Creedence Clearwater Revival and Craft Recordings have announced the half-speed master editions of two classic titles — Willy and the Poor Boys and Green River. Pressed on 180-gram vinyl and set for release on November 15th, the albums were mastered at half-speed by award-winning engineer Miles Showell at the one and only Abbey Road Studios.

As many of you may know, 1969 was a prolific year for Creedence Clearwater Revival, who had just released three Billboard Top Ten albums in 12 months. Two of which were Green River and Willy and the Poor Boys. Released in August of 1969, Green River was the Bay Area band’s third studio album, and their first No. 1 record. Featuring singles “Bad Moon Rising” and “Green River” (which both went to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100). Not only was Green River included in Rolling Stone’s 2003 “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” list, but it has often been credited as John Fogerty’s favorite record from CCR’s  entire catalog.

Both these reissues were mastered at half-speed, a process which provides Willy and the Poor Boys and Green River with a new identity, half a century after they were orginally recorded. Using high-res transfers from the original tapes, the mastering process involves playing back the 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, resulting in more accuracy with frequency extremes and dynamic contrasts.

Click here to pre-order Green River (Half-Speed Master) LP and click here to pre-order Willy and the Poor Boys (Half Speed Master) LP. Special bundles available via the official Craft Recordings store.

Tracklist — Green River

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

Tracklist — Willy and the Poor Boys

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