Cream was a really strange group, seemingly living and
breathing contradictions and defying common sense. I mean, think about it
- here was a group with the greatest guitarist in the world (at the time), Eric Clapton,
whose pedigree to that point was deeply seeped in the blues. Meanwhile, we
had two extremely talented and fairly well-known musicians filling out the
group, bassist/singer Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker, who had been in
a jazzy R&B group called the Graham Bond Organization together. Regardless
of their jazz roots, though, everybody expected them to work with Clapton
in his forte, and become a hardcore blues group. So what happens? First
they put out a pop (at least mostly) album, and then they spend the
next two albums fusing blues and pop with, of all things,
psychedelia. There's also the fact that, as famous
as their lengthy live jams were, these almost never made their way into
the studio - most Cream tracks are relatively brief and to the point.
Still, this bizarre mix mostly turned out well. First of all, Jack Bruce
was an absolutely incredible riff-maker during the band's short tenure
(though, alas, he mostly dropped off of the face of the earth afterwards),
so the songs are almost always interesting. This might seem somewhat
obvious, but I feel it extremely necessary to point that out. You
see, many a critic only focuses on the influential nature of the
group without really talking about the music itself (and yes, I fall
into that trap a bit in this intro). But really, the riffs and
melodies that this band kept churning out were usually impeccable,
and are truly a benchmark by which all bands should be judged.
But back to the 'influence' spiel. As I implied before, these guys were
relentless experimenters - along with Hendrix, they formalized a large
number of the tricks that are commonplace today but were amazing back
then. And along those lines, and most important, they not only virtually
invented hard rock, but they were among the first to fully demonstrate the
advantages of combining genres rather than trying to keep blues and pop
and psychedelia and jazz as far from each other as possible. And for a
'mixture' lover like myself, this alone gives them my undying respect.
So why only a rating of three? Well, their career was absurdly short, producing only three studio albums. Plus, while all three of their studio records are wonderful, none of them absolutely blow me away from start to finish (though DG has come close over the years). And while I do like a good deal of their
posthumous live material, this material isn't good enough to affect the rating.
But still, they way I look at it, a three is an extremely high rating for
a group that was only around for two years. Their work is extremely
recommendable, and I'd take Disraeli Gears over any Zeppelin album
(except possibly the debut).
bsitting.mail.math.ucsb.edu (9/03/02)
One of my favorite rock bands of all time, perhaps the best psychedelic band
ever (sorry Jimi; The Doors are in a category all their own). Not
coincidentally, "The Best of Cream" (btw, an excellent intro to the band,
covering all their 'essential' songs, minus "Dance the Night Away") was the
first CD I ever bought.
This may have been the first band with all band members being accomplished
players. From this point on, professsionalism would come become more and more
important, peaking with progressive rock, and taking a nosedive somewhere
around disco and punk (In fact, one may argue Cream was a huge influence on
prog (musicianship, experimentation, lyrics...), but we'll save that for
another time.) Also, they were among the first to make jams (for better or
worse) fashionable. For me, this is where Eric Clapton's guitar 'worship' is
firmly grounded; it would be a trickier case to argue this on solely his post-
Cream work, though he has definitely had his moments.
Unfortunately, they only released three albums (excluding "Goodbye"), all of
which were solid. I'm kind of torn if this was a good thing or not. Perhaps, it
was, seeing that they could have severely tarnished their legacy by releasing
tons of music...
slbrown (slbrown.hevanet.com) (11/27/02)
The music of "Cream" came out when I was in college. Their big American
hit was, of course, "Sunshine of your Love". The bizzare bend in the
riff was cool, but I was really put off by the name of the group.
"Cream". What an ostentatious name! I refused to be interested in them
and never bought their records. That was my loss. Twenty-five years
later I started playing the blues myself and discovered what I had
missed. Beat lyrics and blues guitar. What a combination! "Tiny purple
fishes run laughing through your fingers, and you want to take her with
you to the hindland of the winter"..."Yellow tigers crouched in jungles
in her dark eyes", all sung to the pentatonic scale. Alan Ginsberg meets
Robert Johnson. And the greatest Cream tune, "Outside Woman Blues".
What a loss to the world when they broke up.
Pedro Andino (pedroandino.msn.com) (12/01/04)
okay you know cream. these guys are numer1 in my book and futhermore I am
certenly greatful for the good folks at universal for remastering and
doubling up the disreali greas lp on 2 cds! that's rite! more bang for
your buck! and this was a supergroup before that term was coined cream
rules! deliciuos!
