Bluesbreakers

Track 3 - Little Girl. In which a 33 year old John Mayall is claiming he'll make a troubled 18 year old his was creepy as fuck. You can say that the past is a different country, but that part of the past was an absolute shithole. As for the rest of the album. It was decent enough fun. Just about a four star, but I'm taking a point off for the creepy sex pest song.

White English boys try to play the blues and it falls flat. It's generic - a mix of 50s rock and roll and hackneyed blues licks. There are some halfway decent solos, but blues are supposed to be emotive. This isn't

Godawful blues rock. And all the guitar noodling ... who in their right mind would want to listen to this, except other guitarists?

Its an ok album but i feel like i heard this a thousand times. Clapton rules though.

Reid I doubt you’ll see this but if you actually do then I guess just read this. My Spotify messages kept going Message not delivered Whhen we were last talking That’s why I didn’t really say anything when you were blocking me I wasn’t just saying nothing Anyways If you see this please just review an album with this emoji so I know you saw this 👍

Did this guy do something bad with an underage girl? It was a baby?! Huh

Some good moments but some bad ones also. Was everyone just a pedophile back then?

Hey Eric hold this

It’s 60s rock, and that’s neither a good or bad thing. I wasn’t blown away, but I didn’t hate it either. 3/5.

A more traditional take on blues rock on this, the 471st blues-based rock album on the list. I am losing the will to analyse these blues rock albums so I will give it a 3 and move on (hoping it is not more blues rock).

Yawn. Yet again, fine but not exciting. The kind of stuff that Hendrix took and made vastly more interesting. I’m getting a bit bored of trying to identify the merits of one blues rock album compared to another so I’m not particularly going to try.

Damn man, this is really unfortunate. I was today years old when I learned that Eric Clapton was the final boss of racism. “Layla” is one of my favorite songs of all time, so to discover his past comments took me by surprise quite heavily. I took a look at the ratings for the 5 albums he’s prominently featured in, and was shocked to see that not one of them have an above average score. I guess that doesn’t surprise me though really, the albums that have morally, politically, or objectively gray musicians (Kanye and Kid Rock come to mind specifically) often get low ratings, even if subjectively the albums themselves aren’t bad. And I have a lot to say about disagreeing with that form of rating style in general, but I’ll refrain. If you don’t like something because the lead is a piece of shit, I get it. I rated an album a 1 because the singer touched kids, so who am I to judge really?? And hey, I’ve been saying it for years and I’ll keep saying it again, please for the love of God never idolize anyone who is even a little famous. They’re all crooks and pedophiles. Take track 3 for instance, an uncomfortable song about an older man trying to court an 18 year old. Technically legal?? Yes. Morally questionable, also yes. This album in general is really, really boring. Great guitar riffs, as is to be expected by Eric “Go back to where you came from” Clapton, but very little substance, and mostly forgettable throughout. I already had a song saved previously from this album, “Steppin’ Out”, so I’ll call that my favorite. Every positive thing I can say about this album is overshadowed by how boring it is, and how disappointed I am to find out how much of a shithead Clapton is. I’ve also never heard of John Mayall before, but his voice doesn’t do much for me. It’s fine, nothing special. I’ve heard better, I’ve heard worse. Again, I’m only here for Clapton and his sweet riffs, everything else is unnecessary. I know John McVie is here too, but neither of them make the album very interesting as a whole. This is another one of those bands which a ton of good musicians used as a jumping off point, but the band itself is just alright, if not a tad underwhelming. Ironically, this is the second Clapton band in a row I’ve listened to for this project where that can be said, the first being The Yardbirds, where the guitar playing was the best part and the singer was just terrible. Just to be clear, the singer here is ok, far from amazing, but still passable enough. But as I already mentioned, you’re only going to be here for Clapton. Speaking of, 2 down and 3 to go for the many bands he’s included in. At least he kills it on guitar. Anyway, this one is a 3. It’s ok. I’m bound to forget all about it pretty soon, but it’s ok. Oh well, next album coming right up.

Crazy that this album predicted a shift towards blues rock that lasted for so many years after. Great playing, love the piano and horns included.

