Rating:  -
This is one of those "must-haves" for any person interested in the evolution of rock. Ginger Baker is amazing, as usual.
Rating: -
Blind Faith's self-titled CD is a great album which proves that while guitarist Eric Clapton and vocalist/keyboardist/guitarist Steve Winwood (one of the great singers/instrumentalists of all time) bring out the best in others, others also bring out the best in them. The instrumental interplay between them, bassist Ric Grech, and drummer Ginger Baker is nothing short of amazing, and the songs are outstanding, with highlights being "Had To Cry Today", "Can't Find My Way Home", "Presence Of The Lord" (a Clapton composition), and "Sea Of Joy." The belief among the surviving members (Grech died in 1990) that the young Australian tourist jailed in Indonesia since 2005 for drug-smuggling was unjustly convicted makes BLIND FAITH an essential purchase for both your ears AND your conscience.
Rating:  -
Blind Faith's self-titled debut would be the one and only release from what many rock fans and music industry insiders believed would be the band to take over where Cream left off. Containing 2/3 of Cream in Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton, the band also featured the talented Steve Winwood, who at age 20 already had made a name for himself with both the Spencer Davis Group and Traffic and had contributed significantly to Jimi Hendrix's Electric Ladyland album. The quartet would be rounded out by the much less famous yet talented bassist Rick Grech. Although one would think that Blind Faith would continue in the heavy blues and psychedelic direction of Cream, the album explored a variety of genres, as though it appeared the band was trying to find their sound. Sadly, just a few months after the album's release, Blind Faith would be no more, making many to wonder what they could have been capable of if they stuck together.
The album leads off with "Had to Cry Today", a hard rocker led by a great guitar riff and Winwood's soaring vocals. Baker's drumming remains as creative as ever, often sounding like a lead instrument. It's also here that you already see Clapton's solos becoming more innovative, developing from the fiery fast licks that he played in Cream to a more distinctive and introspective tone that would define his solo work. The folky "Can't Find My Way Home" is a classic with another great vocal from Winwood. The band's version of "Well All Right" is also very good, ending with a short killer jam highlighted by Winwood's fast piano runs. The other classic from this album is the spiritual "Presence of the Lord." A longtime staple on classic rock radio, it remains one of Clapton's finest compositions. Another great song is the underrated "Sea Of Joy", a haunting track which features strong drumming from Baker and a great violin solo from Grech. The only misstep on the album is the 15-minute "Do What You Like." The first 5 ½ minutes are awesome as Winwood lays down a very spooky organ solo while Clapton's slow burning solo is awesome. However, when Grech's bass solo comes in, the track loses all momentum and Baker's long drum solo, impressive as it is, drags on longer than necessary. If both of their solos were shaved down a couple minutes, the track would have worked. All told, while Blind Faith isn't quite on par with the best work of Winwood, Baker, or Clapton, it's a very good album that shows off their remarkable talents.
Rating: -
I am embarrassed to admit that I just finally bought Blind Faith. It has been the gaping hole in my Clapton collection for a long time.
"Presence of the Lord" is the most well-known song, and while it is certainly great, to me the true highlight is the opener, "Had To Cry Today." It sounds like a classic Cream riff, but stretched out for 8+ minutes - Derek & The Dominos length. For a Clapton fan, it is a priceless song, as it is the missing link between Clapton's two greatest bands.
Too bad they changed the cover from the original!
Rating: -
This album is dynamite. For anyone who likes Cream (or good music for that matter), and appreciates what Clapton and Baker could do together, this is an album to have.
The album begins with "Had to Cry Today" - a lengthy testament to Clapton's overlaying of harmonies. This is followed by "Can't Find My Way Home" - SUPERB. The mood of this song is seldom (or better yet, never) replicated today; with its story-telling guitar, identifiable, yet gripping, lyrics, and simple, yet very groovable, high-hat beat - the ambiance is undeniable.
The bigness continues with "Well All Right" - a guitar, piano, and bass, never sounded so big (though it is a cover). It sounds like there's so much going on in this song - but not to the extent that the groove or melody suffers one bit.
I am listening to the album as I write this, and could go on about the reflective "Presence of the Lord", the vocally stunning "Sea of Joy", or the jazzy "Do What You Like" - which, I should note, includes a ten-minute Ginger special.
To end, if you like the cast, you will definitely appreciate the sum of their abilities: Clapton chugs and harmonizes, Baker pounds with undeniable vigour, Grech pounds and scales with Bruce-like precision, and Steve Winwood asserts himself as one of rock's truly magical voices.
|