Mitchell Torres-Shaw (mlnvb1995.gmail.com) (08/13/15)
For me everything cream ever wrote is masterpiece quality even pressed rat, doing that scrapyard thing, wrapping paper and even demos and outtakes are far superior in quality to that of which most bands possess. Even the silly tracks have an amazing musical blueprint behind it and the silliness is quirky and British. I love this band so much that i try and find influenced bands and even the members’ solo works especially Jack Bruce; Blind Faith is also amazing. My top 5 cream songs are: Tales of Brave Ulysses, What a Bringdown, Deserted Cities of the Heart, Dance the Night Away & As You Said. Being born in the 90’s is also great in the sense that Sunshine & White Room are not overplayed to me as most on the internet say it is for them. I really wish Cream had released more studio work it would’ve been interesting to see where they would’ve went based on the studio tracks off of Goodbye. Eric’s inspiration with the Band’s roots rock was bit apparent on Badge with its more Organic sound. Scrapyard tho i love very much seemed like abit of a one off track for Jack stylistically. It seemed kind of Beatles-ish and was really great when the Leslie speaker comes in which shows Clapton’s influence from Harrison still present. What a Bringdown which has so much beauty in different parts was another classic like Those were the Days by Ginger and shows his African influences. This band is one of the few heavy bands where it feels like its never loud enough because they layered their music so well and had complex melodies which gave each song such a cinematic lively feel.
Best song: Spoonful
But these are just minor complaints. Side one is great, with lots of decently catchy melodies filled with
powerhouse drumming, pulsating bass and Eric's ever-present guitar. "I Feel
Free" is one of the great pop classics of the mid-60's, and who can resist
that 'ba ba ba buh buh ba' vocal groove in the opening? "N.S.U." is slightly
primitive lyrically, but the solo makes it all worthwhile. "Sleepy Time Time" is a
solid example of vintage blues-pop, "Dreaming" recreates the idea of, well,
dreaming, and "Sweet Wine" has yet another fairly interesting melody with a
fantastic jam in the middle (I just love the initial sound Eric gets from his guitar when the jamming begins).
Now, side two doesn't quite match up, but it's still quite good. The main
complaint I have is with the stupid cover of the instrumental "Cat's
Squirrel;" the main riff is dull, and the jam that accompanies isn't much
better. Fortunately, they only made it three minutes long, as opposed to
when Jethro Tull did theirs for well over five-and-a-half minutes on their
debut. The other gripe I have is with the closing instrumental, the
drum-solo "Toad." I will be the first to admit that the riff for it is
solid, and also that Ginger makes the solo as interesting as he possibly
can. But, alas, I will always have a bias against drum solos - I feel that
they are one of the most mind-numbing ideas to come out of the epoch.
Other than that, though, things are fine. "Four Until Late" is a decent
blues number, while "Rolling' and Tumblin'" is a bitchin' harmonica-driven
cover of an old Muddy Waters tune. There's also the hilariously
entertaining pop song "I'm So Glad," with yet another interesting Clapton
solo and lyrics that basically sum up the whole vibe of the
album. Which you should definitely get.
Oh, but wait, I haven't yet mentioned the best part. You see, the version
I have is the US release, which only contains ten tracks as opposed to the
eleven of the British. However, it also contains three bonus tracks -
thank goodness, since while two of them are relative throwaways ("Wrapping
Paper" and "The Coffee Song"), one of them is the best song on the whole
thing. As a special present for all of the blues lovers out there, the
band did a terrific cover of a classic blues number, "Spoonful." Jack's
vocals occasionally get slightly annoying, but the playing is stellar, as
Eric rips out some of the most ferocious licks of his career here. This is
what most people were expecting out of Cream, and while they should be
applauded for their bravery in exploring other areas, it was very kind of
them to reward the more 'down-to-earth' people.
You need this album in your collection, though not quite as badly as you
need the next one.
bsitting.mail.math.ucsb.edu (9/03/02)
A rather deceptive debut, especially if you know them mostly for their
prime "Disraeli Gears"/"Wheels of Fire" material. (Well, Eric Clapton's guitar
tones and maybe "I Feel Free" pave the way to the future!) They more or less
stick to standard pop/blues for mat through most of the songs. One thing that
isn't mentioned too much is the group's harmonies; they actually work together
quite well, especially on "I Feel Free" (also a great lead-in to the rest of
the record). Sometimes, the songwriting can be a bit iffy, but the band's
masterful playing saves the day (see "I'm So Glad" for proof of this; they
don't say much more than the title!) "N.S.U." is my other favorite from this
album (anyone, what is the title short for?). 8(12), as none of the songs are
bad at all; better things were to follow.
