Cream Album: “Rarities Edition: Disraeli Gears”

"Disraeli Gears" is one of the best rock albums. However, this two-disc "expanded edition" offers very little in the way of previously unreleased material.

What's on it? First, naturally, is the original album. Disc one is filled out with a take of "Lawdy Mama" (previously issued on "Live Cream" and the "Those Were the Days" boxed set); a previously unreleased take of "Blue Condition" with Clapton singing lead, and five demo songs, all of which appear on the box set. Disc Two features the mono version of the original album, along with mono versions of "Lawdy Mama" and the alternate version of "Blue Condition", and adds nine selections from the BBC Recordings (in mono), all of which appear on the "BBC Sessions" disc.

If you own the box set and the "BBC Sessions", all you'll get by purchasing this edition is the mono mix of "Disraeli Gears", and mono and stereo versions of the alternate "Blue Condition." Oh, and you get a nice booklet along with some snazzy new photos. Hard-core fans probably have the previously issued material, making this a rather pricey investment. Casual fans will be satisfied with the far less spendy original album.

OK, so I bought it. Yes, I'm one of those hard-core Cream fans who has to have every note they played. I'm actually interested in listening to the mono mix. But most people don't need to go that far. The most recent remaster of the single-disc original is all you really need.

When you've heard all of Hendrix a thousand times and are desperate for more, but not the same, you must turn to Cream's psychedelic bluesy classic rock! Great tunes, great solos, by the best rock stylists of their time. One great thing about Cream is that whether in the studio or live, they remain fresh and this album is proof. I realize that saying Disraeli Gears is the best Cream album (over Wheels of Fire) is setting myself up for a fight, but there it is. Every song is a major one, with the most immitated rock guitar tracks of all time (the only exception being Stairway to Heaven). Plus, it is most distinctively Cream, whereas the other albums have integrated many licks and styles that can be found on Hendrix and other blues and rock artists' albums. That doesn't stop me from owning and playing the heck out of them, but establishes, for me, that Disraeli Gears is the supreme achievement of the band.

One of the truly classic rock albums, Disraeli Gears was the album that made superstars of Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker. Recorded in 1967, this was the group's follow-up to the blues-rock masterpiece, Fresh Cream. Disraeli Gears is far less blues-based than its predecessor and goes more towards hard rock. Although it is a great, classic album, I find it to be less solid than Fresh Cream as it contains a few weak spots which that album did not. I'll elaborate on a track-by-track analysis.

Strange Brew - Perfect album opener. This is a Cream classic and one of their most well-known songs. Great song and a good groove with Clapton imitating Albert King on the solo.

Sunshine Of Your Love - Classic, classic, classic rock song. One of the all-time great guitar riffs. Excellent solo. Absolutely perfect.

World Of Pain - A bit slower than most of the songs on the album, and not one of the most memorable either. Clapton's guitar, however, is the high point of this song with nice wah-wah rhythm parts and a cool solo. Great bass playing by Jack too.

Dance The Night Away - Another good, but not great one. One of the lesser songs on the album.

Blue Condition - Who's idea was it to let Ginger sing? This song really isn't bad, but Ginger Baker is known for being a drummer, not a singer. This song illustrates why. One of the low points.

Tales Of Brave Ulysses - Short, but sweet. Great wah-wah guitar from Clapton and weird, poetic lyrics. A real high point.

Swlabr - More psychedelia. A pretty hard rocking tune with an unpronounceable title (actually stands for "She Walks Like A Bearded Rainbow"). More weird, psychedelic lyrics from Pete Brown.

We're Going Wrong - The tempo slows down again on this Jack Bruce song. A very nice vocal from Jack and great drumming from Ginger, but it's kind of dull.

Outside Woman Blues - A great bluesy song with vocals by Clapton and a nice riff. One of my personal favorite songs on the album. Great guitar solo.

Take It Back - Another blues tune sung by Jack, with some nice harmonica blowing too. I like this one a lot.

Mother's Lament - An interesting conclusion to the album. An English pub song sung with thick cockney accents. The only instrument is piano. It's a slight, but enjoyable addition to this fine album.

Overall, this a great but uneven album. I find Fresh Cream to be Cream's best overall album. Disraeli Gears, even with its flaws, is still a very strong album with more high points than low. An essential rock album and very necessary for Clapton fans.

This album brought Cream to the top in 1967. While their debut was a great album on its own, this sophomore effort is in my opinion the band's finest hour. On this record, the trio of Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton approaches variety of genres like Psychodelia, Classic Blues, Rock and many more with perfection. Many songs from this album are longtime Cream classics and stand as a principle of the band's repertoire.

