Had To Cry Today
Can't Find My Way Home
Well All Right
Presence Of The Lord
Sea Of Joy
Do What You Like
Even taking into account everything else the three main protagonists (bassist Ric Grech was, really, an Economy passenger flying Upper Class) have in their back catalogues, Blind Faith is an album Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Steve Winwood could be proud of.
“It was pretty good and stands up well,” said Winwood. “In retrospect, people even think it has a few classics on there.”
More soulful than Cream, heavier and bluesier than Traffic, it includes terrific performances. On its three standout tracks – Had To Cry Today, Sea Of Joy and Presence Of The Lord – the guitarist’s playing is focused, crafted and wonderfully melodic; Winwood’s Hammond adds colourful washes, his at times on-the-limit vocal delivery recalling his R&B belter days with the Spencer Davis Group.
More soulful than Cream, heavier and bluesier than Traffic, it includes terrific performances. On its three standout tracks – Had To Cry Today, Sea Of Joy and Presence Of The Lord – the guitarist’s playing is focused, crafted and wonderfully melodic; Winwood’s Hammond adds colourful washes, his at times on-the-limit vocal delivery recalling his R&B belter days with the Spencer Davis Group.
While the band was never going to live up to expectations for those who had it on equal billing with the Second Coming, the album did offer a tantalising glimpse of what might have been had Clapton’s idea of reshaping Cream with the addition of Winwood come to fruition. But even with this line-up, none of them expected it to hold their interest for more than just the one album.
