CoronaVinyl Day 130 (Controversial Album Cover): Blind Faith by Blind Faith

For an explanation of CoronaVinyl, click here.

Today's CoronaVinyl category is "controversial album cover," and the first album that came to mind was supergroup Blind Faith's only studio effort, 1969's self-titled album.  The album cover above is an alternate cover that was put out in the U.S. because the UK version of the cover contained a topless 11-year-old girl holding a chrome airplane that many considered phallic.  If you want to see the original cover, click on this link to the Wikipedia page for the album.

Album cover controversy aside, this is a fantastic album.  For those who aren't familiar with Blind Faith, it was comprised of Steve Winwood on vocals and keys (he was on a break from Traffic at the time), Eric Clapton on guitar, his former Cream band mate Ginger Baker on drums, and Family bassist Rick Grech.  Their union was short but sweet. Formed in February 1969, and rounded out in May 1969 when Grech joined, the band recorded their lone album between February and June of that year, releasing it in early July.  A short tour followed, but by the end of August 1969, they decided to part ways.

But they left us with a fantastic album.  All four musicians are hitting on all cylinders, as they move fluidly between hard rock, pop, jazz, blues, and jams.  Winwood is as soulful as ever.  Clapton's guitars are crisp and nasty.  Baker's drumming is, as always, superb and full of delicious fills, complemented by his rhythm section partner Grech's bass work that keeps everything moving.

The album is only six songs, with a couple extended jams bookending the album -- the hard-rocking "Had to Cry Today," which starts of the album, and the trippy, jazzy "Do What You Like," the 15-minute jam that closes things.  In between, the band shows its range, with the acoustic, sweet melancholy of "Can't Find My Way Home," a rollicking cover of Buddy Holly & The Crickets' "Well All Right," and the soulful proto-metal of "Prescence of the Lord" (which has one of my favorite Clapton guitar solos ever) and "Sea of Joy."

The album was an international success, topping the album charts in the U.S., UK, Canada, Denmark, The Netherlands, and Norway, and reaching the top five of the album charts in Australia, France, and Germany.  It went platinum in the U.S., and has sold over 8 million copies worldwide.

Clapton would go on to join Delaney & Bonnie and Friends for a minute before forming Derek & The Dominos and making solo albums for the next four decades.  Winwood and Traffic got back together in 1970 and went on to put out some great albums before breaking up in 1974, after which Winwood had a successful solo career.  Baker formed Ginger Baker's Air Force before moving to Nigeria and starting a recording studio there, and he continued to play music for the next couple decades, even as he moved to and from various continents (you should watch the excellent 2012 documentary Beware of Mr. Baker if you haven't already).  Grech also joined Ginger Baker's Air Force before reuniting with Winwood in Traffic for a couple albums, before becoming a session musician and releasing a solo album before retiring from music in 1977.

Favorite song from Side 1:  "Can't Find My Way Home"

It was a really tough choice for my favorite on Side 1 because I love all four songs.  I gave the nod to "Can't Find My Way Home" because it has one of my favorite lines in rock history -- and one that I would sing to myself a lot in college -- "And I'm wasted, and I can't find my way home."  Clapton also showed that he has acoustic guitar chops on this song, and Baker's drumming, as always, shouldn't be overlooked.

Favorite song from Side 2:  "Do What You Like"
At over 15 minutes, "Do What You Like" takes up the bulk of Side 2, but it's a fantastic, trippy jam written by Baker.  All four musicians lend their voices to the track (though Winwood has lead vocal duties), and everyone showcases his talents.