461 Ocean Boulevard

sounds like a 60's rock radio station

7,5/10 innatendument bon

Favorite Track: Let It Grow

I think I’d have good things to say about this album if Clapton wasn’t such a dick. Guitar and vocals were very Peter Green, which is high praise from me.

Hasn’t really left a big impression on me. Was vibing with one song, but overall pretty mid

Fairly middle of the road. Clapton is an amazing guitarist and none of that skill is on display here.

Look I can understand people having difficulty separating the art from the artist. I've had that with Kanye, I get it. But at least Kanye made good fucking music for a while there. I don't understand people's obsession with artists like Chris Brown or Eric Clapton, the music isn't even good.

5/10

70s blues rock. Some fantastic songs.

Appreciate he’s held up as one of the true guitar greats, but as a writer I’ve never heard anything from Clapton that has piqued my interest. And this albums does little to change that. It all just feels like very standard 70s rock numbers. Overall, not very memorable.

Felt like I was listening to the songs waiting for the link between them and trying to carve out some relation or theme between the tracks (of which I eventually found none). The songs seemed to be scattered memories/stories but somehow this didn't bother me as the instruments without the lyrics were fun on every single song. The first song was pretty unique and it would liked to have revisited that theme later in the album to gain some context for the first song. Ended on a high with the energy of the last few songs which excused the confusion of the first half. The name of the album paired with the seemingly random stories felt like something which came from the mind of an older man sitting on a rocking chair on his front porch commentating on his own life whilst watching the world and drawing parallels from watching his neighbours go by. Favourite song overall: Please Be With Me Favourite fun song: Steady Rolling Man Favourite moment: A pause and then totally unexpected, unlinked and unnecessary symbols and drums at the end of Motherless Children Overall: 4/5. Would have given it a 3 but second half changed my mind.

Very bewildering album that ultimately has too many great guitar moments for me to chastise the lyrics too much. Opening up with Motherless Children and Give Me Strength, to then have what broadly seems like fun upbeat songs (admittedly I haven't been able to really deep dive into the lyrics or mythology of the album yet) seems honestly wild. However, there are great moments of fun here, even if I don't really parse what I'm jamming to. Ended up liking all of the songs apart from Motherless Children (which still had some fun guitar bits) and Willie And The Hand Jive (what the hell was that lmao). Seemed to have some interesting influences and vibes I wasn't expecting from what else I know of Clapton (which admittedly is just basically Layla, While My Guitar Gently Weeps live performance, and Tears from Heaven, and Sunshine of Your Love with Cream, right? I have huge gaps here I know). Really liked the random horny turn in the middle, then sweet with Let It Grow. I think albums around this era just chucked together a load of songs and didn't really care about the sequencing or narrative unless it's a concept album, which kinda frustrates me but I can understand it as more of a collection of songs and moments than as a cohesive album art piece. Anyway seems like Eric really was going through some pretty wild mood changes and thoughts but he really can play the guitar!

Easy 5

Easy listening just not very interesting aside from Motherless Children and I Shot the Sheriff.

Eric Clapton may be a terrible person at this point, but this album, taken in isolation, is pretty damn phenomenal.

I listened a few times and it didn't do quite enough to grab my attention

whatever, man. 2.5 stars.

Eric Clapton loses a star because he's Eric Clapton Best Song: Let it Grow Rating: 5/10 Stars: 3

I'm all for separating artist from art. It gets markedly harder when overt bluesman is also overt racist but, then, I also don't really care for Clapton.

👎👎👎

Great album. Even if he’s a total asshole in real life

Prima muziek. Wat gedateerd.

I can't ever really forgive Eric Clapton for Layla - one listen of it would have been enough, and yet we've all had to hear it thousands of times. However, I think this album chugged along ok.

Can confess I did not approach this with an open mind, as Eric Clapton is not a nice man. His music sounds pleasingly like Harry Nilsson, but with more blues rock and less interesting songwriting. Going with a reluctant two.

Low 2 Ive never liked eric clapton and i dont know why. Theres not even any interesting guitar work on this album. Tbf ive never heard a solo from him thats interested me in any way. Give me george harrison any day

Thanks to all the other comments for informing me that Eric Clapton sucks as a person

Soulless album with the best songs being basic Clapton covering more skilled song writers. The guy was a great technical guitarist but he lacks depth and emotion.

A few nice songs, but most of these are covers which don't add anything to the original, and as a whole this was pretty dull. 3/10

kinda just went by Will I listen to again: 0%

Great blues rock

Decent British electric blues album that has some blues influenced tunes as well. Only one song was familiar to me before listening to this album. Eric's playing as masterful as usual.

Not really an Eric Clapton fan but this is a pretty groovy album. I like it but probably wouldn't listen to it otherwise. I have a new appreciation for Clapton after this. Catchy chill tunes.

Nice blues album.

I feel like a lot of illegitimate children were conceived to this album

A nice, generally enjoyable mellow rock album, though I'd like an album of mostly-covers like this to really compel me with its sound, I got that most out of "Let It Grow", one of the few tracks written by Clapton, so that helped my opinion of the album shape more positively Overall I think my parents would appreciate this one more than I can, but it's a good album and a quaint listen for a peaceful morning

Not for me

...and he got famous making music like this?

Pretty good, I like Clapton, but nothing groundbreaking or amazing or anything.

I’m familiar with this album, heard it many times and am usually underwhelmed. This is a laid back, whitewashed blues cover album. As uninspiring as this album is, it has its moments: Motherless Child, Get Ready, Let It Grow are all tolerable. Not a fan of the I Shot the Sheriff cover, seemed random and out of place. If you want blues, there’s better out there. If you want Clapton, there’s better out there. If you want cover music, there’s better out there. This is ehh, a 2.

Lame racist boomer plays music written by better musicians. Okay, it’s well produced.

Mouef

A little too safe and white man MOR for my taste but ok for background if you’ve got some old fellas round for a poker night!

Not listening to this cunt!

some of the upbeat songs were pretty good and “i shot the sheriff” is a classic jam, but the slower songs are pretty boring.

Don’t like this guy. Respect a lot of his older material, though.

Surprisingly (to me) good! The unexpected cover song threw me and I had to double-check that it wasn't the original.

Some songs were really catchy

This album is devoid of any hint of soul.

Didn’t to much a little disappointing, felt abit bluegrass not my tempo

Eh

It's all very middle of the road. It's not horrible, it's not great, it's just enough.

Great sound and some fun guitar work. Smooth, clean sound with a little experimentation between songs. Didn't know the Lorax's "Let It Grow" song originated from this. 7/10

Eric Clapton sits at the head table, one of the absolute canonized kings of a number of genres ranging from guitar folk, classic rock, contemporary and even jazz. He is, and was when this album came out, both a great storyteller and one of the best guitarists of all time. That combination places him in "music god" territory and it is very likely I would get much resistance in saying that. Just listen to the album.

This is a solid album. Glad he stopped doing heroin.

