Reviews (page 6 of 14)
Teetering between 4 and 5 on this one. Rounding up.
Rating the music, not the man. The real magic isn’t Clapton—it’s Duane. We didn’t get nearly enough of his playing, so every second of it is solid gold.
Definitely some classics on here but it runs a bit long and I don’t think the cover of Little Wing does the song justice.
Probably the best Eric Clapton record. Not a big fan of him, but it's still an impressive record.
I just like listening to Clapton play guitar. I know he's problematic, but the music is good.
ok
#746. That Little Wing cover is not great, but other than that I quite liked it. 4/5: it works
Like being invited to a party only to realise you’ve been kidnapped.
Eric Clapton and Duane Allman make a compelling rock/blues album. Pitchfork: n/a Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #226 (2023) Best Songs Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out Have You Ever Loved A Woman? Layla
I don't really care for this.
isch das ez das welberühmte Genre: Psycadelic-Country. Aso mich hends guet erreicht, de derek & die pizzalieferanten. Was Layla mit andere Liebessongs z due hed, weissi nöd aber mussi au nöd wüsse. Bin eifach im Fritigsnami groove gsi mit dem. D amby heds au überzoge. Das heisst mit guetem Gwüsse 4 Cervelats uf de Grill
While Layla is an all time great song and many tracks are a solid 4 out of 5, it is overly long. Especially since it is just Blues rock track after blues rock track. Get in the mix a horrible Little Wing cover and Derek and The Dominos' albums really isn't the strongest even if it is still miles ahead of any solo work from Clapton.
I mean, apart from the truly exceptional "Layla," the truly great "Bell Bottom Blues," and the rousing cover of "Little Wing" Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs is just okay.
Really like this
Великолепный альбом, хоть и слишком долгий (для меня). Здесь есть несколько интересен песен, ну и, конечно же, "Layla" - неповторимый шедевр. 7,5 из 10.
𝘓𝘢𝘺𝘭𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴 shows that Eric Clapton can actually write memorable music and lyrics when he wants to, rather than just leaning on his guitar skills. The emotional weight of 𝘓𝘢𝘺𝘭𝘢 still stands out, but much of the credit belongs to Duane Allman, whose slide guitar gives the album its real soul and fire. Clapton may have been called “Slowhand,” but here Allman clearly steals the show. A solid blues-rock record overall — passionate but uneven.
holy shit this album is long. I was listening to it, thinking, "oh this is kinda nice I guess" and I checked back and I was on the fourth track. Eric Clapton and Duane Allman are good at guitar but they make boring music. The sound is all over the place, from Layla, which we all know is good, to Little Wing, which is questionable, to Key To The Highway, which is bad. One thing's for sure - the duo does better bullshit blues than the stones.
Ultimate dad rock boss battle. Bland blues. Not terrible just not as good as anything else going at the time. Just some dudes noodling.
My poor guitar is so so sad
Great stuff 👏
this album was amazing. the slide guitar is out of this world. 10/10 would recommend.
Zwei okayene Lieder, aber die Version von 'Layla' ist abgesehen von einem Mittelteil deutlich schlechter als die Akustikversion.
Eric Clapton and Duane Allman dueting on guitars so it is going worth listening to. Layla, Bell Bottom Blues and a number of blues standard as safe formula for these guys. On the downside it also contains the worst cover of Little Wing I have ever heard
Only ever heard "Layla". Super impressive, and not in an eye-roll way, guitar playing. "Keep on Growing" got bumped half a star thanks to that guitar solo at the end. Why is it so much easier for me to enjoy white dudes playing the Blues?
Love it. Own it.
Very much enjoyed this album. Layla is quite possibly one of the best songs ever written. I have mixed feelings about Clapton but here with the Dominos is where he shines brightest and most authentic.
Layla is the standout song. Good idea to name it “Layla and other assorted love songs”
An album I'd not really listened through before with of course the obvious exception of Layla. That song along justifies the album but there are lots of other good bits here as well. Little Wing is poignant when you know the story. The blues influence is good and strong. An album that could have led to so much more, but chance and circumstance mean we just have this one masterpiece, and of course the few lost tracks on "Crossroads"
Good reminder of how much blues is on this record. Some classic tracks and jams here!!
I know rick beato strokes his shit to this. I sorta get it cause Layla is such a sweet song among some others on here. The blues parts are painfully tedious though. Eric clapton sucks big donkey chodes too
A folksy / blues / rock n roll aesthetic I really dig. Kinda all blends together but I aint mad to spend an hour here. fav tracks: "Bell Bottom Blues" and "Tell the Truth"
There is clearly a lot of talent here, but it just didn’t keep my attention after listening.
Layla is an all time banger, there were a couple of pretty good tunes though most were just mid blues
Soft rock/blues rock. Like KGLW Flight B741. I am yours has some world music elements too. Nice. Otherwise nice enough but not outstanding. Quite easy listening. Best track - I Am Yours, Anyday 3 stars
Excellent guitar as always, nice songs, solid harmonies, enjoyable listen
Lowkey tormented.
The music is not as cheesy as the title and cover might suggest. Several nice compositions. But yet again, we’re dealing with a double album that should have been a 1 LP release. 3/5
This was a very good album from Eric Clapton, and what I really enjoyed was the way they incorporated the organ and piano into the jam sessions. So if you like blues rock with a jam band vibe, then you’ll definitely enjoy this one. One interesting backstory about this album, is that I was once told that “Layla” by Eric Clapton was about him secretly being in love with Yoko Ono. I always thought—seriously? Out of all women, why Yoko Ono??? Yuck!!! Anyway, after researching the album while listening to it, it turns out I was wrong. Thank God! “Layla” was actually about George Harrison’s wife, Pattie Boyd. Clapton’s secret and forbidden love for her was channeled into “Layla,” which ended up becoming one of his most iconic tracks. So at least something good came out of it.
I fucking hate Eric Clapton for obvious, non-music related reasons. But now I can add music to it cause this is boring as fuck (title track aside). Over an hour of the same dull guitar riffs and solos in between songs that can hardly be described as “the blues”, fuck this
The title song is the only real headline here The rest is a little too expertly played It’s a solid 3 but let’s call it a 2 cos Clapton is such a dick
An album of Clapton's muscle blues with a great backing band. This album includes my favorite single of all time, "Layla". The rest is some great white skinned blues of the time, but not transcendent. Highlights also include Bell Bottom Blues and Anyday. 4/5
Learned this was an old band that Eric Clapton was part of. The Layla song sounded cool. 2.7
Always feel a bit funny about Clapton, as he basically stole Harrison’s wife and now I’m reading plenty of other slants in the reviews too. Let’s see… It’s pleasant enough. Im not sure how you get an “attitude” over in music but there is just a sense of self-importance and indulgence 🤷🏻♂️ Nice groove and enjoy ‘Keep On Rolling’ and ‘Anyday’. Looking like it’s heading towards a 3 at this point. Apparently this was a project to become “just another guy in the band” again. Not the impression I’m getting from his place in the album! Yeh, was ready for this to finish. Get the picture and a pretty similar one throughout.
I loved this album super psychedelic my favorite song was no body knows when your down. I lovedddd this one
Nothing super memorable other than Layla but 'one song an album does not make'.
I only know Layla and to be honest, I only needed to know Layla. The rest were boring and repetitive and the guitar wasn’t even that impressive for him being to GOAT or whatever they say. Even at the time this was released, it had all been done before.
I have a hard time getting into this. I just have never liked Clapton. There, I said it. Obviously he has incredible technical mastery. But I just don't find any any life in his playing. He also has one of the weakest and most soulless voices in rock history. The version of Little Wing is a great example. He stripped all of the the life and emotion out of the song. It's painful to listen to it He would have been a better fit as a prog artist. He just isn't believable playing blues. The overall sound of this album is salvaged by Bobby Whitlock's vocals and Duane Alman's guitar. They both have the actual soul that this music need. Giving it three stars because if one of my jam band friends wants to put something on, this isn't the worst thing they own.
