MTV’s Unplugged series was, at the time, a great success. This was down to a bunch of legendary artists going onto the show to play their numbers acoustically. Enter Eric Clapton’s acoustic set. This was originally recorded way back in 1992, and is widely seen as a classic performance today. Let’s see if that is true, and jump into this musical journey.

We kick off with Signe which has a lot of cheering (deservedly so) at the start before Eric Clapton plays some random notes, before going into this beautiful and wonderful rendition of a song. It’s very catchy and points to a different direction in his music. A great instrumental to start off this performance with, no wonder Eric Clapton is seen as a legend. Great stuff. Nice piece of music.

Next is Before You Accuse Me is wonderfully good, and Eric Clapton sings wonderfully over the top of bluesy guitar playing here. This is a top number, and even the audience claps along. This is without a doubt one of the greatest live performances recorded to date, and the mixture of acoustic guitars is amazing. Eric Clapton sings nicely over the top of all this. Pure talent, this is amazing. Very wonderful to hear.

Hey Hey comes next, and is more upbeat and funky sounding. Very catchy and different, this is so much better than any of the confused RnB on the radio today. This is very minimal music, but is perfect for that long drive in the car or if you need a break from computerized beats. A wonderful and simple number that is top listening to this day. Excellent song, and a great performance overall.

Tears In Heaven sounds absolutely lovely and is an excellent number wonderfully done by Eric Clapton. It has bongo beats and a low key backing set of instrumentation, including horns and female backing vocals. This is really incredible listening, and just is amazing to hear on a sonic and musical level. The song alone deserves a good listen, this whole piece is superb. Excellent music, a good piece to hear when you need something really beautiful. Nice tune.

Next is Lonely Stranger which begins with nicely picked guitar and has some neat piano in the background. It is a superb performance by Eric Clapton, and just goes to show that Eric Clapton had a great catalogue of awesome songs in his repertoire. This is calm, soothing and refreshing music. A gentle and inspired listen, this sounds really great. Beautiful and refreshing.

Following is Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out which is a rendition of an old Eric Clapton favourite. It sounds very solid, consistent and freshly delivered to your ears. The acoustic guitar solo in this one is really great, as is the rest of the song. There is also a piano solo here too. Eric Clapton knew his craft, a wonderful song and a great listen. Excellent to hear, especially if you are down. A highlight of this recording.

Layla is an acoustic rendition of one of Eric Clapton’s most legendary songs, with Eric introducing it by saying, “See if you can spot this one”. It is a nice and gentle listen about the love for a lady one can (or cannot) obtain. A really great listen which is somewhat different to the original, this is a classic song done beautifully and acoustically. Top stuff, great to hear. The acoustic guitar solo is amazing. The outro is very suspenseful and beautiful. Nice piece to listen to. One of the best songs ever by Eric Clapton.

Running On Faith has some nice slide acoustic guitar here, and is a deep and inspired listening experience. It is a great slightly melancholy listening experience, but is refreshing and original in its musicality. It sounds really awesome and refreshing, even today in the world of celebrities and laptops musically. A solid piece of pure musical goodness, great to hear. Terrific work by Eric Clapton. Eric Clapton’s singing and guitar are just as good as each other, a sign of a true Rock legend. There are some inspired lyrics here about having faith and making dreams come true, a nice effort overall. The ending is very dramatic.

Following is Walkin’ Blues which has some gorgeous slide guitar that is original and funky. This is a side of music that has largely been ignored today, but makes this recording very much more valuable. Sounding very much from the south of the U.S.A. Eric Clapton delivers, and delivers wonderfully. Great piece, even if it is not a well known number. Top stuff.

Next is Alberta which sounds very inspired and romantic. It is a beautiful and memorable piece of music that is a great thing to hear, as Eric Clapton sings deeply about said love. Everything musically is spot on, and this whole piece of music is marvelous. Great to hear, and a nicely done effort by Eric Clapton. Gentle from start to finish, nice tune.