Separating the art from the artist because he is a ignorant asshole with shit values. Just because music is written by a human does not make it human so it should get a chance to be critiqued by it self. Lyrics can be hateful but melodies are just sounds and don't have values or opinions. Probably why I often don't listen to lyrics. Kinda like, don't judge a kid by it's shit parents. Maybe it's because I always liked music more than people Rant over, so how does the music hold up? It's fine, I always thought he was overrated. not really an amazing guitarist so I'm not really sure why he is praised for his guitar skills. The best track is I shot the sheriff but why not just listen to the original instead. The other tracks are fine, nothing revolutionary. mostly mediocre blues and some forgettable ballads.

Particularmente não gosto da opção dos músicos britânicos quando vão na direção do som norte-americano (blues e country) e isto me afasta bastante da obra de Clapton. Este disco é irregular, trazendo pérolas como "Let It Grow" e "I Shot The Sheriff" e coisas bem fracas como "Willie and The Hand Jive" e "Get Ready". Disco mediano/satisfatório.

Pretty nice. Low 4/5.

First impression: kicks off with a cracker! Superb energy to this. Very different mood on track 2. Not such a fan. Very generic. Track 3 picks up again, but nothing really special here. Track 4 passed me by. I didn't notice it. Track 5 (Sheriff) just doesn't appeal, no matter who's performing it. They seem to have found their stride again on track 6. Nothing amazing, but a good solid bluesy number. I like the mood of track 7. Dipping again on track 8. Clapton's own compositions are clearly the weakest here. Didn't notice the rest. Three stars because the few good tracks were really good.

It’s like if someone stuck Fleetwood Mac in the washing machine and forgot about it. Clapton singing “hand jive” is the single least appealing thing any human being has ever done. 2/10 26/09/25

My previous review of Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs (1970) was less than generous, and this one won't be much different. I always thought I respected Eric Clapton as a musician, but I'm learning that maybe isn't true (even without considering the personal/political reasons he's fallen out of popular favor in recent years). When we last left off, Eric (Derek), wrote a whole album about how much he loved his best friend's wife and really made things weird for himself. After that didn't go exactly as he'd hoped, he decided to love heroine instead and disappeared to explore that relationship for ~3 years. His emergence in 1974 might be one of the great heist stories of our time... He recorded this album of cover songs, and he finally started living with Pattie Boyd (the Chekhov's Best-Friend's-Wife we met in Act 1). I guess he had to get sober on his own, but he probably would have stolen that too if he could have. This album (again, of mostly cover songs) really shows Clapton struggling to figure out who he is and experimenting with different musical styles. He still manages to keep things pretty middle-of-the-road, with no ambitious swings and no virtuoso guitar soloing. He did write two songs for this album: "Get Ready" with guest vocalist Yvonne Elliman, and "Let It Grow" which he later admitted is basically a rip-off of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven". The former is a highpoint of the album, and the latter could be a good song as well if it wasn't for the stolen valor of it all. The big hit from this record, a cover of Bob Marley's "I Shot The Sheriff", was a track that Clapton apparently didn't even want to record or put on the album. It's certainly a standout track and, in my opinion, marks a turning point in the album. Whereas the songs before ISTS feel lively, sometimes almost jam band-y, the back-end of the album feels a little darker/muddier. For the sake of my Spotify algorithm, I refuse to listen to this album a 3rd time to validate that opinion, but that was my impression on the 2nd listen. Sometimes I listen to these albums and then explore the rest of the artist's catalogue, but today I put on Peter Frampton's Frampton Comes Alive (1976) as a palate cleanser. It is a good match to the tone of the first 1/2 of 461 Ocean Boulevard, and somehow Frampton's guitar playing succeeds in sounding more like Clapton than Clapton's does on this record.

#715. This is fine. There doesn't seem to be much to it, but its not terrible. 3/5: acceptable.

I recognize that he is a talent but I can’t get past his evil ways.

Don't remember anything about it but it was a good listen

A bit zzz. And I am over Eric C.

3/5

Typical Clapton - lazy and uninspiring. After Cream, he basically phoned in the rest of his career. He's got skill, but no soul.

awesome!

Where did the whole Clapton thing come from? It's really hard for me to find anything remarkable here. I'm glad he kicked heroin, though disappointed he turned out to be such a dick.

This album was just okay for me. I Shot the Sheriff is great of course. But the rest felt a little unmemorable on first listen. I have a feeling this is one that would grow on me over time though.

I had mentally pinned this album as a 60s album, not a 70s album. Either way, I really enjoyed it and I’m trying my best not to be swayed by the top reviews haha.

Boring

Couple of good songs, but his voice - just couldn’t get used to it.

Surprisingly not bad, I do not like Clapton but this was surprisingly decent.

sexy upbeat rythm who makes anyone dance or vibe in their first listen, good length, perfect drums. Me gusta la voz. sunday mornings in miami (second song) that heavenly, almost humane instrumental. romantic. sexy, trouble (get ready). LOVE IT. kinda got distracted in the end but I like it. expected it to be shit, but it is eric clapton!

Not bad!

Cream were a pretty good band. Layla has a great riff. I don't need any other Clapton in my life, though, thanks all the same. Yes, he knows his way around a guitar. But he rarely brings a spark to anything he performs here, and besides, he's a massive plonker.

Erg lekker album, zoals ik dat ook wel had verwacht van Clapton. 4 reten.

The perfect album to accompany a mid afternoon search for a soup recipe. If you stop paying attention to the music because your eyes were enticed by the addition of serrano chiles to a soup, it's okay you didn't miss much. 2.5

Here's the review I *thought* I was going to write when I got to Kid Rock. Music sort of sucks. For someone who hates Black people, he sure enjoys stealing their music.

Dull

Oh a Clapton album, prepares for middle of the road guitar music. Gets uninspired covers that are not that technically interesting (although Led Zeppelin should sue for Let it Grow). Then I read the bio of the guy. OMG this is why cancel culture exists.

I’ve never really understood the Clapton hype, still don’t. Yes, he is admittedly a great guitar player, but nothing I've heard has stood out to me as particularly extraordinary. On this album, I enjoyed his riffs on several tunes, but it was never enough to make me think that I was hearing anything essential or particulalry impactful to music. Almost all of the songs on the album are covers and among the two originals, “Let it Grow” largely reworks “Stairway to Heaven”, so no song writing cred for Clapton. His singing is mediocre, at best. I always try to give the albums here an initial listen prior to doing any research. Sometimes learning more about the artist/album makes me appreciate it more, more rarely the opposite happens but that was the case here. I don’t pay attention to celebrity gossip, especially when it is associated with someone who I’m not interested in. As a result, I had no idea that Clapton was such a horrible human (I’m being generous with the human part). Holy shit! This dude is a waste of carbon. “Stop Britain from becoming a black colony. Get the foreigners out,” exclaimed Clapton to his captive audience. “Get the wogs out. Get the coons out. Keep Britain white." No, this was not an isolated incident and it is made worse coming from a white dude covering blues songs. Plus, his more recent anti-vax conspiratorial BS. As someone on Twitter said, "Kid Rock with slightly better guitar skills". Putting the asshole aside, I just didn’t find anything particularly special. A decent rock/blues album, but there is much better. Based on music alone, I would have probably given the album 2.5*, but fuck this guy. And no, one should not separate the artist from the art, particularly when they use their wealth and influence to spread hate and intolerance. I see no reason to explore Clapton’s solo work further. In writing this, I’ve given him way more time than he deserves.

