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Music : Fresh Cream
1 2
Rating: 
- Cream's best record?
'Fresh Cream' was Cream's first release, recorded within a few months of them getting together. It was probably one of the first 'progressive blues' records and as such sounded different to anything else around in 1966, apart from perhaps Jimi Hendrix. Looking back now it seems to contain a slightly odd mix of melodic pop - "I Feel Free", "NSU" "Sweet Wine", updated country blues - "Four Until Late", "I'm So Glad" and harder-edged blues workouts - "Spoonful", "Cat's Squirrel" and "Rollin' And Tumblin'". As time went on it was these workouts that would come to dominate their set as extended jams but here they are relatively concise and in my opinion all the better for that.
Although Clapton's guitar is very much to the fore, the exceptional rhythm section of Bruce and Baker is very much an equal part of the overall sound, perhaps the first time in rock that the bass had been used in such an upfront way. Bruce's powerful and emotional baritone vocals were also a major and very distinctive element in their sound. I was never very keen on the drum solo "Toad" - not one for repeated plays.
For me this was Cream's best record, combining melody and emotion, with muscular playing that was relatively free but still disciplined and succinct. I think that later on they probably managed to combine the pop and blues elements better into songs like "Sunshine of your love" and "Strange Brew" but the later live extended versions of many of these songs added little to these original versions. Here they sound fresh and agile, and far from the lumbering dinosaur they would later turn into.
Rating: - The Album That Launched A Zillion Guitar Soloists.
Fresh Cream as well as being the debut album of powerhouse blues trio, Cream, was arguably the album which gave birth to all those blues/rock bands featuring guitar jamming soloists. It's just that Cream hit on the idea first, and probably in their short lifespan did it better than most.
Although Eric Clapton was already making a name for himself in Britain's underground scene with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, it wasn't until he joined Cream later that year (1966) that he was given a complete free rein. On 'Fresh Cream' Clapton is at his fiery best, and not on any of the other subsequent Cream or solo albums did he ever sound this good in the studio. Nowhere is this better demonstrated than on Willie Dixon's 'Spoonful'. His solo builds slowly into a real hypnotic crescendo, and then it's over too soon. Another minute or so would have been guitar heaven.
All the other tracks are of a very high standard. There are the 2 pop/rock openers 'I feel free' and 'NSU', which get the album off to a flying start, The former (not originally included on the LP) was released as a single in the UK and was a top 10 hit, creating further interest in the band. 'Sleepy time time' is just perfectly executed, with a gorgeous Clapton solo. I really like 'Dreaming', a fantasy song. It is very tastefully done and the harmonies are great. 'Four to late' is a country and western song, which is an oddity compared to the other blues-based tracks, and the only cut on the album that features Clapton on lead vocals. But it has a relaxed feel, providing a welcome respite between the more frenetic tracks on the album. The remaining tracks are all essential listening and feature plenty of jamming, on harmonica as well as guitar, notably 'Rolling & Tumbling', and Cat's Squirrel'. But special mention should be made of Ginger Baker's 'Toad'. I normally get bored with drum solos, which are often nothing more than an excuse for self-indulgence by drummers. This track proves one of the few exception to the rule. It's a superb drum solo, which builds on itself and keeps the listener totally involved throughout, and a perfect closer to the album.
To my ears this is Cream's best studio album in terms of sound and performance, with not one duff track or filler on it, unlike their subsequent releases, and it has a live feel to it. "Fresh Cream" is still fresh today nearly 40 years on. As for its influence, Jimi Hendrix arrived in London almost a year later (1967) quickly capitalising on the idea of extended blues guitar soloing taking it to even greater heights of popularity. Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck were 2 others, who started to play 'blues/rock guitar' solos after the release of this album, both of them having replaced Eric Clapton in the Yardbirds, interestingly enough. But without him, would these names still have emerged or done similar things?
Rating: - Brilliant, timeless debut...
When you set out to be "the best", as Cream did, you'd better be sure you deliver. And, after a very odd start with their first single "Wrapping Paper" - that left those who hadn't seen them live wondering what all the fuss was about - deliver they did with an album that remains one of the most inventive and powerful debuts of all time. Still exciting forty years on (and helped by the inclusion of "I Feel Free" which inexplicably was only released as a single in the UK despite being recorded in the same sessions) its combination of driving blues and Eric Clapton's incredible "barrier bending" guitar playing - evidenced to perfection in their stunning interpretation of Skip James' "I'm So Glad" - took the British R&B scene by storm and set a precedent that raised expectations of what was to come beyond all reasonable levels.
