Eric Clapton is a Rock guitarist extraordinaire. From humble beginnings in the legendary Rhythm and Blues group The Yardbirds, onto Rock supergroup Cream, a stint in various bands such as Derek & The Dominos and a successful solo career, he has had a very interesting and decent musical career. He is also the only artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times. That takes talent. In any case, by the time of this release, most of Eric Clapton’s best music was seen as a thing of an era gone past, although much of his music is still essential listening to this very day. Hence this compilation. Let’s take a listen to this release and hear what it sounds like.

Layla is the famous Derek & The Dominos song. The song has an interesting history behind it, being a love song for Pattie Boyd, who was then George Harrison’s wife. Oddly enough, George Harrison didn’t mind this as he and Eric Clapton were lifelong friends. It begins with some classic overdriven guitar riffs, and quickly launches into some amazing and soaring melodies throughout. Eric Clapton sings wonderfully here, and he specifically sings about being passionately in love with a woman he desires. The chorus is absolutely magical as well, and it sounds really excellent as a result. A fine and fantastic tune that is worth your time and ears. A top and interesting listening experience, this sounds extraordinary and fantastic throughout. This song kickstarted the 1970s and its instrumentation, playing and guitar tone is fantastic. There are screaming guitars as an extended medley after the chorus. Nonetheless, this is really an uplifting tune, especially considering the circumstances that it emerged from. A truly great listen. Towards the middle, the second section begins with a pounding piano that is sweetly melodic and sounds great on its own. Soon enough, glorious slide guitars enter and this piece sounds really awesome with them as a result. A really great tune and a peaceful, harmonious and pleasant listening experience. This is definitely one of the must-listens from Clapton himself. A really great tune to hear. This does sound really marvellous and tremendous, being in the spirit of all great things Eric Clapton. A definitive tune from this masterful musician. One of the greatest Classic Rock pieces ever made. A really awesome and fine effort by Derek & The Dominos with Eric Clapton at the helm. Brilliant music and a music listen for guitarists out there. It is lengthy, but time is well spent listening to this music. Truly awesome, the ending is pretty and amazing.

Badge is a groovy, kinky Cream number. It has Eric Clapton singing nicely here and is much shorter length-wise. This is yet another great Classic Rock tune that sounds really passionate and awesome. A cool, clever and interesting tune to listen to, this is Rock extraordinaire. A good listen, but to be frank, this is good but not great. The guitar soloing is fantastic, however, and it shows off the glory of Slowhand. An interesting tune to have on a compilation, and something rather leftfield here. Worth a listen anyway, but not the most definitive Eric Clapton song.

I Feel Free begins with electric guitar and harmonies, along with handclaps. These harmonies are multitracked and divine. An instantly loveable and wonderful listening experience, Eric Clapton’s guitar playing on his Gibson Les Paul here is absolutely fantastic, as is the song. This is an awesome Cream classic that is definitely worth hearing. A fine, awesome and tuneful number that sounds incredibly awesome. This is one of the best introductions to music from the 1960s. The lyrics are quite Psychedelic as well. A truly great song, and something definitely worth your time. Cream was a great band – period. Awesome tune.

Sunshine Of Your Love is yet another classic tune by Cream. It sounds tremendously awesome from the start, with descending Blues guitar riffs and a tremendous rhythm section to back it up. Jack Bruce sings sweetly here as Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker do their thing well musically. A wonderful, wonderful tune. This song was obviously inspired by Psychedelic drug use but also follows a familiar theme lyrically of 1960s romanticism. Nonetheless, this is a fantastic tune to hear. Really great to hear. Jimi Hendrix loved this tune as well. All in all, a really great song to listen to from start to finish. The guitar solos played here are absolutely mind-blowingly great. A fine and fun listen, and a tune that never gets old. Although Eric Clapton’s guitar playing shines bright here, both Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker played in an original and awesome way that was unforgettable. A really cool tune to hear. A Rock music classic, with Psychedelic overtones, this is where the Rock supergroup sounds work. Brilliant.

Crossroads – Live is an awesome Cream-era tune from the start, oddly enough, with Eric Clapton on vocals. It begins with heavy and melodic guitar riffing that sounds excellent. A really dramatic, awesome and cool listening experience, Clapton and co. put in an energetic and impressive live performance. Cream didn’t just make good songs, they also were a tremendously great live band as well. The guitar soloing towards the middle of this piece is absolutely fantastic, driven and electrifyingly energetic sounding. The rest of Cream attempts to keep up with the whole thing, and they all do well here regardless. Some amazing and wild guitar soloing is in the second half of this tune, and this whole thing is marvellous and miraculous. A really awesome and decent tune to listen to, this is proof of the awesomeness of Eric Clapton. A great, great tune. Worth hearing again and again. It ends with chaotic drum rolls and guitar playing, to loud applause. Totally awesome.