Enjoyable more so than the yardbirds - appreciate the melodies more

She's a big teaser She took me half the way there She's a big teaser She took me half the way there now

This was pretty decent, Clapton's guitar playing is amazing of course. Don't like: Clapton is a racist, lyrics are a bit creepy/boring. Oh and I now realise it's an album of covers so I think 3* ceiling for this

This is by itself a great blues album really, what else can I say? Seems like most reviews just talking about how piece of crap Clapton is which is true, Im sure. However I am separating art from the artist once again here, I love blues and this is a great take on american blues from british blues rock revival, so probably almost 4 stars here.

Good, old fashioned blues rock. Not exactly my oeuvre but nice to hear for a change.

Très classique et très bon!

Yeah man - you can close your eyes and see it, smell it and taste it. When music was cool. Definitely belongs on the list.

This is all rock…. I really don’t like this genre unfortunately.

Grimy sandals, patchy beard, slight odor of warm cabbage. Cold, half-eaten corndog. Congealing mix of mayonnaise and bacon fat. Gums bleeding in the morning. Cat litter pebbles in the carpet and rugs.

Sad zvuči nespektakularno, mogu zamisliti da je tad bilo nešto, previše usne harmonike za moj ukus (najmrži instrument) ali je sve u svemu ok.

it's good blues or at least a good facsimile from the uk supposedly a big breakout for clapton, but who cares about him anymore overall, good but kind of forgettable, reads as "it's blues, it'll do" 💥 hideaway

Who knew?!

Pleasant enough

Basic, sometimes lo-fi production. 60s R'n'B, so nothing really special about it. I won't judge Clapton, as this record was made decades before he became a racist bigot. Or not. I don't really care.

This was before Clapton got lazy. Too bad he's a documented racist POS.

Fine, nothing special. Claptons guitar always amazing.

solid listen 7.5/10 best song - i dont even rememeber tbh

It’s just basic mid 60’s white blues. If that’s your thing then it’s probably a good example but music moved in so much soon after this that it feels dated even for its time, by 67 by which time Hendrix is on the scene and the Beatles are releasing Sgt Pepper. This album feels like a talented pub band more than essential listening. 2.4

Predictable blues rock from the 60s. This may have been interesting at the time but Clapton has since proved himself to be an utter throbber and songs about shagging vulnerable 18 year old girls have aged somewhat in this day and age.

There is some undeniably great guitar work here, and some killer keyboards, and at least one monster drum solo, but all it ads up to is British whiteboy blues. I think we as a society have evolved past the need for such things. Just put on some real Memphis and Chicago electric blues. Muddy Waters is right there. 🚫 DOES NOT BANG

This was fine, I guess, but nowhere near good enough to make me forget what a hateful bigot Eric Clapton has become.

Blues and reggae, two genres crawling with three star albums, and this is no exception.

I havent finished the album, but i really loved the album. I love how it mixed jazz, country and hard rock at the same time. It's euphoric, it's powerfull, and it's awesome.

White boy blues but done pretty well. Was tossing up between 3 and 4, but the guitar work just pushed me to a 4.

Solid blues, nice sound. 7/10

2,4/4

Kind of boilerplate blues rock. More or less exactly what I expect from Clapton.

neloš bluz rok, svaki član je na mjestu. druga strana malo zamornija od prve, sve u svemu solidno no ništa izvanredno [odslušao i napisao 13/10/26]

It's amazing how time can change your perspective because, if I had heard this back in the late 90s or early 2000s, I probably would have been a huge fan. Hearing it now, though, it's definitely a product of its time, almost like a time capsule. Overall, it's a very worldly, smooth downtempo album with the atmosphere of a rainforest. It's pretty much the type of album you'd listen to on a dark, cold, rainy night in the year 2000.

White boy blues. Not really fun or interesting, and taking space from more appropriate artists to appear on this list for the same genre. Not worth it and tiring to listen to.

Talented group here, but instead of listening to this, check out instead the artists that they imitated: Muddy Waters, Lightning Hopkins, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, Robert Johnson...

no thanks. junkyard dog music about being an ephebophile

has all the classic Clapton guitar sounds and riffs.

Pretty boilerplate album of blues-rock covers to me. Some good guitar work. Nothing wrong with it, but not something I'll listen to a lot.

Not for me

Blues! The bluesiest blues to ever blues. I had it on while working in the office and it was a fine time but nothing really stood out. Solid album experience if blues are what you’re looking for.

