sound when you drop the needle. This half-speed mastered pressing of Creedence Clearwater Revival is no exception.

The reason for the fuller sound on a half-speed master is pretty straightforward. Running both the original master tape and the cutting lathe at half speed (16-2/3 RPM) allows the cutting head twice the time to cut into the master lacquer. Slow-and-steady means better transmission of all that sonic data into the grooves, giving your stylus and cartridge much more input to work with.

Miles Showell, an engineer at Abby Road Studios, has a great video expounding on the virtues of half-speed mastering. Check it out.