Best Ever Albums

Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Johnnyo — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 06:07:21 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 12/31/2025 11:07

So that's the end of my thoughts on Disraeli Gears.

Overall, a great album and it was nice to take a closer look at each track before my 60's listening group meets next week.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the discussion.

Still time for anyone to contribute their thoughts so please don't stop just because I've done the last track

Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Johnnyo — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 06:03:12 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 12/31/2025 11:03

Mother’s Lament

A bit of a music hall-style novelty song here and I’m not a fan. Luckily it last less than 2 minutes but I think that it’s totally out of place on the album, which I guess might have been the point and a terrible way to conclude an excellent album.

I’m sure that there are those out there who really like it so I think that you could say that this is a track that will divide opinion.

Anyway. Any counter opinion would be appreciated as I'm missing the point of this track

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Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Johnnyo — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 09:15:42 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 12/29/2025 14:15

Take It Back

Feels like a more traditional blues number from the band rather than the psychedelia of most of the rest of the album. Love the inclusion of harmonica here. Not something that features that much, if at all, on the rest of the album.

Not outstanding but a very decent track. Not as exciting or ground-breaking as a lot of the album but it doesn’t detract from the overall feel of the album.

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Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Johnnyo — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 04:16:17 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 12/27/2025 09:16

Outside Woman Blues

is a blues cover song and although not one of my favourite track on the album does have my favourite vocals performance by Clapton and a rather good guitar solo.

A very decent track

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Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Johnnyo — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 04:39:39 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 12/24/2025 09:39

We’re Going Wrong

A slow builder which, to be honest, never really takes off for me. Some nice guitar interludes from Clapton but they never really amount to much. The song concluded with some stronger Psych / blues but…….

I find Bruces’ vocals to be rather strained / over extended beyond his range almost, and this is one of my least favourite vocals (by him) on the album. Overall, an OK track.

Link

Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Johnnyo — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 04:01:19 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 12/24/2025 09:01

Brigand99 wrote:

I've heard people say that before that Tales of Brave Ulysses sounds like Summer in the City and it actually does. (Summer in the City is one of the top 10 greatest singles of the '60s, by the way). The only Cream song that I like better than Tales of Brave Ulysses is White Room, and it has my favorite guitar parts on the whole album. And of course SWLABR is just a teeny bit less great. Maybe if it was longer it would be just as good, I don't know.

I have to say that I'm really enjoying getting into this album again in greater detail. Last four tracks coming up before my listening group meets in early January. Have to admit that the latter part of the album doesn't grab me as much as the rest but we'll see as I do each track.

Thanks for taking the time to comment.

Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Brigand99 — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:05:15 GMT

Author: Brigand99

Posted: 12/24/2025 05:05

I've heard people say that before that Tales of Brave Ulysses sounds like Summer in the City and it actually does. (Summer in the City is one of the top 10 greatest singles of the '60s, by the way). The only Cream song that I like better than Tales of Brave Ulysses is White Room, and it has my favorite guitar parts on the whole album. And of course SWLABR is just a teeny bit less great. Maybe if it was longer it would be just as good, I don't know.

Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Johnnyo — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 05:26:02 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 12/23/2025 10:26

SWLABR

"She Walks (Was) Like a Bearded Rainbow".

It’s quintessential Cream, an excellent psychedelic blues-rock track. Clapton brings out the wah-wah again with the band playing off each other really well.

It’s experimental, it’s heavy, Clapton's guitar is great and I always preferred Bruce on vocals. A stand out track from the album

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Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Johnnyo — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:08:59 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 12/22/2025 14:08

Tales Of Brave Ulysses

After the rather disappointing Blue Condition this is more like it. Classic heavy blues / Harder rock Cream with a large chunk of psychedelia thrown in for good measure
The band feel energised on this track. Really into it in a big way and Gingers pounding drums are fantastic.

Apparently Clapton composed the music, inspired by the Lovin' Spoonful's "Summer in the City". Youo can totally hear that connection. Also, Eric used a wah-wah pedal guitar effects unit for the first time which I wasn’t aware of until I read up on the track.