Sounds a lot like Cream...I wonder why...

Blues breaking fun' with John and the gang

Tröttsam standardblues med riktigt svag sång

Inte direkt min grej och svårt att inte bli lite extra negativ pga Clapton heller.

Tråkigt.

Oh cool. Crusty blues rock from the sixties, but with horns. Yaaawnn.

This is fine.

Oh, you want me to listen to 4 white guys, one of whom is Eric Clapton, noodle away on their instruments and try to sound like black guys from Mississippi? No thanks.

Not my thing but it exceeded expectations.

Hugely influential, and I liked listening to it. Always wonder about rights and royalties and appropriation when it comes to guys like this, Led Zeppelin, Yardbirds, etc. But based on a solid minute of research I just did, it seems like there's some sentiment (including, maybe, by B.B. King) that Mayall's championing the blues was a net benefit to Black American blues artists.

3/5 - Giving this points for the 60s context and what came after. Some brits played some blues, and then more brits played more derivative blues thereafter. This led to hard rock and monster trucks, which Americans love.

Ok - clearly musically very talented - great guitar etc - just doesn’t really massively grab me

No amount of extraordinary playing can overcome the fact that this is somehow still largely as dry as dirt.

Good listen. Good songs. Likes the songs where it was like a melody of a few songs put together. 4 out of 5.

Track 3 - wonderfully sinister, in a rather “it was different times” way

I liked how this sounds and listened to it twice in a row.

Easy bluesy

Today I learned the term "culture vulture".

Amen, det är ju bra grejer!

I hold this album directly responsible for the rise of "Boomer Blues". A genre dominated by old white guys with brand-new Les Paul guitars who can competently finger a minor pentatonic scale over a I-IV-V progression. They claim to have "studied" Robert Johnson, been the first to carve "Clapton is God" on a brick wall, discovered John Mayer, and seen Joe Bonamassa at the local music shop buying all the vintage Fender amps they had. They can only achieve an erection while playing "Sweet Home Chicago" next to a harmonica player that no one knows, but just showed up and started making a racket all over the place. They are sure that their band is gonna break out if they could just find a female lead singer that can do Led Zeppelin songs.

Love it own it.

Okay wow, this was far better than I anticipated it being. Blues is always such a jam!

I get why this was a super influential album and there are some good songs but also some weird vibes. 3.5/5

blues guapo

quite nice

There's just nothing remotely special about this album, Clapton plays the guitar well but there's plenty of records you can hear that, there's no need to sit through an album of perfectly fine yet utterly boring blues.

Some solid slow blues, a few poorly aged lyrics here and there and some boring tracks, but mostly groovy throughout. Standouts are All Your Love, Hideaway, Have You Heard and Steppin’ Out.

I was prepared to like this having never heard it but knowing it was a foundational part of blues rock. It's alright. Eric Clapton is one artist that I enjoy less as I age when I thought it was supposed to be the opposite.

Erster Titel, erste Takte: Cream :-D Vielleicht war das Album wegweisend für den Blues-Rock und Clapton war damals Gott. Für mich klingt das heute abgenudelt und generisch.

Great blues sound. Love the album. 5/5

idk it's blues, I would've given it a 3 but the reviews are scathing so i'm giving it a 2 xd

Hats off to John Mayall as a leader and talent scout. Picking out Mick Taylor, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green and most notably here, Eric Clapton, makes Mayall a mini Art Blakey. As a leader, Mayall cedes the spotlight to the greater talent to allow Clapton to deliver a reputation making performance. Clapton adds forcefulness and buoyancy to his playing that foreshadowed his work with Cream as well as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and countless other worshipping hard rock bands. He played with a supercharged jump R&B groove that sounds like a truck doing 75mph on a bumpy road. The riffs bounce off the road during “It Ain’t Right” and “Hide Away.” They lay down an arena rock worthy version of “Steppin Out” that is one of my favorite guitar songs. Clapton had a fuller and cleaner sound than his Yardbirds and Cream work. Playing at a rapid pace, the whole band has a frenetic energy. While not a great singer, Mayall’s high, shouting voice matches the energy of the band, even as he fails to do justice to Ray Charles’ vocals on “What I’d Say.” He comes close to blues imitator, but has enough restraint and originality to make his mark. The sound quality takes a leap from The Yardbirds first records to give these songs the necessary jolt. Other guitar albums surpass this one, but the “Beano” record laid the foundation for many of them.