In which you can listen to Layla and a lot of songs that feel substantial, though dissimilar to Layla
LOL I always thought Layla was a Clapton solo hit. Solid rock album. 3.5 rounding up.
Well, dear god, did this have to be so long? Again, some of these sacred cow artists have become a bit lost on me over the years. Sure, pleasant to listen to but not my favourite style really. Full of what you'd expect, cool solos, riffs, Eric singing about love (although you kind of think with his track record, how's he singing about love). It's fine, if you like blues and rock from the 70s.
A vibe Long songs Fire guitar solos
Classic, but totally overrated IMHO. Dull sound.
So many classic tracks, just hit after hit. An absolutely amazing blues album.
xDDDDDDDDD
eric clapton é o véio mais overrated da história do rock pau mole. vai tomar no cu que eu ouvi isso tudo. dito isso, se vier mais dele, eu vou chorar, papo reto. não vou dar 1 estrela porque tem layla, que é ruim, mas meu amigo douglas gosta. em respeito a ele e só.
Great blues rock. It dragged on a bit long for me though.
3.5 - Hit and miss for me. Some of these are classic, some are very skippable.
This would probably be a 3 if it was not so long.
They should’ve called it Long-la
A double LP with some great tracks on it Layla Bell Bottom Blues Nobody Knows You When You're Down n Out along with Key To The Highway. Duane Allman plays slide and lead guitar on some tracks with some really good picking. Didn't chart well but the critics really liked it.
Clapton
Rating: 1.6 He stole George Harrison’s wife right? George should have beat his ass to a pulp ahead of time and spared us this boring, drawn out, ugly mess.
Great album. Yes, Clapton is a muppet, but he did know what he was doing with a guitar. This album is long, but it is fairly varied so it never really frels boring.
Bom demais, eric clapton
Eric Crapton.
Excellent album especially when you get Clapton and Allman together
A mixed bag (as you would probably expect for a double album), I wasn't pleasantly surprised how much I didn't hate it.
A few solid blues numbers but nothing groundbreaking
Listening to Clapton noodle is tiresome after the second track.
Superb. I like it a lot. Very dynamic, and each song has a meaning. Good song order, too.
There's a level of complacent pomposity to this that made listening a chore for me. I'd certainly heard the hits-- "Layla" and "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad," but their isolation when heard on the radio kept it from being too overbearing. This sounds like it was produced to recreate the feel of an arena performance. Not a favorite.
-so the biggest issue with this album for me was definitely how long it felt. just a little hard to take in and appreciate individual aspects when there’s so much goin on but it was nice -blues rock as a holistic genre continues to grow on me more than i thought it ever could. some absolutely mesmerizing tracks on here -Favorites: Keep On Growing, Have You Ever Loved A Woman?, Layla
Time has not been kind to Richard Dawkins. Neither has it treated his ideas gently. The meme, in Dawkins’ original sense, was a cultural gene - an idea that replicates itself through imitation. The irony is that the concept itself has now been consumed by the very logic it described. What once named the process by which culture reproduces has become a symptom of it: the meme as cartoon, as content, as joke template. Yet the original notion still tells us something about how culture persists after belief has drained away. Memes rarely exist in isolation. They cluster into what Dawkins called meme complexes - networks of mutually reinforcing ideas that keep one another alive. A religion, for instance, is a meme complex: a set of interlocking rituals and prohibitions that endure long after their original meanings have been forgotten. “Fish on Friday” is a faint echo of that structure, a half-remembered practice carried out by cultural inertia rather than conviction. The ritual continues because it once mattered, not because it still does. No one remembers why. Pop culture works the same way. It is full of half-dead memes performing themselves. Think of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony: its opening da-da-da-DUM has outgrown the work that birthed it, surviving as shorthand for destiny, triumph, or doom. The symphony remains the best host for the motif, but the meme has long since crawled away. For most of the world, the rest of the composition is merely scaffolding for that four-note invocation. So too with Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. The title tells us everything: a dominant meme and its attending parasites. Layla is the living idea; the “Other Assorted Love Songs” are the relics, the forgotten devotional fragments orbiting it. Yet even within Layla itself, the logic of the meme complex persists. The riff - that ecstatic, spiralling phrase - was not even Eric Clapton’s. It was Duane Allman’s. Allman’s line is the animating principle, the piece of vital energy that keeps the rest of Clapton’s dull song - and the entire project - alive. Just as the Other Assorteds feed on Layla, Layla feeds on Allman’s riff: a flock of flukes sucking at the juice of four bars. When I first heard it, in a Vauxhall Astra advert in 1989, the riff was already a ghost: detached from its origin, living on as pure affect. Returning to the song reveals how much it props up. The verses are awkward, the chorus a mere superimposition on the riff, the coda shapeless indulgence. The riff carries everything. It is the selfish meme - the gene that refuses to die, sustaining even what should have fallen away. Clapton’s Unplugged version from 1992 completes the cycle of parasitism. He slows the song down, drains it of urgency, and reabsorbs Allman’s vitality into the Clapton brand. Perhaps this is how he always imagined it: retooled for the corporate Clapton of the 1990s. Either way, it exists only because of Allman’s riff. It is Layla only in the sense that Allman made Layla matter. What was once ecstatic has become tasteful; what was once desperate has become self-consciously authentic. That riff never belonged in a love song - too showy, too high-octane. It belongs in a car advert. But that is the logic of capitalism itself: subsuming the subversive, repackaging intensity as nostalgia. Allman’s riff survives, but only as a museum exhibit, a fossil of emotion presented as content. Religious practice persists in the same way. Belief has long since gone, but the gestures remain: the mantilla worn to mass, the fish on Friday, the hand raised in benediction. Layla endures like that - a ritual emptied of conviction, repeated because it must be repeated. Time hasn't been kind to Eric Clapton either. And he himself has become a meme: a symbol of Boomer exhaustion, of blues reduced to brand identity. His reactionary drift feels less like a choice than a symptom - a man becoming the cliché his music already predicted. The memeplex eats its creator, as capital always does. As his reputation decays, the question is whether Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs - or rather, Allman’s riff - can survive him. Can those four bars continue to circulate as a free-floating fragment, detached from its origin, a surviving meme in a dead cultural ecosystem? Here it all is again on a list of “1001 Albums To Listen To Before You Die,” when albums themselves have died. But the truth is that the compilers don't want you to hear the album. They don't want you to hear Derek & the Dominos even. But the ritual of putting on a record remains because they don't know what else to do. The album and the band exist now only as complexes to sustain the longevity of the riff. However, if you want to experience it properly, there is an 1989 ad for a Vauxhall Astra on YouTube. 0.5 Ignoring the two lumbering blues bores here - Key to the Highway and Have You Ever Loved… - at a profit of 16 minutes, we are left with material that mainly recalls late Beatles and the first two albums by The Band. Despite their apprenticeship with George Harrison, Derek et al can’t match the imagination and sonic variety of Abbey Road. Despite having admirable musicianship they don’t produce anything as elegant as the music of the Brown album. The guitars noodle constantly but very little is memorable. Then there’s Little Wing. Hendrix‘s original, 2 1/2 minutes long, is full of uniquely mesmerising guitar lines. This version, 5 minutes long, hasn‘t a lick worth hearing. It replaces the relaxed intimacy of Hendrix‘s vocal with a double-act of harmonised hollering and the freedom of Hendrix‘s mellifluous melody is wrestled into a much more conventional rhythm. It is an ignorant, awkward piece of butchery. 1.5/5
Great record. Prime Clapton, and love Duane too. Can't believe this is the first time I listened to the whole thing in one go.
Du blues de blanc pas très inspiré, -1 parce que Clapton est un gros con.