Best song: Dance the Night Away
It's not that any of the album is bad, mind you. It takes the same
enjoyable formula of the debut and successfully manages to seamlessly
integrate the jamming aspects with the great Bruce melodies and riffs. The
problem, for me at least, is that this improved quality actually takes
away from my enjoyment a bit, as strange as that might seem. The
'seams' between the melodies and solos on Fresh Cream might have
been extremely patchy, but dagnabbit, that patchiness was a huge part of
the album's charm. Whereas here, everything sounds ... I dunno, too
polished. Not that I mind much anymore, but I still listen to Fresh
more than any other of their work.
Plus, some of the songs, while not bad to my ears, are a bit on the dull side. "We're
Going Wrong," for instance, still kinda bores me - not as much as before, and it
has an interesting, dark mournful vibe throughout, but that doesn't completely boost it up in my ears. "Take it Back" sounds like
an outtake from the first album (and not great, though good), and "Outside
Woman Blues," while a solid 'traditional' blues number, is still just a
(mostly) generic blues track. Of course, it has a wonderful guitar tone, one of the best generic blues tones I've heard, so that's at least something. And hey, there's also a fairly humorous
groove at the end, entitled "Mother's Lament," about a thin child slipping
down the bath-tub drain. One the one hand, it's absolutely 100% filler; on the other hand, it's one of the best drunken vocal performances I've ever heard, and I'll be damned if I don't like singing that sucker in the shower with an exaggerated Cockney accent.
Fortunately, the other seven tracks absolutely rule - if you want, think
of this as an EP (and one of the greatest chunks of music of the late
60's). The opening 'psycho-blues' "Strange Brew" is a fantastic kickoff,
with acid-drenched vocal harmonies (trippy lyrics too) led by a delightful Bruce falsetto, a neat guitar
tone, and a wonderful melody. "Sunshine of Your Love" was (and is) the big
hit, with one of the greatest riffs of all time accompanying the wonderful
vibe that permeates the whole album. Then there's the wonderful "World of
Pain," a softer but equally impressive expression of that vibe. Just like much of the rest here, the melody is bloody fantastic
The tastiest moment of all, however, and the highlight of the band's short
career (in my opinion, of course), comes next in "Dance the Night Away." The
melody, chorus and lyrics combine with the AWESOME guitar work of Clapton
to create almost the perfect psychedelic listening experience. That trippy
guitar part (especially in terms of the dreamy tone) before each run of the chorus is breathtaking, and elevates
the song to unbelievable heights.
The next three songs don't quite meet the standard, but they're great
nonetheless. The Baker-sung "Blue Condition" gives an aura of boredom, and
this is well-demonstrated in the way Ginger sounds as if he's singing with
his chin pressed against his chest. It's ok, though I can certainly see where somebody would consider it to largely bring the album down. Next, there's "Tales of Brave Ulysses," which is
probably the second or third best number here. It has an eerie, descending
riff, and combined with wonderful wah-wahs and the trippy lyrics that
don't mean jack but sound oh so cool, it is a truly amazing song. And
finally, there is "SWLABR" (She Walks Like A Bearded Rainbow), which has good
singing, full-out jamming power (there is absolutely no dead space in the mix), and yet
another awesome riff.
So, overall, this is a very, very good album. If anything, I'd say that the most stand-out feature of this album, in retrospect, is that it's an album that (in my opinion) doesn't really dig into the listener's skin until/unless the listener takes a step back and thinks about what it is Cream are actually doing on this album and what an accomplishment it is. It's easy (and, as I now feel, a lazy copout) to just say, "Pffft, ok, it's basically a generic classic rock album that is a combination of blues, pop and psychedelia." It takes more effort (and more academic honesty, imho) to say, "Wait a second, I can't think of anybody else who had even remote success combining these three genres, much less anybody who did so with a bunch of really enjoyable melodies." Even more than being an enjoyable album, it's a fascinating album, and that's something which deserves a tip of the cap. I don't put it in the absolute highest tier of 60's rock like some do, but it comes close, and I actually find it more enjoyable than any Led Zeppelin album (though it's basically a tossup between this and their debut). No decent 1967 collection should lack this.
