Cream was a fantastic live band, able to play lengthy numbers note-for-note and was also able to make a lasting impression as Rock and Roll greats. Cream consisted of guitarist Eric Clapton, singer/bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker. The three of them made the Rock supergroup idea possible and made some great albums as well. This is the second live collection of Cream performances, so let’s get stuck into this and hear what these guys had on to offer.

Deserted Cities Of The Heart – Live begins this set with cheering and chanting from the crowd, with a short introduction by Eric Clapton stating about this song. It quickly launches into a piece that is likely sung by Eric Clapton, not Jack Bruce, and it sounds energetic and powerful. Cream are in fine form here, it just sounds really lively and amazing. Ginger Baker’s drumming is very amazing, and the whole piece sounds like a brilliant slice of Rock goodness. The instrumental breaks and the playing overall are really excellent, as is the singing. This is proto-Progressive Rock for those of you who need a good dose of that with heavy sounding Gibson guitars. Eric Clapton plays truly like the guitar god that he is: fine and in great form. The whole instrumental section here is not to be dismissed, it sounds really impressive, inspired and amazing. No doubt Black Sabbath would likely have been influenced by songs such as these. A great piece of music to launch this collection of live songs, and although the singing isn’t as great as it could be, this does sound fantastic. It ends after four and a half minutes, great stuff.

White Room – Live is one of the main songs that was a hit from Wheels Of Fire. It begins with glorious harmonies and great drumming, followed by a great live interpretation of the classic song. It definitely has a great groove to it, and the live version has some excellent singing by Jack Bruce and nice wah-wah guitar by Eric Clapton. A really excellent and finely delivered performance by Cream, this sounds psychedelic and magical. The high register by Jack Bruce is something that some peers, such as John Lennon, would struggle to hit as a singer. A really fine piece with more loud Gibson guitars, this is irresistibly good. The performances presented by all members of Cream are outstanding, and the lyrics and sounds take one elsewhere. A really excellent and energetic piece of music, this is pretty and outstanding listening throughout. It launches into a great wah-wah driven guitar solo section by Eric Clapton, and it sounds lively and extraordinary. The thumping basslines and rolling drums are not to be underestimated, either. This sure sounds really top and is great proof of the true power of musicianship. It has a climactic ending, followed by great cheering. Excellent.

Politician – Live is a five-minute-long piece, beginning with that awesome main riff from the album version. It sure sounds very interesting and well played, and there are some amazing improvisations on the original song here as well. Jack Bruce sings wonderfully, and this piece is highly energetic and an eternal reminder of the nature of politics and politicians themselves, set to music. Very catchy and nicely delivered, Cream delivers a great statement on this song. “I support the left, but I’m leaning to the right,” proves that one should not take politics or political figures seriously. This is followed by a searing guitar solo by Eric Clapton that sounds truly fantastic, with note-for-note perfect playing. This makes for an excellent retrospective live listen. Eric Clapton is God? Perhaps he was and is. A really fun and interesting listen, Jack Bruce gets very intense with his singing towards the end. A great and lively interpretation of a classic song, this is wonderful and amazing. A really fine listening experience, this must be heard by all Rock fans. Great stuff.

Tales Of Brave Ulysses – Live is a live version of the song from Disraeli Gears. It begins with awesome fuzz bass, wah-wah guitar and crashing drums. It launches into a powerful and ballsy Rock piece that sounds really vibrant and amazing. A very Psychedelic song that sounds energetic and vibrant, this song sounds lovely and majestic. The live environment suits the band very well, and the playing is really awesome, as is the singing-speak by Jack Bruce. A gorgeous, exciting and enjoyable piece of live music, this sounds nothing but incredible. A fine and excellent creation, this does sound really fantastic. A lively and interesting piece of music, this has some wonderful live guitar soloing by Eric Clapton. A really great piece of music, this does sound excellent. A great live interpretation of the original song, Jimi Hendrix would have been proud of this piece. Loud, heavy and thundering, this is a great listen. It slows down and finishes nicely at the end. Great listen.

