205 - Cream - Wheels of Fire
"White Room" is such a classic song. I admire the musicianship, the fantasy lyrics, and the atmosphere so much. It is hard rock, with a blues rhythmic backbone, psychadelic flourishes, and blistering guitar from Clapton. The song is a great example of how the whole can be even greater than the sum of its parts. Next comes the plodding, amped-up blues of "Sitting on Top of the World." It's not a bad song, but each time I start listening to Wheels of Fire I get psyched up and then suddenly bored out of my skull. Sadly, I experience that pattern repeatedly on this album - I get completely hooked on something and then the band shifts to something completely different. This pattern is worsened in the second half with the live tracks; two of which wander horribly for 16ish minutes.
I found myself having greater extreme reactions to the musical decisions on Wheels of Fire than I recall having with any other albums on the Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums list. I will be tremendously annoyed with the music, then they'll suddenly alter what's happening and it becomes one of the best musical moments on the album. In the end, the emotional rollercoaster has become tiresome to me. I'm frustrated with the band more than anything else. It overcomes whatever brilliance is stored on Wheels of Fire.
Songs I Knew I Liked: "White Room"
Songs I Now Like: "As You Said"
Songs I Can Go the Rest of My Life Never Hearing Again: "Pressed Rat and Warhog," "Toad," and the overly-long live version of "Spoonful."