CANFIELD Kerry S (kerry.s.canfield.co.multnomah.or.us)
1. I, too, always loved "Dance the Night Away," especially since it was so
different from "standard" Cream (i.e., blues-based guitar-bass duels).
2. I always wondered if "SWLABR" was--since co-written by Pete Brown--stood
for SWeet LAdy BRown, and was therefore a somewhat ironic title considering
the lyrics.
3. "Take It Back" probably sounds a bit of a throwaway these days, but what
gave it a historical resonance for me (and perhaps other of my peers,
whereas possibly not for many others besides us) is that--since the album
came out during the days when the Vietnam War was intensifying--the song
seemed "obviously" to be about a draft notice. The draft lottery had just
begun; I was 19 and subject to the first lottery drawn, although I was lucky
enough to draw a high number and was consequently never called, but not a
few of my peers were frantically seeking alternatives to being sent "to
where streams are red." I suppose that the "thing that the singer has got
to keep sharp" is probably merely a sexual reference, but it's still
meaningful in context--i.e., he doesn't want to waste his manhood ("where it
won't shine in the dark"). Now, it could well be that a draft notice was
never what the song was about, but the entire lyrics fit such an assumption
so perfectly that hearing that song even today still gives me mixed feelings
of jitters and relief.
bsitting.mail.math.ucsb.edu (9/03/02)
What a jump form the debut! This is how I know and love Cream. Eric Clapton's
guitar tones have become even more intersting, and he has discovered the wah-
wah (!). Not to emphasize that this album screams psychedelic; from the album
cover to the guitars themselves to even decipherable lyrics ("Sylabr").
This is all fine and dandy, but what about the songs themselves? Only two
tracks, really don't do it for me one bit; "Blue Condition" due to Ginger
Baker's singing, and "Mother's Lament" primarily since it's mainly a throwaway
(though a bit amusing). Everything else more or less rules, having one killer
riff after another! "Strange Brew" is fundamentally blues, but with crazy
lyrics and a cool guitar tone. "Sunshine of Your Love" features one of the most
well-known riffs in rock (esp. for guitar players; even I learned to play this
one!). "Dance the Night Away" is a rather forgotten gem, your assessment on it
is right on; probably my 2nd or 3rd favorite here. "Tales of Brave Ulysses"
features the first brandishing of the wah-wah. Finally, I like the sorrowful
atmosphere to "We're Going Wrong". Ginger Baker really propels this song along.
An EASY 10(14)!!
Mark (slipperman.bigfoot.com) (7/13/04)
The title (an anagram) stands for: She Was Like A Bearded Rainbow (cf. Pete
Brown's lyrics to the song).
Mike Gannon (mikeg888.optonline.net) (1/17/05)
'Dance The Night Away' is a masterpiece when you think of the music of
the time. The album was terrific, a classic by all standards, but that song always
stood out for me. Great Clapton on the 12 string and harmonies between Bruce and Eric.
"Tom Walsh" (bxbluesman01.verizon.net) (07/13/09)
A minor thing, but that's Clapton's singing lead on Strange Brew.
Best song: White Room or Spoonful
First of all, the studio album is fantastic. I know that some may argue
with me on this point, but at times I even prefer it to
Disraeli. The biggest reason for this, I think, is the change in
demeanor from before - it is far murkier and more depressing, and as such
provides an interesting contrast to the numbers which continue the vibe of
before. The most famous of these, of course, is the amazing classic "White
Room." The first few times I listened to it, I thought that the menacing
chords in the beginning and that reprise themselves throughout were the
product of orchestral arrangements - imagine my shock and glee when I
realized that it was merely Clapton's guitar and Baker's bass drums that
were producing such a great effect. It also has a fantastic vocal melody,
occasionally breaking into a solid falsetto from Bruce, and contains some
fantastic wah-wahs from Eric.
The rest is no slouch, though. There are a couple of fantastic blues
covers here - "Sitting On Top of the World" has a terrific guitar tone
courtesy of Eric's experimentation, while "Born Under a Bad Sign" contains a
solid riff and more great guitar work (and the bass is fantastic - a
regular thing on this album). If you want hard-rockers, they're here as
well - "Politician" contains yet another amazing riff and amusing lyrics,
"Those Were the Days" has some more Sinfield-esque lyrics to go with a good
melody, great guitar solos and chimes, and the urgency of "Deserted
Cities of the Heart" is breath-taking. It choogles along with guitars,
bass, drums and violin combining in a wonderful way that cannot be
adequately described in this review. Great lyrics, too.