Dont really enjoy Eric Clapton but this was a really enjoyable album.

I’ve always had mixed feelings about Eric Clapton: as the host of 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘎𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦 he left a positive impression, but his careless political remarks do the opposite. Musically, he’s often hailed by magazines (and even casual listeners — someone once coined the phrase “Clapton is God”) as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Yet what he really delivers is safe, academic blues. If you wanted to learn the basics of blues guitar, Clapton could teach you a few solid lessons — but that doesn’t make him a visionary songwriter. 𝟦𝟨𝟣 𝘖𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘥 proves the point: aside from a couple of originals, it’s mostly covers, played with competence but little spark. His laid-back approach is pleasant enough, yet the album feels more like a collection of interpretations than a true artistic statement.

For anyone who thinks - as I do - that Eric Clapton is an absolute dangerous walloper, I would heartily recommend this phenomenal character assassination by Andrew Male 😅: https://youtu.be/QFiYTs7EWsU?si=bvXxrJd_eOLvD4Rp As for the album itself? In the better moments, hints of Ry Cooder or JJ Cale. Even some moments of genuine, soaring beauty. Also a lot of boringly competent midrange playing and, at his worst, plenty of pale-imitation, faux-blues and cod-reggae crap. Should probably really merit another star but ultimately marked down for EC being such a massive tit.

I only gave it it two stars because there were two songs I kind of liked. I am not a fan of solo Eric Clapton.

I liked Motherless Children but overall it's pretty mediocre album. 2/5

Very easy listening.. I Shot the Sheriff is such an incredible song

Best een fan van z'n muziek (zeker niet de persoon), maar dit album is gewoon niet heel bijzonder.

DNF

Solid album

81% Best: Willie And The Hand Jive; Get Ready; I Shot The Sheriff; Steady Rollin' Man Must-Hear? Hate to admit, but sure

Pretty mediocre. A relaxing listen that has a time and place

In a nutshell: limp blues rock. Blues standards can be covered respectfully and charismatically. Eric Clapton DOES NOTHING OF THE SORT on this album. Overall: 2/10

clapton guitar good but do nothing else good better music plz

Music to leave your kid next to a window to

Great album. I'm not sure I'll ever understand the hype for Claptons skill, but a very enjoyable 40 minutes.

Eric definetly deserves flowers for his guitar playing and his work with cream but bruh this album is so boring 6/10 Favourite: Motherless Children Least Favourite: Get Ready

Fucking hate this prick. Dull uninspired music from a dull uninspired man. All skill no soul. Blues lawyer music, no thanks.

Decided against the Albion fan point as I didn’t love it.

Oh, those poor children. Good beats.

Perfection - an absolute masterpiece

Leppoisaa blues rokkia. I Shot The Sheriff tietenkin klassikko, muut ei tuttuja. Parhaat: I Shot The Sheriff, Let It Grow

I kind of breezed through this album without bothering it too much with my full attention. It's alright I guess, musically on-point, but kind of boring with it. I take some issue with the sheer number of covers on here. 2.5 rounded up.

4 Blah blah beyow weeyow

I have Clapton's music blocked on Spotify because he pisses me off so much. No, thanks.

I will say EC will always have my respect for being one of the best guitar players to live (not better than Jimi) but this album did a good job at almost putting me to sleep. That soft and mellow vibe felt almost too much for me. I was also unaware at the many cover songs on here barring I Shot The Sheriff. It would be ingenuine to say that this was bad but it came kinda close. Top 3: I Shot The Sheriff, Please Be With Me, and Let It Grow No bad songs, lots of mid though. 2.75-3.25/5

clap clap

Golden Beach, Florida. 33160.

Favorite: I shot the sheriff

White cokehead anti-vaxxer does Reggae. No way this ends poorly. 3/10

Otro disco que hacía mucho que no reescuchaba. Este tampoco me gustaba mucho pero, en este caso, mi memoria no me traicionaba. No entiendo mucho su importancia histórica ni porque merece estar en esta lista. ¿Por un éxito meramente comercial? ¿Por haberle introducido el reggae a cabezas blancas y angloparlantes? ¿Por ser el regreso triunfante de un Clapton acosado por sus demonios, años después de que otros músicos como Jimi Hendrix hubieran muerto? No lo sé, pero no me interesa para nada. Dicho esto, el segundo lado del álbum es MUY superior al primero. El primero es una porquería, tenés al clásico tradicional de blues Motherless Children, canción super lúgubre, hecha medio poppy y upbeat. Daría a entender que Clapton no entiende la letra. Después tenés un tema de blues de Clapton que en mi humilde opinión no aporta nada, y no uno, ni dos, sino TRES canciones de reggae (incluyendo I Shot the Sheriff, la más conocida del disco y la única que me parece algo interesante, aunque sea por ganchos y por nostalgias). El segundo lado es mejor. Por un lado tiene a la que es lejos, lejos, lejos, lejos, lejos la mejor canción del disco y una de las mejores canciones de Clapton. Este disco tiene 2 estrellas y una es por ella. La mejor, la soñada, la indiscutible Let It Grow. Además hay un tema de blues de Willie Dixon que está bien, Please with be me y Mainline Florida, que son las otras dos canciones del disco que están buenas, y un tema más de blues medio genérico. En suma, en este disco tenés tres canciones buenas (superlativas), un cover que está bien, y lo demás es medio pelo. Si vamos, por otro lado, a considerar originales, Clapton compuso solo tres canciones en este disco (una en coautoría): una es la mejor del disco; las otras dos pertenecen al lado uno, el lado de la muerte. En fin, peor disco (por ahora) que veo en los 1001 discos: 2 estrellas.

TBH I listened to Big Audio Dynamite instead. Don't listen to racists: “Stop Britain from becoming a black colony. Get the foreigners out,” exclaimed Clapton to his captive audience. “Get the w*gs out. Get the c**ns out. Keep Britain white,” he added. Just part of the rant. This is a problem for me. In full: “Do we have any foreigners in the audience tonight? If so, please put up your hands … So where are you? Well, wherever you all are, I think you should all just leave. Not just leave the hall, leave our country … I don’t want you here, in the room or in my country. Listen to me, man! I think we should send them all back. Stop Britain from becoming a black colony. Get the foreigners out. Get the wogs out. Get the coons out. Keep Britain white … The black wogs and coons and Arabs and f*cking Jamaicans don’t belong here, we don’t want them here. This is England, this is a white country, we don’t want any black wogs and coons living here. We need to make clear to them they are not welcome. England is for white people, man … This is Great Britain, a white country, what is happening to us, for f*ck’s sake? … Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!”

Hate that he’s gone off the rails.

quite pretty

Very good! I thoroughly enjoyed this album. Totally chill and enjoyable throughout. Nothing bad to say. If I wanna listen to something while driving, this is a great album.

This one was about 50/50 for me. I liked the more blues tinted stuff than the rest

I've always liked Eric Clapton's understated voice, so this was nice to listen to. Nothing crazy good but nice

My first Clapton album. I wasn't bad, I shot the Sheriff is great, other then that, not a whole lot to take away from. Easy listening, but nothing stood out that strongly for me. Good campfire music, that's about it.

