Saturday 3 October 2009

There's One In Every Crowd-Eric Clapton


If it weren’t for the dog on the cover I would not have remembered anything about this album. My vinyl copy is in pristine condition, which is not a nice sign as it means the record has not been played very much over the years.
There’s One In Every Crowd, i have listened, a couple of times over the past two days and it reminds me of 461 Ocean Boulevard, but without the highs or truly memorable tracks. There were no hit singles and it lacked a signature song such as “I Shot The Sheriff.” It was also nowhere near as commercially successful as its number one predecessor.
This was another eclectic pair of songs by Clapton, ranging from blues to gospel to reggae to rock all in all, a mellow and laid back affair. Gone were the extended guitar solos and energetic rock ‘n’ roll of the past. It was a far change Clapton than his fans of Cream, The Bluesbreakers, and even The Yardbirds were used too.
There are no terrible tracks but there are few, if any, that actually stay with you. The first two songs, “We’ve Been Told (Jesus Is Coming)” and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” are both smooth renditions and have a nice gospel feel. The best track is likely the old Elmore James blues tune, “The Sky Is Crying,” where Clapton gives a few short bursts of his guitar proficiency.
The final four songs were all written by Clapton and set the tone for a lot of his work that would follow in the years to come. “Better Make It Through Today” is soulful while “Pretty Blue Eyes” has some gentle acoustic playing.
There’s One In Every Crowd is one of the forgettable albums in Eric Clapton’s vast catalogue. If you are going to explore his music this is likely not an album you would pick. In fact, my vinyl copy has been returned to its shelf.

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