Now, the other three tracks are what bother some people (it probably
doesn't help that they're all in a row, either). First, there's "Passing
the Time," with its strange alternation between soft glockenspiel and
'normal' hard-rock jamming. For me, though, both parts are equally
impressive, even if they don't gel together very well. The soft part has a
pretty vocal melody, while the riffs in the faster part are certainly
well-constructed. In any case, next up is "As You Said," with its distorted
cellos (not violins like once thought) mixing with acoustic guitars to produce a somewhat awkward
effect. Strangely, though, I enjoy the heck out of it - it's
menacing. It's also beautiful in its own, somewhat ugly way. Of
course, you need not share this opinion, but that's why I want people to
send me comments ...
The third 'culprit' is the strange, strange Baker composition "Pressed Rat
and Warthog." Now, I'm not saying that it's a masterpiece, but it's
easily as interesting as its predecessor, "Blue Condition." The music
in the background is good, while the bizarre lyrics are so strange that
they can't help but entertain me. I understand why someone would hate it,
but really ...
Oh, yes, there's also a live album attached, and this is where most turn
away from the album. Now, I'm not in love with everything here - the
second side, I freely admit, is mind-numbing beyond words. It consists of
two tracks - a seven-minute harmonica improv entitled "Traintime," and
*horrors* a 16-minute "Toad." Given my feelings towards drum solos, I'll let
you guess how I feel about the latter.
The first side, however, is absolutely fantastic. Everybody has heard the
opener at some point - a live version of an old reworked blues number
called "Crossroads," which has become a standard for Clapton's live
shows. With good reason, too - besides the great drumming and bass work,
Eric throws in some FANTASTIC solos and solid riffing. But, to me
at least, this is nothing compared to the 17-minute rendition of "Spoonful"
as done here. Jack's singing can be somewhat annoying here, but
the band is tighter than ever, and the long, long guitar solo in the
middle is absolutely wonderful, one of my favorite Eric passages ever. You can't even try to memorize any of it,
but that's not what it's there for. I just sit there and allow myself to
be kept completely adrenalized the whole time, and I don't even have to
try. I know that most would strongly disagree here, but I will never grow
tired of it.
So, anyways, this was Cream's last "true" album before they broke up. They
had a number of posthumous releases which will be covered here, but this
is still considered their swan-song. And a terrific swan-song it is. Buy
it, even though it's expensive.
Paul d'Entremont (pdentremont.schwartz-pr.com)
Felix Pappalardi played cello on this record. I don't think there are any
violins. He also played calliope on Passing the Time - trippy, no? This is
one of my favorite records ever. I was obsessed with it in high school
while I was still playing guitar - but I'm a bassist now.
(author's note): Ack! This reader is SO right - those aren't
violins, those are definitely cellos in As You Said. My sincerest
apologies.
bsitting.mail.math.ucsb.edu (9/03/02)
They still have that psychedelic vibe going (another interesting album cover!).
This time, Cream is further experimenting in the studios: eastern
influences/rising falling climaxes ("Passing the Time"- yeh!), violins and
acoustic guitar ("As You Said"- yikes!, "Deserted Cities of the Heart"-yeh!),
and trumpets (the bizarre yet somewhat amusing "Pressed Rat and Warthog"), and
funk ("Politican", good riff!). As for the rest, "White Room" is a well-
deserved wah-wah masterpiece, "Those Were the Days" is a very catchy 'pop' song
(another good riff), and "Born Under a Bad Sign" and "Sitting on Top of the
World" are more blues-based songs, with more great solos from Clapton. (Boy, am
I starting to sound redundant!)
As for the live stuff, "Crossroads" is easily the best out of the bunch, with
Clapton really shredding. The others are goos enough, if not a bit wearisome,
ESPECIALLY "Toad". All and all, a 9(12) [(9.5 + 8)/2] overall.
Anna Falik (lucky17.optonline.net) (10/23/03)
At least you appreciated their music but to describe spoonful as a long
Clapton solo is an insult. Hendrix was a soloist. Clapton with anyone
else could be a soloist but with Jack and Ginger it's a three man effort.
Without the backup spoonful wouldn't have gotten off the ground let alone
shoot into orbit. Your appreciation doesn't go far enough. Listen again
and again. I can play the song in my mind almost note for note but then
again I have listened to it or edited parts of it for 30 years. Also
listen to other live stuff. The best work Clapton ever did was on the
extended live cream songs. Like mining for diamonds you have to dig
through tons of rock to obtain mere nuggets. There's diamonds here, start
digging. I dug and have the polished jewels edited and standing alone
they shine bright.
