Blind Faith [Original recording remastered]

Blind Faith | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 27, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 1969
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Polydor / Umgd
• ASIN: B000059T00
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (70 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,930 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #39 in Music > Music Deals > $8.99 and Under
  • #48 in Music > Classic Rock > British Invasion
  • #83 in Music > Rock > Blues Rock

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The short-lived classic-rock supergroup Blind Faith's sole album has aged remarkably well. In 1969, Blind Faith fused the psychedelic blues of Eric Clapton and the soulful vocals and keyboards of Steve Winwood with the polyrhythmic, Afrocentric leanings of drummer Ginger Baker. "Can't Find My Way Home" is one of the hippie era's most lyrically poignant, sonically subtle tunes. The record has a lot of surprises; "Presence of the Lord" is rousing and melancholy at the same time, while the way the bass and guitar double-team on the introductory melodic line to "Had to Cry Today" makes a hard-rock cliché fresh again. The 10-minute drum solo on "Do What You Like" is pretty good as 10-minute drum solos go. This 2000 reissue of the album omits the unreleased jams and mixes that fill the second disc of the deluxe reissue that appeared earlier in the year. --Mike McGonigal

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Faith redeemed, April 18, 2002

By 

Jinkyu - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blind Faith (Audio CD)

This one-shot supergroup may not have lasted long, but they produced a solid recording here. There are only six songs, which is as expected--with Eric Clapton and Stevie Winwood in the same group and the opportunity to showcase Ginger Baker's remarkable talents as a drummer, jams are certainly in order and Ginger does well in "Do What You Like," the concluder. The songwriting is dominated by Winwood, but Clapton contributes his classic "Presence of the Lord," which begins with a soulful verseline and then bursts into a potent guitar solo. Winwood's "Sea of Joy," "Had to Cry Today," and "Can't Find My Way Home" are all excellent, with pretty verselines accentuated by his high-pitched vocals and neat instrumental riffs.

In fact, the only thing that stops me from giving this five stars (just barely) is that there are only six songs. The jams show solid musicianship and worksmanship but don't blow you away. However, do not let the uneven reception this album received deter you. It is eminently listenable, and actually very relaxing, something just to put on and soak up when you feel laid back. The songs are not mellow as in slow, but in texture Blind Faith is smooth-flowing solid rock.

75 of 89 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars God's Helpers Shine, November 26, 2005

By 

R. Williams "code slubber" (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blind Faith (Audio CD)

The Cult of Clapton tends to state that EC is the ultimate rock don who makes everything he touches, from the sheer power of his greatness. How is it, then, that all the great things he did were with other great people? Want EC w/out a great supporting cast? Go buy "Lay Down Sally." Not to knock him, he is one of the great guitarists of all time. But come on, most people say Cream broke up because Clapton was sick of Jack Bruce acting like the front man, and then he ended up in two groups that he only lasted one album with (this and Derek and the Dominoes). Of course, they are two of the greatest rock albums of all time. To his credit, Clapton clearly brings out the best in others, though this album testifies to the fact that they often bring out the best in him as well. For instance, to me, "Do What You Like" is one of the greatest songs in the history of rock and roll. It's written by Ginger Baker? Amazing. (And to his credit, EC has repeatedly acknowledged the fact that Ginger Baker is the most amazing drummer of all time.) Clapton's solo in "Do What You Like" is one of my favorites of his: fantastic playing and a beautiful tone with a haunting dose of reverb that really works.

Steve Winwood is an great vocalist, and it is truly hard to figure out why if you use the "American Idol" metrics. But on this album, the fusion of his bluesy style and the material, which is haunting and hypnotic, is just plain magic. From the opening bars of "Had to Cry Today," this album reverberates in a way that few other albums do and Winwood's vocals are a big part of that.

It continues to astound me how many people out there have not heard this record. Searing, unique, incredibly powerful album.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars meeting of the blinds, July 10, 2005

By 

Don Schmittdiel "running_man" (Clinton Twp., MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blind Faith (Audio CD)

'Blind Faith' is one of the finest albums of the 1960's, perhaps the most progressive decade in music. That should be no surprise as the band combined elements of two of the most talented and inventive bands of the era, lead guitarist Eric Clapton and drummer Ginger Baker, two-thirds of 'Cream', together with keyboardist/lead singer Steve Winwood and bassist Rick Grech, two-fifths of 'Traffic'. The band only managed to stick together for one album and one tour, which also shouldn't have been a surprise given that Winwood's continued indulgence in psychedelic rock and flirtations with jazz fusion were a poor match for Clapton's foray into more traditional pop sounds and life-long side-interest in blues rock.

Ignoring their flimsy bonds, Clapton, Winwood, and Baker brought five stunning compositions into the studio. For the most part, this album became a Steve Winwood dominated production, with the artist penning fully half of the songs and singing all of the lead vocals, even on Clapton's only entry, his epic 'Presence of the Lord'. Although the set does allow all of the musicians ample room to move, Winwood's characteristic sound, together with Baker's avant garde, jazz influenced contribution ('Do What You Like'), is what gives the disc its overall feel. The bands cover of Buddy Holly's 'Well All Right' along with Clapton's 'Presence...' are clearly the odd tracks out.

That being said, there is not a bad performance on this disc. All of Winwood's contributions are classics, from the plaintive 'Had To Cry Today', to the tender 1960s's "looking for myself" nostalgia of 'Can't Find My Way Home', to the rapturous 'Sea of Joy'. Each feature distinctive melodies, endearing lyrics, and elite musicianship. The studio rendition of Clapton's 'Presence of the Lord' probably isn't the definitive version to most people, as numerous live covers have appeared on other releases, in particular with Eric masquerading as 'Derek and the Dominos'. The song evolved and eclipsed its original form. And despite the relative simplicity of 'Well All Right', this band certainly manages to make this song sound like anything but a boppin' 1950's Buddy Holly track. If this was the first song you heard off this album and were told it was the weakest track, you'd surely buy the album without even asking to hear the rest of it.

The album closes with Ginger Baker literally laying claim to his fifteen minutes of fame, penning the 15 minute-plus 'Do What You Like', another period piece that gave all four musicians an opportunity to solo and, in the end, do what they like. It's probably the most critiqued song in the lot, but a lot of the criticsm comes from people who were expecting too much. 'Blind Faith' is solid, forceful, meaningful, and possesses a personality all its own, and plenty of other 'supergroups' have produced far less. This is a "must-own" for any collector of rock classics.