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Berringer · 10-10-2008, 06:59 PM

(Original non-revised edition printed as "The Classic Corner vol. 25: A Little Cream For Your Musical Coffee" on January 12th, 2007.)

Hello readers and welcome to another edition of "The Classic Corner". This week we're going to time travel back to the mid-sixties to examine one of the brightest stars in the psychedelic universe. Fresh off separate bands, a trio of British musicians coalesced into what many feel is the earliest instance of a "supergroup". One was a drummer who had most recently been found in the Graham Bond Organisation. One was a bassist who had played with everyone from John Mayall to Manfred Mann. The final component was a guitarist who had started off with the legendary Yardbirds; also stopping off to play with Mayall and his famed Bluesbreakers outfit. Each member of this new union was well versed with the other members' capabilities, and together they played off each other's strengths. The combination was volatile, electric and entirely inextirpable. The combination would come to be known as...Cream.

Forming in 1966, it didn't take the band long to record their first album. Debuting on December 9th of '66, "Fresh Cream" stormed across the English charts, ultimately making its way to #6. In the United States, the album wouldn't find acclaim until 1968 when it finally managed to eek out a position at #39 on the Billboard pop charts. The group's daunting aggregation of blues, rock and pop quickly found an audience and refused to let them go. The band's defining moment came with their sophomore release, "Disraeli Gears", which was released in November of 1967. Still in relative infancy, the band received more recognition than they could have hoped for. Hitting #5 in their homeland and #4 here in the States, "Disraeli Gears" is perhaps one of the most pivotal junctions of the entire flower power generation.

STRANGE BREW
What better way to start off one of the quintessential albums of the sixties than with an easily recognizable guitar riff from one of the masters of the electric mayhem. Though it was written by Eric Clapton, Gail Collins and Felix Pappalardi, "Strange Brew" is Clapton's baby all the way. From his weepy, high strung guitar solos to his smooth, airy vocals; Clapton owns the piece. Lyrically, "Strange Brew" represents the enigmatic psychosis most bands were going through in the late sixties. Tie-dyed phrases filled with double meanings and slightly wary, paranoiac callings. This would be a lasting trait for the "Disraeli Gears" album, which is suitable when you consider where the record's name came from. Though it was accidental, one of the band's roadies gave the album its name. Mick Turner overheard a discussion about bicycles that Clapton was having with Ginger Baker. When he tried to comment on the derailleur gears of a particular racing cycle, he mispronounced derailleur as "Disraeli". Clapton and Baker found the mispronunciation to be humorous and decided to title their second album after the mistake. Coincidentally "Disraeli" was also the name of English statesman Benjamin Disraeli, who was the creator of the modern Conservative Party in the United Kingdom. This connection leads to a profound contraposition in the album's title as "Disraeli Gears" is the antithesis of everything Benjamin Disraeli would have stood for.

SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE
The double lead vocals of Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton are one of the many highlights to this classic single that reached #5 on the Billboard pop charts. The interplay between the band members was always amazing, but nowhere did it shine brighter or feel more taut than on "Sunshine of My Love". The fuzzy bass, elegantly structured percussion and fascinatingly designed guitar riffs form a harmonious union that has rarely been duplicated. In lesser hands, the lyrical material of a man returning to his lover upon the morn would be simplistic and derivative of a hundred other mid- to late sixties bands; yet in this song the words are heightened to literary prose and compliment their opulent instrumental backing beautifully. Cream was always a centrical force unto itself, and "Sunshine of Your Love" is a perfect representation of that.

WORLD OF PAIN
After the twin attack of "Strange Brew" and "Sunshine of Your Love", the band take a moment to regroup with the intense-yet-diminutive slow burn "World of Pain" provides. The first song on the album not to be written by one of the band members, "World of Pain" focuses on the empty sorrow of modern civilization encroaching upon humanity's perspective. All of the instrumental elements are in their proper place, they're just a bit more subdued on this song. The fuzz effects aren't as biting and the lilting guitar riffs aren't as sharp. This was one of the many gifts Cream brought to the game: their potency could be equally charismatic in the confines of raging harmonies or knife-edged ballads.

DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY
Perhaps the least effective piece on "Disraeli Gears" is "Dance the Night Away". Very few bands could fill an album with non-stop masterworks, however it's a true testament to the tenacity of Cream that their album tracks are merely centimeters beneath blasts of beaucoup rock. An almost impenetrable wall of instrumentation floods through the listener's speakers while Jack Bruce and his writing partner Pete Brown paint pastel pictures of extrication with their lofty lyrics. One might not remember "Dance the Night Away" long after the record stops spinning on their turntable, though they're sure to enjoy it while the piece is playing.