Robert Kinkle (RKINKLE.dallaslibrary.org) (02/12/05)
I love this song, its one of my favs...i just love it..It sounds like Zep
111. Its beyond any other tune Cream has done or any one else...I'll be
flying to London (from Dallas TX) to catch Creams last show at the albert
hall....IM in rock n roll heaven!!I cant wait.....
mark taylor (deeprun1.frontiernet.net) (11/02/05)
POLITICIAN,this is one of the meta-riffs of
all time.If you went out into the riff forest this would be a big
tree to chop down.And Erics multi tracked solo set the stage for two
guitar attack bands.I think this is a great song.
"Tom Walsh" (bxbluesman01.verizon.net) (07/13/09)
I'm thoroughly enjoying your reviews. Thanks. Clapton got that sound on the intro to
White Room by recording each string feeding back one at a time. I've been playing
guitar since 1965, and I studied the Cream (and the Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton)
very studiously. My own guitar style still is based on Clapton's from this era.
Best song: Badge
The main problem with the studio chunk is that, by this time, everybody in
the band hated everybody else, and the effect is that the great
brainstorming of the past has disappeared. The result is three tracks
where the players are off by their own and not coming up with many good
ideas at all. One of them, "Badge," is a great song, but you know as well as
I do that the co-author, one George Harrison, was the one who actually
wrote that great melody, NOT Eric Clapton. Meanwhile, Jack contributes a
really stupid electric piano-driven ditty entitled "Doing That Scrapyard"
Thing. It's somewhat humorous, and somewhat catchy, but you will
not be glad to have it stuck in your head. And finally, Baker's
"What a Bringdown" pretty much matches with its name. I can tolerate it
while it's on, but put me at gunpoint and I'll never be able to tell you
anything about it.
So the main appeal of the album would have to be the three live cuts that
kick off the set. They're good for typical Cream jams, but there is one
major problem - it's horrendously difficult to hear Eric in the mix. Bruce
is incredibly high, and while I certainly appreciate his talent, when I
hear a Cream jam, I want to hear Eric! Still, once you make a serious try
at listening, you discover that Clapton is mostly in top form here. His
speedy solos in "I'm So Glad," in particular, are stunning, and definitely
worth the extra effort. Plus, there's a solid rendition of "Politician,"
hurt only by Jack's bad singing (the man just couldn't sing on stage), and
a really terrific version of "Sitting on Top of the World." The playing is
even tighter and more ferocious than in the studio, and even Jack's bad
singing isn't enough to get in the way of that.
So, anyways, the album is decent, but .... if you're a diehard (ie a fan
of live Cream stuff), be sure to pick it up. Otherwise, get "Badge" from one
of a million other places.
Kelly Gay (kga83492.bigpond.net.au) (04/16/05)
For me their jamming on I'm so glad can't be topped. As for the
soloing on Politician and Sitting On Top Of The World Eric was at
his melodic peak- how could anyone create such fluid, tasty solos..as
perfect as vurtuoso blues lead will ever get.
Nicholas16220026.aol.com (04/25/06)
yes your right it was george who wrote badge there is no doubt about
that whatsoever, its a good song my favourate cream song but the
beatles are my favourate band followed by the doors then dylan then
the libertines or the small faces, so 3 out of 5 is quite good but
review the other two now damnitt now!!!
Best song: NSU
If one doesn't count a studio bonus track on the CD release, a blues
number (that just happens to have the same rhythm track as "Strange
Brew") entitled "Lawdy Mama," this album contains a grand total of four
tracks. Two of them are relatively short (seven minutes or so), while the
other two easily crash through the 10-minute barrier (and in the case of
"Sweet Wine," through the 15-minute barrier). Now, granted, the shorter
numbers, while not bad, don't exactly improve on the originals. "Sleepytime
Time" isn't much longer than it was in its studio version, while "Rollin'
and Tumblin'" is nowhere near as effective as before, mainly because Jack
can't properly replicate his harmonica parts.
The other two tracks, however, bring a big smile to my face. The opening
"NSU" goes off like a bomb, with Eric playing absolutely spectacularly.