Several certified classics on this LP, a very strong 4
Meh
LAYLAAAAAA you got me on my knees! LAYLA begging darlin please! LAYLAAAAA Have You Ever Loved A Woman stood out along with Little Wing. some of this album felt a little disconnected from said songs, not matching up in comparison. i didn’t even know Eric Clapton wrote Layla about George Harrison’s WIFE… the men being messyyyyyyy
Bell Borrom Blues is incredible Layla is incredible Everything else is decent But its way too long and the singer is a prick
i dont like it, its flled with loud drums and the lead vocalist just sounds so manly for an album cover that looks like this, its not soft enough for me unfortunately lol
Pretty good classic Clapton! I'd be pretty happy to hear any of this on classic rock radio.
not so assorted after all
I liked this. Of course I know “Layla” and I also saved “Key to the Highway”.
nice artwork, Layla is excellent, but also plenty of blues fillers.
a classic.
Back after a break of a couple of weeks... So Eric Clapton has always been one of those artists who I respect their talent but not so much their music. This album does little to change that although there are some strong moments. But if I never hear Layla again, that will be just fine with me. 3/5 #201
Nicht meine Tasse Tee
bluesrock
Extra star for Layla itself, rest is fine enough
An excellent album to find out if your heart is still broken. It will make you cry your eyeballs out. Otherwise, if you just shed a tear, all good. Clapton Is God.
Most of the songs are bland, Layla is definitely doing a lot of heavy lifting here.
I love how they knew Layla was gonna become legendary and named the album the way they did. I also liked Why Does Love Got to Be So Bad? Most everything else was decent.
I found myself rocking out to this album a lot more than I thought I would. The fast songs are better than the slow ones. I started to get tired of all the guitar noodling by the end of the album, though.
Muito bom, blue rock.
Primera vez 6/10
God damn that man could play guitar
More rock blues not for me. 3.
I really enjoyed this! My favorites were, of course, the obvious: "Layla," as well as "Bell Bottom Blues," "Anyday," "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?," and "It's Too Late." It dragged on a bit, but I really enjoyed the vocals, guitar solos, and layered instrumentation. Also was a fan of the slower tracks more than fast-paced ones, which I didn't expect.
Loved it. Clapton is a bloody brilliant blues guitarist.
I'm left wondering why Layla is the title track. The other assorted love songs were way better. Gorgeous guitar, obviously. Bit long in places, but overall a very enjoyable album.
Jesus, Derek! That’s my wife you’re talking about! It’s embarrassing how obsessed you are.
Pretty damned good
One of the greatest albums of all time. But following my prior guidance, it’s hard for me to go to a 5 due to its length (is it a double album? Almost) which means it has just a few too many songs that aren’t 5s for the album to garner a 5. Still fantastic. 4.75.
Excellent rhythm and blues album. Some iconic guitar riffs. A tad indulgent on the length of some of the songs that felt samey.
A pretty long album, especially considering most of it is blues jams. Getting Duane Allman to play on this was a great idea. And of course there’s that song, although it took an hour to get to it.
Decent classic rock, much sounds the same, especially the guitar and bass lines sound very similar between songs.
It would be very easy to turn this review into a big Eric Clapton hate-fest. I've made it no secret I don't like him, between mentioning how he shares anti-vaxx views with Van Morrison and, of course, bringing up his racism. Those two things, backed with the line in Kurt Cobain's journals where he says Clapton plays "dusty blues licks..." Yeah. I have no incentive to be kind to him, and I could very easily turn this into "'College Dropout' review 2." And yet... Look. I've said plenty of times before: I do not review people. Certainly, whether I intend to or not, how I view the artists can impact how I view their art. I frankly think you're kidding yourself if you try to critically look at something without considering the artist whatsoever. My goal is just to make sure my views on the artist don't supersede my thoughts on the music. And I haven't been perfect: there's my aforementioned 'The College Dropout' review, where I spent most of it ranting about Kanye instead of discussing the album; and when I reviewed Koffi Olomede's album I gave him no quarter thanks to his crimes. But dang it, I'm not the kind of person to just write "HE'S A RACIST AND AND A RAPIST AND ANTI-VAXX" and give the album a 1. No matter how true all of those things are, I will never rate an album solely on how I feel about an artist. So, with that said, while I am not ignoring Clapton's many, **MANY** lesser points... I will not let them define my thoughts about this album. I may have slipped up in the past on this, between my reviews of Bluesbreakers and Cream albums — and, heck, I might even slip up here — but just know, this attempt is not for his benefit, and is far more than he deserves from me or anyone anyway. At last, then: the album. 'Layla.' Named for the song Clapton put together because he really wanted to bang George Harrison's wife. How is it? Look. It's not a bad album. Not really. I dare to say I even enjoyed it more than I didn't. I just have... One major qualm with it. One simple problem: I don't buy Eric Clapton's blues music. I never did, and it wasn't until I listened to this thing that I finally understood what my deal was. Now, I'm no blues purist. Let me just say that right off the bat. Nor am I gonna make any remarks about how "Oh, he's racist and yet he made a career off of black music?" As I said above... And I think it's clear to me that Clapton loves the blues and he loves playing it. That much is obvious, and I'm not about to suggest otherwise. But when I think of blues music, I often think of the soul and passion that goes into it. Even in the lighter stuff, more often than not, I can feel how much the players are putting themselves into the music. And I emphasize the lighter stuff to make clear, I know it's not all heartbreak and woe and "my baby left me." Blues music **can** be fun. I've heard enough of B.B. King's live albums to know how electric blues music can be. And, y'know what — Led Zeppelin. Zep gets a lot of rightly deserved shit for being white guys who nicked lines and arrangements from other, black artists. But y'know what? I believe in their blues. I can feel them putting their all into it. You wouldn't have Plant wailing like he does or Page tearing it up if they weren't. Or Bonzo playing so hard in live shows his sticks would break and his palms would bleed. No one ever has to go **that** hard, but those guys, Hendrix, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Elmore James... Even Robert Johnson, as simple as his stuff was, I completely buy their blues music, 100%. With Eric Clapton, on the other hand, whenever he plays blues music... As much as he loves it, I don't ever really believe he's putting too much of himself into it. Really, to me, it seems like he only cares about blues music in so far as it's a vehicle for him to show off just how **GOOD HE IS AT GUITAR**. Oh, he's **SO GOOD**. Listen to him **PLAY OVER THESE BLUES RIFFS**. Isn't he **GREAT**? ("Waaaaaah!") And I know he's not a bad player! He did "Sunshine Of Your Love"! And the solo on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"! Heck, even on this album, the riff on the title track is killer! But whenever this album goes hard into its slower blues thing, I really hafta wonder why he was even considered a "guitar god" to begin with. What's so special about **anything** he's doing here that he got this reputation? It's not like there's even anything too special about his brand of blues music. At least Zeppelin, for all their took, was **heavy**. Clapton, meanwhile, sure is fine playing it straight! Straight into boredom. A fellow member of my group has wondered — and he might repeat this over in his review, too — if a lot of these blues tracks would've gone over better if this were a live album. And I can see how that would've made a lot of these tracks more tolerable. I plan to write a full-throated defense of Deep Purple's 'Made In Japan' whenever my group gets it, so I understand what the energy of a live setting can add to jammier performances. If there were a crowd backing "Key To The Highway", sure, I could probably get behind it more. But as a studio jam, I gotta be real, I'm just too interested in hearing Clapton jerk his guitar off for nine minutes. I zoned out whenever the soloing started, honestly. If I could've played record editor on this project, I 100% would've snipped most all of the blues covers. Get 'em outta here! But it's not all bad. The other songs, the ones that're more hard rock than blues, are all pretty enjoyable. Heck, I even enjoy the soloing more on those — I just don't have as high standards for dumb hard rock as I do blues music, y'know? And a lot of these cuts, they honestly remind me of 'All Things Must Pass.' Maybe not "My Sweet Lord" or "What Is Life?", but more if "If Not For You" swapped its country influence for hard rock. (And I actually wanna give a small hand out to the covers of "Little Wing" and "It's Too Late". The former's clearly inferior to the swirling, psychedelic original, but this more straight-forward take on it isn't **that bad**. And while "It's Too Late" would probably be overlooked on a shorter album, I mean, it's the only other blues cover I wasn't totally bored during. It'd be a nice "keep the momentum going" track on a shorter album.) But speaking of 'All Things Must Pass,' a lot of the people who played on that also played here, and, damn, they're just as good. Particular praise of course has to go to Duane Allman for his regular guitar and slide guitar work. Like, I was tempted to give him all of the credit for **all** the guitar parts I liked (half-jokingly, 'coz, y'know, "harr harr, screw Clapton")... But seriously. Tight band and a wonder of the six-string along for the ride. And at this point... I think it's time we finally get to talking about the title track. Yes, in its own dedicated paragraph, all by itself. 