[Slowhand] "CLAPTON"

[Bryan Reid]

I'm amused at both the discussion here and the reviews this "album" is
getting.

It is quite possibly, IMHO, the worst album Clapton has ever done. Nostalgia
is a wonderful thing but that doesn't mean you inflict it on everyone you
know. Indeed, nostalgia is usually a personal experience because the things
that make me nostalgic won't necessarily make you nostalgic and vice versa.

Song selection - all over the board. The only thing that connects these
songs is that Eric grew up listening to them on the radio. Sorry, that isn't
how you select songs for an album.

Arrangements - as befitting covers of old songs. That does not necessarily
translate into good songs for Eric to either play or sing.

Production - Eric's albums for quite some time have suffered from
over-production. This album not only continues that "tradition" but takes it
to new depths.

Singing - In an interview promoting this album, Eric said he hated his
singing on it. His singing really does sound bad but it's the songs
themselves, the arrangements and the production that really is at fault.

The only, and I do mean only, things that do anything to redeem this album
are the couple of blues songs, which are passably rendered, and Eric's
guitar playing, which is excellent. His guitar playing, however, is so
over-shadowed by the songs themselves and the production that it is hard to
appreciate it.

I recently picked up a Japanese remaster of Journeyman, which has been
getting heavy play in the house and car. "Clapton" sounds godawful compared
to that album.

Bottom line, this CD is likely headed for eBay.

And Eric, leave this kind of stuff to Rod Stewart, who can pull it off, and
stick to what you do best, which is blues and rock & roll. Putting out
something like this should be beneath you.