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Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Johnnyo — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 04:48:46 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 12/21/2025 09:48

Blue Condition

I’m not particularly a fan of this discordant song. It grates rather. I find the vocals rather lazy (not in a good way) and there’s nothing outstanding about the playing either.

For me, and I know others with disagree, it’s a bit of a dud with it’s one tempo and very little variation. It’s just rather dull.

Link

Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Norman Bates — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:56:28 GMT

Author: Norman Bates

Posted: 12/17/2025 13:56

Liedzeit wrote:

I bought this record in a small French village during my honeymoon. I know this is not a qualified comment on the musical value but I could not help mentioning it.

Probably the loveliest thing there is to say about this record, and Cream in general tbh. I'll admit i've softened to them, and a lot of other proto hard/hardpsych rock outfits of the era. Age.

Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Johnnyo — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 06:20:56 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 12/17/2025 11:20

DaveP wrote:

Interesting album. And before I talk about it, just pointing out that these are only my options and hope no one takes offence. I can get a little overly passionate about music.

As a youngster I had been aware of Cream via getting to know EC. Although as that was during his “slowhand” years it wasn’t until I started delving into his past that I began to get an idea of how important Cream were.

However my main introduction to Cream was one afternoon when out record shopping with a friend I bought “Blues For Allah” by the Grateful Dead, and my mate bought “Live Cream Vol.1” Back to mine, and as it was mine it was The Dead on the record player 1st, followed by Cream.

The Dead album being an amazing record, weaving interlocked magic by the band, and the Cream record I found…plodding as the 3 musicians didn’t seem to playing together, more just playing solo after solo. Now I heard lots of Cream since and know that the live album was not a good introduction to the band. But it did tend to influence my attitude the band for years to come.

At some stage I got to hear the classic tracks via various compilations (I bought the early Box Set By Clapton – “Crossroads” one of my 1st CD’s) but it was only a few years ago that I got a set that contained the 4 Cream albums and got to listen to “Disraeli Gears”.

And what a great start to the album, 4 classic songs, full of inventive playing and songwriting. And then its starts to go wrong with “Blue Condition” A return to form with “Ulysees” and “Swalbr” and then the album slowly pelters out until we get “Mother’s Lamant” (how did that get through quality control ?)

So for me a very frustrating album, a contrast of classic British psychedelia and a few uninspired blues influenced songs. Which for me sums up the band, when they were good they were excellent, but could not manage the quality control over the full length of an album. Far too often lapsing into lazy blues styled numbers.

Thanks for your thoughts DaveP. I get all that you have said and I too found Cream later on (I was only 8 when this album came out so......) I was probably about 15 and into Sabb and similar bands in a big way. I heard this and it resonated with me and was an album that helped take me in a different direction and help to open up my musical world.

Lots (if fact too many) egos here for the band to really last long or indeed, play well with each other but when they were good they were great and musically could blow most other bands off the stage.

Thanks for your thoughts and hope that you are enjoting the site

Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Johnnyo — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 06:09:24 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 12/17/2025 11:09

Dance The Night Away

I really like the almost “lazy” psychedelic / pop intro prior to the vocals coming on.

A more experimental track this and sometimes referred to as a filler, which I would not agree with. This track is moving the band beyond their earlier heavy blues influences. It’s definitely a flawed track but they are trying something new and different.

Does it come off? Not particularly.

Is it worth a listen? Most definitely. It still has the trademark Cream superior musicianship

Link

Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

DaveP — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 14:23:34 GMT

Author: DaveP

Posted: 12/16/2025 19:23

Interesting album. And before I talk about it, just pointing out that these are only my options and hope no one takes offence. I can get a little overly passionate about music.

As a youngster I had been aware of Cream via getting to know EC. Although as that was during his “slowhand” years it wasn’t until I started delving into his past that I began to get an idea of how important Cream were.

However my main introduction to Cream was one afternoon when out record shopping with a friend I bought “Blues For Allah” by the Grateful Dead, and my mate bought “Live Cream Vol.1” Back to mine, and as it was mine it was The Dead on the record player 1st, followed by Cream.

