Eric Clapton – Clapton

by Scott Lyson

I first heard “Clapton” as it was played for the very first time (as an album) in Chicago the night before the Crossroads Guitar Festival back in June of this year. My traveling companions and I walked in moments after the album started, but was sucked in to the atmosphere immediately. The Lil’ Son Jackson tune “Travelin’ Alone” gets things rolling very quickly. As with the album as a whole, there’s nothing very flashy about the song, but it’s got a strong groove that is peppered with some carefully crafted guitar licks. The structure of the listening party was not ideal and after the first song people began to mingle, eat, admire guitars, and so apart from the songs that I was already familiar with the experience left a lot to be desired. The second track, however, was one of my favorite tunes to hear live a couple years back. “Rockin’ Chair” was a very sparse when Hoagy Carmichael originally recorded it, as was the live performance, but this studio version is electric. Derek Trucks provides slide guitar, takes a solo and, with the band, takes a lot of the sadness out of the song.

In interviews, Clapton describes how this project was originally intended to be a follow-up to the 2006 collaboration with J.J. Cale, to be done in a similar fashion. Things didn’t quite go as planned but Cale does make a few appearances on the album. “River Runs Deep” and “Everything Will Be Alright” are the two Cale songs found on this album. Again, nothing flashy about these songs. You’ll notice though, they completely suck you in to their stories with the almost hypnotic flow. Cale also provides vocals on the Robert Wilkins’ song “That’s No Way To Get Along.” One of the most enjoyable tracks on the album.

The production of the album took another turn after Clapton had had surgery. Producing partners and artists Doyle Bramhall II and Justin Stanley were mixing the album when they received instructions from Clapton (who was recovering in London) to head to New Orleans, and record two Fats Waller songs. As Clapton was coming off of morphine, which he describes as “evil,” the Fats Waller songs came to him brought him back to his childhood. “When Somebody Thinks You’re Wonderful” is one of the more upbeat selections. Instantly, it conjures up moods and feelings of the Great American Songbook. Fats Waller’s recording of “My Very Good Friend The Milkman” has become one of my absolute favorites. When listening to the song the first time at the listening party I was shocked by the final moments of the song. It is very rare that Clapton even tries to be humorous, but on this he delivers. There is something missing from this recording, and I think the band recorded this in New Orleans, and Eric added his parts much later. It is a delightful tune, but is lacking a little magic.

Following ‘Milkman’ is one of the scattered blues numbers. “Can’t Hold Out Much Longer” is a Little Walter song, but features Kim Wilson on harp here. There are some great solos from Wilson and Clapton. Wilson is also featured earlier on “Judgement Day.” Clapton, surprisingly, also busts out a mandolin for the country blues song “Hard Times Blues.” These blues songs are not the From The Cradle guitar shredders, but simply strong songs interpreted faithfully.

The first song to hit radio (“Diamonds Made From Rain”) and the first single (“Run Back To Your Side”) are the two original tracks on the album. When the project first began, Cale insisted Clapton write the material. Clapton says that the songs he writes comes in bursts, and he just wasn’t in that zone during the production. “Run Back To Your Side” is the one original Clapton co-wrote with Doyle Bramhall. Like Dylan (when he was also 65 years old), Clapton has offered us his own take on the classic “Rollin’ and Tumblin.’” The other original is more pop influenced and has a couple of great guitar solos. There are some pop standards on this album as well. “How Deep Is The Ocean” brings back that Great American Songbook and “Autumn Leaves” appropriately closes out the album with an extended solo from Clapton.

Clapton is indeed a unique collection of songs in which Clapton blends blues, rock, jazz, country, and pop to deliver an album worthy of his name. You may get whiplash, as Ry Cooder has suggested, from the first listen, but you’ll be hard to resist getting sucked back in.

4.5 out of 5 stars

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