Strange Brew is the lead-off tune from the Cream album Disraeli Gears, released in 1967. It has some awesome Gibson SG guitar riffing and launches into a Psychedelic Pop/Rock classic. A really awesome and fine-tune to listen to. This song is a really awesome and divine listen, likely about drug use, in which Cream was heavily involved in at the time. A really great song nonetheless, this sounds really solid gold and awesome. Cream was one of the best supergroup acts in existence in musical history. A really top-notch performance, and worth your ears. Fine, sweet and super top. A brilliant song.

White Room is one of the more popular Cream tunes. It begins with a load of multitracked guitar and other overdubs, before quickly launching into a fine and fantastic listening experience. This is an extraordinary five-minute-long piece that sounds catchy, inspired and ridiculously good to hear. Wah-wah guitar is present on this song, and the playing by all three members of Cream (Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker) are to absolutely best of their abilities. A really top-notch and joyful listen, inspired by the music of the time and a lot of drug use, no doubt. A really cool and interesting listen, this sounds really amazing for what it is. A fantastic tune to listen to from start to finish. A song with lyrics about travelling by train and other interesting events, this is super awesome and cool. The outro sounds absolutely musically delicious and this is a great way to spend five minutes of your life hearing. A great, great listen. Worth it all the way through.

Bell Bottom Blues is another Derek & The Dominos number that begins with some excellent electric guitar and launches into a good Pop song by Eric Clapton and company. The Fender Stratocaster sounds are really excellent and brilliant here, and this is another majestic and lovely-sounding tune. It’s another romanticism-based piece with fluid guitar playing, organs and decent drumming throughout. Nonetheless, this is another really fine and fluid tune to listen to. The chorus in particular is really fine and stunning to listen to as well. A genuinely great song. The guitar solo in the middle is beautiful and harmonics-based, before launching back into the chorus. A really cool and interesting listening experience. A joyous listen that appeals not only to Hippies but music lovers in general. A great song from start to finish, and something that Clapton fans must hear. A very great song, especially for Blues-based Hard Rock music. It ends after five minutes in length, good job.

Cocaine is the Pop/Rock drug-taking hit song from the late 1970s by Eric Clapton. A really fine and fantastic tune devoted to the drug of choice at the time in the USA, Eric Clapton plays and sings wonderfully on this song. The guitar riffs in particular are stunning, and Clapton himself was quite a heavy cocaine user, apparently. Towards the middle is a good guitar solo section that is uplifting and interesting, with pseudo-marching band drum rolls to match. A really awesome and fantastic listen, this is a quirky, sweet and awesome Rock tune to listen to. This is a joyous and fresh tune. “She don’t lie, she don’t lie, she don’t lie, cocaine…” is sung throughout here, and this ends with some really nice guitar soloing. Great job.

I Shot The Sheriff is a classic 1970s Pop/Rock staple from Eric Clapton on his 1974 461 Ocean Boulevard album release. It still sounds joyous, interesting and fantastic to this day. It is Reggae influenced but sounds original and fantastic throughout. A great tale of Wild West ideals and an interesting story to boot, this is a lively and interesting tune to listen to. Although the lyrics are fairly repetitive, they are still awesomely consistent throughout with various puns and other interesting musicality to this song. Clapton is one of the greatest musicians still alive at the time of writing and is massively influential throughout the world. A great Hey Joe sort of story, this is one of the most important and recognisable Slowhand pieces ever made. It is very 1970s sounding, and he carries the spirit of The Beatles throughout this tune. A really excellent and quirky listen, this is definitely worth your time. A great, great tune. Worth repeated listens.

After Midnight begins with drum hits, and organ and launches into an interesting Eric Clapton piece with frenetic guitar and sweet playing and singing by Eric Clapton. A really old-school-sounding tune with fluttering piano and other great instrumentation throughout. Nonetheless, this is another top listening experience that works tremendously well. Clapton himself plays extremely well on this song, with some great mid-position Fender Stratocaster licks that work. A catchy, interesting and groovy tune that demands to be heard by many music fans out there, this is really awesome and extraordinary. Clever, cool and groovy, this is a very upbeat and top-notch piece of music to listen to. A dramatic and frenetic tune, this is another good piece from this compilation. Sweet.

Swing Low Sweet Chariot begins with some sweet drum rolls and launches into a very Reggae-sounding tune with slide guitar. An excellent listening experience, this is a smooth, subtle and sweet listen that sounds really top-notch and awesome. A joyous, interesting and lovely-sounding piece of music that sounds excellent to this very day, this is one of the better solo Eric Clapton cuts from this compilation. A really cool and awesome listening experience, this is enjoyable and interesting music that works well to this day. In the second half is a sweet slide guitar solo that sounds great to this day. This is a tremendous effort by Eric Clapton. A really cool and enjoyable listening experience, not bad for a three-and-a-half-minute Pop/Rock piece. It fades out sweetly.

