The dictates of radio meant Cream were forced to curb their penchant to curb their penchant for long blues jams in favour of more tightly structured arrangements in the BBC sessions they recorded between 1966 and 1968. Even “Crossroads” comes in at less than two minutes and sounds the better for it. Complete with evocative contemporary radio intros (“and here’s where things get good and groovy”), their own compositions such as “Strange Brew” and “Tales Of Brave Ulysses” stand the test of time better than the blues covers. Oddly, there’s no “White Room” or “Badge”. But it’s still an essential companion to 1997’s box set, Those Were The Days.
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