Eric Clapton is a musician extraordinaire who in the Rock and Blues music world needs little to no introduction. He has worked extremely well over the years to make some of the greatest guitar music in the Rock scene and has built up a decent reputation as a musician, nicknamed Slowhand from early on. His work in various bands such as The Yardbirds and Cream, alongside a very successful solo career, has ensured that generations of musicians will remember his music work. Since Eric Clapton has had some physical health issues as he has gotten older, it has made sense for him to release some retrospectives of his music career. This is part two in a set of 2023 releases that have highlighted some unusual gems from his music career. Let’s take a listen to these rarities and hopefully, they shall be as good and necessary as promised.

Johnny Guitar is a seven-minute-long piece. It begins with a quick count-in and launches into an awesome, swampy groove-based jam with Fender Stratocasters galore, piano and some interesting guitar melodies throughout. A really great and pretty tune is present on this track, and this has some decent and interesting guitar licks throughout. This is an instrumental, but it sounds fantastic and interesting enough to enjoy listening to. The piano and guitar mesh along nicely with some rolling drumbeats in the background here. The tune sounds like something that Eric Clapton and friends could easily work up in an instant. A very good and interesting listen musically throughout. It is a swampy, rather Jazzy piece of freeform music with roots in the Blues and Rock. A fairly unique thing in itself. Nonetheless, this does sound super great. The piano sounds bright, pretty and enjoyable, especially in the midsection here. This is well played and although this jam does have multiple overdubs, it sounds different and beautiful simultaneously. This is some really cool and fine instrumentalisation of what music really should be, fine and sweet. The second half of the track has some super beautiful and wonderful sounds throughout, just sounding incredibly moving. The Fender Stratocaster sounds present are very unique and soulful simultaneously. A great, great listening experience. Towards the end, the Bluesy licks infiltrate your ears and soul, as this groovy piece gradually becomes more minimal. An excellent listening experience throughout, this is a winner. It fades out gently.

Midnight Hour Blues – Bonus Track begins with fuzzy, overdriven guitars and Blues phrasing, before launching into an excellent Blues song by Eric Clapton that sounds fantastic. With lyrics about having the Blues and loving a lady, this is a sweet and good listen. This song, to be fair, would likely have been done better acoustically, but it still sounds varied and wonderful regardless. The drumming serves a great purpose here, being thunderous and powerful throughout. A cool, different and upbeat listening experience, this tune may seem a little repetitive, but it works very well. Eric Clapton knows the Blues better than most people know music outside of their favourite artists. He plays with fiery passion and soul throughout, leaving a great impression on the listener. A loveable and interesting piece of traditional Blues music put into a Rock context, Clapton is a legend. Period. A really great and sweet listening experience.

You Better Watch Yourself sounds weird from the outset, and launches into a real raw sounding Rhythm and Blues styled piece of music that sounds varied and fantastic. For a later career rarity, this is a glorious hidden gem with some great guitars and a fantastic harmonica played throughout. Clapton knows much more than others how to create simple, lovely and melodic Blues-based music that works a treat. He sings and plays from an amazing place in the soul of the world of music that simply works nicely. A great, great listening experience throughout. This has some boogie-styled piano in the second half, along with incredible guitar playing and soloing thrown into the mix as well. An awesome dude on a mission to make great music, Eric Clapton sings and plays the Blues better than most people who followed in his footsteps. A very enjoyable and lovely listening experience, from start to finish, with a sweet ending. Brilliant.

Travelling Riverside Blues begins with some interesting slide guitar and Blues licks, launching into a nicely sung and different sounding Blues Rock tune. Eric Clapton does another very good and rocking Blues number that explores a fine musical palette and explorative guide musically. Nonetheless, this sounds really great and fantastic to this day. Clapton himself, despite being in the latter stages of his life, does the electric guitar some wonderful and powerful musical justice. The guitar solo here sounds very raw, overdriven and fuzzy. Indeed, Eric Clapton is likely using one of his Fender Custom Shop Stratocasters on this song, which are quintessentially interesting electric guitars. Regardless, this sounds super cool and good throughout and is the sort of Blues one can add in the background of whatever one does on a regular and daily basis. Simply gorgeous, different and amazing, this music is a killer listen. With some Robert Johnson-penned lyrics (lifted for this song) and a great conclusion following, this is another sweet listen from Clapton. Great.

