Rating:  -
This is a classic album!!! Imagine Cream and Traffic all rolled into one!!! Well thats what you have,2 Cream members(Eric Clapton/Ginger Baker)and 2 Traffic members(Steve Winwood/Rick Grech)in one great supergroup!!! A classic album(CD)!!! All the tracks are great!!! A+
Rating: -
This album, recorded in London in 1969, captures not only the sound of its own time (which it does perfectly), but also constitutes a work of art that anyone who loves rock music cannot help but love as well. Steve Winwood's vocals are extraordinary, stunning, even after more than thirty years. Eric Clapton--the same Clapton who served as the subject of the routine London and New York subway grafitti asserting that "Clapton is God"--plays brilliantly, ranging from very subtle ("Can't Find My Way Home) to in-your-face/can-you-dig-this riffs that blow away anyone who loves real rock 'n' roll ("Had to Cry Today"; "Sea of Joy")--listen to both of these works through good headphones and ask not be disturbed during the experience. Ginger Baker's drumming is also wonderful --particularly on "Do What Your Like" in which a long, brilliant drum solo (a species of performance which has essentially disappeared from contemporary popular recordings) makes one remember how expressive drums can be as an intstument. As someone who grew up in the 60s and who continues in a modest way to play music in various contexts, I can tell you that, if you love the joy and emotional power of classic rock performed by virtuoso musicians at the height of their abilities, you should not pass up this recording.
Rating: -
It really is unfortunate that these guys only made one album. But what an album it is! Blind Faith combined the soulful guitar mastery of Eric Clapton, the powerful vocal stylings of Steve Winwood, the classically-influenced artistry of Rick Grech and the pounding, mammoth drum thrashings of Ginger Baker. Four musical geniuses, nothing less.
"Had To Cry Today" is an emotional epic of a song. At nearly nine minutes, it's a uniquely crafted rock gem, complete with Winwood's passionate wails and Clapton's even MORE passionate guitat solos. But "Can't Find My Way Home" is even better, if you ask me, and easily one of the greatest ballads ever written. Definitely Winwood's finest vocal performance on the album. Such an emotional song. "Well All Right" is the only weak song on the album in my opinion. I really don't care for it at all.
The legendary "Presence Of The Lord", noteworthy for being Clapton's first original composition, is a staggering tune. I guess that Clapton was really starting to feel the downfalls of fame at that point, so this was his outpouring of emotion. And of course, he rips out a killer solo in the middle. "Sea Of Joy" is also a real treat, but "Do What You Like" is a masterpiece. I'm sick of all these people whining about it being too long. They complain about the over-emphasis of solos. I don't see why, because all of the solos are great (except for Grech's bass solo, which is actually kind of boring). As everyone knows, Baker is the real star on this one, and that drum solo is still one of the all-time greatest. Even better than the one on "Toad".
Rating: -
Why didn't Blind Faith last longer? They had such a classic debut, and they could've made some terrific songs judging from what's on here. Every song is a killer. Had To Cry Today has a amazing riff from Steve Winwood (he wrote the song), and some dual guitar soloing from God, Eric Clapton. This was when Clapton was cool, and not a adult contempary star. Can't Find My Way Home is a terrific ballad. Steve Winwood really shines with his vocals here. Well All Right sounds nothing like the Buddy Holly original it was. There's some good jamming at the end. Presence Of The Lord is what you would call the single of the album, written by Clapton. Clapton's great wah wah riff is in this song. A God moment. Sea Of Joy is the epic of the album, with gentle acoustic guitar and soft violin in the middle. Do What You Like is Coltrane in rock. Everyone gets a chance to solo on this song, and they all do it well. Ginger Baker's drum solo is memorable, which is rare in drum solos. I actually wish it was a few minutes longer, or at least have a long intro. But this is a great album from a short-lived supergroup. Very good.
Rating: -
Blind Faith was undoubtedly one of Rock's finest ensembles- after Cream broke up, drummer and guitarist Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton decided to team up with Steve Winwood of Traffic and Richard Grech, to make this self-titled album. "Had to Cry Today" and "Can't Find My Way Home" are obvious masterpieces of the crossbreed of blues/rock, and the other three, "Well Alright", "Presence of the Lord" and "Sea of Joy" are treats of classic rock that don't get much radio play. HOWEVER, "Do What You Like", which starts off well, is indeed the only flaw on the album, as that it goes on for 15 minutes and half of it sounds like tuning and fiddling around and doesn't hold up against the test of time. Still, this is must listen to anyone who has an apprectiation of rock music, or music in general.
|