Sometimes his playing is hard, sometimes it's just really fast, but he is
always in command and keeps me going from start to finish. If one has any
doubts about the worthwhile-ness of these lengthy jams, look no further
than this number. Now, "Sweet Wine" isn't quite as impressive, mainly
because it often seems that the band is jamming just for its own sake
without really knowing what to do, but I still love it. If "NSU" was Eric's
showcase, then the star here is unquestionably Bruce, and you don't know
how much good bass playing can warm my heart ...
I can't really describe the songs in much more detail than this, but what
else am I supposed to do when only given four songs, all of them mostly
improvised? At the very least, get the album as a historical
curiousity.
Eric Benac (sonicdeath10.hotmail.com) (12/05/06)
You noticed Lawdy Mama has the same backing track. Originally, Strange Brew
WAS Lawdy Mama, but the band decided it wasn't good enough. So they
overdubbed that other, harsher guitar line, changed the lyrics and melody,
and, blam, Strange Brew. If Jack sounds weird on Strange Brew, it's because
he's playing to the melody and beat of the original song, and not the "new"
version. They only did the album in six days, so no time to do a new bass
line. Good job on your reviews!
Best song: Tales of Brave Ulysses
The album opens up strong with a solid rendition of "Deserted Cities of the
Heart." The treatment is obviously harder than it was in the studio, and
that only helps matters, as it's neat to hear them (among other things)
replicate the violin parts with crunchy guitar. Jack's singing is even
good on this track, a rare thing in his live performances. Good
solo, too.
Up next are two more Wheels cuts, "White Room" and "Politician." The
latter doesn't exactly make me jump and down with joy, since we already
had a better live version from Goodbye, but "White Room" is
terrific. The 'cosmic' aura at the beginning of the song (and reprised
later) is created not by guitar, but rather by Eric and Jack singing an
"aaaahhhh" part together, and the rest of the song goes off just as well
as before. Of course, the ending solo is slightly too repetitive (and not
long enough, dang it), but you probably won't even notice that flaw while
it's on.
We then get a pair of Disraeli numbers, the first of which is the
highlight of the album. The group chooses to do "Tales" at a slightly slower
pace than in the original, but this actually proves beneficial - it ups
the intensity even further then before, and does a good job of magnifying
the original aura of the piece. And once again, there's a terrific solo by
Eric to end things. What follows, though is no slouch - after turning the
record over, we're greeted with the "Sunshine of Your Love" riff, and the
song comes across terrifically. Bruce is sometimes annoying, but this only
helps to magnify the goodness of the rest of the number (not to mention
the fact that, even at this early stage, Eric had a pretty solid singing
voice). The playing is simply superb, with Eric pulling out yet more
fascinating solos, and the extended coda turns into yet another wonderful
jam, with everybody going nuts as much as possible.
Now, what turns off some people is the closing number, a bluesy jam
entitled "Steppin' Out." I dunno, I like it. It's definitely the Eric
Clapton show, even more so than on the other tracks here, and if you
dislike really long guitar solos, you'll be bored. Personally, though, I think Eric can't really go wrong when he's in endless guitar-wank mode; it's when he's gotten *away* from that mode that all of the big problems in his solo career have made themselves apparent, and I love listening to this passage.. If you don't, though,
feel free to lower the rating of the album a point or two.
All in all, this is a fitting epigraph to this amusing 'power-trio', and
probably the best introduction to the band's live sound. Get it if you
suspect that you might be a Cream fan.
Best song: Tales Of Brave Ulysses
I mean, don't get me wrong; I'm happy that there isn't any sign of "Toad" on here, and I'm glad that when they do the mediocre "Traintime" it's only 2:50 instead of whatever irritating length it was on Wheels of Fire. But Cream as a live band was all about the spark of inspiration that would send them off into all manner of jamming sequences, with the ever-present threat that the song might not end for another ten minutes. Here, though, all the songs are kept around the same length as their studio counterparts, which means that there's not a lot of room for the instrumental breaks to go anywhere they didn't in the studio. And since the other half of the equation, the actual melodies and other "main song parts" of Cream's tracks, doesn't really have any chance to change either (maybe there's slight differences in intensity or whatever, but not significant reworkings), it's tough to see what there is about these tracks that would make me put them on instead of the originals.
Ok, I'll give; "Tales of Brave Ulysses" is slightly eerier here than in its original version. Whee.
Anyway, this gets a relatively high grade for such an essentially useless album, as I do enjoy it when it's on. And hey, it has about half of Cream's entire catalogue on one disc, so that could make it worth buying. I guess. Don't pay through the nose for this, though.