Sunshine Of Your Love – Live is a seven-minute-long piece that begins with the legendary riff from Eric Clapton from the song, followed by fuzz bass and pounding snare drum hits. A really awesome and fine introduction with some great singing as well, this sounds pretty and interesting. The Gibson guitars on this tune do sound really interesting and powerful, it just sounds very heavy, yet thoroughly enjoyable. A really great and wonderful listen throughout, this is a really enjoyable song. The instrumental section has some wonderful improvised playing by Eric Clapton and has a pulsating rhythm section as well. A really fantastic and great listen, this sounds like a wonderful ride through sonic mayhem indeed. The guitar playing is well-rehearsed, interesting and articulate. Eric Clapton proves his worth as a guitarist, and the rhythm section are his equals. Nonetheless, this gradually evolves into a wonderful and lovely piece of music that sounds really awesome. We are lucky and privileged to hear such awesome music today. Soon enough, the verses are sung by Jack Bruce in fine form and this piece sounds really awesome. An incredible and excellent combined piece of thoroughly jaw-dropping playing. Towards the end it becomes manic, with many great guitar fills, melodic basslines and crashing drums. This continues brilliantly, right to the very end and every second is Rock bliss. A very great interpretation of the original song, this ends well. The crowd cheers nicely at the end, great effort.

Steppin’ Out – Live is the last piece on this live album. It begins with crowd cheering, before launching into a fine interpretation of the song from Fresh Cream. It goes into a great instrumental interpretation of the original piece by Cream and does not disappoint. Eric Clapton’s guitar playing on this is amazing, as are the efforts of Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker. This is really fine and awesome stuff, it just sounds really awesome and super cool. The playing sounds so brilliant and wonderful on this song that one could think how well Cream evolved as a band, obviously very quickly. The combination of effort, energy and improvisation is not to be underestimated in this listening experience. Eric Clapton’s Gibson guitars sound powerful and fierce on this song, he really does put in a great effort here. Using a variety of scales, modes and improvisation, Clapton creates a marvellous piece of music. After some time, Eric Clapton goes into a solo mode of his own without the rest of the band, showcasing his own incredible talent. He plays some wonderful guitar, quickly followed by Ginger Baker’s eclectic drumming. It sure sounds amazing, and the music is nothing but impressive. A really interesting and great listening experience, this does sound brilliant. The guitars and drums mesh very nicely, and this is something well worth paying attention to. Refreshing and yes, Cream were the cream of the crop. Eric Clapton plays like no tomorrow, and there is no surprise that Eddie Van Halen was directly inspired by Cream, and clearly stated so in his own interviews. Eventually, this piece gets somewhat louder and more intense, and the wailing leads by Eric Clapton sound really brilliant and fantastic. Definitely worth your time and listening, this is truly underrated music. Some pounding drums and excellent guitars keep this going. A really fine and fantastic listening experience, this is outstanding music. A great, great live performance, this sounds supercharged and fantastic. There is some nice usage of effects as well, not too obviously so that it interferes with the experience at all. A perfect Rock jam to sit back and close one’s eyes to, this is extraordinary and amazing listening. Soon enough, the drumming gets more subtle whilst Eric Clapton plays some great sounds on the blues pickup. A really cool and fresh listen, this is very awesome and inspiring. Soon enough, Ginger Baker drums away well and pounds those drum skins like no tomorrow, as well. This eventually reaches a wonderful climax towards the end and just sounds awesome and terrific. If this doesn’t make you smile, nothing will. It finishes up nicely, with some crowd cheering. Brilliant.

This is part two of the original live Cream album set, and yes, this is just as good as part one. Cream proved in their short existence as a band that they were of immense value to the Rock music world. If you are a fan of Rock sounds and excellent performances from bands, this is worth hearing. A fine, interesting and valuable listen, this is a keeper. Seek this out today.

Wonderful.

9/10