Take A Little Walk With Me begins with some interesting descending Blues licks on the guitar, followed quickly by extraordinary harmonica and a raw, soulful Blues tune emerges. This sounds killer and is proof that Eric Clapton and friends were still making great tunes well into the 21st century. A downtempo but cheery-sounding listening experience that is really cool and extraordinary musically, Eric Clapton sure knows how to craft decent and different Blues Music in a Rock context. After all, Blues Music is where Rock Music originated from. Clapton obviously knows his history of music very well. This is a very lovely listen that has all the typical elements of Blues music played by a well-trained and awesome set of musicians, led by one of the most inspirational guitarists of all time. The harmonica in the right channel towards the end is really insane, and this finishes in a typical Blues ending fashion. Excellent.

Little Queen Of Spades begins with some interesting and swampy musical sounds. Eric Clapton launches into a lustful, interesting and Blues oriented piece of music that sounds really fine and fantastic today. Eric Clapton sings and plays very well on this song, and he sheds light on a postmodern musical scene defined by computerised music that is not as well done as real music played by real musicians. He indeed, proves that one can make great traditional music in this sense. A pretty, lovely and gorgeous tune about gambling ladies who really aren’t worth bothering with, this is a twisted and rather humourous listen by Slowhand. The music and musicianship throughout are really excellently beautiful and brilliant, just sounding solidly good. An organ solo is present here, which looks back to the musical traditions of the 1960s and 1970s when Clapton really got started. Still, this is a great tune to listen to. A fantastically awesome and enjoyable listening experience from start to finish, with some interestingly penned lyrics by Eric Clapton, the guitar playing and lead breaks here are truly awesome. Clapton plays like a legend, to this very day. The outro guitar solo is detailed and frenetically played to perfection, before this all ends well. Sweet.

Losing Hand begins with some warped guitar parts with slide guitar and regular guitar battling it out. More lyrics are present here about gambling losses, a warning to all problem gambling addicts out there. This is done in an alternate tuning rather than your typical E-A-D-G-B-E standard guitar tuning. It relates gambling with a woman to be too risky and proves herself to be unfaithful as a result. This sounds really excellent and extraordinary musically, and reveals a load of bad luck musically in the lyrics, matched with some expertly played and pretty musicianship from Eric Clapton and friends. The second half of the tune has some really interesting and amazing guitar soloing that makes a really decent listening impact, with some clanging piano to match. A great, great listen throughout, more postmodern music fans should hear this awesome music. It works so nicely. It has a really dramatic musical conclusion, with loud organs and a great wrap-up. Top notch.

I Was Fooled – Bonus Track is the final track on this album, and begins with a slow but cheerful Blues Music piece that sounds very awesome. A fine and cool tune to listen to, this song is about being fooled by a lady who mistreats one’s intentions at hand. A pleasant yet strange sort of lyrical piece of mastercraft, Eric Clapton proves that, even at an elderly age, he can still create great tunes and Rock the airwaves well. A harmonica-led solo section is present on this tune, and this is an interesting listening experience that is solid gold. A great three-minute-long song that is witty, different and well-played and sung. The album ends here.

Like most of Eric Clapton’s output, this music is vividly persistent, musical and memorable from start to finish. Despite his age, Clapton made some good staples of rarities here that certainly are worth repeat listens over time. Every song here is a winner, and this isn’t even one of his more loved releases. Should you listen to this album? If you want to hear some great obscure cuts from one of the best Blues musicians ever, give this a spin. A terrific listening experience to hear.

Sweet, melodic and above all, Bluesy.

9/10