There was indeed more to come, but while much of "Disraeli Gears" and parts of "Wheels of Fire" were as good, if not better, "Fresh Cream" is infused with the sheer enthusiasm of a group getting it right for the first time. And, like all similarly brilliant debut albums, that's what shines through and makes it timeless.
Rating:
- Interesting and enjoyable...
Cream's first effort was a very varied but uneven effort. In here you will find great sixties pop ("I Feel Free"), sixties pop ("Dreaming"), hard blues ("Rollin' And Tumblin'"), harmless blues ("Sleepy Time Time"), cool dark menacing blues ("Spoonful"), as well as some charming blues ("From Four Until Late") and even the proto-heavy-metal type drum solo ("Toad"). You may not like all of the songs but what you can't deny is this record has a great production with a clear and crisp sound and good, good guitar solos courtesy of Mr. Clapton, especially on the blues covers but even more so on "I'm So Glad" where, if you are also a Deep Purple enthusiast, will find the foundations of early Blackmore's technique. Plus, Jack Bruce's bass is also a highlight with a thick and fuzzy sound. Ginger Baker doesn't get to shine as much as his companions on this, I'm afraid.
If you want to get into Cream and don't know where to start, start here and if you like it continue with Disraeli Gears and be blown away as you witness the evolution of one of the most ground breaking, adventurous and influential bands of the sixties.
I love you, Esther.
Rating: - Seminal.
Two rock albums in my younger days typified to me great rock music......one was the first Led Zeppelin album.....the other was this...which pre-dated Zeppelin by about 3 years.When I first heard this my mind and musical tastes went into overdrive.Until this album I was totally focused on the Beatles and loved them!!!Fresh Cream showed me something else; but it wasn't until Clapton's extraordinary 'Tales Of Brave Ulysses'on Creams next album,'Disraeli Gears' that I really understood the revolution that was going on in music.Fortunately or unfortunately the Beatles have dominated and have set a superb standard.However,there were many other great bands whose influence has waned as a result.Any new band picking up on this will make a HUGE killing!....This album is a great starting point!
- Cream's best record?'Fresh Cream' was Cream's first release, recorded within a few months of them getting together. It was probably one of the first 'progressive blues' records and as such sounded different to anything else around in 1966, apart from perhaps Jimi Hendrix. Looking back now it seems to contain a slightly odd mix of melodic pop - "I Feel Free", "NSU" "Sweet Wine", updated country blues - "Four Until Late", "I'm So Glad" and harder-edged blues workouts - "Spoonful", "Cat's Squirrel" and "Rollin' And Tumblin'". As time went on it was these workouts that would come to dominate their set as extended jams but here they are relatively concise and in my opinion all the better for that.
Although Clapton's guitar is very much to the fore, the exceptional rhythm section of Bruce and Baker is very much an equal part of the overall sound, perhaps the first time in rock that the bass had been used in such an upfront way. Bruce's powerful and emotional baritone vocals were also a major and very distinctive element in their sound. I was never very keen on the drum solo "Toad" - not one for repeated plays.
For me this was Cream's best record, combining melody and emotion, with muscular playing that was relatively free but still disciplined and succinct. I think that later on they probably managed to combine the pop and blues elements better into songs like "Sunshine of your love" and "Strange Brew" but the later live extended versions of many of these songs added little to these original versions. Here they sound fresh and agile, and far from the lumbering dinosaur they would later turn into.
Rating:
- The Album That Launched A Zillion Guitar Soloists.Fresh Cream as well as being the debut album of powerhouse blues trio, Cream, was arguably the album which gave birth to all those blues/rock bands featuring guitar jamming soloists. It's just that Cream hit on the idea first, and probably in their short lifespan did it better than most.
Although Eric Clapton was already making a name for himself in Britain's underground scene with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, it wasn't until he joined Cream later that year (1966) that he was given a complete free rein. On 'Fresh Cream' Clapton is at his fiery best, and not on any of the other subsequent Cream or solo albums did he ever sound this good in the studio. Nowhere is this better demonstrated than on Willie Dixon's 'Spoonful'. His solo builds slowly into a real hypnotic crescendo, and then it's over too soon. Another minute or so would have been guitar heaven.
