Problems were brewing for Eric Clapton at this time. Not only did his record label, Warner Bros, not react well to the fact that his previous album release, the 1983 album Money and Cigarettes, bombed and decided to interfere with this album project, but also during the recording of this album, Clapton himself had briefly split with Pattie Boyd, his long-time lover. In short, things weren’t that great for Slowhand himself. To assist with matters, this album was a part of a project with Phil Collins, the noted singer/drummer of Genesis, the Progressive Rock legends of the 1970s. In a sharp departure from before, this album features keyboards, synthesisers and drum machines to add a different approach musically. The result of all this chaos in Eric Clapton’s life during this period of recording meant that the album received lukewarm reviews from the general review community as a result. The album was produced by Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Ted Templeman and Lenny Waronker and was recorded in multiple studios in Los Angeles, and was released on 11 March 1985. Some of the tracks on the album were first played live at the iconic Live Aid concert as well. This album runs for just over 50 minutes. Let’s take a listen to this effort, and we shall hear if it is any good.

1. She’s Waiting begins with some watery guitars and enters into a weird 1980s sort of song. This is so terribly dated-sounding song from the start. Still, it is actually fairly good musically. Eric Clapton sings well on this song, although it is very clear that this album is Eric Clapton selling out his music agenda to the sounds of 1985. In short, it’s a fairly good listen, but by and large, likely to offend traditional fans of Clapton. A good song, but nothing that sounds particularly long-lasting or well dated to this day. All in all, the music and performances are good, complete with a clean, Fender Stratocaster guitar solo to match. In any case, this music is good but definitely not all in character for Slowhand of old. In short, this is a poor sell-out at the wrong time and place for Eric Clapton to do so. The key change is unnecessary as well. The mainstream of most 1980s music was terrible, and this is a clear case of such a thing. In any case, this music falls short of being decent. Not a good idea on paper, nor in reality. The drum fills at the end are good, however, they sound like intricate marching drum fills. The looped sounds at the end, including the harmonies, are very annoying as well.

2. See What Love Can Do continues the stupid 1980s sounds and textures. This is definitely not on for Eric Clapton, especially as he began as a Rock/Blues guitarist superstar. Eric Clapton sings well, and one can hear his pain front and centre, but he is far better off being a more traditional guitarist than going into contemporary music. That is a complete sellout of what he was, and in retrospect, this isn’t impressive at all. Sorry dude, this just isn’t good enough at all. A sad and difficult song to listen to, in the fact that Clapton has shot himself in the foot here. The guitar solo is very good, however. At least he could play a great and mean solo when necessary. Otherwise, this is trashy and commercial-sounding music at the worst music era for Eric Clapton to do a thing. No doubt that long-term fans of Eric Clapton will shake their heads at this sort of music. It’s not needed to approach New Wave styled sounds on a Rock album by Eric Clapton. Disappointing.

3. Same Old Blues begins with a faded keyboard intro, launching into more horrid 1980s sounds and textures. This does not sound good. At all. It seems that Eric Clapton and Warner Bros decided to destroy his career by totally selling out here. There is a good groove to this one, but this is definitely not on. A horrible and appalling listen throughout, this music is worth hitting stop, grabbing the album and throwing it out of the window. The guitar solo is also totally unimaginative. A really poor idea for a song and sonic listening experience that sounds poor. Eric Clapton can do much, much better than this. Quite frankly, this is a very embarrassing and a joke of a listen for a record. It falls down on its false promise of good music. The guitar soloing on this tune is also very bad, and this is definitely worth hurling out of your own memory and life. A real disaster of a listening experience. Eric Clapton is no longer a guitar hero on this album, just making music that does not need to be heard. Fortunately, you don’t need to listen to this joke of an album. In addition, this song is over eight minutes long. Definitely avoid this trash. A really bad choice in music progression and change, Slowhand must be embarrassed personally today at this junk. It should have been half the running time that it is. One will shake their head at this. Simply put, do not listen to this album, even if you thought that Eric Clapton was great during the 1960s and 1970s. This song drags on forever, and although Eric Clapton shreds away well in the second half, Thrash Metal is a better alternative for that. Enough to turn Clapton fans away, and for good, upon hearing. A very bad listen. It finally ends rather dramatically with a gong-style sound outro.

4. Knock on Wood is a little better sounding. Still, it is a poor product. There is absolutely very little to hear and be proud of on this album. It is another forgettable song that showcases how badly downhill Eric Clapton was going in this era. A real drag of a song that really needs a much more stripped-back set of production values, rather than cheesy 1980s sounds. Fortunately, Eric Clapton has done better, both before and since. It has a bad set of keyboard melodies and sounds that do not sound at all natural. A real disaster throughout, this is one of the “better” songs from this album, and it makes very little good impression on the listener. Nonetheless, it is a good example of a song and album of what not to do. Avoid.

5. Something’s Happening begins with reverberated beats and bad-sounding guitars. Again, this sounds awful. You can literally hear how bad this is to one’s ears. Bye-bye, Clapton of old, hello bad music of the 1980s. This is a short, annoying and repetitive song that definitely has nothing to do with Rock Music. A drag and a joke musically. Sorry, dude, this is not really music. At all. This is easily the worst Clapton album that he had recorded to this point. The guitar solo is good, but that is about it. After two decades of making music, Eric Clapton had completely sold out to the corporate mediocrity of 1985. A poor song, and certainly worth avoiding totally. A sad and depressing listen from a critical standpoint. Do not listen to this album, including this bad tune. It is not worth it.