'Coz let's be real, this is one of those songs that's so good that, all by itself, it raises the whole album by a point. It's this album's own "Living For The City" or "Life On Mars?", y'know. It is just... So good in a way nothing else on either of these two discs is. From the driving, tense, desperate first section, to the honestly beautiful piano exit where Clapton and Allman improvise over a piano line from Jim Gordon. And while the first half is great, the second half is... Seriously the best 3 and a half minutes on the whole album. Maybe the best 3 and a half minutes Clapton would ever be responsible for. Ever since I first heard it in (yes) 'GoodFellas,' I've hardly been able to get enough of it. It's a great line, and the slide guitar work from Clapton and Allman just make the whole thing even more moving. Like... Any issues I have with this album, or with Clapton, and I have my share, they will have always given me this song. And I can't take that away from them as much as they can't take it away from me. Consensus says that this is the best album Eric Clapton ever made. On his own, with others... Just, in general: the best thing he was ever involved with. I'd hafta agree with that, even not having sampled his entire body of work, or even not thinking that it's all **that** great. Really, it might be an indictment of Clapton that this is his best work and I'm still not all **that** wowed by it. But then, like I said, the hard rock songs are fine, and "Layla" is an absolute all-timer, so... In the end, I can't be too hard on it. Sure, it'd be better if there was less focus on Clapton jerking his guitar off, but taking what we got for what it is... Sure. I can let it pass. Way more than I can let the man himself pass, anyway. Now, if you don't mind, go and cue up that piano exit again and play me out...
Fucking hell, what an album. Solid 5 Stars.
I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5. Once again, Eric Clapton is an asshole. I shouldn’t have to preface that, but I feel a need to say it anyway. I’ve given him some benefit of the doubt, but from what I’ve read since… yeah, dude’s a mega asshole. Still though, good music can be made by mega assholes, and this is good music. Ironically enough, even with how much acclaim “Layla” (deservedly) gets as the shining opus of Eric Clapton’s career, I think a lot of what I wrote from “Disraeli Gears” still applies to this album. To quote myself, “there are a handful of moments where the album repeats verses & riffs and enters a bit of a stagnant state, but those moments don’t ruin the album that badly for me. That’s mainly why I’m at a 4.5, because they’re prevalent enough to be noticeable, but not obnoxious enough to bother me. When this album isn’t in a stagnant phase, it’s firing on all cylinders; the guitar work here is as good as advertised, the percussion is an incredible anchor that feels just a bit ahead of schedule, and the vocals” – and I’m going to cut myself off there, because I think my main complaint with this album comes in Eric Clapton’s vocals. I don’t think Eric Clapton is truly feeling the emotions he’s trying to pull out on a number of these songs. When you look at how he belted out “Layla”, you can absolutely feel it, and it’s the sort of thing that’s so raw that even if it’s about lusting over another man’s wife, you almost kind of root for him to succeed, as weird as that sounds. Compare that to the track right before it, “It’s Too Late”, and you can feel just how phoned in that performance is – it’s not a bad performance, but it’s a very color-by-numbers cover that he’s not putting his all into. That sense of not “feeling” pops up for a decent chunk of the tracks here for me, and combining that with his grittier / lower registers feeling a bit strained / forced on the more blues-y tracks of the album, it makes his vocals the weakest part here for me. I will also challenge the whole “prevalent enough to be noticeable, but not obnoxious enough to bother me” thing – these do get just a little bit obnoxious enough to bother me. I think the solos on this album go just a little too far with self-indulgence; knowing when to cut them off is a talent in its own right, but this album lets a lot of its instrumental breaks hang in the air for just a little too long. “Key to the Highway” is the prime example here; it didn’t need to be 10 minutes, and the amount of times it blueballed hitting an exit ramp on the extended solo in the middle just felt torturous by the end. This album ends up going longer than it should because of it; I think at least 8-10 minutes worth of slightly indulgent solos could’ve been trimmed down, as well as its two most plain tracks in “I Am Yours” & “It’s Too Late”. With all of that said, I don’t think it’s enough for me to bump it down to a 4, though it’s certainly leaning closer towards it – when this album IS rolling, it just feels infectious, and for 1970, a lot of this does feel slightly ahead of schedule, especially in the guitar / percussion work. For the high tempo stuff here, there’s no notes; it’s just great rock & roll. The blues stuff could use a little more work, but when you’re in the groove (and it’s still very easy to be entranced into the groove), it just never feels like a big deal. At the end of the day, “Layla” by itself is such a strong track that it sort of overrides all of these things that are basically just nitpicks about how I’d approach this album. I think it’s worth the bump to a 5, and at worst, I think the floor here is a 3.5 that could go either direction. For my tastes, I enjoyed it. Sometimes, it’s that simple. Still a mega fucking asshole, though.
Certainly aptly named, this album consists largely of bluesy, very good but unspectacular classic rock songs. Exceptions are the beautiful cover of Little Wing (though not quite as good as Hendrix's) and the truly spectacular Layla. Favorites: Little Wing, Layla
This had a Muppet vibe. 3 stars.
That was great! Easy listening. Not my fav but I can respect good music.
👎
This is a good sunday morning album, which is fortunate as it is sunday morning. I enjoy the chilled blues approach and the songs glide by quite well at first but after 4 songs they start to feel like they could have been a bit tighter and less of a blues blow out. Obviously part of this is because the focus is on Clapton’s guitarmanship which is insane but i think stops this slbum from being truly great. Thst said i love key to the highway, which maybe the worst offender of what i’ve just said.
If I was Patti Boyd, I suspect boredom would have crept in about halfway through this and be debating whether I could be bothered. This album is largely a standard blues effort, albeit a far too long one. It’s all a bit same-y: not just lyrically (obviously), but at points I’d gotten confused as to whether we had gone onto the next track or not. I didn’t even twig the cover of “Little Wing”, so same-y was all of it. AND THEN! God bless Duane Allman for creating what is, in my humble opinion, the greatest guitar riff of all time. Although I’d cut most of the piano ending, “Layla” stands out immediately in an album of mediocrity, and is a barnstormer of a track that still sounds incredible more than 50 years later. If Patti Boyd did get bored halfway through… I bet she took notice of THAT. Even I’d risk it all if someone wrote “Layla” about me.
That was dull. Even Layla is more boring for about 50% of it's runtime than I remember it being. I feel like I can't give an album 1 for just being boring, and they're clearly very skilled musicians but it just wasn't my thing at all. 2/5
Your dad's favourite album. Middle of the road blues rock. Some solid guitar work on display but Clapton is no messiah. He's also a cunt.
Layla title track is very familiar and nice, although the instrumental part is quite long. Vibes are defo giving old coffee shop or saloon mayhaps?
A excellent album super bluesy with an couple that jump out at you, unreal guitar you can’t really go wrong
Ambitious
2 for 2 long.
j'ai cru que ça allait être un coup de cœur mais non, c'était cool pour autant, 3.5
It's not horrible, but it's not great and got boring real fast. There's very little chance I put this on again in the future.
