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The Very Best Of Cream | 
| Artist: Cream
Label: Polydor Group
Category: Music
List Price: £9.99
Buy New: £4.98
You Save: £5.01 (50%)
New (54) Used (17) from £2.00
Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 1597
Media: Audio CD
Running Time: 71
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 523752
UPC: 731452375223
EAN: 0731452375223
ASIN: B000002GFC
Release Date: January 24, 1995
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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| Tracks:
| • | Wrapping Paper | | • | I Feel Free | | • | N.S.U. | | • | Sweet Wine | | • | I'm So Glad | | • | Spoonful | | • | Strange Brew | | • | Sunshine Of Your Love | | • | Tales Of Brave Ulysses | | • | SWLABR | | • | We're Going Wrong | | • | White Room | | • | Sitting On Top Of The World | | • | Politician | | • | Those Were The Days | | • | Born Under A Bad Sign | | • | Deserted Cities Of The Heart | | • | Crossroads | | • | Anyone For Tennis | | • | Badge |
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 Best studio tracks only, mostly in very bad stereo mixes, and one great live track January 4, 2008
3 out of 8 found this review helpful
If this really were the best of Cream it would consist almost entirely of live tracks whereas in fact there is only one included here, the celebrated 'Crossroads'. In any case 'Wrapping Paper' and 'Anyone For Tennis' obviously have no business being here as 'the best of' but are here simply because they happened to be released as singles, more because of Cream's management than Cream themselves. On the other hand of course this sort of compilation traditionally rounds up things that are not included on the main albums thus insuring sales to completists.
I really wish they had not chosen to take 'I'm So Glad' from 'Fresh Cream' as this does sound very artificial especially when compared with the amazing live version on 'Goodbye Cream'. There are other far more successful tracks from 'Fresh Cream' they could have chosen.
There was in fact no need for Cream to go into the studio to record anything, any more than there was for the Grateful Dead or Jefferson Airplane to do so, and when they did the results could be a poor reflection of their true quality.
It is important to know that the stereo sound stage on these tracks from 'Fresh Cream' is unnaturally excessive and artificial and this ruins the real quality of the performances; good mono is preferable if you have an amplifier that can switch to mono, as some can.
But heard in mono what we have here from 'Fresh Cream' allows us to see how the Cream sound evolved. Despite the elaborate studio production in the instrumental sections these versions are not substantially so different from live versions they gave in these early days to be heard on bootlegs and the BBC tapes. And what we have here in the studio is as much a starting point as anything else: it really does sound fresh; there is real value here and real pleasure.
But I have to admit that heard with this ridiculous stereo sound stage it is difficult to take seriously.
There are a number of straight blues on 'Fresh Cream', namely 'Sleepy Time Time','Lawdy Mama' and 'From Four Till Late' which they might have chosen. These tracks do not sound so bad in stereo but at the end of the day these are not such important pieces as those chosen for inclusion as none of these studio recordings transcend the blues; the last two are always performed as blues and in fact do not lend themselves to the sort of unique Cream treatment for which I value the group most; but the remixed remaster of the live 'Sleepy Time Time' which is used on the 2CD compilation 'Fresh Cream' does achieve great concentration and intensity close to the live 'Sitting On Top Of The World'; in the original on vinyl and CD it is just a blues.
As for the tracks taken from 'Disraeli Gears' they are in the original stereo mix with the drums too isolated on the extreme right and not as heavy as they should be. In the re-mastering done after this for the complete album the drums are placed in the sound stage just the same. I strongly recommend that you should listen to the mono mix that a rare spirit in the record company has put out on the 'Deluxe Edition' of that album. In the mono mix the drums of course are centrally placed and have the effect of making the music more dense and complex; the drums themselves seem much heavier and more convincing (with more bass clout, less top) and altogether less distracting. There is a difference between being contrapuntally in opposition and just being an irritating distraction.
Heard in the mono mix these tracks are as good as rock from the recording studio gets. I concede that some of the tracks from the 'D.G.' album work well enough in stereo but certainly 'Sunshine', 'Ulysses', 'Outside Woman Blues', and 'SWLABR', are not among them and of course it's precisely these five tracks which allow me to call it a 'great'* album. The problem is the drums. Simply that. Otherwise the stereo mix is good. Get the Deluxe Edition of 'DG' and check all this out for yourself.
The stereo mixes of the tracks from 'Wheels Of Fire' are alright but you will find better remasters of them on the 'I Feel Free' compilation.
* Why the inverted commas? - because it's only rock and roll that's why.
On the other hand the 16min 'Spoonful' on 'Wheels Of Fire' is not just rock and roll but genuinely great.
 cream of the crop! The most talented and influential band ever. March 5, 2007
Cream was great because..