Please be with me was a good song but really nothing else. Who shot the sheriff was good, but I liked Bob's version better. Nothing too exciting for me here.

I don't think I've ever listened to a Clapton solo album. Mans is crazy talented. The guitar playing is funky and complicated, but never feels difficult, if that makes sense. "I Shot the Sherrif" is an iconic song, but I don't think it's actually all that great in the context in this album. You can kind of pick up a bit that Eric's talent is mostly instrumental and not vocal. He hides that talent disparity pretty well, though. His guitar work and backup singers more than make up for whatever greatness is missing from his voice. Also, let me be clear, he's a very solid singer. There's nothing wrong with his singing. I think the worst thing I can say about his singing is that he's got a bit of a limited range, but even then, I don't feel like he's pushing that range at all. Man, this is a really great blues album. I honestly was surprised and disappointed when the album ended. It felt like there was still some life at the end, and that it could go on for another 10 minutes or so before it really needed to wrap itself up. But it was still a really enjoyable listen. Favorite Song(s): Give Me Strength, Please Be With Me

I just don't think Eric Clapton lives up to the hype. He's a fine guitar player but no virtuoso and the mixing makes this sound like elevator music at times.

He sounds like Brian’s Kermit the Frog imitation.

(51/100)

Det ska sägas direkt, Clapton är lite av ett rött skynke för mig. Han är något av symbolen för det jag ogillar inom musik. Så med det sagt har jag kanske lite svårt att höra det här med öppna öron. Dagge skrev att det inte är några bieffekter av kokain. Jag har hittat en bieffekt, Eric Clapton album. En värre bieffekt är faktiskt svår att föreställa sig. - Det är så synd om mig för jag har knarkat bort min fru så jag åker till Miami å spelar in några av de kritvitaste (eller ska vi säga kokainvitaste) reggaelåtar världen har hört. Vet du vad Eric, jag lyssnar hellre på Just D's version av I shot the sheriff. Jag visste inte att det gick att spela så här osvängig musik som ändå har nån form av grundambition att svänga, det reggaeinflueade är rent påfrestande att lyssna till. Sen måsts han förstås spela lite bluesrock också, för det är ju så synd om honom. Det enda positiva där är väl att han inte är fullt så kär i sin gitarr som man kunde befara. Han är väl helt enkelt för kär i Columbia's finest istället. På Please stay with me tycker han väldigt mycket synd om sig själv, men han lyckas åtminstone efterapa Neil Young någorlunda. På Let it grow försöker han sig på ett lite lättare anslag och närmar han sig nästan lite försynt yacht rock men har missat det kräver en viss mån av förfining. Puh jag försökte med öppna öron, det kanske gick sådär, jag vet inte... Men över godkäntstrecket kommer han inte Lyssna hellre på The Rolling Stones - Black & blue,

Min enda erfarenhet av Clapton sedan tidigare är Layla, Tears in heaven och trötta bluessolon. När första låten rullar igång här känns det betydligt piggare. Men så är Clapton ingen sångare av rang och det är det stora problemet med den här skivan. Det är 10 habilt framförda låtar, men också rätt identitetslöst.

Det är snyggt, fina musiker, välproducerat och ack så tråkigt. Slowhand maler på utan att något sticker ut. Clapton är kanske bäst när han arrangerar bluesfestivaler.

Clapton är ingen vidare låtskrivare, så det är bra att bara tre av låtarna är hans och resten covers. Tyvärr är han inte heller någon vidare sångare. Det här blir mest en studie i social appropriering eller det manliga gitarrgeniet. Tänkte först att skivan var värd en tvåa för glimtar av hyfsat bluesgung, men efter att ha lyssnat igenom originalen går det inte att motivera ett högre betyg än en etta.

Слабо Клептън, слабо

it's fine. But he sucks.

I’m surprised this album came out in 1974 when the album cover and title are some of the most stereotypically 2000s things ever. I guess time really is a flat circle. I’m not familiar with Eric Clapton’s music, but I swear I’ve heard his name somewhere before. I’ve no clue what to expect going into this. Hard rock? Singer/songwriter? Anyone’s guess, really. Oh, blues rock. I never would have gleamed that. I’ve been given a few of these albums lately. The style isn’t for me and there isn't too much going on in this album, but I’m never above a little unpretentious fun. There are some good guitar performances here and I enjoy Clapton’s vocal style, but ask me to name one of these songs and I’d be sweating bullets. Anyways, onto the music. “Willie and the Hand Jive” is the first stand-out track of the album. The plucky guitar performance is the obvious highlight, though I also jive with the vocal performance. “Get Ready” is a good follow-up. I quite like the subdued sound and cool guitars, and the vocal melody is pretty catchy. “I Shot the Sherrif” isn’t half bad. It has a little bit of a Motown influence, which is a surprising pivot for the album. The groovy guitars and pianos are also neat. “Let It Grow” is an interesting late-album track. The sound errs between being optimistic and pensive, which is an interesting approach. The guitarwork is solid, and I like the vocal melody around the chorus. Reminds me a little of “Don’t Pass Me By” by the Beatles. Checking the book. Clapton was with Derek and the Dominos, which makes a great deal of sense now that I think about it. “I Shot the Sherif” was a chart-topper in the US. Hmm. I’m not sold on this yet – checking Wikipedia. It was critically acclaimed and topped many charts, but there isn’t much else in there of note. Clapton himself seems to be pretty esteemed and influential, though I’m split down the middle on this inclusion. Uhhh, I think it could do with a trim. In place of this album, I humbly submit Paddy McAloon’s “I Trawl the Megahertz” for inclusion on the list.

Okay album. I found it kind of boring for the most part. "I Shot the Sheriff" and "Motherless Children" were the highlights. He may be a great guitarist but it ends there. His vocals detract.

Some good stuff, but it doesn't show off his real talents.

461 Ocean Boulevard has good examples of what makes Clapton important -- the inspired guitar work, the bluesy, laid back ramblers, the maudlin ballads that are *just* earnest enough to be affecting -- but the some of it is just... kind of fine? Also, "I Shot the Sheriff" suffers from that same thing I didn't like about Paul Simon's Graceland. It hits all the beats of a Wailers song, but it's missing the essential quality that makes Bob Marley special. Maybe I'm just grumpy about the person he's become as he's aged, but I have never fully understood the hype, and spending another hour with him didn't move the needle for me. He's got the goods, but not enough soul to elevate it.

I’m very disappointed by this album, which is of course pleasant but lacks interest and didn’t really catch my attention… Favorites: - Motherless children (the best song of the album, very fun jazz) - I shot the sheriff (the classic!)

wow that guitar playing went hard, hooooly. Super upper chill by the beach town vibes.

idk sounds pretty boring tbh

461 Ocean Boulevard – Eric Clapton (1974) | Blues Rock / Soft Rock | Avg: 6.39 | Favorite Song: “Let It Grow” 461 Ocean Boulevard is Clapton in cruise control—mellow, polished, and occasionally moving, but not exactly pushing any boundaries. “Let It Grow” is the clear emotional centerpiece here, offering a bit more depth and dynamic than most of what surrounds it. The rest of the album, though, is pretty middle-of-the-road. It’s clean, easy listening, and largely inoffensive, but from a reviewer’s perspective, that smoothness often reads as stagnation. There’s a sense that Clapton’s playing it safe, content to vibe rather than stretch. The blues influences are still there, but they’re softened—stripped of urgency and grit. That works fine for background listening, but when you sit with it critically, it starts to feel a little hollow. A few of the deeper cuts rise above the haze, but they’re not enough to elevate the album beyond “pleasant.” It’s competent, sure, and it has a couple strong moments, but it’s ultimately the kind of record that leaves little behind once it’s over.