Prva misel: lepa naslovnica! In spet nekaj meni totalno nepoznanega. Uuu, všeč mi je začetek. Ok, Derek so far delivera banger after banger 70s sounding komadov, z obilo kitarskih solov (ha, sm poguglala poj, itak mi je bil že ime Layla sumljiv, ampak Derek je Clapton!) Potem bluesovska balada, "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" in umirjen " I Am Yours" in gremo v šest in pol minutni "Anyday", k je res hud. Sledi še en bluesovski komad, "Key To The Highway" (mislm, večinoma je to za pričakovat - ne bom neki posamezne komade več opisovala - so zelo glasbeno kompetentni, rock, blues komadi. Claptonov problem je pa itak to, da je čist preveč samovšečen - kle je 1 uro in 16 minut približno the same sounding shita). Iiiin "Layla". Vsi poznamo. Za zaključek albuma pa umirjen "Thorn Tree In The Garden". Sicer nism nek fen Claptona (I prefer others), ampak tole je blo čist fletno za poslušat ob pucanju.
this one wasn’t really my fave. I love a good instrumental as the next person but… meh
Bell Bottom Blues was a fun one!
I read Eric Clapton's Wikipedia because I know people hate him and omg holy shit lol.
Come in for Bell Bottom Blues and Layla. Stay for the other deep cuts. Album starts strongly with "I Looked Away." Sides one and three are the strongest in my opinion.
Odd choice to bury a seven minute version of the only great song on the album as the second to last track.
This might be my favorite Eric Clapton album, and yes I know he was in Cream as well. This album hits deep with emotion throughout, whether it is Clapton wailing with his voice throughout, filled with heartbreak from beginning to end; or with the guitars. Duane Allman and Clapton have a dynamic throughout the album where their guitars are telling their own stories without hardly any words. Then you add Bobby Whitlock in the background makes each note hit even harder.
It was alright. I know it's considered a classic, but it was just kind of boring after a while. The dueling guitars was the one saving grace.
2025-09-17: I came to this album lacking sleep. I spent the first couple of songs trying to get into it but I did not manage to do so. Perhaps I am not much into blues(?)-like music, but I found the style somewhat repetitive and felt that the guitar solos dragged on. “Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad” did get my attention (though I didn't quite like the change of pace of the chorus), but half way through I was distracted and hoping for the album to end. Hearing Clapton's voice and ”Layla” felt nostalgic, but for the time being I don't feel compelled to come back. In a scale of 1 to 5, at the very beginning I hoped to give it a 4 but at the end I was thinking more in the lines of a 2.
A little little jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd’s, soul. But a little generic. No great Hooks. An easy listen but feels forgettable
Great album of blues standards and originals. This is easily the best of any Clapton’s releases with Bell Bottom Blues standing out above his entire catalog. As for covers, Little Wing is a great take on a great song. Hot take alert; Layla is a good enough song that happens to have a killer riff that should be half of its seven minute run time. Not to mention he didn’t even give credit to the poor lady who wrote and played the piano piece at the end. 4/5
So, I have a lot of music in my collection, with of course a heavy emphasis on rock, late 50's thru the 70's. There are several artists where I have a significant number of their albums. Given the length of his career, no one is more represented in my collection than ol' Slow Hand.
For me, this is one of a few double albums that doesn't pverstay its welcome. From purely blues tracks to great rockers to beautiful ballads, this album is incredible. A statement to EC's songwriting genius, crowned with one of rock's greatest love anthems in Layla. Everything is on point, the singing, guitar playing, other instrumentstion too! 5/5
Many differnt styles of electric blues are on this album, it is an amazing showcase of Clapton's versitility in the genre, as well as a showcase of his vocals, both of which were at the top of their game during this era. Worth a listen for sure.
Ça doit être mon premier CD de Eric Clapton de mes années du Secondaire. Album qui me réconforte un peu comme Ten.
J'adore le style de jeu de Clapton. Ça remonte à l'adolescence sûrement, j'étais tombé dans la discothèque de mon père et j'ai élu 2 albums qui m'ont suivi: Bringing It All Back Home et Clapton Unplugged (une de mes premières tounes à la guitare = Tears in Heaven, qui d'ailleurs sonne bien différent comme père maintenant). C'est pas tous des hits et Layla et définitivement le centerpiece. J'ignorais qu'il y avait une 2e partie à la toune, excellente. Malgré tout, il y a du jeu incroyable sans relâche et du musicianship au boutte. La Harrison-Clapton era à son meilleur, il devait y avoir beaucoup de drogues dures là... Les albums doubles c'est tough à digérer en une journée, mais je va y revenir!
C’est bon mais le blues c’est pas 100% mon affaire. Layla all time classique. Bien aimé Bell Bottom Blues aussi.
Krasse Gitarren, aber sonst...?
Rating: 6/10 Competent blues rock, nothing too memorable besides Layla.
Not bad, not my style. Probably a 3
Catchy and sophisticated song mixed with straight ahead blues. Pretty solid overall.
What a slog. Layla is the only thing saving this from being a one star for me. Fuck Clapton as well.
Está ok
A must listen for anyone into Rock.
I know the blues aren't everyone's jam but this was excellent.
I have never listened to this album so I was curious about it since it's a famous one. I liked it overall, the guitar playing and also the drumming is excellent on this one. It contains one of the most well known rock songs ever, Layla, which was famously written about the then-wife of George Harrison, Pattie Boyd and Clapton's muse, lover who later married him. But, as many blues rock music, many of the songs are a tad too long, and the guitar playing is sometimes a bit self indulgent. It's still damn good playing but after more than an hour it was a bit too much. Overall I like Clapton's earlier music in the 60s, with Yardbirds, Cream and John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers a bit more (many of those albums I rated five stars).
Derek and the Dominos. Clapton is engaging in this group. Blues folk rock has a soft spot in my heart. Need to listen to the album more.
What a album
7/10
Solid 70-talls-rock.
I'm a guitar player so Clapton will always be God. While with Derek & the Dominos, he really finalized his transition from various Gibson guitars to the Fender Stratocaster - completely revitalizing the instrument and becoming forever connected to it. Layla is a masterpiece on every level. The bluesy guitar on Nobody Loves You is so Clapton it hurts. I've always been impressed with all of the bands and collaborations Clapton participated in and how he brought his own sound but never overtook the main vision of the band. Who wouldn't want Eric in their band, even just for a minute?
I want to say 5 but my personal listening experience wasn’t ideal
I tried to give this a fair shot and an attentive listen, as I do all albums on this list, but it felt like it went in one ear and out the other. I had a hard time focusing, and I’m not sure how much of that is the fault of the music. Either way, it didn’t stand out to me at all. Little Wing, Layla 2-3
Clapton is obviously a racist, fascist shitbag, which is particularly rich for a guy who built his career on Black music. But there's also a reason the graffiti called him God. Both halves of the title track feel transcendent for a reason. The covers are great, especially "Little Wing," where Clapton really shows the fuck off. Some of the deep tracks ("Anyday", "Key to the Highway") rank with the hits. Like most blues rock, it gets a little noodle-y for me at points, but I find it hard to deny that it's a great album made by a bad, ignorant man who happens to be a guitar genius.
I liked this album.
Sounds like the shit my dad used to play when I was a kid that made me believe english/western music is stupid and boring. Initially gave this a two stars rating, then changed it to three because...well...I did like a few songs. Fave tracks: why does love got to be so sad, little wing, layla. Other than these, boring.
