Album: Eric Clapton <!-- none onestar twostar threestar fourstar fivestar -->

Back Home, REPRISE/DUCK

Andy Gill
Friday 26 August 2005 00:00 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The title of Clapton's latest album, recorded alongside the Robert Johnson covers for last year's Me and Mr Johnson, suggests it is intended to complement 1989's Journeyman. Where that album grew out of his touring lifestyle, this one reflects the more stable, rooted nature of his life now, with a new family. That's clear from the opening "So Tired", a relaxedJJ Cale-style groove with warm horns and nice unison scat and dobro fills, on which he complains contentedly about how "The babies all need feeding/ And one of them is teething". It sets out the stall for a CD whose tone recalls his 461 Ocean Boulevard era, particularly on the reggae skanks of the single "Revolution" and "Say What You Will" - the latter, with its slick rhythms and burnished brass, sounding like Steely Dan doing a reggae version of "Our Day Will Come". A handful of unusual covers - George Harrison's "Love Comes to Everyone", deep-soul versions of Vince Gill's "One Day" and The Detroit Spinners' "Love Don't Love Nobody", and an enjoyable romp through Stevie Wonder & Syreeta's "I'm Going Left" - lend variety to a set of original songs mostly concerned with domestic contentment, romantic devotion and the value of endurance in surmounting hardships. The best is "Run Home to Me", recollecting a shoreline epiphany, which has the most eloquent solo here.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in