BLUE CONDITION
Just when you think you've figured out Cream's modus operandi, they hit you with "Blue Condition". A demonstration of overachievement nullifying the optimism of one's life; Ginger Baker not only wrote fine lyrics for the track, he performed marvelous vocal work for the piece. Under the plodding musical restraints the band created for this song, one wouldn't think it had much chance to stand out from the pack. Regardless, "Blue Condition" works for a number of reasons. Not only does the lyrical premise sparkle, the unhurried bass and percussion create a rolling field of sound that sweeps the listener along on the equivalent of a lazy Sunday afternoon ride. Clapton's leisurely guitar is just another slice of merriment meant to be enthusiastically devoured.

TALES OF BRAVE ULYSSES
As if the opening assault of "Strange Brew" and "Sunshine of Your Love" had not ensured "Disraeli Gears" a place in rock 'n' roll's utmost pantheon of encompassment, halfway through the album we're treated to another double foray of psychedelic grandeur that outclasses almost every other attempt from 1967. The melody for "Tales of Brave Ulysses" existed before the lyrics. Clapton had summoned up a magnificent tune filled with powerhouse bass riffs and understated guitar leads. The song only needed one element before it could be perfected. That's where Australian pop artist Martin Sharp comes into frame. Sharp lived in the same building as Clapton, and during one of their earliest meetings in a London club, Sharp wrote the lyrics for "Tales of Brave Ulysses" on a napkin. That wasn't Sharp's only contribution to the album; indeed it was Martin who devised the famous cover art for "Disraeli Gears".

SWLABR
If you're looking for a breather after the intellectually satisfying "Tales of Brave Ulysses", you won't find it in "SWLABR". An acronym for "She Walks Like a Bearded Rainbow", the title of the song lives up to its lyrics in every way possible. Though it's barely two and a half minutes, "SWLABR" is an adventurous triathlon of spirited percussion, consonant bass lines and obstreperous guitar riffs. Bruce's vocal work also takes some of the much deserved spotlight "SWLABR" generates. By all rights, this piece ranks side-by-side with other Cream showpieces such as "White Room" and "Badge".

WE'RE GOING WRONG
Once again slowing down the pace of the proceedings, Jack Bruce weighs in with "We're Going Wrong". A puerile analysis of the course society has taken, the song is strengthened by its stark instrumentation. The track features some inventive, Eastern-tinged percussion techniques and studied, reserved bass riffs. Clapton isn't given much of a chance to unload his splendiferous guitar work, however the lucent rhythms he delivers are striking examples of his ability to conform to unique musical principles, such as the ones featured here. "We're Going Wrong" serves as a creditable bridge between the marrow of "Disraeli Gears" and its enormously gratifying conclusion.