"Harding, Alan" (Alan.Harding.Edexcel.org.uk) (07/31/05)
Hello
Read your stuff -enjoyed most of it.
You question the point of the BBC sessions compilation. For those of
us living in England at the time it is important to emphasise the
lack of airtime given to "underground" bands during the 66/67 /68
period by the BBC who had a virtual monopoly on the airwaves,
especially once the pirate radio stations had been closed down. So
this collection is a genuine historical archive and like the Hendrix
,Fleetwood Mac and later Led Zeppelin BBC sessions, represents a
major breakthrough for "underground" music at the time. Shows like
Saturday Club and Top Gear, later fronted by the late lamented John
Peel, provided many of us with our only access to new sounds and it's
just great to hear Brian Mathews, "groovy baby" voice overs , when
swinging London was on the cusp of psychedelia. This indeed is the
soundtrack of my teenage years in London and BBC shows like these
made us go out and see the bands!
As the sleeve notes suggest "these unique sessions document the rapid
ascension of one of the most influential groups in the history of
rock and roll."
These recordings must be enjoyed and evaluated in their true
historical context -The London Delta Blues explosion of the mid to
late 1960s.
Alphonso
Eric Benac (sonicdeath10.hotmail.com) (12/05/06)
This was the first cream album i got, weirdly, and it got me into them.
Funny fact: the recent "Cream Gold" album has got almost ALL of Cream's
output on it: four songs (the best four) from Fresh Cream, all but the last
few songs, blue conditin, and dance the night away! a huge misstep, all but
TWO songs from wheels of fire, and EVERY SINGLE STUDIO TRACK FROM GOODBYE
CREAM. Personally, get rid of "What A Bringdown" and "Anyone For Tennis?"
put on a few numbers from Disraeli Gears, and you got yourself some AMAZING
driving music. I drove four hours today, and this album helped an hour and
fifteen minutes of that time just whiz by!
Best song: N.S.U.
Anyway, one thing this is clearly not is a return to the exact style and approach that had made Cream so infamous once upon a time. The band doesn't completely avoid the chance to stretch out a bit, but there's nowhere near the reckless abandon that came from the band once upon a time in its live shows. Plus, Clapton sticks with his Fender, not returning to the Gibson of old, and both Bruce and Baker settle more into 'support' roles for Clapton (who is clearly the star of the show overall) than they ever did in the day. Fortunately, the band members do a darn good job of working in their revamped roles, and the performance is quite enjoyable for what it is. When they start jamming, however briefly, Clapton often flashes styles of playing that he probably hadn't thought about since '68, and when the band decides to plow straight ahead in 4/4 mode, they sometimes just f#.*&ing rock (like in "N.S.U.").
There are actually quite a decent number of surprises for a reunion concert, too. No, they don't do "Dance the Night Away" (that would have made me soooooooooooooo happy), but as shocking as that would have been, it still doesn't match the immense "HUH??!" reaction from hearing them do a faithful rendition of "Pressed Rat and Warthog" (complete with recitation from Ginger Baker). We get to hear a short and snappy "Badge" (never done live by the band before), a rather moving "We're Going Wrong" (Eric actually returns to his psychedelic roots!), a slow blues number ("Stormy Monday," also never done by the band before) that provides a showcase for Eric at his best, and a rendition of "Deserted Cities of the Heart" that's certainly not worse than the good version on Live Cream Volume 2, along with all the various expected standards. Which, by the way, include "Toad." Yes, it's still a stupid drum solo, but it's a drum solo done by a guy in his mid-60's with arthritis! It sounds no different than it ever did, but that actually works in its favor this time around, strange as it may sound.
This is certainly not an essential live album for the average music listener, but it's certainly a danged novel experience for somebody who likes Cream in general, and I'd definitely recommend it for any Cream fan. Everybody's old, but everybody's solid, and that should be enough.
Fresh Cream - 1966 Atco
B
(Very Good)
*Disraeli Gears - 1967 Atco*
D
(Great / Very Good)
Wheels of Fire - 1968 Atco
C
(Very Good / Great)
Goodbye Cream - 1969 Atco
7
(Mediocre / Good)
Live Cream - 1970 Polygram
8
(Good / Mediocre)
Live Cream Volume 2 - 1972 Polygram
9
(Good)
BBC Sessions - 2003 Polydor
9
(Good)
Royal Albert Hall London May 2-3-5-6 2005 - 2005 Reprise
9
(Good)