All the other tracks are of a very high standard. There are the 2 pop/rock openers 'I feel free' and 'NSU', which get the album off to a flying start, The former (not originally included on the LP) was released as a single in the UK and was a top 10 hit, creating further interest in the band. 'Sleepy time time' is just perfectly executed, with a gorgeous Clapton solo. I really like 'Dreaming', a fantasy song. It is very tastefully done and the harmonies are great. 'Four to late' is a country and western song, which is an oddity compared to the other blues-based tracks, and the only cut on the album that features Clapton on lead vocals. But it has a relaxed feel, providing a welcome respite between the more frenetic tracks on the album. The remaining tracks are all essential listening and feature plenty of jamming, on harmonica as well as guitar, notably 'Rolling & Tumbling', and Cat's Squirrel'. But special mention should be made of Ginger Baker's 'Toad'. I normally get bored with drum solos, which are often nothing more than an excuse for self-indulgence by drummers. This track proves one of the few exception to the rule. It's a superb drum solo, which builds on itself and keeps the listener totally involved throughout, and a perfect closer to the album.
To my ears this is Cream's best studio album in terms of sound and performance, with not one duff track or filler on it, unlike their subsequent releases, and it has a live feel to it. "Fresh Cream" is still fresh today nearly 40 years on. As for its influence, Jimi Hendrix arrived in London almost a year later (1967) quickly capitalising on the idea of extended blues guitar soloing taking it to even greater heights of popularity. Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck were 2 others, who started to play 'blues/rock guitar' solos after the release of this album, both of them having replaced Eric Clapton in the Yardbirds, interestingly enough. But without him, would these names still have emerged or done similar things?
Rating:
- Brilliant, timeless debut...When you set out to be "the best", as Cream did, you'd better be sure you deliver. And, after a very odd start with their first single "Wrapping Paper" - that left those who hadn't seen them live wondering what all the fuss was about - deliver they did with an album that remains one of the most inventive and powerful debuts of all time. Still exciting forty years on (and helped by the inclusion of "I Feel Free" which inexplicably was only released as a single in the UK despite being recorded in the same sessions) its combination of driving blues and Eric Clapton's incredible "barrier bending" guitar playing - evidenced to perfection in their stunning interpretation of Skip James' "I'm So Glad" - took the British R&B scene by storm and set a precedent that raised expectations of what was to come beyond all reasonable levels.
There was indeed more to come, but while much of "Disraeli Gears" and parts of "Wheels of Fire" were as good, if not better, "Fresh Cream" is infused with the sheer enthusiasm of a group getting it right for the first time. And, like all similarly brilliant debut albums, that's what shines through and makes it timeless.
Rating:
- Interesting and enjoyable...Cream's first effort was a very varied but uneven effort. In here you will find great sixties pop ("I Feel Free"), sixties pop ("Dreaming"), hard blues ("Rollin' And Tumblin'"), harmless blues ("Sleepy Time Time"), cool dark menacing blues ("Spoonful"), as well as some charming blues ("From Four Until Late") and even the proto-heavy-metal type drum solo ("Toad"). You may not like all of the songs but what you can't deny is this record has a great production with a clear and crisp sound and good, good guitar solos courtesy of Mr. Clapton, especially on the blues covers but even more so on "I'm So Glad" where, if you are also a Deep Purple enthusiast, will find the foundations of early Blackmore's technique. Plus, Jack Bruce's bass is also a highlight with a thick and fuzzy sound. Ginger Baker doesn't get to shine as much as his companions on this, I'm afraid.
If you want to get into Cream and don't know where to start, start here and if you like it continue with Disraeli Gears and be blown away as you witness the evolution of one of the most ground breaking, adventurous and influential bands of the sixties.
I love you, Esther.
Rating:
- Seminal.Two rock albums in my younger days typified to me great rock music......one was the first Led Zeppelin album.....the other was this...which pre-dated Zeppelin by about 3 years.When I first heard this my mind and musical tastes went into overdrive.Until this album I was totally focused on the Beatles and loved them!!!Fresh Cream showed me something else; but it wasn't until Clapton's extraordinary 'Tales Of Brave Ulysses'on Creams next album,'Disraeli Gears' that I really understood the revolution that was going on in music.Fortunately or unfortunately the Beatles have dominated and have set a superb standard.However,there were many other great bands whose influence has waned as a result.Any new band picking up on this will make a HUGE killing!....This album is a great starting point!