I must begrudgingly admit, this was pretty good, and I say this as someone who has never particularly cared for the cover of "I Shot the Sheriff" The whole affair is a lot more buoyant and fun than you would expect from a recently-off-heroin sometime-bigot.

this whole thing is just a bunch of half baked covers. growing up I always hated his version of I shot the sheriff, but somehow that's one of the best things on here? there's not excitement here. vibes of a knock off juke joint.

I shot the Sheriff is a banger, the rest of the songs were solid.

Good album, but it lacks spark.

Didn't even realise I actually liked Mr Clapton. One of those artists that I didn't realise did the songs he did.

Not my Washing machine of tea

The guy is clearly talented but this just wasn't my glass of vimto

Phew. A apparently rotten personality making a hellishly dull and obnoxious album. Every original track Clapton covers is better - and that’s by a long shot. Did he even adapt a single thing in the arrangement of his Bob Marley cover? And yet here we are, 50 years later, still pretending that white musicians “borrowing” (read: looting) from Black music are breaking some kind of artistic ground. Seriously? Looking at you too, Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears. Eric Clapton, though? Next-level shite: Not everyone has the audacity to ride to fame on the backs of others and be outright racist while culturally appropriating.

3,8/5

I like blues, and Clapton is a master at it. Very good album.

Fine enough, doesn't really do anything special but sounds okay.

A terrible cover of Hand Jive, it's insane. A bunch of covers. Strong musicianship.and production. This has a certain cringeyness vibe overall.

Decent casual listening music

Well, we've been through this spiel enough times. Say it with me now: Fuck You Eric Clapton! For real, the "separating art from artist" discussions have been done to death. If you've been keeping track of my reviews, you'll know I'm not the type of person to just skip and album and immediately dismiss it just because the person behind it is a scummy human being. You'll also know by now that my opinions of the past 3 albums I've gotten involving Eric Clapton have all been positive. My opinion of the one album that is actually to his name is no different. 461 Ocean Boulevard is solid. It's not without its flaws, but it's solid. Of course, Clapton's musical talent largely lies in his skills as a guitarist, which are certainly there. He's one of the most acclaimed guitarists out there and I can see why. The dude knew how to play that thing well. There are other things that he's not as good at though, namely singing and songwriting. His singing is whatever. It's not bad, but not great either. He "can" sing, but it's not one of his strengths. Songwriting is also something he "can" do, but he doesn't do it a ton on this album. Much of the album is covers, including the album's most famous song, "I Shot The Sheriff." That cover is good, but I think I might like the original Bob Marley version more. The lyrics Clapton did write here are fine. Not bad either, but not too impressive. The album's weirdly quick, but that's not the worst thing in the world. Overall, Eric Clapton may be a racist anti-vax asshole, but he's a talented racist anti-vax asshole. However, his talents are not absolute, and are mostly focused on his admittedly very strong guitar skills. Still, 461 Ocean Boulevard is a good listen if you can separate art from artist, which I can for an album like this. High 3/5.

The best

not really a eric clapton fan. this album was ok.

Vó. Ég viðurkenni að ég hef ekki sóst í að hlusta á sólóferilinn hjá Eric en ég sé bara hressilega eftir því. Þetta er bara virkilega gott stöff. Nú þarf ég greinilega að kynna mér betur sólóplöturnar

Not terribly impressed by this album. Nice is the best I can come up with. Happy to play as background music.

2.54

461 Ocean Blvd is one of those magical works of art. Each song is exquisitely performed. Enjoyable from start to finish. Obligatory Clapton is a trash human. Doesn’t change the quality of the album though.

Rambling ode to boredom Lifeless predicable overused guitar licks Muted blues crap making a non blues fan hate blues even more Should review his music not his racism…

Cool album, interesting variety.

it's a Clapton album nothing wowing

Yawn

This record deserves a lot of listens. The blues and guitar work is so dialed. The songwriting is fun, and creates a place where you just kind of want to hang out in each song. Eric Clapton really just truly loves the blues and respect that he just made exactly what he wanted to hear.

Partiendo de que Clapton está muy sobrevalorado como guitarrista y que como cantante es un mal aficionado, el disco es bastante coherente y tiene cierto nivel. Let it grow es una canción formidable.

Always love me some Clapton!

Boring. Clapton's voice is its usual lackluster experience, with a bonus wrong turn at ripping off Bob Marley. Not much to speak of for his famous guitar playing, and the songwriting is paint by numbers. Lousy album you do not need to hear before you die.

I don’t get the godlike status given to Eric Clapton. I have always been bored to tears by the hits. That includes Cocaine, his version of I Shot the Sheriff, Tears in Heaven (though I sympathize), and even Layla. Cream is a different story. Aaaand, ok, I can appreciate Bell Bottom Blues. This album only confirms to me that this is an artist who has great talent to service a band well, yet does not have a personal message or vision that moves me whatsoever. Some day someone will have to explain what I’m missing. Or not. I just don’t care… which is the whole problem I guess. 3/5 - neither objectionable nor captivating

I don't understand the career of Eric Clapton. Undoubtedly a brilliant guitarist, but after his string of groups in the 60's (and earning the title of "god"), I don't get the fascination. This album is a good listen, and the tracks are solid, but in the end it is unremarkable in the face of Clapton's vaunted reputation. I don't mind giving this a 3 out of 5, because most people will likely rate it better based on Layla, or some his classic Cream tracks. That's ok by me.

Let lyt. Pigerne kunne også lytte med. Intet specielt mindeværdig dog.

Kedeligt

not bad, easy listen

Not really for me, its fine and pretty here and there but mostly comes across as horny boomer music.

Eric Clapton is a superb player, and for the most part, this is a decent-enough-but-leaning-heavily-towards-boring record. It's pretty standard 12-bar blues type stuff, though it's largely executed well technically. I don't know that I'll ever revisit 461 Ocean Blvd again; while the musicianship is technically done well enough, nothing really grabs my attention in a meaningful way. Even Clapton's playing, as technically gifted a player as he is, just lacks any sort of excitement or passion or dynamic shift on this record. It has also not gone unnoticed that about half of this record is cover songs, and those covers largely feel lifeless and dull (I'm probably deducting a full point here; who records half an album of originals and fills up the space with uninspired covers successfully? I can tell you who doesn't: Eric Clapton). I'll be honest, I know Clapton is a guitar hero, but I have always struggled to find his work interesting. This record is not the exception. 2.4/5 Non-offensive but kinda boring blues rock from one of the masters.

He shouldn't have stopped using heroin

Very solid, highly listenable.