The Dead album being an amazing record, weaving interlocked magic by the band, and the Cream record I found…plodding as the 3 musicians didn’t seem to playing together, more just playing solo after solo. Now I heard lots of Cream since and know that the live album was not a good introduction to the band. But it did tend to influence my attitude the band for years to come.

At some stage I got to hear the classic tracks via various compilations (I bought the early Box Set By Clapton – “Crossroads” one of my 1st CD’s) but it was only a few years ago that I got a set that contained the 4 Cream albums and got to listen to “Disraeli Gears”.

And what a great start to the album, 4 classic songs, full of inventive playing and songwriting. And then its starts to go wrong with “Blue Condition” A return to form with “Ulysees” and “Swalbr” and then the album slowly pelters out until we get “Mother’s Lamant” (how did that get through quality control ?)

So for me a very frustrating album, a contrast of classic British psychedelia and a few uninspired blues influenced songs. Which for me sums up the band, when they were good they were excellent, but could not manage the quality control over the full length of an album. Far too often lapsing into lazy blues styled numbers.

Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Johnnyo — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 09:39:44 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 12/14/2025 14:39

Liedzeit wrote:

I bought this record in a small French village during my honeymoon. I know this is not a qualified comment on the musical value but I could not help mentioning it.

And why not. Nice to know that, even on your honeymoon, you had a chance for some record shopping. Thanks for sharing

Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Liedzeit — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 06:58:05 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 12/14/2025 11:58

I bought this record in a small French village during my honeymoon. I know this is not a qualified comment on the musical value but I could not help mentioning it.

Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Johnnyo — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 06:56:29 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 12/14/2025 11:56

World Of Pain

"Is there a reason for today? / Do you remember?"

Another great slice of Psychedelia from Cream. This album really was Clapton at his creative peak in terms of his guitar playing

It’s not on a par with the opening two tracks on Disraeli Gears but it does help the album flow and I really rather like it

Not a great fan of Clapton’s vocal parts here as I think that the slower tempo of the track shows up the flaws in his singing (at this stage in his career). Having said that, still a very good track

Trying to find a youtube that will load for this track. Will post when I find one
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Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Johnnyo — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 06:43:13 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 12/14/2025 11:43

Brigand99 wrote:

Johnnyo wrote:

Sunshine Of Your Love

As you thought that Strange Brew couldn’t be topped, they did it with the very next track.

Is it hard rock (heavy Blues), is it psychedelia (there’s also elements of jazz interspersed)? Who cares, it’s bloody brilliant. This track benefits greatly from having Bruce back on vocals, alongside Clapton. The guitar solo here is also one of Claptons’ best

It almost feels like, at this point on 1967, Cream and Jimi Hendrix were swapping blows, trying to outdo each other. IMO Hendrix won that particular duel but what a journey.
A seriously influential song as well.

Link

Yeah I think this is the first song everyone thinks of when they think of Cream. Here's something really strange about this album: Jack Bruce and Clapton really don't sound very much like each other, but for the longest time I couldn't be sure which one of them was singing lead on several of the songs. I'm only talking about the songs where they both sing. When it's just Jack Bruce singing on a particular song, you know that it's him. But especially on this song here, there are several places where I'm not sure who I'm hearing . Isn't that weird?

I hadn't thought about it until you mentioned it but I completely get that. This is perhaps the best version of them harmonising together. They just create a really great sound together especially on this track.

Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Brigand99 — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 15:16:16 GMT

Author: Brigand99

Posted: 12/13/2025 20:16

Johnnyo wrote:

Re: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

Johnnyo — Mon, 8 Dec 2025 10:23:24 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 12/08/2025 15:23

Sunshine Of Your Love

As you thought that Strange Brew couldn’t be topped, they did it with the very next track.

Is it hard rock (heavy Blues), is it psychedelia (there’s also elements of jazz interspersed)? Who cares, it’s bloody brilliant. This track benefits greatly from having Bruce back on vocals, alongside Clapton. The guitar solo here is also one of Claptons’ best

It almost feels like, at this point on 1967, Cream and Jimi Hendrix were swapping blows, trying to outdo each other. IMO Hendrix won that particular duel but what a journey.
A seriously influential song as well.

Link