Disraeli Gears

by

Cream

Edit

In the summer of 1968 a friend and I were fortunate fourteen-year olds... we scored a brief summer job clearing knee-high weeds from behind a sign manufacturing shop. With our $30 windfall we purchased two of the classic psychedelic albums released the previous year. I walked home with The Beatles 'Sgt. Peppers', while my buddy picked up Cream's 'Disraeli Gears'. Both were wise purchases, but I felt I had made the better choice since I got the cool pop-out Pepper inserts! Given the same choice today, I may well walk home with Cream...

'Disraeli Gears' is, arguably, the finest album recorded by Cream. The only real competition is from 'Wheels Of Fire', and that's a double-lp, so it's difficult to make comparisons. It is one of several albums that made the late-1960's psychedelic era the psychedelic era. It was the second of their four studio releases, and for most people it was the work that brought the band to their attention. Cream had a hit with 'Crossroads' from their first album, but 'Sunshine of Your Love' rose to number five on the national charts, and essentially ushered in the heavy metal feel for bands like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. The overall strength of 'Disraeli Gears' also easily eclipsed the quality of their first album, 'Fresh Cream'. Eric Clapton indulges heartily in the mainstay of psychedelic rock, the wah-pedal guitar, while Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce add their readily distinguishable style on drums and bass, respectively. All three contribute to the vocals, though Clapton and Bruce share most of the leads.

The origins of psychedelic rock albums and songs often has strange origins, and this album is a case in point. Consider that the title for this album was gleaned from a mispronunciation of "derailleur gears" for racing bicycles as "Disraeli gears". Can you imagine how many hours stoned-out freaks spent contemplating the connection between Benjamin Disraeli and gears? Ukulele Music To My Ears would have rhymed and perhaps made more sense. The psychedelic imagery is ever-present in the lyrics as well. 'SWLABR', for example, is an acronym for She Walks Like a Bearded Rainbow, words that appear nowhere in this rocked-up tune (though we are told that "the picture has a mustache"...).

I love the beginning of 'Disraeli Gears'. 'Strange Brew', which gleaned a lot of playing time on the emerging FM stations of the era, is the opener. It's followed by 'Sunshine of Your Love', 'World of Pain' and 'Dance the Night Away', superb psychedelic rock numbers. You would be hard pressed to find four finer consecutive songs on any disc. 'Blue Condition', like 'We're Going Wrong' are both slow, dismal numbers, which capture their stories well, but seem to stand in the way of rummaging through the other great rock tracks on the disc, 'Tales of Brave Ulysses', an excellent electrified cover of Arthur Reynold's 'Outside Woman Blues', and 'Take It Back'. 'Mother's Lament', a short (1:47), traditional cockney number, is the a capella closer, essentially a throw-away unless you're into traditional cockney numbers.

Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce are the author's of most of the great compositions found on 'Disraeli Gears'. The album is steeped in memorable guitar riffs and clever, thought-provoking lyrics. And few bands, especially bands stripped down to lead guitar, bass and drums, aside from today's White Stripes (who somehow do it with two...), rocked as fluidly as Cream. There won't be a dollar of your entertainment money wasted here.

Looking at the reviews of this album, it's interesting to note that the vast majority of those who rave about it got into it in the 60s, or roughly at the time it came out. There is always a danger in such a case of not rating something objectively, as the emotional connection often overrides the actual quality of the music. I too feel the same way about some of the albums I grew up with. Now I have all the albums from the name bands of the 60s, and a vast amount of psych, blues and 60s/70s rock in my collection, so although I expect some negative comments on my review, please understand this is not the criticism of a novice, newbie or metalhead.

If you're expecting the following, you're going to be very disappointed with this album:

(1) Mind-blowing guitar-playing: compare the guitar-playing on this to Hendrix' 'Are You Experienced' (1967) and 'Axis:Bold As Love' (1968), to Johnny Winter's first album recorded in 1968, or Jimmy Page's playing on the first Led Zeppelin album (recorded late '68), and there's a vast, vast difference in the level of guitar-playing. It's like comparing someone reciting the alphabet with someone reading Shakespeare. If you're an electric guitar-player, you may spend years with your guitar, the sheet-music to Axis:Bold As Love, and the album itself without being able to duplicate much of what Hendrix does, especially on the rhythm side. But the advantage of being a Cream fan is that Clapton's licks, solos, and rhythm on this album are well within the reach of any amateur who sets his mind to it. Note that I don't say Clapton can't play well, but ability on this album is downplayed in favour of effects and attempts at psychedelia. Which brings me to the next thing not to expect...

(2) Mind-blowing psychedelia: One of the best things about Disraeli Gears is no doubt the album cover, and that alone has led to many mistaken purchases of this album in my experience. Some of these songs are borderline psychedelia, but generally it's more like pop-blues with some psych elements coming from the use of fuzz and wah. Finally, don't expect...

(3) Excellent blues: listen to Hendrix' 'Red House' (the original version from Oct 1966 found on the newer versions of 'Are You Experienced' or on the 'Blues' album), or Johnny Winter's 'Be Careful With A Fool' from his first album. As I've stated above, to anyone who knows anything about good guitar-playing, who actually plays themselves, or who've tried to work on songs by these guys and Clapton, there's just no comparison. Winter and Hendrix still make the mouth drop with their playing, while Clapton's playing sounds tired and cliched today, and generally relies on effects on this album.

I'm not writing this review to irritate Clapton fans, although that is bound to happen, but I'm also not writing it just to collect positive votes. Instead, if I can warn one person away from a mistaken purchase for every ten who give me a negative vote, then I consider my job done. As a consolation to Eric's fans, let me just say that I recently saw that all-star concert from a couple years ago where he plays live with Stevie Winwood, etc, and was pretty much blown away by Eric's playing. The man can play! And better than he ever did in the 60s! While poor old Johnny Winter can't hold a straw to him now...

If you absolutely must have some Cream in your music collection rather go for the old Best of Cream compilation. That has most of the best songs on this album, and you're not forced to listen to the weak tracks like World of Pain or Dance the Night Away, or the embarrassing ones like Blue Condition or Mother's Lament.