Each person was a virtuoso in his own right, they came together to form a
unique sound, blend of pop, blues, jazz and rock. Oh yea and they were also
amazing live. Did they deterioriate in 1968, yes. Why? Interpersonal
relationships gone terribly wrong, and Eric's insecurities did them in.
I'd put Fresh Cream, Wheels and Disraeli up against any other rock bands
output of 1966-1968 and only the Stones and the Beatles were as consistent,
IMO.
Another reason they were great, is that inspite of notoriously sounding bad
on the first album, production, etc wasn't as good as I'd expect, they
created a new sound, a new approach to the business of making records and
while their lyrics weren't beatles-eque, they combined all the flower-power
element along with keeping their blues influences in tact. I love listening
to the sheer instrumentation on Fresh Cream and live Wheels, it's an
amalgamation of so much
Another more important reason to us, as EC fans, is that this was first big
step into full out improvisation and being pushed on to bigger and better by
his band mates. True it became QUITE contemptious in the last year, but at
their peak, it was amazing to hear the moving pieces come together as one.
So many differnt guitar tones, techniques (all gibson, btw) displayed. Full
out.
As for Olli, I think it was he, who mentioned the many faults of Beano.
C'mon man it's like saying the Mona Lisa was great, but a little clumsy
because of faulty brushstroking.. I think it's great because of all the
faults you mention. Mayall's voice, yea he's no Howlin Wolf, but as white
bluesleaders go he's the most respected and most (one of) influential. The
drumming sounds ok to my ears, but then again I'm not listening for the
drumming or the keyboards. I'm listening for Eric's guitar and so much
innovation in those 11-12 tracks. It's a classic because it's just a fierce
no holds barred guitar assault on the blues done by a master.
Most overrated band ever December 19, 2006
2 out of 12 found this review helpful
What is the big fuss about Cream? Most people don't rate Clapton anymore (because he's rubbish.) I mean, that guitar sound? It's nauseating! Absolutely unbearable. And just what on earth are songs like 'Wrapping Paper' and 'Spoonful' abour? Pop and blues at its dire worst. Jack Bruce has a good voice and is a decent bassist, and Ginger Baker is quite good, but he lapses in time far too often and is definitely not the legend that he is made out to be.
'Sunshine Of Your Love' is a good song, as is 'Tales Of Brave Ulysses'. 'White Room' is excellent, 'Crossroads' is good, and so is 'Badge'. The rest is poor.
If you are interested in Cream then download the above five songs. Avoid the rest.
 The best of Cream? December 8, 2006
1 out of 7 found this review helpful
This has some great songs on it, but a lot of rubbish, too. It seems to me that Eric Clapton is the most unbelievably over-rated guitarist that has ever lived. He is the emporer's clothes. The solo on 'Strange Brew' illustrates my point perfectly. I was actually crying with laughter when I first heard it.
It starts off badly, with 'Wrapping Paper' and "I Feel Free'. 'N.S.U' (whatever that stands for) is a good song, but it doesn't really piack up until 'Strange Brew', although the solo lets it down. 'Sunshine Of Your Love' is probably their mlost famous song, and is pretty good. "Tales Of Brave Ulysses' is a great song, and 'SWLABR' is also quite good. "White Room' is probably their very best song, followed by 'Croosroads'. Superb. 'Born Under A Bad Sign' and 'Badge' are also very good, the latter written by none other than George Harrison. "Deserted Cities Of The Heart' is also good.
The rest, sadly, is meandering nonsense; unoriginal, boring, and doesn't belong on here. But there uis no doubting the talent of Cream. Ginger Baker was, maybe still is, an awesome drummer, and Jack Bruce's airy voice and excellent bass playing deserves credit. Clapton plays quite well on a handful of songs ('Tales of Brave Ulysses', 'White Room' ans 'Crossroads') but isn't a patch on the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Marr, Billy Duffy, David Gilmour etc. 'Slowhand' should have a new nickname; 'Tuneless Slow McBoring'. There, someone had to say it. If you don't like it, tough.
All in all, a decent album with some very listenable songs. But if you want to experience Cream, then look elsewhere.
Classic blues-rock group March 29, 2005
23 out of 27 found this review helpful
Cream (Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker) were possibly better as a live act than on record, but their records (at least some of them) were nevertheless impressive and this CD captures the best of their recorded music. The group were generally more popular in America (where they spent a lot of time touring) than their British homeland. They were never really a singles act although they had some chart hits. They never made the UK top ten but they came close with I feel free. They also made the UK top twenty with Strange brew and Badge. Wrapping paper, Anyone for tennis, Sunshine of my love and White room all became minor UK hits. Every one of those tracks can be found on this collection, together with other brilliant tracks including Spoonful, Politician and Crossroads. This compilation provides a great introduction to Cream's music, though maybe the best way to hear them is via their original albums (Fresh Cream, Disraeli gears, Wheels of fire, Goodbye). Still, this is the best place to start if you are new to their music.
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