Nice album, pleasant vibes

Clapton's a trash human these days and I've never really gotten the hype, but I approached this objectively. It's not terrible, but it's kind of bland. It's mostly cover songs with a laid back vibe. Clapton's singing is not great, very little passion or character. His guitar playing carries the album, and there are some occasional grooves throughout, but overall, nothing to write home about.

Pretty boring songs. Super repetitive. Tried to separate music from the artist, but I can only do so much.

The whitest dude to ever do blues. For someone who's name is often dropped as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, the man's solo career is simply pathetic. 461 Ocean Boulevard sounds like it was made by an old whiny grandpa, who listened to some blues records and tried to imitate it. I always get a little sad when listening to his solo stuff, because 'Layla', 'Sunshine of your love' and 'While my guitar gently weeps' are some of my favourite songs of all time. His bland sound on these tracks almost undermines his genius interplays on those previous tunes. The hit cover of 'I Shot The Sherrif' is just not that good and fails the original, but still managed to be the best song on this thing. Eric Clapton's solo Boulevard is too unimaginative to enjoy.

A decent listen, but not one of his best.

I think this album was a mixture of really good and horribly bad. When Eric Clapton tried to sing more bluesy songs he just ended up sounding milquetoast and soulless. Songs like Please Be With Me and Let It Grow however were fantastic. The guitar parts were absolutely beautiful. But oh my gosh, I Shot The Sheriff…I just can’t with that one. Horrible.

5 stars

Loved the guitar of the opening Motherless Children, the rest was kind of bland for me. Instrumentation much better than the singing, as expected.

o sea entiendo la vibra, simplemente no es mi vibra. la guitarra genial evidentemente pero las letras no m transmitieron aboslutamente nada y m embole un poco, no pude conectar

„Wiche 10 albums do you take with you on the lonely Island?“: definitely 461 Ocean Boulevard! Love it since it was released.

Clapton is arguably one of the more important guitarists of all time. A lot of what we got after him only happened because of him. I want to separate the art from the artist though because a 50 year old album at least deserves an honest review. Now, with all that out of the way, this album is pretty bland. The only real standout track is the Bob Marley cover. There's some great guitar work on the album over all, but that doesn't really do much to make up for the subpar song writing.

Most of these are covers of other artists’ songs. At least he introduced the world to Bob Marley…

It's alright, but it's Clapton

Difficult to look past his racist rants from this era, especially for blues this mid.

# 514 : 461 Ocean Boulevard We really should be judging it on the music, not who the guy is/was. That being said, this is very middle of the road. I don't love it, I don't hate it, it's ok and just enough with lots of flavorless ballads with some occasional decent blues. Favourite Track : Steady Rollin' Man Listened : 01/07/2025

Un blues rock muuuy chill que es en su mayoría covers menos Get Ready y Let It Grow (temazo) (also Lorax referencia). Give Me Strength y I Shot The Sheriff me gustan mucho tmb (esa última es bien groovy casi una onda reggae). Tiene buenos solos (I Can't Hold Out por ejemplo) y la guitarra es muy satisfactoria de escuchar. No es muy impresionante pero las vibes están.

Pretty boring album

Funky guitar but not really my jam

I definitely enjoyed listening to this despite me not realizing that 40 minutes had gone by.

Boring covers

Motherless Children I Shot the Sheriff Let It Grow

This album was the perfect thing to throw on while cooking breakfast

Отличная музыка, слушается на ура! 7 из 10.

I Shot The Sherrif Let It Grow (similar chords to Stairway to Heaven)

Not great for the most part, couple of good covers and Eric's own let it grow are the best parts.

not too into the slide guitar stuff, but the blues tunes are nice. Clapton definitely knows how to play the instrument.

I only really started to indulge in Eric's solo career in my early 20s, after spending my entire teens listening to overstimulating bands like Led Zeppelin, with their grueling guitar solos and riffs. Then, listening to albums like 461 Ocean Boulevard, I started to notice things, musically speaking, that I hadn't noticed before. It was like watching pornography your entire life, and then suddenly having sex for the first time. Amazing!

Шикарный бархатный блюз

Plays black music. Ends up being a racist twat. Decent music from an awful person.

after checking the reviews. do I have to rate the album or the political views of the artist? :^)

3eme album avec Clapton après un de Cream puis un de Derek & the Dominos, tous deux peu appréciés (2/5). Celui-ci est plus récent, mais est beaucoup plus Blues que Rock ... Les morceaux ne sont pas très dynamiques, pas désagréables (+1) mais peu intéressants. Rien de remarquable donc, je ne l'écouterais pas une seconde fois. =>2/5

Standouts Please Be With Me

Eric Clapton's second studio album "461 Ocean Boulevard" contain so many guitar riffle while being influenced by a rock/country vibe in the whole EP. This body of work send you back in time in it's lyrics and instrumental, while Eric's voice sound like it's made for this time of sound

Loved it.

A few standouts including the first track and I Shot the Sherriff.

pues sinmas la vd

I liked a few songs and really didn’t like the others

Probably my bad but I listened to Pet Sounds right after.

I colonized the sheriff

For someone named Clapton his music sure made me hold my applause 😆 I could smell this guy from 3 albums away 🤢

I mean I don't know if I clapped a TON but it wasn't bad (for me) IDK man I listened to it on fathers day maybe thats why I felt a soft spot for it, when they were talking about him waggling his meat in a gypsy's face or whatever I felt a little off but when he smooth crooning country boy mode I felt that little twang in my tummy man, low end of 3 for me but obvious step above fucking RUSH like come on man Fav song: Please Be With Me

Fuck you

You know i really dgaf

I expected more, but it was enjoyable more not interesting to me. “Let It Grow” stood out.

3.5 stars. Blues rock with a lot of covers. Not my favorite Clapton but still decent. Leadoff "Motherless Children" cover is the best, more upbeat than the rest which is a bit more slow ballad-y.

Liked quite a few tracks , the album held up great to replays. I had heard of Clapton before this and was looking forward and this didn’t disappoint

High points: Motherless Child, Please Be With Me (reminds me a bit of CSN), Let It Grow Meh point: Willie and the Hand Jive, Get Ready Notes: Great live feel to the production. Overall a pretty boring and slow album with a couple good tracks.

Cool moments but mostly forgettable for me

Nice

There's obviously some great guitar playing here. Let It Grow is a real stinker. I get that he stole from black musicians. And is a racist. And a dumbass anti-vaxxer. I think when we hit the 70s we're going to find a lot of musicians we problematic. All that being said, not really music Id choose to listen to.

I think I expected to like this more but it still was a great listen.

ligegyldig, men gør ingen skade

Not a big fan of blues rock, but this wasn’t bad.

I still maintain the somewhat controversial position that Clapton is good but overrated. However, this is an undeniably cool album!

Toes the line between great blues and popular.

I'm coming around to some other folks' way of thinking about Clapton. He's very good, but overrated. Couple standouts and the rest of the album is solid, but not a lot of hidden gems of his I've encountered with this project. I like his Cream era work the best, which speaks to the talent of his bandmates, more than any other factor. The line "Love is lovely" from Let it Grow always struck me as just comical. Really? THAT'S the best line you could come up with? Nobody told him, "Oi! Eric! That's a bad lyric, mate."?