Derek and the dominos dont interest me much. Layla is really good but about 3 minutes too fukcing long. i am eternally disturbed by them since Jim Morrison the crazy schizo mom-killer was part of the whole thing. But i wont let it deter me! album cover is cute it's very soulful and the guitar is really good. All the songs are lowkey the same but I love them they sound like heaven. Too long. but vibey
had higher hopes
- dois guitarristas lendários na mesma banda - muito inspirado em Woodstock e Beatles - os solos são inovadores e as músicas são bem escritas. gostaria que o álbum não fosse só uma coletânea de músicas sobre amor
The irony of this album is that despite Eric Clapton’s undeserved reputation as a guitar genius, it is the drummer who really shines. That is the only reason this album gets a second star. The guitar work is self indulgent, pretentious guff which gets old fast. A few tracks in and your heart sinks when you realise that Clapton is going to pleasure himself again. With his guitar. For several unnecessary minutes. There is one good track on this album and it isn’t “Layla”. This entire record is a shameless rip-off of the black American soul movement, exploited and monetised by a group of white dudes, of whom the most famous is a known racist, a sexual predator and an all round slug of the lowest order. Love Songs? I suppose that’s another irony. It’s all so unoriginal, predictable, boring and far too long. Even the title is uninspired. Did I mention the w@nky guitar solos? It’s like he was having an early mid life crisis and he wanted attention. That’s 76 minutes of my life I can’t get back and I’m annoyed by that. I definitely won’t be listening to this again.
It's OK, easy to listen to. Layla was fun to hear and its later in the album.
Pretty solid album. His voice is satisfying and their sound is great.
One of the best albums of all time. Borderline desert island pick.
It's funny that they titled the album "Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs". It's practically a more honest album title to what's happening to albums these days, where it feels like an album is just a collection of random filler songs plus that one song that really popped off on TikTok. To be fair, Layla is that good of a song that it's worth singling it out in the album title. I'm not sure still how I feel about Clapton writing 'Bell Bottom Blues' and 'Layla' about his best friend's wife, then marrying her, then abusing her. Favorite tracks: Bell Bottom Blues, Layla.
Thought this album would be more promising after a strong start with I looked away, but found it difficult to connect with the rest of the way through. Still a good listen, one I wouldn't have touched outside of the project and that's a win in my book
really enjoyed would like to listen a little harder next tim
Really great stuff not even counting Layla which is a generationally good song. Loved it. 4.5
I've cooled on Eric Clapton over the years but you can't deny this album. A true blues rock masterpiece. Duane Allman plays guitar on 11 of the 14 tracks
Not enough songs to make it clear that it was about Pattie Boyd.
The simple production makes the jams feel so lived-in and unpolished. Clapton's voice seems to alternate constantly between aloof, breezy effortlessness and achy drive, and the guitarwork on display here is just top-tier. Although this album doesn't seem incredibly inventive or genre-defining as a whole, it's a solid chunk of bluesy rock performed by a stellar supergroup with insane musicianship, and that alone makes it an enjoyable listen. Here's what I found interesting: - The fade-in on "Key to the Highway" is absolutely magical, and then you get to hear a fluid, improvised conversation between slide and straight guitars. This is undoubtedly my new favorite version of the standard. - "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad" has an incredible amount of virtuosity crammed into only five minutes. And Clapton's warm vocals are so appropriate here. - In "Have You Ever Loved a Woman", I love how the suppressed bursts of twanging riffs slide into a smooth jam. - The cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" is a very unique take. I like how they brought a completely different side out of the song. It has a distinct psychedelic flair that makes it stand out on the album. - The title track exceeded my expectations. The guitar and vocals exude a manic desperation, and then a sudden piano coda builds into an epic layered rock ballad. I don't know how I've been missing out on this for so long. Overall a great album. 8.5/10.
Boomer slop
Some great playing. Layla is an all time classic. Lots of long sections of noodling over a blues rhythm. 3/5.
4
Boring
Did not relisten - fine
Блюз-рок и большой приставкой блюз. I Am Yours понравилась, Key To The Highway с долгим проигрышем, Little Wing мечтательно-отчаянная.
American mainstream with a punk splash. Old Beatles sound / influence.
Groovy vibes, walking bass
Obviously, most people remember this album for the title track [easily Eric Clapton's signature song], but in reality, there's quite a lot to like about the sprawling, 77-minute double LP that is 'Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs.' For a long time, I would always see Eric Clapton's name pop up on the 'Greatest Guitarists of All Time' lists and didn't really understand why. I felt that, maybe, he's a touch overrated. Sure, 'Sunshine of Your Love' has been so many guitarists 'first song learned' for decades, but it's a pretty simple song to learn, all things considered. But, if I didn't find out already from 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps', this album, to me, justifies why Clapton is regarded as one of the all time greats of the six-string, especially in the blues category. Clapton's subtle-but-emotive guitar work combined with his and Bobby Whitlock's impassioned vocals and a solid rhythm section make 'Layla...' [at times] such an engaging listen, not to mention the additional contributions of fellow guitar great Duane Allman. In addition to 'Layla', 'I Looked Away', 'Bell Bottom Blues', 'Anyday' and 'Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?' are some key highlights. With that said, I did find the 77-minute run-time a little bit exhausting, especially with the blues genre having a tendency to get lost in meandering guitar solos [some might call it guitar wanking], and the cover of the blues standard 'Key to the Highway' is the worst culprit here. I don't mind the blues, but sometimes I can't help but think 'just get to the point already, sheesh.' Overall, it's a good album, and the truest showcase of Clapton's guitar skills, but there's maybe a few too many covers, exhausting guitar passages and a little too much untrimmed fat for it to be a perfect record.
Good overall, Layla of course is amazing. Great one-off band.
a few really great tracks on here for sure, not into the bluesier stuff tho
Clapton is an ass, but Little Wing and Layla lift this album to a 4. Best version of Layla.
It was fine, but not something I'll probably listen to much in the future. At least not based off this first listen.
Holy guitaronie The guitars are amazing, but the album is a bit too long and doesn’t work as an album for me
I don't love retroactively down-grading a once lauded piece of art because the artist in question turned out to be a douche nozzle. This is unquestionably a great album despite Clapton's historic racism-while-drunk. That he's also an anti-vaxxer is also difficult to wear, but the playing here by him and so many others is spectacular.
Usually I can’t stand Clapton but honestly, this was perfectly pleasant and well made, with some good songs.
Good, enjoyed
Expected to hate this but it's a very good blues rock album. Listened to it straight after Disraeli Gears and it's the better album. Layla is of course excellent. Little Wing is a perfect song but not in this version.
Layla of course was great but the entire rest of the album was a disappointment.
Meh
Last song is beautiful and tender
Eric Clapton.is a master of lead guitar, and some of these compositions are great. The album opens strongly with I looked Away and Bell Bottomed Blues, Nobody Knows You, Little Wing, Layla... the list goes on. Great tunes. I noticed a lot of vitriol.in the comments whereby many based their ratings on their perceived views of the man's opinions. Whether true or not, does that affect the quality and/or enjoyment of music? Hmm. Musical talent in my view crosses the divide of Deep Entrenchment. 'Hate' never brings anyone closer to your position. Love and kindness first, people. Peace.
if this album didn't have Layla this might of been a pure 1/5. I was sick of the album within 30mins of listening to it, and it just KEPT GOING ON. i don't like blues rock and man... it's just so generic and just had NOTHING FOR IT. took all the soul outta me lmao.
The title of the album speaks perfectly to what the album is: Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs. Layla is one of the best rock songs that has ever been performed. The rest... Bell Bottom Blues is actually a great song, but seriously, it's such a boring drag of blues rock with little sustenance. They should have cut around four songs and made the rest of the songs build up to the significance of Layla because it deserves it. Eric Clapton, you can do so much better.
Pleasant to listen to, but did not get me hooked. Most of the songs dragged on too long for my preferences. "Layla" is a classic though.
Listened to the first four tracks and didn't care to listen to the rest. I think I liked 'Layla' at some point though.
I listened to about half and didn't hate it.
Yep, boring and way too long. Bell Bottom Blues is the best song on here.
Блюз-рок, типичный, но не интересный
Bad person, great music
Classic album - when putting together a super group works as it should.