10-10-2008, 06:59 PM	#31 (permalink)
Berringer Groupie Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: The Psychedelic Underground Posts: 37	(Original non-revised edition printed as "The Classic Corner vol. 25: A Little Cream For Your Musical Coffee" on January 12th, 2007.) Hello readers and welcome to another edition of "The Classic Corner". This week we're going to time travel back to the mid-sixties to examine one of the brightest stars in the psychedelic universe. Fresh off separate bands, a trio of British musicians coalesced into what many feel is the earliest instance of a "supergroup". One was a drummer who had most recently been found in the Graham Bond Organisation. One was a bassist who had played with everyone from John Mayall to Manfred Mann. The final component was a guitarist who had started off with the legendary Yardbirds; also stopping off to play with Mayall and his famed Bluesbreakers outfit. Each member of this new union was well versed with the other members' capabilities, and together they played off each other's strengths. The combination was volatile, electric and entirely inextirpable. The combination would come to be known as...Cream. Forming in 1966, it didn't take the band long to record their first album. Debuting on December 9th of '66, "Fresh Cream" stormed across the English charts, ultimately making its way to #6. In the United States, the album wouldn't find acclaim until 1968 when it finally managed to eek out a position at #39 on the Billboard pop charts. The group's daunting aggregation of blues, rock and pop quickly found an audience and refused to let them go. The band's defining moment came with their sophomore release, "Disraeli Gears", which was released in November of 1967. Still in relative infancy, the band received more recognition than they could have hoped for. Hitting #5 in their homeland and #4 here in the States, "Disraeli Gears" is perhaps one of the most pivotal junctions of the entire flower power generation. STRANGE BREW What better way to start off one of the quintessential albums of the sixties than with an easily recognizable guitar riff from one of the masters of the electric mayhem. Though it was written by Eric Clapton, Gail Collins and Felix Pappalardi, "Strange Brew" is Clapton's baby all the way. From his weepy, high strung guitar solos to his smooth, airy vocals; Clapton owns the piece. Lyrically, "Strange Brew" represents the enigmatic psychosis most bands were going through in the late sixties. Tie-dyed phrases filled with double meanings and slightly wary, paranoiac callings. This would be a lasting trait for the "Disraeli Gears" album, which is suitable when you consider where the record's name came from. Though it was accidental, one of the band's roadies gave the album its name. Mick Turner overheard a discussion about bicycles that Clapton was having with Ginger Baker. When he tried to comment on the derailleur gears of a particular racing cycle, he mispronounced derailleur as "Disraeli". Clapton and Baker found the mispronunciation to be humorous and decided to title their second album after the mistake. Coincidentally "Disraeli" was also the name of English statesman Benjamin Disraeli, who was the creator of the modern Conservative Party in the United Kingdom. This connection leads to a profound contraposition in the album's title as "Disraeli Gears" is the antithesis of everything Benjamin Disraeli would have stood for. SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE The double lead vocals of Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton are one of the many highlights to this classic single that reached #5 on the Billboard pop charts. The interplay between the band members was always amazing, but nowhere did it shine brighter or feel more taut than on "Sunshine of My Love". The fuzzy bass, elegantly structured percussion and fascinatingly designed guitar riffs form a harmonious union that has rarely been duplicated. In lesser hands, the lyrical material of a man returning to his lover upon the morn would be simplistic and derivative of a hundred other mid- to late sixties bands; yet in this song the words are heightened to literary prose and compliment their opulent instrumental backing beautifully. Cream was always a centrical force unto itself, and "Sunshine of Your Love" is a perfect representation of that. WORLD OF PAIN After the twin attack of "Strange Brew" and "Sunshine of Your Love", the band take a moment to regroup with the intense-yet-diminutive slow burn "World of Pain" provides. The first song on the album not to be written by one of the band members, "World of Pain" focuses on the empty sorrow of modern civilization encroaching upon humanity's perspective. All of the instrumental elements are in their proper place, they're just a bit more subdued on this song. The fuzz effects aren't as biting and the lilting guitar riffs aren't as sharp. This was one of the many gifts Cream brought to the game: their potency could be equally charismatic in the confines of raging harmonies or knife-edged ballads. DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY Perhaps the least effective piece on "Disraeli Gears" is "Dance the Night Away". Very few bands could fill an album with non-stop masterworks, however it's a true testament to the tenacity of Cream that their album tracks are merely centimeters beneath blasts of beaucoup rock. An almost impenetrable wall of instrumentation floods through the listener's speakers while Jack Bruce and his writing partner Pete Brown paint pastel pictures of extrication with their lofty lyrics. One might not remember "Dance the Night Away" long after the record stops spinning on their turntable, though they're sure to enjoy it while the piece is playing. BLUE CONDITION Just when you think you've figured out Cream's modus operandi, they hit you with "Blue Condition". A demonstration of overachievement nullifying the optimism of one's life; Ginger Baker not only wrote fine lyrics for the track, he performed marvelous vocal work for the piece. Under the plodding musical restraints the band created for this song, one wouldn't think it had much chance to stand out from the pack. Regardless, "Blue Condition" works for a number of reasons. Not only does the lyrical premise sparkle, the unhurried bass and percussion create a rolling field of sound that sweeps the listener along on the equivalent of a lazy Sunday afternoon ride. Clapton's leisurely guitar is just another slice of merriment meant to be enthusiastically devoured. TALES OF BRAVE ULYSSES As if the opening assault of "Strange Brew" and "Sunshine of Your Love" had not ensured "Disraeli Gears" a place in rock 'n' roll's utmost pantheon of encompassment, halfway through the album we're treated to another double foray of psychedelic grandeur that outclasses almost every other attempt from 1967. The melody for "Tales of Brave Ulysses" existed before the lyrics. Clapton had summoned up a magnificent tune filled with powerhouse bass riffs and understated guitar leads. The song only needed one element before it could be perfected. That's where Australian pop artist Martin Sharp comes into frame. Sharp lived in the same building as Clapton, and during one of their earliest meetings in a London club, Sharp wrote the lyrics for "Tales of Brave Ulysses" on a napkin. That wasn't Sharp's only contribution to the album; indeed it was Martin who devised the famous cover art for "Disraeli Gears". SWLABR If you're looking for a breather after the intellectually satisfying "Tales of Brave Ulysses", you won't find it in "SWLABR". An acronym for "She Walks Like a Bearded Rainbow", the title of the song lives up to its lyrics in every way possible. Though it's barely two and a half minutes, "SWLABR" is an adventurous triathlon of spirited percussion, consonant bass lines and obstreperous guitar riffs. Bruce's vocal work also takes some of the much deserved spotlight "SWLABR" generates. By all rights, this piece ranks side-by-side with other Cream showpieces such as "White Room" and "Badge". WE'RE GOING WRONG Once again slowing down the pace of the proceedings, Jack Bruce weighs in with "We're Going Wrong". A puerile analysis of the course society has taken, the song is strengthened by its stark instrumentation. The track features some inventive, Eastern-tinged percussion techniques and studied, reserved bass riffs. Clapton isn't given much of a chance to unload his splendiferous guitar work, however the lucent rhythms he delivers are striking examples of his ability to conform to unique musical principles, such as the ones featured here. "We're Going Wrong" serves as a creditable bridge between the marrow of "Disraeli Gears" and its enormously gratifying conclusion.