Review: Eric Clapton - 461 Ocean Boulevard

In 1974 Eric Clapton was relevant. 461 Ocean Boulevard is the album he put out that year. It is his first album after quitting heroin and his second after the dissolution of Derek & the Dominos (RIP). It's un-fair to say that Eric Clapton sucks, because he doesn't. He just isn't God's gift to music like many wish him to be. 461 Ocean Boulevard proves both those points. If you compare it to the rest of Blues music it's sort of sad, but if you compare it to the rest of pop music it's beautiful. That's where Clapton lies. An easy entry point for yuppies and baby boomers to get into that music that their parents never would have listened to (the blues), but that was the basis of all American music post 1920. And that music which their kids really would get into (reggae), and would be the basis of many sub-genres of American music post 1975.

There is something truly wonderful about early 1970's recording, and this album is without a doubt captured with that beautiful sheen. Every song on this album is throughly interesting, many of the songs on this album are remarkable, and a few are excellent. The low point is Johnny Otis' R&B classic Willie & The Hand Jive. The Hand Jive is a foot note if anything, and Clapton's lethargic cover shows all of his weakness with very little of his strength. The track listing works well, and the opener and closer do their job quite effectively. Along the way there is a myriad of feelings captured as only Clapton can capture them. The whole effort feels quite effortless, and there are several instrumental parts which were certainly quite ahead of their time. If anything the album works as a notable testament to all that was interesting in popular music in 1970. It has it's place along side Harrison, Lennon, and McCartney's lesser (all their second releases) solo albums of that same time. And while imitation is the sincerest for of flattery it's also the fastest way to date a record. This album is 1974, and this album is Clapton. If you like those two you probably will love this record.