This is pretty uninspiring stuff. One of the weaker albums I've heard on this journey. The vocals are not convincing, and Clapton's guitar is super understated.

Classic blues.

I’m not necessarily the biggest Eric Clapton fan, but this was a decent album for what it is. It leans into a mellow, soft blues rock sound with a laid back and soulful vibe. Definitely one of those records that’s nice to have on in the background while you unwind. Nothing particularly special or standout for me, and honestly, I probably won’t come back to it, but for a one time listen, it was solid.

Nothing wrong with it but just not for me

Didn't really click... it has some high points, but if anything? Listening to this only proves that I don't need to listen to it again.

Man, between this guy and Bob Marley, there must not be many sheriffs left.

> the Beatles Scandal noted

2.5/5.0: Mixed

i was disappointed by this album. its fine, but its certainly not as good as it could've been

nah

Despite Eric being a certified Douche, this is good stuff.

Good album for a road trip.

I've had a few entries with Clapton playing, but this is my first album by him as a solo artist. And I'll be honest: he's pretty good. Not spectacular – especially on this record where he seems oddly restrained given his legendary status as a musician – but pretty good. Clapton's singing is generally good, at least until you reach the extremely discomforting Willie And The Hand Jive and think he's murmuring creepily about handjobs. (I wouldn't put it past him.) But in general, he's found a nice balance between soul, blues, and rock, showing mainly restraint as opposed to energy. Another reviewer put it best: "As a vocalist, Eric Clapton is very good, superlatively aware of his limitations. Soulful, with simple stylings." I do try to separate the art from the artist, and it seems like most reviewers cannot do that. Musically, this is easily at least a 3-star record, despite how gross and despicable of a human being Eric Clapton is. The backing instrumentalists are fantastic, especially the bass and backing vocals. The production is strong. The mood of the album is warm, uplifting, and groovy. There are no obvious throwaway tracks, despite the majority of them being covers. Let It Grow is significantly better than the version from The Lorax. And his cover of I Shot The Sheriff slaps. I don't care what anyone else here says. There plenty of valid reasons that prevent 461 Ocean Boulevard from being a 5-star entry, but Clapton being a dick isn't one of them (unless his music is affected, which it isn't). 4/5 Key tracks: Motherless Children, I Shot The Sheriff, Let It Grow

It’s almost a four, but more like a 3.5. I’ll give it a four though.

Favorite Song: I Shot the Sheriff

So much talent in one shitty human being. Very literally the vampire Coogler envisioned. Oddly enough on the right side of Gaza. So, I guess word to Eric Clapton in a very limited sense. 7/10 Favorite Song: Willie and the Hand Jive

Solid album. Not great, but also not an earsore. Just pretty boring textwise. Good guitar riffs and general instrumental parts.

;/ It bores me ..

120/1089 - The more I listen to Clapton the more convinced I am that people like him because he has a cool name and nothing to do with the boring music. This album is well made and recorded however which evens it out somewhat.

Urgh

Mostly weightless.

Not his best album.

Veel negatieve reacties precies omdat Eric Clapton een dweil is. Juist, maar als we elke racistische, seksistische of xenofobe artiest moeten cancellen, blijven er nog weinig over denk ik dan. Dus bij deze: degelijk album, maar nu ook niet super. I Shot the Sherrif is natuurlijk een classic onder de covers. En de rest valt ook nog mee, maar niet super speciaal ook. Wel een paar nieuwe nummers ontdekt door dit. Ik heb deze ook op LP en had deze nog nooit beluisterd, dus dat was ook wel handig op zich. 3.2

Lazy blues album, with some major hits.

ugh… so boring… I guess this theoretically isn't that much worse than every other bluesy rock album, but I just despised listening to this one, i dunno.

Klassiker. Clapton in Hochform.

Motherless Children - 5/5 Give Me Strength - 4/5 Willie And The Hand Jive - 3/5 Get Ready - 4/5 I Shot The Sheriff - 5/5 I Can't Hold Out - 3/5 Please Be With Me - 4/5 Let It Grow - 4/5 Steady Rollin' Man - 3/5 Mainline Florida - 4/5 Average score: 3.9/5 (rounding up)

Another Clapton blues album…decent but always missing the soul. A couple of decent tracks

SHOCKINGLY mid

Very light blues. Possibly powder.

Fuck Clapton! Hail Satan!

It’s not unlistenable or anything, but I would describe it as ‘remarkably unremarkable’. What on earth did the record-buying public (and Grammy Hall of Fame committee…!) think Clapton’s version of I Shot the Sheriff excelled at that the original did not??

TIL Eric Clapton is a racist, anti-vax piece of shit who built a career ripping off Black musicians and still thinks he’s a victim. Turns out the only thing legendary about him is his bullshit. Fuck Eric Clapton.

Not bad at all, and I like the sound of the dobro.

# Album Name: 461 Boulevard # Artist: Clapton # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: An absolute peach of an album. Filled with plenty of great tracks. # Top Tunes: motherless children / hand jive / get read / i shot the sheriff / cant hold out / let it grow / rollin man / mainline florida # Would I listen to it again? Yes

Dull music, expertly played, is still dull music.

2/5. This feels like a bootleg copy of unreleased songs found on an anniversary album 25 years later. It's not necessarily bad but I was kind of hoping for the actual album at some point. Just listening to the guitar is fun because Eric has not found his front man voice yet. Honestly just having guest singers would have been a better choice. It's an okay album, just not something I'm listening to again really. Best Song: I Shot The Sheriff, Motherless Children, Steady Rollin' Man

Decent and enjoyed it enough but probably won’t revisit. Few great tracks, others were just fine.

A laid-back, competent record that coasts more than it compels. Clapton’s playing is tasteful, but being a great musician doesn’t always make you a great songwriter. The covers and traditional arrangements are fine, but little here truly grabs you. Even the big hit “I Shot the Sheriff” feels more like a respectful studio rendition than a reinvention. It's a background listen, not a standout. And I might've been hoping a bit more for my penultimate album on this journey

Ok this is what people are talking about when they shout out Clapton as a top ten guitarist

Kind of annoying but much better than I expected. White British man rips off every genre. Rating: 3.5

Judging from Wikipedia it seems like this was quite a popular album. I fail a bit to see its greatness actually. Most songs seems to be covers or written by other artists. ’Let it grow’ is the best song, and seems to be almost the only one written by Clapton himself. Overall I found this quite bland, nothing really stood out. Not sure why it’s on the list honestly.

Generic dad-rock. The most memorable song is "I shot the Sherrif" which is just a subpar cover. Very inspired by rhythm and blues but instead a white guy singing. Not sure why this was popular (actually, i know why, racism). Probably a weak 3 but going for a 2.

It's OK. Not really my jam, but I can tell it's pretty good if you're into this sort of thing, which is bluesy soft rock.

I really like the vibe of this album, chilled out blues rock which is mostly strong from from start to finish. Would listen to again. 6.5/10

Lost a star because he's a piece of shit

I was like... oh actually this is alright. And then I realised its almost entirely covers. Everytime I hear it start to get interesting I go and check the credits and lo and behold its not a Clapton song. Its not bad. Its well produced. I don't feel like I needed to hear it before I died. Put it in the 'albums that you could take off the list without anyone noticing'. I suppose you could give it a three but he butchers the groove on I Shot the Sheriff which is unforgiveable.

