Live Cream Volume II

[spookstrickland]

Live Cream Volume II

This is the album that hooked my on Cream and for good reason, it kicks major ass!  Your get to hear Cream the way they were meant to be heard:  Live, Loud and un-produced.  Sonic-ally it could he better but it's because of the rawness that if crank up the volume and close your eyes you feel like you are right there with them.

Track Listing:

1) Deserted Cities Of The Heart
Although I think Jack Bruce is a genius songwriter and musician, this song falls short and feels a bit forced.  

2) White Room
This is really one of the greatest songs of all times and it shines like gold here in the live version.  Instead of all the guitar overdubs on the intro Eric and Jack sing in unison and it is really cool.  Jack also throws in some of the most wicked cool bass fills ever between each verse before Clapton gets warmed up and goes to town on the Wah Wah latter in the song.

3) Politician
This song was Black Sabbath before Sabbath was Sabbath.  So heavy so full of political cynicism that it should be played in the voting booth before every Presidential Election.

4) Tales Of Brave Ulysses
This song is a masterpiece  it is totally epic and at only 4:45 it's almost twice as long as the studio cut that always leaves you wanting more.  The opening chords from Clapton are so thick and Crunchy that I almost cry when he quickly rolls the volume knob back on his guitar.  Had it not been for that we would have had the official first heavy metal song performance of the 60's

5) Sunshine Of Your Love
How did Jack Bruce get such a fantastic Fat Syrupy bass tone?  I don't know for sure.  It's rumored that he had Schottky clipping diodes put in his bass and that was the trick but what ever it is.  His bass just flat out throbs on this classic Cream track.

6) Steppin Out
If anyone is in doubt about Eric Clapton's guitar Prowess then this song will change your mind.  He goes off on an unaccompanied guitar solo for minutes on end and it never gets old, he never needs any backing it's pure genius the likes of which I have never heard before or since.  There might be better technical players but I don't think anyone could compete with Clapton's virtuosity at least on that day anyway.

Well that's Live Cream Volume II  Warts and all but Cream's warts are better than most other bands gems.  I would grab the CD version over the older Vinyl version.  It has been mastered a little better.

By

Spook Strickland
www.spookstrickland.com

[lowdaddy]

great review of a great album.  the two live cream albums and disra3eli gears are the reasons i will forever worship cream.  those three albums place them right there in the pantheon of the great power trios...cream, primus, high on fire, and a few others


tales of brave ulysses is just one of those songs that put the hook in me from the first note - both versions.  i actually prefer live cream vol. 1 to vol. 2 but only by a hair and very likely because i owned and religiously listened to vol. 1 for years before i ever heard vol. 2.

clapton was, in his early days, a mind-melting guitarist.

[spookstrickland]

Thanks, I had it on vinyl and wore it out!  I remember when I first discovered Tales of Brave Ulysses I used to play it over and over again all day long for weeks on end.

great review of a great album.  the two live cream albums and disra3eli gears are the reasons i will forever worship cream.  those three albums place them right there in the pantheon of the great power trios...cream, primus, high on fire, and a few others


tales of brave ulysses is just one of those songs that put the hook in me from the first note - both versions.  i actually prefer live cream vol. 1 to vol. 2 but only by a hair and very likely because i owned and religiously listened to vol. 1 for years before i ever heard vol. 2.

clapton was, in his early days, a mind-melting guitarist.

[MikeyT]

It's great to see these reviews on the 'net, and especially on "our" board. Thanks, Spook.

Cream, to my way of thinking, is like a fine whiskey or brandy, wine or champagne, whatever- something to be sipped and savored. Yet their music is also heavy, filling, and satisfying- like a thick steak; and rich and sweet like a layered cake.

I take great pleasure in their four original releases, and also dig their two live LPs, especially VOL II. I like the song choices on VOL II better than the first one.
I must say that The Cream is one of the best bands for "non-official" recordings. Of course they had their off nights, but the richness of their musicianship, the excellence of their compositions, and their propensity for improvisation make them a 'live' collector's favorite.

You often hear The Cream referred to as "the mighty Cream". An appropriate description for a musically powerful, highly skilled band.


I think 'Deserted Cities Of The Heart' is a great song, but not as fine as the brilliant 'White Room'.
Surely 'White Room' is one of the greatest Rock songs ever.

The vocals on the LIVE CREAM VOL. II version of Politician seem to be a little better than on the GOODBYE CREAM version. Hadn't noticed that before.


(Haven't listened to this album for quite awhile, so I'm revisiting it. More later)

[reeferchief]

BBC Sessions are also a great listen.

[EddieMullet]

When I was growing up Live Cream Vol. II was a constant staple in the Woolworth's and Kmart discount bins, but it took me forever to find Vol. I and for a while I wondered if there was even a Vol. I.  You just didn't see it.

Might be the first cassette tape I ever wore out.

[MikeyT]

For me it was just the opposite: Vol. I was everywhere, but I rarely saw Vol. II.

I like the songs choices on Vol. II (some of Cream's greatest originals); but Vol. I has some great playing on it.

[jibberish]

well spook, you sold me on this brother. and i am NOT a clapton fan...cream yes..clapton after..no..

[MikeyT]

    If we were to correlate music with food; I'd say that The Cream's music is a rich dessert.

[lowdaddy]

word.  there's some serious homemade whipped cream  and caramel happening in there.

[Isabellacat]

LOVE this song. it kinda borders on Sabbath like heaviness.

[MikeyT]

  Yeah, they were Heavy.