Disraeli Gears saw the trio growing as the musicans. The songwiritng has improved a lot since Fresh Cream and the songs sound a lot more sophisticated and inspired. Unlike on the band's debut, most of the songs are originals written by band's members and there are only two covers to be found (Outside Woman Blues, Mother's Lament)

The album opens with Strange Brew, straight-up blues with a recognizable guitar lick. A good opener. Sunshine Of Your Love, arguably Cream's biggest hit, follows next. This classic opens with a fierce guitar riff and features a legendary guitar solo. Every band member shines on this number. But even if it's the major hit, it's far from being the only one great song on here. World Of Pain and Dance The Night Away deliver some colorful psychedelia, and Blue Condition is a nice relaxing blues track. The giant Tales Of Brave Ulysess follows next. This track features a superb guitar riff and some psychodelic poetry written by Martin Sharp. The use of wah-wah is a great addition. Definately an inspired and amazing track, one of my personal favourites. SWLABR (She Walks Like A Bearded Rainbow), an intense rocker, never fails to please. Catchy lyrics and guitar riff will get stuck in your head once You hear it. Outside Woman Blues delivers some more classic blues playing. Take It Back follows similar stylings, and some harmonica is to be found here as well. The closing Mother's Lament is more a joke song, and though most reviewers seem to dislike it, I think it's a nice closer. Cream is not only about being seriously, and they show it on this track.

Disraeli Gears is not only Cream's finest record, it's also one of the major classics of the 60s. It is as influental as Jimi Hendrix's "Are You Experienced", The Doors' debut album or The Beatles' "Sergeant Pepper's lonely Hearts Club Band". If You call Yourself a classic rock fan, this is a must have. And If You want to get into Cream, this is the best place to start. Highly Recommended.

After their blues based debut album "Fresh Cream," these three brittish virtuosos came to America to record something a little different. Recorded in three days, these three musicains cranked out some of the era's hardest blues and rock. The album kicks off with "Strange Brew" which is a TOTAL ripoff on Albert King's style (one picture from these sessions actually shows Clapton with an Albert King album in his hand!). The song itself is a sharp and catchy opener with some entertaining pschedelic lyrics. Next comes a rock monster-"Sunshine of Your Love." Starting out with a damn catchy hook, and basing itself around driving guitar and drum underpinning this track really emphasizes what Cream was all about (note Clapton's "Blue Moon" quote going into the middle solo). After the ferosity of "Sunshine" they take it down a notch with "World of Pain." Even though it has rather elementary lyrics, Baker's drumming makes this song. Notice his wonderfully off-beat mid tempo drums during the choruses and his blitzkreig bass drums at the fade out. Keeping in the same toned down vein, "Dance the Night Away" follows with a gorgeous ringing twelve string intro by Clapton. This is a very unique Cream song, it almost sounds like The Byrds and contains some excellent eastern guitar by Clapton. This is certainly an underrated track in Cream's recording career, and one which fits the psychedelic era like a glove. Sadly this song is followed by Ginger's slow and sloppy "Blue Condition." This is definitely filler, as Ginger recites (yes recites, not sings) lyrics which aren't entertaining to a melody that can't even save it. "Tales of Brave Ulysses" makes up for "Blue Condition." Starting out with a group one chord intro, Bruce does a slow decending bass line over mythological/psychedelic lyrics. Then Clapton joins in with his sharp piercing wah-wah splashes (the first ever recording of a wah-wah pedal). As the song continues on, Bruce's soaring vocals get louder, and Clapton's guitar becomes harder edged. This is truly a masterwork of Cream and the psychedelic era. "S.W.L.A.B.R." picks up the tempo with some great instrumentalism but odd lyrics ("but the picture has a mustache" WHAT?!?!?). After the furious "S.W.L.A.B.R." the tempo is again slowed down for "We're Going Wrong," which starts out with a very high vocal line by Bruce and wonderful drumming by Baker. Clapton quietly strums in the back until the volume increases and he rips some great solo lines. If Bruce's vocals were perhaps lower (like on the demo version on the Those Were the Days box set) I would love this song, but regardles, it's still a keeper. Now reverting back to the blues, "Outside Woman Blues" follows. Clapton owns this song, as he takes on the singing duties and showcases some great rythem and lead playing. Next it's Bruces turn at the blues with "Take It Back." This song has a great swing element, and Clapton's beefy backing guitar keeps it going. Also, the audience in the back is a great touch! Unfortunatley the album ends on a bum note. "Mother's Lament" is a singalong song with no guitar and just a piano in the back. One thing I would like to see is "The Clearout" from the Lost Sessions (March 1967) added on as a last track. This is a great piece of music with Clapton's power chord lead and Bruce's rampaging bass. It has the Disraeli Gears feel, but I doubt that track will be added anyway. If you own the box set, play "The Clearout" after "Take It Back," the feel is great. However by and large, "Disraeli Gears" is a great album which showcases Eric, Jack and Ginger's talent along with the aims of the psychedlic blues rock movement.