Wow. You can hear the cocaine right off the bat here. I’m not going to act like he’s not talented. Some of this is sort of okay. I can see why it appeals to certain audiences. But it just sounds like a bunch of cheap covers.

Favorites: I Shot the Sheriff, Please Be With Me

5/10, not my style.

I really don't like this version of the hand jive... the whole thing is just, fine? But I don't think I like it...

One woulda thought coke-fueled, Miami records would be a bit more energetic. All of this is fine, pleasingly and shufflingly mellow for the most part, but also vague and woozy and energy-poor – like should "Hand Jive" be so soporific? "Sheriff" and "Let It Grow" are the highlights. The vocals and the axe work feel phoned in (and on a landline, too with a long tangled cord, too). Really, wouldn't/shouldn't more have been expected from, you know, God? Whose grumpy-old-man politics, it must be said, are increasingly hard to ignore.

It's good, but not amazing. I like bluesy guitar, ergo I like Eric Clapton's music. But there's something a bit dull about some of it too. Maybe it's his voice, which is inoffensive but also not especially interesting. I think on a different day some of these songs might have hit better and bumped this to a 4, but in the words of Aragorn son of Arathorn, it is not this day. This day we rate 3 stars

I don’t typically read the reviews before I listen to the album, I don’t want my analysis to be clouded by others opinions. But I was curious before hand because I am not much of a Clapton fan and wanted to see how the world viewed him. Well, all the top reviews talked about him as a POS human being (not gonna argue that, I try to just listen to the music tho, particularly for this list) and how middling this album is. Well I couldn’t disagree more. Middling is such a, well, middling term. This album isn’t in the middle of anything, except for maybe the middle of a sea of shitty uninspired music. This album isn’t even plain vanilla, vanilla is a good and usual flavor. This is old wilted iceberg lettuce, flavorless and lacking any snap. He covers some great songs with the enthusiasm of a middle school child going to help his distance relative paint their garage. I have heard Clapton’s version of I Shot the Sheriff more times than I need to. I was about 8 the first time I heard it and growing up in a Bob Marley house, I almost puked then and nothing has changed in 30+ years. He takes a song with so much meaning, depth, and passion and turns it into over cooked instant oatmeal. I said I wouldn’t skip any tracks on any album on this list, that was the toughest one. Can Clapton play a good blues guitar, sure. And there are a few Cream and other Clapton songs that I don’t mind, not putting them on any of my playlists, but when they pop up somewhere, I can dig them. This album doesn’t have that at all. I’ve heard worse albums, but not yet on this list. Giving it a one seems too tough, but grading on the 1001 scale it might be fair. But there are some redeeming guitar rifts that can’t allow me to give it the lowest possible score. 3.5/10 ⭐️ #25/1001

nit schlecht aber ah nit memorable

Plodding. The only song of interest here is one that wasn't even written by Clapton.

This is alright, pretty nice groove to some songs and good guitar playing which suits the vibe of the songs without being too over the top. The ballads are pleasant if a little laid back to be very memorable. I don't normally rate albums which are mostly covers but this is not bad

I generally liked, but didn’t love this album. I wasn’t previously aware of his racist rant in 1976, but I have read about his regretting those remarks, and his actions later in life lead me to believe that his remorse was sincere. I doubt that he and BB King would have collaborated on an album if that were not so. Also, I know that I am not the same person I was 50, or even 10 years ago. Anyway, I am not going to penalize him for that rant. Having said all this, this is an okay album for me. I never liked I Shot the Sheriff, and with all apologies to Bob Marley, always thought this was a pretty stupid song…also a bad choice for Clapton to cover. I really liked Please Be with Me. In the end, this one is 3 stars for me.

Eric Clapton, dat is natuurlijk nooit echt slecht. Sterker nog, dit is heel goed. Geen al te wilde blues, maar meer een achteroverleun-gevoel. En twee hitjes, alhoewel de Bob Marley-cover nogal overbodig is als je het origineel al kent. Maar geen gezeur: geen nootje klinkt verkeerd op deze relaxte plaat.

Een album waar ik naar uit keek. Het viel wat tegen. Prima gitaarwerk, maar alles wat daarom heen zit mist power. Ach misschien is het probleem gewoon weer dat ik mij verheugde. Dan valt het gewoon sneller tegen. Gewoon nog eens luisteren maar. Heel veel anders wordt het oordeel niet. Maar de gitaars zijn wel zo sterk, dat ik minimaal een 3,5 wil geven.

Een album met voornamelijk covers, wat in die tijd niet ongebruikelijk was, maar dan wel met de heerlijke relaxte vibe van Clapton. Wat ik dan weer mooi vind om te lezen, is dat hij hier net afgekickt was van de heroine. Daarna ging hij alleen aan de drank en meneer had nogal een kwade dronk, dus of de wereld er beter van is geworden, is nog maar de vraag. Al zal Clapton er zelf wel beter van zijn geworden. We beoordelen hier de muziek en niet zijn kwade dronk. Het album staat voornamelijk vol bluesy liedjes. af en toe een countryballad als Please Be With Me, dat ik voor het eerst hoor, maar wat een schitterend nummer is dat. Het prachtige gitaarspel houdt dit album sowieso moeiteloos overeind. Verder kennen we natuurlijk I Shot the Sheriff en (wellicht in mindere mate) Let it Grow. Ik zet dit soort muziek met heel veel plezier op tijdens het werk. Een 5 is misschien teveel gevraagd, maar een hele dikke 4 geef ik er makkelijk aan.

From what I know of Clapton, I don't think this is his best work, or at least I'm not expecting it to be. Assuming that there will be other albums of his on this list. Which I'm looking forward to. Overall, I found this album lovely to listen to, it does have the kind of sound I can really get on board with. The Hand Jive song really took me by surprise, I gotta say! I think the first track was my favourite one, though.

I love Eric Clapton but this is not my favorite album of his. I always found "I Shot the Sheriff" to be especially annoying. All of the albums I have of his (many) are after this one chronologically.

Definitely my first Eric Clapton album though I recognised some songs here and I'm sure I know more. It was as adequate as I was expecting, not dull, quite well put together but very safe. Ticked along well enough for one listen but think repeated plays would start to grate. Last song was nice, sure there were others but nothing better than nice.

I briefly confused Eric Clapton with Neil Young. Real middle-of-the-road music, best track is the I Shot the Sheriff cover. Surprises me we've only had one Cream album too. Just really middling. Not even going to give a bad boy bonus for having some strong opinions - too middling.

Never listened to an Eric Clapton album before, but this is pretty much as I expected. Fairly middle of the road soft rock. He can clearly play guitar, but he's also clearly a huge cunt and I can't really get away from that. I'd forgotten about reading about his speech at one of his gigs in the 70s until this album came up Probably worth more than a 2 but he's annoyed me

Guitar is cool. Shot sheriff is classic

So bland, not what I'd expect

Longest 39 minutes of my day. It’s a 2 even separating the art from the artist… a 1 when you factor in how much Clapton sucks.