Album
Fresh Cream
1966 · Rock, Blues
46 collectors on Gatefold own this
Fresh Cream is a Rock album by Cream, originally released in 1966. On Gatefold: 239 pressings tracked, owned by 46 collectors.
About
Cream’s debut album finds the legendary trio outgrowing its roots as young British blues hounds and formulating the sound that would make the band famous. While Cream turns in exceptional covers of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Spoonful” and Muddy Waters’ “Rollin’ and Tumblin’,” “I’m So Glad” was the clearest harbinger of the trio’s imaginative capabilities. Cream transforms Skip James’s haunting 1931 recording into a roiling cauldron of tension and release. Even at this early stage, the band prided itself on democratic songwriting, and while Eric Clapton oversaw its blues interpretations, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker brought their own personalities to the group. Bruce’s “Dreaming” is an outstanding piece of whimsical psychedelia, while “Toad” closes the album with a decisive reminder that Baker’s primal drumming was the band’s undying motor. All of Cream’s disparate components gelled on “I Feel Free,” the song where all the psychedelic era’s strands — blues, LSD, instrumental virtuosity — converge.
via Apple Music
The Clerk says
The Clerk knows this whole record — the pressing quirks, the credits, the take.
Tracklist
- 1I Feel Free2:53
- 2N.S.U.2:47
- 3Sleepy Time Time4:22
- 4Dreaming2:01
- 5Sweet Wine3:20
- 6Spoonful6:31
- 7Cat's Squirrel3:08
- 8Four Until Late2:10
- 9Rollin' and Tumblin'4:43
- 10I'm So Glad3:59
- 11Toad5:08
Sound DNA
- Rock
- Blues Rock
- gritty
- aggressive
- bluesy
Fresh Cream is the debut from four studio album (1966-1969) by the legendary British blues trio of Baker (opens in a new tab), Bruce (opens in a new tab) & Clapton (opens in a new tab) (Cream). Recorded by John Timperley, c. Sep-Nov 1966 at Arthur Rye's Ryemuse Studios, Sth. Moulten St., Mayfair, London. "Cat Squirrel" by Doctor Ross has it's arrangement 'Cat's Squirrel' combined-credited to the trio as 'S. Splurge'.
Some later issues of this 10-track release contain two extra tracks;
"Wrapping Paper (Bruce/Brown)" and "The Coffee Song (Colton/Smith)", totaling 12 tracks.
(Recorded earlier by Timperley at Rayrik Studios, Chalk Farm, London; Aug 1966)
"Rayrik Studios" was renamed "Chalk Farm Studios" in 1968
"Ryemuse Studio" [Spot Productions] was renamed "Mayfair Studios" in June 1971.
(Whilst the latter names may be credited on some issues, they did not exist as those titles at time of recording)
Notice that there are two different track running orders. In the original UK release, track A1 is "N.S.U", and it includes "Spoonful" as A5. In the original US release, the track "I Feel Free", which was originally a non-album-single in the UK, was added to the track listing as A1, and "Spoonful" is omitted entirely. US copies change to the UK track listing and jacket graphics upon moving off Atco label c. 1974.
Also note that there are two different cover versions. In the original US release, the title 'Fresh Cream' is in a 'San Francisco Hippy' font surround by a box with rounded corners; the original UK release has the title 'morphed' to look like a dollop of cream.
Performed by:
Ginger Baker – drums, percussion, vocals
Jack Bruce – bass guitar, piano, vocals, harmonica
Eric Clapton – guitar, vocals
Credits
The people behind it.
Performers
- Eric ClaptonGUITAR GUITAR, VOCALS VOCALS
- Ginger BakerDRUMS DRUMS, PERCUSSION, VOCALS DRUMS, VOCALS
- Jack BruceBASS BASS GUITAR BASS GUITAR, HARMONICA
46 collectors on Gatefold own this · 239 pressings tracked on Gatefold
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