I’ll readily admit I’m not the biggest Eric Clapton fan. I think he was god before he became more of a solo singer/songwriter. However, Derek and the Dominoes’ Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs contains no filler & may be the perfect album. I heard the album before, but it was many years ago & probably just once or twice. After listening to it a couple of times over the last day, it blew me away. Clapton is brilliant on this album & I think it's because he had Duane Allman, an alien, pushing him on to greatness. When Clapton is cutting heads with other great guitarists, he always pushes himself. When he’s by himself, he doesn’t seem to have the same fire, in my opinion. If Allman isn't the MVP of this album, then the late Bobby Whitlock is. I’m certain this album wouldn’t be the same without Whitlock's singing & writing. Whitlock is so soulful in his backing vocals and the songs he sang. I can’t pick a favorite song. They’re all good. As I listened, I just kept thinking, “All these songs are so good, one right after the other.” I think this is a masterpiece and probably Clapton’s last great album.
I feel like I need to be a middle aged dad with a Strat that he sometimes jams on to really appreciate this album.
Good 70s blues rock.
8,5/10
Clapton sucks. Most of this is ponderous trash. Only reason it’s not 1/5 is Duane Allman.
I mean sometimes it just doesn't get better than this. Powerhousing blues that is right in your face on end. Duane Allman and Eric Clapton are unarguably two of the greatest to ever pick up the electric guitar and you need look no further than this album to confirm that fact. Every single song is incredible and the story behind this rock giant is the cherry on top. This thing is and always will be one of the greatest albums to ever be put to tape. 10/10 without a doubt in my mind
Enjoyed it.
Sold classic rock album with some serious talent.
1. Bell Bottom Blues 2. Tell the Truth 3. Layla
master class
I can't. It gave me great anxiety seeing Discs 1, 2, 3, and 4. It's a lot. 40 songs. The music doesn't resonate with me.
Sometimes - nix that - most of the time - I am in no mood to hear Eric Clapton drone on. Today - as most days - was one such day. But I am committed to this project. And this album in the end succeeds. It's warm and loose and features Duane Allman who serves as an extraordinary foil to Clapton's overly precise playing. Add in some outside the pocket drumming and what amounts to basically a jam session and this album finds it's way to a sound unique to ECs catalog - loose, warm and dare I say fun (the band is digging every moment). You can feel the vibes on a track like Tell the Truth - the outro on that song may be the high point of the album and they have a great to getting there. Duane elevates this from the middle of the road, Clapton pulls it back...but the playing is bonkers throughout.
Love Eric Clapton; was surprised to find this was not already in my library
Layla is good, the rest is meh
The album title was an immediate red flag, and it unfortunately proved to be accurate as far as describing the overall experience. Having the album's supposed centerpiece "Layla" as Track 13, after over an hour of tedious, self important twaddle for the most part, is trolling to a sickening degree. It's seriously lacking in the quality control department, and ultimately comes off as pretentious above its station. Could very easily have been a 4 or 5 track EP at most. I'll stick with Blind Faith and what I know of from Cream, thanks.
A really good album if you like southern style rock. 4 stars or B+.
I can't tell whether this album is overrated or if I need to listen to it more. I didn't find it that compelling, and Layla was nice but not spectacular.
Sounded like standard blues-rock of the era. Not bad, but nothing special either. The length of the album, and the fact that it's Clapton (never been a fan) didn't help.
Aw make it talk son, make it talk! No matter what project you have Eric Clapton in, it's always that Eric Clapton sound. I would prefer some John Mayhall or Cream, as I have never heard anything on here other than Layla. That is the way this album sits with me. Its Layla and a bunch of other songs.
4/10
Oh wow I thought this was Clapton before realizing it actually was lol maybe I remember this subconsciously from long ago or his voice and guitar is that recognizable. I like it.
When the title of the album is the review. A great song in Layla and a bunch of other songs that are fine.
Neat little blues album. Layla still feels like the standout, but there's some good blues jams on here. Key to the Highway and Thorn Tree in the Garden were my key discoveries here.
I'm not sure I really like it. I kinda like blues but this feels empty and seems like a showcase of guitar skills. I am not blown away by this album but Layla raises the overall score for me - I really like this track, it's so different from anything else on this album.
I actually really enjoyed this. Very classic Rock, but lots of blues/jazz inspirations with the solos.
I've never been a huge fan of Layla to be honest, Bellbottom Blues is the best track on this album and that's a push. Absolutely killed Little Wing, and not in a good way. Unfortunately I went into this with low expectations album title, Layla and some other shite we needed to back it up with to sell a whole album is not a good start to wetting ones appetite with is it?
Sounded like some straight forward rock.
I love Eric Clapton so I'm biased on this album. Love it
Album No. 0013 on my list. Before listening to this, I was only aware of the title track, which I like in general. I have mixed feelings about the album though. There are some good tracks on there ("Layla", "Bell Bottom Blues", "Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out"), but there is also - including in these songs - a lot of guitar noodling. The album has a great blues rock sound and has inspired me to listen more to that genre. But I do not like the album itself all that much. Too much endless guitar play without any particular musical reason. Clapton is great of course, but the long solos feel - for some reason - kind of unneccessary to me and do not serve the songs. All in all, this feels good but a little overhyped. 3/5 stars. Did I mention that the guitar parts are too long?
I looked away Keen on growing i am yours key to the highway have you ever LAYLA thorn three
7/10 Layla is huge - it blows everything else on this album away. But that's fine, it blows most rock music away. There's some very good other tracks, but it suffers from the affliction if most Blues guitarists - they dont
Wonderful album with two of the greatest guitarists, Clapton and Allman.
A pretty apt album title I guess, as I didn't know much of the non-"Layla" songs coming in. Decent blues rock album that goes on for a little too long. Guitar playing is the highlight, to be expected from a Clapton joint. I just found much of the album bland unfortunately. There's a lot of bland blues rock in this list now that I think about it. "Layla" definitely does a ton of heavy lifting here.
J’aime
Me donne envie d’aller voler la blonde de mon ami
Surpris par celui-ci, je pensais moins aimer puisque je ne suis pas tant fan de Cream, mais c'est vraiment moins psychédélique et plus grounded. La guitare à Clapton est difficile à ne pas apprécier.
I’m playing the man, not the ball here. But seriously. Layla, and perhaps one other song aside, this is quite meh.
Excellent. Can't believe I'd never heard of them before!
With the exception of the last two songs, every song on this album sounds the same. I wouldn't mind too much as, while a bit bland, there's nothing too wrong with them. But the album is so overlong that it gets pretty dull.
Others have talked about Clapton as a person already. I'm here solely for the music, not the man. This is a decent blues rock album, but most of it's nothing really mind blowing. Layla is the obvious star here. There's a reason that's the one that still gets played on classic rock radio decades later. Other than Layla, I think Bell Bottom Blues is worth the listen.
This one hurts as it's so, so, incredibly good, but delivered by a racist, chauvinistic, cruel piece of shit.
This is the only Clapton record I really fuck with. My main complaint about Clapton is his white-guy-playing-black-music-that-pales-in-comparison-no-pun-intended-but-maybe-it-was songs, and there are a few of those on this record, but stuff like the title track and “Bell Bottom Blues” make up for it.
That was that. 3.
I know he's a dick, but he's also a great musician. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
Awesome. Great blues the whole way through. Thought the guitar was amazing, didn't realise who it was until after I listened
Didn’t know anything about the artists until I read the reviews and saw some strong opinions. Without all that context, this could have been a 4. I loved the long, rocking guitar solos and duets. However, this is just way too long and could be much more concisely done. For that reason I am giving this 3.
A little dated for my taste but great song writing.
Not bad - 3.5 out of 5 Eric Clapton is always a legend, depsite how ignorant he is (we didn't back then what an a-hole he was). TIL Duane Allman was a huge contributor which makes sense. This sounds like Southern Rock and has the Allman Brothers sound. Little bluesy, some southern rock, and little bit of folk rock. Not too bad. Good background music while working.
