Review of ‘Clapton’ – New Eric Clapton CD

Listen to Run Back To Your Side, Autumn Leaves, Diamonds Made From Rain and Travelin’ Alone.

We have to wait till the end of September, but Michael Badley already had the chance to listen to an advance copy of the ‘Clapton’ – here are his thoughts on the album!

01. Traveling Alone
Eric Clapton, Doyle Bramhall II, Jim Keltner, Willie Weeks, Walt Richmond

It was a love at first listen when I listened to recordings emerging from the Japan Tour of 2009….. The studio version is as good!!! Great blues number, can’t do anything but love it!!!

02. Rockin’ Chair
Eric Clapton, Jim Keltner, Willie Weeks, Derek Trucks, Walt Richmond, JJ Cale

Another familiar song….. This one’s from EC’s Summer Tour of 2008…. In the studio it sounds pretty much like the “Reptile” album. I wonder who is playing the guitar along with EC…. Doyle himself? *

*Justin: I guess it is Derek Trucks.

03. River Runs Deep
Eric Clapton, Willie Weeks, Walt Richmond, JJ Cale

JJ Cale must be involved here as I am taken to “The Road To Escondido” from the very first chord!!
Yes!! Just googled it and yes… it is a JJ Cale song….. No doubt about it!!!

04. Judgement Day
Eric Clapton, Doyle Bramhall II, Jim Keltner, Willie Weeks, Walt Richmond, Kim Wilson

I have to thank EC for so many tunes I have discovered through him….. This is another one! I know there are no guitar pyrotechnics here, but this song is a great piece of blues music!!! The lyrics are just great!!!!

Now, when I’m dead, drafted in my grave
You gonna be sorry that you treat me like a slave
And there’s no one to take my place
And you gonna cry your blues away

05. How Deep Is The Ocean (how high is the sky?)
Eric Clapton, Jim Keltner, Willie Weeks, Walt Richmond, Wynton Marsalis

Another cover. Never heard of Irving Berlin before….. I still can’t believe how I can like a song from 1932!!!! My mum likes Clapton a lot…. my father never showed any interest…… but I believe even he is going to like it!!!

06. (My Very Good Friend The) Milkman
Eric Clapton, Walt Richmond, Allen Toussaint, Wynton Marsalis, Trombone Shorty

Yet one more cover!!! Another composer I never heard of: Harold Spina – it was a hit for Fats Weller…… Have to love the last verse that Eric adds…. 🙂

here comes the bride
all fat and wide

The keyboards reign here with our guitar hero being hidden but I don’t mind: the song is so nice anyway.

07. Crazy About You Baby
Eric Clapton, Doyle Bramhall II, Jim Keltner, Willie Weeks, Walt Richmond, Kim Wilson

The harmonica leads me to think this has to be a Walter Jacobs cover….. Like this blues…. which even features a short but effective guitar solo!!!

08. That’s No Way To Get Along
Eric Clapton, Doyle Bramhall II, JIm Keltner, Willie Weeks, Walt Richmond, JJ Cale

A song originally from Robert Wilkins, another blues guitarist unknown to me. Who is on vocals along with EC on this one? I’m starting to want Eric stop playing “Sheriff”, “Badge” and “Layla” live….. I think I want him to perform another Blues tour again!!!!!!!!!!
Great outro, btw!!

09. Everything Will Be Alright
Eric Clapton, Willie Weeks, JJ Cale, Walt Richmond

We leave the very old times behind for a while with this song…… but EC still takes us back to 1972…… This song appeared on JJ Cale’s “Really” album…. It’s more difficult to recognize than “River Runs Deep” but Cale’s laid back style is still there somehow…

10. Diamonds
Eric Clapton, Jim Keltner, Willie Weeks, Walt Richmond, Sheryl Crow

No info on this on the web… Is this a Clapton song? Whether it is or not… I have been playing it to death lately!!! It’s just so lovely!!!

Reptile featured “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight”…. and EC melted my heart with that.
Back Home featured “Love Don’t Love Nobody”……. and EC melted my heart with that again.
“Diamonds” is the song from “Clapton” that moves me.

11. When Somebody Thinks You’re Wonderful
Eric Clapton, Allen Toussaint, Wynton Marsalis, Trombone Shorty, Walt Richmond

A familiar song again. After Diamonds, this takes the pace up again. Maybe it was the fact that I was blown away by the terrific performances of “Sheriff” at the O2 Arena last February but I think I prefer the studio version. It sounds great!!

12. Hard Times Blues
Eric Clapton, Jim Keltner, Willie Weeks, Walt Richmond

As expected, not the Ray Charles tune that appeared in Journeyman. This is one more unknown blues number from yet another unknown artist from St. Louis: Lane Hardin. Another great discovery!!

13. Run Back To Your Side
Eric Clapton, Jim Keltner, Willie Weeks, Walt Richmond

This is the unknown song that EC played in Antwerp and Paris while on tour with Steve Winwood.

It sounds similar to “Rollin’ And Tumblin'”, so if you like that tune, you will like this one as well. Also, it features a great extended outro.

14. Autumn Leaves
Eric Clapton, Willie Weeks, Walt Richmond

A popular French song from the same year EC was born…. Nice coincidence.
Never listened to it before….. and I admit it was a crime!!!! Still, EC’s rendition has got to be the best rendition EVER!!!!!!
This song has to rival with “Diamonds” as the best song in the album!!!