6. Forever Man is appalling. It has keyboards and a very poor retro Disco Music feel to it all. Just no, dude. Hit stop immediately and go listen to something much better than this instead. All in all, this is a very bad and pathetic listening experience that doesn’t deliver the goods at all. It is the equivalent of musical junk. The only saving grace of this song is the guitar solo. This is exactly why you don’t record music with Phil Collins. Not a good or interesting listening experience throughout. The poor sound and style of the 1980s eventually got to Eric Clapton. A junk song, avoid like the plague. Do not listen to this garbage in any way, shape or form. It’s bad.

7. It All Depends is a bad keyboard ballad. Honestly, why? Why would Eric Clapton do such a thing? It sounds awful nonetheless and is a mockery and completely different from what Eric Clapton should be musically. This is not a way to make a Rock/Blues guitarist move on with the times. Definitely a case of style over substance, Clapton and his friends successfully destroy any chance of making a decent song overall. This is absolutely appalling and just not needed at this stage. This sounds like Eric Clapton was in serious decline, and likely hanging around the wrong people on drugs at this stage. A joke of a listen, and certainly nothing special here. All in all, this song is the sound of disaster throughout. A really irritating listen, and a drag musically to get through. This song is not what one needs to hear, under most circumstances. There is nothing of great appeal throughout. A bad listen, and certainly nothing absolutely solidly great. This is quite clearly a joke. Skip ahead if you can. This five-minute-long turkey of a song isn’t good. Appalling.

8. Tangled in Love sounds atrocious, yet again. This is a misguided music approach by a guy who was once considered a Guitar God back in the 1960s. This album and song are a great example of exactly why someone shouldn’t experiment in music if they already have a tried and true formula musically to go on with. AC/DC never needed to experiment musically, nor did Eric Clapton. All the same, this track is very, very poor and is a bad idea in a musical sense. A real poor example of Clapton’s music, just no. This is not at all good, and it is the sound of Eric Clapton musically fumbling around in the dark. Not a moment of memorable music is present in this song. Not even worth a single listen, this album is exactly why one should hate the vast majority of 1980s commercially successful artists: it was a poor era of music. Anyway, just avoid this repetitive dirge of a song, and you’ll be absolutely fine.

9. Never Make You Cry is a six-minute-long piece. Why that was seen as necessary, one will never know. It begins with a poor combination of synthesisers and slide guitar, which is atrocious and weird. It sounds absolutely awful and is truly a disastrous work. A really poor piece of music is present here, and it doesn’t cut the mustard at all. This song is a real drag to listen to, and Eric Clapton has clearly no idea what he is promoting or singing about here with conviction. In any case, this is not a good or special listen. Eric Clapton sings about missing his wife, but even so, this is a bad example of that. Period. Fortunately, Clapton has done much better elsewhere. This song is really quite appalling, though. It is slow, ordinary and boring. The music does not do the listener any justice at all. This sounds completely lame and unadventurous as a piece of music. It also drags on unnecessarily. This is completely disappointing to hear as a piece of music by Eric Clapton. Sadly, this has aged very badly. This song isn’t great, and it lacks power, interest, consistency and above all, quality. If you yawn while listening to this song, it isn’t totally surprising to hear. Anyway, you aren’t forced to hear this music, just don’t bother with it at all. A lame song that lacks surprises throughout. Purely a case of disappointing listening from start to finish. Just abysmal.

10. Just Like a Prisoner sounds shockingly bad from the start. It is a poor mixture of synthesisers, keyboards and electronics throughout. There is nothing redeeming at all about this song, it sounds like sonic garbage. A mistake was made in making this song, and if you like it at all, that is surprising. A poor example of music on an album that will not be at all remembered in the history books. This is the sound of Eric Clapton shooting himself in both feet with a gun. Fortunately, nobody has to listen to this by choice. The drums in particular are awful. Clapton tries to put some effort into his guitar solo, which is not memorable, either. You can very much avoid this music and eject this album from your ears. A really pathetic listen, this is repulsively bad. Also, the fact that this is a waste of five and a half minutes is not good. A really terrible listen, and something you can honestly avoid throughout. Just no good. No wonder Grunge Music arrived in the late 1980s to rebel against this sort of garbage. A sad reminder that even the greatest artists can make terrible music in their lifetime. No thanks, Eric Clapton.

11. Behind the Sun is the final track on this frankly bad album. It has, yet again, a highly treated electronic sound to it all. There is a guitar arpeggio present, and some calm vocals by Eric Clapton over the top of it all. Again, this is a waste of time and very lacking. A failure of a song for a failure of an album. This doesn’t help it at all, and Clapton finally finishes this bad album on a poor note. A waste of time by a once-great musician.

This is not at all an album worthy of your time. It sounds so bad and dated in many, many ways. Eric Clapton did not need to sell out at all. This is a shambles of a listen that does not help the listener in any way, shape or form. For a much more realistic and better representation of Eric Clapton, go and hear his work with Cream or his earlier and much more notable solo albums. Do not listen to this trash otherwise.

A very, very bad album representative of a backwards music era.

2/10