Вот эти пацаны На самом деле альбом точно нужно заценить перед смертью Ведь мужики раздавали еще до Хендрикса

Some nice white man’s blues tracks. Doesn’t quite have the depth of feeling as other blues albums around but I like it nonetheless. 4 stars?

I think this is the second album I’ve listened to from this list that features a “Day Tripper” interpolation. It was one of the first riffs I learned on guitar, so I get it. It’s fun to play. It’s pretty good. Enjoyable enough blues with enough variety to keep me engaged. It ranks higher on the Clapton-related albums I’ve listened to (but it’s no ‘Disraeli Gears’). Picks up steam in the second half when horns get involved. It’s still about 10 minutes too long for what it is; I got ear fatigue about halfway through, and this album isn’t even that long. This isn’t the only album from this time that does this, but man I hate “little girl” as a term of endearment. Yuck. Misogyny is alive and well in the world today, but at least we don’t do that shit anymore.

Exactly as blue as I thought this would be.

Eric Clapton is a racist and a rapist and this album reflects on that. The music itself didnt do me any good, so i’m going to give this two stars, as it didn’t piss me off too much.

Chicago Blues played by the British. It's electric, blues-rock from the 1960s and it sounds exactly like I expected and didn't stray much lyrically and musically from the template (even the tracks with additional instrumentation). "Oh, we are paying tribute to a tradition" — what a conservative take on the genre. Furthermore, this record is additional evidence of Clapton as captain competent. He's a bland guitarist. Even as he demonstrates he has chops for days, his playing rarely inspires.

Hey, I have an idea! How about, let's not whitewash the blues for this exercise. I legit can't take this exercise seriously anymore. Tell me I need to hear an album by Robert Johnson instead of white Brits covering his and his contemporaries' material. 1/5 on that basis. Go listen to the real thing.

nice

I'm not really into the blues anyway, but then you give me Eric Clapton when I just had to listen to him a week ago?? Didn't finish this, I have to be honest.

This feels like a very important transitional album. It feels like a blues album first and foremost, with its focus being on creative guitar playing over riffs or rhythm. At the same time it feels very much like a 70s blues rock album, especially on some of the early songs with an organ. Compared to those albums it feels freer and looser, less confined by rock songwriting. The downside is that it's also easy to compare it to other blues artists, and it holds up less well in that regard. As good as the playing is, it doesn't have the depth of the best American bluesmen or the passion in the vocals. It feels a bit like what it is - a bunch of covers (mostly). While I have no doubt this was crucial in bridging the gap between the blues and blues rock, I also think both styles have been done better.

Boring

i like this a lot. i've been swing dancing a lot so i've been appreciating the rhythms on the songs. of course swing is different from blues but the general idea remains. also eric clapton is in here? good energy, good fun. ok i have to go work on my paper now

Pretty fun but nothing stuck in my mind after at all. I think there's probably a lot of blues music I'd rather listen to

by the numbers British blues larping

nondescript blues rock. 2.5

Hit or miss in these blues tracks, some great stuff and some a little less engaging songs. Have You Heard probably my favorite track, the guitar noodling had me floating through the air.

British guys make mostly a cover album of songs from black American blues artists. Vocals are sub par but Clapton is on fire.

John Mayall is like the director of a blues fair. Just look at the album cover: he's on the left, bassist John McVie, who would soon leave to form Fleetwood Mac, is on the right, and the comic book is being read by Eric Clapton, who needs no introduction. And plenty of musicians like him, who would go on to have incredible careers, played with Mayall. Musically, the album is dull and can be described as "white Englishmen playing black blues." "So it's literally The Rolling Stones," you might say, but the Stones added their own twist to the classic blues sound, and here guys went the "copy and paste" route. Half the songs are covers of blues standards, but if you don't know which ones, you'll never guess. And a very strange feeling remains: undoubtedly talented, famous musicians play well, but in the end it seems like you're listening to some cover band who was booked for a corporate event in honor of the company's anniversary.

All right, Clapton. You win this round.