Search - Eric Clapton :: Chronicles (Long)

Clapton's 1974-75 comeback

M. Ditch | Pittsburgh PA | 08/10/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I stumbled upon this box set after seeking out 461 Ocean Boulevard on cd. I had been listening to it on an lp and decided to get the more portable and car friendly format. That's when I had to decide if getting the 30th anniversary edition (only available version at the time) and paying nearly 30 dollars for outtakes and all the bonus material was worth it. That's when I saw this. One live and two studio albums from 1974 and 1975 during Clapton's comeback. Four years before Layla and assorted love songs, was released in 1970. The three albums flow well together and can be listened to in sequence. 461 and There's One in Every Crowd sound much like the same album. 461 went gold but There's one failed to crack the top ten. 461 has better arranged songs, and more than likely There's one was compiled of songs that were not put on 461.



461 really doesn't need many points to explain why it is so good. Basically it is Eric fusing reggae with his own style. "I Shot the Sheriff" is on this album, but not all the songs have reggae influences, but they are easy to notice. "Motherless Children" blows open the album, in my opinion this is one of the best stompers Clapton ever did. This is a very pop orieneted album, "Let it grow" is the longest song on the album clocking in at exactly 5 minutes. All around one of the best solo albums Eric did.



There's one in every crowd is a tough fight to call. Like I mentioned earlier 461 is more than likely a collection all the hits that Clapton wrote after 4 years out of the studio. But it isn't a complete throw away like some people say. The album starts with two gospel numbers, the latter "Swing low, sweet chariot" sounds like a song straight from a Bob Marley album without Marley's vocals. "Don't Blame Me" might as well be Eric playing in a Wailer's cover band complete with the background singers and an organ. But it is still a good album.



E.C. was here. This album proves that even though two of his studio albums in '74 and '75 had reggae leanings Clapton could still play the blues. "Have you ever loved a woman" opens this album spotlighting classic Clapton from days gone by. But the part of this album that stands out are the two Blind Faith songs "Presence of the Lord" and "Can't Find My Way Home." Most songs are played very tightly by the band with Clapton still able to stretch out in parts.



Over all it's a nice collection, when I wrote this review the set figured to be about 8 dollars a cd. However, some liner notes and new photos would have been nice. Instead you just get the album cover booklet placed in a long box. But hey thats three jewel cases I won't ever have to replace. This makes the set a solid 3 1/2 stars, but a shakey 4.



Also I noticed the sequence is different from my lp of 461. Mine has "Better Make Is Through Today" as track 2. While the cd replaces it with a song called "Give Me Strength" and Better Make it is track 7 on There's always one. I'm not sure what the story behind this is."