Fresh Cream

"December 1966's Fresh Cream, reappearing here in mono and stereo iterations, and with several unreleased tracks among its booty of alternative versions, outtakes and radio sessions, maintains an edgy entente. Dreaming, NSU and the contemporaneous single I Feel Free demonstrate the trio's little-remarked facility for hard pop, while their bewildering opening gambit, Wrapping Paper, only makes sense in the context of a long-vanished world wherein Winchester Cathedral could be a breakout hit.Mindful of their blues-rock billing, Cream also break out a series of torrid R&B homages (Rollin' And Tumblin', Cat's Squirrel, I'm So Glad): but Clapton became daring when Bruce and Baker loosened his purist girdle. The long lunar note that fanfares his solo on Spoonful - a delirious C# over E - [calm down Oregano, it's only a 6th - Ed] is as close to soundgasm as white-boy blues ever got".

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