ERIC CLAPTON - "I STILL DO" (2016)

ERIC CLAPTON - "I STILL DO"
(Running time: 54:16 minutes; 12 songs)
("Polydor Records"; 2016; CD):

And here comes the next one, and again, next post, next record-review, but finally leaving 2015 again for now with now hitting 2016 before more or less soon then next up will be finally again a new 2017 release be reviewed up here by me for you. And after I declared this whole month yesterday to a Rock and Metal month up here I thought today that a little bit of good old Blues won't spoil anything this month (as if some good old Blues could spoil anything "at-any-time") and also somehow matches pretty good to the schedule up here this month so far, yes, and so now here we go: Here now comes my record review on ERIC CLAPTON's 2016 full length album "I STILL DO", released, of course, in 2016 via "POLYDOR RECORDS". "I STILL DO" is sort of a very personal album, at least so in my perception while listening (enthusiastically) to it (but, yes, as if any good Blues record wouldn't be anyhow anyway a "personal affair"), and it features a well mixed combination out of new own Slow Hand masterpieces and a bunch of "good cover versions", and it is/was produced by or together with Glyn Johns who also done the recording of ERIC CLAPTON's classic "SLOW HAND" back then all the way back in 1977. The album title, "I STILL DO", is or was inspired by some "private-famous" or maybe also "last" words of ERIC CLAPTON's aunt who died at the age of 89 and who, so the story goes, used this "slogan" very often and it finally (should) become/became the name of the album: "I STILL DO" (what adds to my perception of the very "personal character" of the whole album). The whole record/album is a very intense and reduced, "down-to-earth", honest and authentic, pretty fresh intoned Blues album with some (slight) Rock and Soul infuences in it as well as it is peaked with some surprsingly fresh marks in it like for example healthy doses of Folk and some few Gospel music notes that enrich it all. Soulful and playful, very emotional and intense guitars, building a strong and grapping tension as well as creating a very tight and rousing atmosphere and the intense songs inherit a inner strength that's just impressive, not to talk about the strong own identity and the own character that mark them as well, too. ERIC CLAPTON delivers on and with "I STILL DO" fantastic guitars that are played full of heart and soul and passion and deliver a wide diversity of tones/tonings and moods and just shine bright with all their class and intensity, and he gives us a heartfelt lead singing performance that only add strongly to the very emotional approach of the whole album, the reduced and basic rhythm section gives us dustdry and yet boneshaking strong rhythms, adding a solid and loadable backbone to the songs. Strong "second-voice-singings" (in parts female, in parts done and delivered by "prominent co-singers") and a lot of fresh ideas and just a sympathic spirit and a authentic attitude then make it all complete, and for example great piano parts just make it all only stronger at the end of the day. My personal favorites are "ALABAMA WOMAN BLUES", the "strong force" that is "CAN'T LET YOU DO IT", the incredible beautiful "I WILL BE THERE", "LITTLE MAN, YOU HAD A BUSY DAY", the traditional "I'LL BE ALRIGHT", and "CATCH THE BLUES", yes, that are my favorites on "I STILL DO", an album that also delivers very interesting and good lyrics, a very cool artwork, and a totally warm and earthy and also "sympathic" dirty production sound. ERIC CLAPTON and Blues in general fans should really call this one their own, you will enthusiastically cheer up to it, trust me, because it's "simply" an emotional and passionate and a truly damn good album that I here and now can "only" calmly recommend to you. Yes, I think that's it so far, now you know what's up and what you best should do promptly, yes, so now I wish you a nice evening and a good night and then soon or so more, again.

(8 of 10 points)

http://www.ericclapton.com/LiveInSD?ref=https://www.bing.com/ (-the link to Slow Hand's very own homepage, check it out)

ERIC CLAPTON - "I WILL BE THERE" /feat. ED SHEERAN\ (2016, "I STILL DO")