There have been many compilations drawn from the four albums
Cream
originally released between 1966 and 1969. But the one most commonly available since the early '80s was the ten-track
Strange Brew: The Very Best of Cream
(1983), a barebones collection focusing on the group's hit singles. Note, then, that this album, despite the similar title, is a newly compiled 1995 CD/cassette containing all of the recordings on
Strange Brew
, plus ten more. It is thus the most comprehensive
anthology on the market, and includes all the group's essential tracks on a single disc with superior sound in a package containing good annotations. ~ William Ruhlmann