Lay Down Sally is a great piece from the 1977 Slowhand album. It begins with some gorgeous muted Fender Stratocaster riffs and is a pretty and lovely tune to listen to. It is an upbeat, listenable and joyous tune that is very 1970s, wonderful and gorgeous. The guitar riffing in this tune is absolutely superb throughout. Cool, clever and lovely music, the female backing vocals are really fantastic and pretty throughout the chorus as well. Some of the best Fender Stratocaster work is present here from the history of the instrument. A really cool, groovy and enjoyable listening experience from start to finish. The music present is absolutely gorgeous and points out the real talent of Eric Clapton. An upbeat, interesting and lovable listening experience, Clapton does his best to impress the ladies. A great, great song. Period. It fades out sweetly at the end.

Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door begins with some interesting guitars, harmonica and a real Reggae feel to this song. This is an interesting and lovely tune that is a Bob Dylan cover, reappropriated for Eric Clapton. Still, it sounds really awesome and amazing, to this very day. A really awesome and tremendous listening experience. A smooth, sensual and downtempo piece that is very pretty and memorable throughout. Towards the middle is a nice fuzz-laden guitar solo that sounds really excellent, with slide guitar being used to play it. A cool, quirky and groovy tune that is a must-listen from this compilation, this is definitely an interesting listening experience that sounds super cool. A bit lengthy, but that is perfectly okay at this point. Really awesome cover, well done Slowhand and friends. This does sound great. Worth your ears.

Wonderful Tonight is another Slowhand album cut. It begins with some of the prettiest Fender Stratocaster licks that you will ever hear, along with an organ and a slow, steady rhythm section. This details a possible real-life experience from Eric Clapton that is really deep and romantic. Nonetheless, this is another great cut from Slowhand that works really sweetly. A real song of romance and commitment to a loving relationship with a lady, this is an extraordinary and pretty tune to hear. This is music that is incredibly timeless and pretty throughout. Great, great music. In the second half are arpeggios and sweet guitar playing that has rarely been matched, even by Clapton himself. It is a really beautiful and lovely listen, this is exactly what young lovers need to hear. A great song, period. Definitely worth hearing. It ends sweetly.

Let It Grow is a cut from the 461 Ocean Boulevard album. It sounds smooth, lovely and fantastic from the start. It is a laidback, gentle and mellow tune that has Eric Clapton singing about newfound love. All in all, this does sound really cool and great, with Eric Clapton sounding on top form here. The backing vocals in the chorus are really top, interesting and fantastic throughout. A really fine, sweet and fantastic tune to hear, complete with acoustic slide guitars present as well, soloing away well. This is no doubt one of the better cuts from this album, and it works very nicely. The chorus in particular is very uplifting and pretty to listen to. “Let it grow, let it grow, let it blossom, let it flow…” is rather simplistic lyrically in the chorus, but it works tremendously well. A great, great listen from start to finish. Worth your ears for sure. A great song to hear and to listen to. Towards the end are some odd keyboard sounds to boot, concluding a great song with a fade out.

Promises sounds like a brilliant road trip tune. It is a song about romantic disappointments but sounds reassuring about the whole matter. The chorus has some neat slide guitar playing and just sounds really pretty and lovely throughout. Another enjoyable and picturesque tune that deserves to be listened to, Eric Clapton’s solo career work may not be as welcomed by many as his earlier works, but it still works very well regardless. A really lovely listen, despite the dark lyrical matter at hand, this does sound really upbeat and fantastic regardless. The backing vocal harmonies and slide guitar at the end are magnificent.

I Can’t Stand It is the last song on this compilation. It sounds rather a bit too 1980s for its own good, but still works very well as a song. This is a four-minute-plus long piece that works really nicely here, and Eric Clapton makes a reasonable impression musically here. He delivers really well overall, and his singing, playing and musical arrangements sound very good for the musical environment at hand. Rolling bongos are present in this song as well. Nonetheless, this tune works well emotionally and musically and is excellent. It does sound a lot like Talking Heads, but this is largely forgivable. Definitely worth hearing and listening to. It has a lengthy and slow fade out before the song surprisingly returns in a great fashion. Eric Clapton showcases himself as a great musician and singer. The song fades out well at the end.

This is a great place to start for listening to Eric Clapton. This is an enjoyable compilation that is easy listening material and has many classic songs on it. It was also delivered at the right time for Eric Clapton in terms of his career span. Although the music present focuses on his early career, Clapton should be proud of his works on this compilation. Should you listen to this album? If you dig Classic Rock in particular, give this a go. You will not regret doing so.

An excellent starting point to get to hear Eric Clapton.

8/10