San Francisco Bay Blues begins with some 12 string acoustic guitars being strummed, as the audience claps along. This is a simple and straightforward number that is a great snapshot of a musical era lost today. There is harmonica in this one as well. Some great horn sections are here too, all in all a top performance and definitely a great listen. Eric Clapton is a great blues musician, no doubt.

Malted Milk is a great cover (guess who it is by?) which is a great and subdued musical listen for those who ever need it. Great song, and an excellent rendition of the original. Slow but not dull, this is a good cover to listen to. An interesting listen, perfect for the lazy Sunday or whenever you need to chill out. Excellent music.

Next is Old Love which is a long piece that sounds really top. It’s a classic Eric Clapton piece that sounds really amazing, and is a clear example of great musicianship. The whole thing sounds wonderfully good, and Eric Clapton sings about someone who he has long lost in terms of love. Terrific performance by Eric Clapton, and sounding really wonderful here. There is a neat acoustic guitar solo in the middle of this track, making it very flavoursome. Wonderful song and a great listening experience, straight from Slowhand. The piano in this song is excellent, and the audience claps and cheers throughout. It gets very subtle and quiet towards the end, nice effort.

Following is Rollin’ and Tumblin’ which is a take on a Cream original which is surprisingly consistent and catchy, although it is not played on electric guitars, just acoustic ones. It sounds really amazing, and Eric Clapton paints himself as the master of Blues Rock music. This is a top listen, and demands your time. Eric sings wordlessly throughout some parts of these tracks, showcasing his original style and skills. It gets very frenetic towards the end, excellent stuff. Excellent piece of music.

Circus comes next, with a load of clapping at the start, before Eric Clapton goes straight into a romantic sounding piece that sounds really great. It is an interesting piece of music that sounds unlike anything else in Eric Clapton’s back catalogue. It’s about a distressing relationship, and some of the lyrics here are quite deep. An excellent song for a blue mood, this is top. Great to hear.

My Father’s Eyes is a refreshing piece of music that has a brief, false start before we go into a lovely song that is very romantic and neat sounding to this day. This is a superb and underrated song that sounds really top. The subject matter is quite interesting, and is a chilled listen. Eric Clapton gives us his all, another great song is here. The chanted vocals throughout are excellent. Note that this is Take 1 on this album, with Take 2 coming shortly afterwards. Great piece of tune.

Next is Running On Faith which is a great take on this song, delivered acoustically. It sounds really excellent and despite the fact that this has already been done in this performance, it deserves a repeat listen. It just goes to show how really good Eric Clapton was, and is. A top listen and one that is worth hearing, a very reassuring listen. Beautiful to hear. “Love comes over you,” indeed.

Following is another take of Walkin’ Blues which sounds superb, as per usual. It is a wonderful listening experience, and is a very traditional piece of music. Slide acoustic guitar with a bluesy feel is here, and this short piece does very well. Top music from Eric Clapton, another must hear take of this song. Very catchy.

My Father’s Eyes is Take 2 of the song, and it needs no real introduction here, although the groove on it seems a lot tighter. It is great music that sounds terrific, even today. The music is simple, melodic and catchy. Eric Clapton puts in 100%, as does the rest of the band. The midsection is very good, with an array of great instrumentation. Hats off to Eric Clapton, a top Blues Rock musician. Brilliant music and wonderful song. The harmonies throughout are top. After the main song is done, Eric does a little solo guitar piece, before we lead into the last song.

Worried Life Blues is the last song on this album, and is just as good as the other songs on here. It is a more traditional Blues based piece of music. This is great music to kick back, relax, close one’s eyes to and enjoy. A really top listening experience, this sounds killer and amazing. Great music, and a nice finish to this album. The guitar solos here are really impressive, and the crowd agrees. Nice finish to a great album.

This is a great album, and is top from start to finish. If you dig acoustic guitars, Blues Rock or Eric Clapton, you should feel at home here. This is an excellent listen throughout and a must have for those who like this sort of music. Even casual fans should appreciate this great album. Terrific effort by Eric Clapton and co.

Quality.

9/10