They really just named the album "we got this one banger and an hour of other shit"
Wusste nicht das es hier auch Best of Alben gibt. Klang natürlich nichts kagge, aber war mir dann doch zuviel "Summer of Love" Sound :D
Teilweise nicht schlecht, aber zu lange für meinen Geschmack. Nichts besonderes.
Nichts besonderes. Ich merk einfach die beste Dauer für ein Album ist so ca. 40-50 Minuten. Alles drüber ist einfach too much. Eric Clapton kann toll Gitarre spielen, aber menschlich leider ein HuSo
Layla is a brilliant song. Rest ok 3/5
Started off great, ended great with Layla. Lots of overly long blues songs that kinda bored me (despite Clapton stuffing those songs to the brim with good stuff). Was thinking initially I'd rate higher, but then the bluesier stuff kicked in.
Classic Clapton. or as I call him, the American David Gilmour. whats not to love.
Great bluesy album with, of course, one of Clapton's biggest hits. But while great musically, there were no other standouts.
Layla was great, the rest was a lot less good. The singer was also missing some vocal ability to really make the songs on here work
classic
Obviously Clapton is a guitar legend (regardless of his recent years of…being interesting). This album, to me, excels with its slow blues numbers that showcase his playing and their ability for delicate music. Some all-timers on here, some really good songs, and some that I was ok with skipping after a couple of minutes.
Before I went into this, I expected a boring collection of unimpressive vaguely blues-inspired guitar noodling. Instead, I got a boring, and at points genuinely annoying, collection of unimpressive vaguely blues-inspired guitar noodling. It’s nice when Eric Clapton shuts up, but then you realise he’s the one playing that annoying guitar. He really thinks he’s the shit, doesn’t he. Every time he comes up on this list I will mention his “keep Britain white” ideals and his contradictory heavy ‘borrowing’ of music made by... black people. Hang on, track 11 is great! Oh, it’s just a worse version of a Hendrix song. As are half of the songs on here; blues-y covers of (probably) better originals. The title track, the song more well-known than the album, is... OK? It’s just alright? The sort of thing that appears on “top 10 greatest riffs of the 70s” Youtube videos, or more accurately, “top 10 most recognisable riffs”, as it’s more just recognisable than actually being any good. I can’t really say Little Wing is the best track on here, it’s a like-for-like cover, but it’s certainly the one I enjoyed the most. As for the remaining 13 tracks, they range from listenable to near-laughably annoying. This really is your average rock album.
Solid
Esse álbum é espetacular! CVJ Aria
Una absoluta maravilla. Extraordinario. Si ud. no ha escuchado este álbum de principio a fin, deje todo y vaya ahora mismo a hacerlo. Muy en el top de la pesente lista.
This is the kind of album I want playing in a dimly lit dive bar that still allows smoking. And you know what, I will have a couple of those cigs because this shit rocks. Heavy, hard rock blues is how I'd describe it. A few of the songs meander a bit, and the closing song is such a bummer after the title track, but it's still a solid 4/5 for me
Meh
Quite good.
8/10
Only coz Layla is a banger. Clapton is still a racist bellend.
This would have had to be pretty good to make up for the Eric Clapton of it all. It was not. Layla's a great song but the Little Wing cover before it was actively painful to sit through and the rest was aggressively mediocre.
Fun easy listening music with stellar guitar playing. 3.4/5
Clapton y la guitarra fueron parte de mi ingreso al mundo del blues. Debe tener una zona oscura como todos, pero yo busco su luminosidad y me confirma y tranquiliza.
An album I could revisit
Peak Clapton, aided by Duane Allman and a sympathetic band. Clapton never sounded so authentic or engaged with the blues.
Ugh, I love Bell Bottom Blues. The rest of the record is fine but that one track carries the whole thing.
Greit nok. Har sine bra stunder, men blir også fortvilt bakgrunns musikk. Svak 3»er
2.5 rounded up it’s pretty good, but way too long and just lacking a certain something. overrated highlights: bell bottom blues, i am yours, little wing, layla (mar 16 2026)
takes the place as least favourite 3/5
Music for bores who like instruments more than they like songs.
Everything blues in this os straight up perfect, the rockier cuts still hit though, loved this!
I approached this one with trepidation because, quite frankly, Eric Clapton is a bellend (Bellend Bottom Blues?) and I find it very difficult to listen to him these days. I used to love this album but haven't listened to it in a few years. It stands up. "I Looked Away", "Keep On Growing", "Tell the Truth". Why Does Love Got To be So Sad" and, of course, "Layla" are classics. The blues covers are good, the extended jams from Clapton and Duane Allman excellent. If you can put aside the racism, the Covid denial, suing a fan for £4,000 for advertising an €11 bootleg on Ebay, and generally being a prick, there is some really great music here. I can forgive Clapton for stealing his friend's wife, as George did, as it led to a lot of these songs, but then he treated her as the arsehole his is. For these reasons, it may be a while before I can suitably divorce the art from the artist and listen to this album again, but I'm glad I did this time.
yeah not bad, i almost felt something on some songs so, not too shabby, didn't evoke much tho it gotta be said, so it's getting a 3
Decent album overall. Some high and low points. Layla kind of carries it tho Standout songs: Layla Key to the highway Little wing
Fantastic
Really a 3.5 great songs but many started to sound the same #albumsky #musicsky
Good, but not enough to reach 4 stars. "Layla" rocks pretty much.
bunch of great blues rock tracks!
So much guitar wanking.
Man. It might be because of all the amazing blues I’ve heard the last while but this album feels dull.
not very good
holy shit eric clapton
Can't deny how much I liked this one. I'm not a Clapton fan usually, but this was a really enjoyable album full of blues rock goodness. Even accounting for the style being right up my alley, they still pulled it off incredibly well. Pretty much every song just rocked, and the song after it carried the previous one's momentum on, all the way up to Layla. Somehow hearing that song in the context of the album made it even better than I had thought it was before. The guitar really was great. Clapton and Allman blazed away for the whole 76 minutes the album lasted, and never let up (nor did they have a reason to). It didn't really matter what everyone else did, since their work just kept your attention all the way through. I thought Clapton's voice worked well for the style they had, so it didn't detract from it at all for me. Putting it all together created something interesting, fun, and truly entertaining. It's always pretty amazing when you hear some of these older records and how well everyone plays together when you realize they didn't have anywhere near the same amount of record options and tricks that they can use today. They just went in the studio and pulled that off together. The only songs I didn't really care for were I Am Yours and Thorn Tree, which were a little more subdued compared to most of the other tracks. I still liked them well enough; maybe they suffered by being surrounded by so many other good songs rather than just being weak efforts. I also actually really liked the long runtimes for the songs and album. Nothing really felt overplayed or stretched too much, and very little of it seemed like filler to me. I do have to dock it a little for the number of covers since I still think that's cheating a little bit. Even though they were really good, it's hard to give them credit for other people's songs (especially since their own were so good). I think that bite was lessened somewhat since there were still 9 originals, so essentially a full album even without the covers. There was bit of homogeny given consistency of style and construction, but it worked well for me given my preference for blues rock. In sum, I found this to be a really good album. The songs rocked and had soul, both from the instruments and the themes. While there were a couple tracks that felt weaker to me, they didn't distract from how good the rest of the album was. It ran long, but none of the time was wasted or felt forced. Even the number of covers didn't leave too bad of a taste for me, though I think that's the only reason I found it to be a little short of great. It was very good, and probably the best I've ever heard of Clapton. Overall: 4.4/5
I really do not care for Eric Clapton.
I'm here for the song Layla and the song Layla only
Some excellent electric guitar
Another meh album, but Layla gets it an extra star. Not really incentivized to go higher since Eric Clapton sucks as a person.
A lot of songs I’ve heard. Glad I listened to the album but don’t think I’d revisit