By the time 1977 rolled around, Eric Clapton was already well-established with a series of hits with The Yardbirds, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith, and Derek and the Dominos, along with four well-received solo albums, including the chart-topping 461 Ocean Boulevard, yet nothing in my mind compares to the consistency and flow of Slowhand. It’s Clapton’s magnum opus.
Perfectly recorded, mixed, and mastered, Slowhand simply has to be heard to be believed. The lossless Apple Digital Master, available via Apple Music, is an experience in and of itself with a warm and enveloping sound signature. Some fans will inevitably point to the SACD release and its associated surround mix but as I haven’t had the privilege of hearing that particular release, Slowhand for me will, for the foreseeable future, be a stereo-focused masterpiece. That said, I do hope that we’ll see the surround mix re-released on Apple Music; not in Atmos, but Dolby Audio (a format that comes under Apple’s Spatial Audio moniker but is not remixed for Atmos thereby matching the original surround mix in an albeit lossy format). Naturally, vinyl editions are plentiful, but the Apple Music stream simply sounds right. Vinyl aficionados will likely be rolling their eyes at that statement, but I don’t find myself looking for more as it pertains to the sound quality of this release; the stream is that good!
Where the vinyl counterpart would be of value is in the album cover department. While several Clapton albums have iconic cover art, Slowhand is one of those marvels in music where you’ll feel captivated to listen to the album while simply looking at, and holding, the album artwork. Immediately identifiable, the cover art captures the sound, the spaciousness in the mix, and ensures that it isn’t only a musical experience that one can enjoy.
Behind the scenes, it’s imperative to give credit to the great Glyn Johns for his production and engineering work for Clapton acknowledges in Eric Clapton: The Autobiography that the disciplined producer brought the best out of Clapton and the band, even though they were all getting drunk and stoned¹. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this admission is that, like many of the greatest albums ever recorded, intoxication was a key element in allowing the performance to speak for itself and in a way, become timeless. Of course, I’ve long suspected that the drugs of the 60s and 70s were of a special batch, for they simply don’t make music like that anymore, and while I don’t condone substance abuse, the correlation can not be ignored.
What else can’t be ignored are the songs that comprise Slowhand; let’s take a look, and a listen, shall we?
Cocaine may not be a Clapton original, but his interpretation of J.J. Cale’s original is incredible, adding a more bluesy rock feel to the song while simultaneously removing the twang Cale used in his rendition the year before.
Wonderful Tonight is one of the most magnificent ballads ever recorded, although I’ve no doubt that some may find it cringeworthy. If nothing else, we surely can all agree that Clapton’s slow hand on this tune is simply exquisite. Naturally, with a song of this style and success, there were bound to be covers and Boyce Avenue’s and Ronnie Dunn’s are thoroughly enjoyable, although it doesn’t stray too far from the original. Michael Bublé’s and Damage’s interpretations, however, aren’t great as they shift the core elements too far thereby destroying the magic of the original composition. Babyface’s, Paul Canning’s and Khalil Fong’s aren’t bad but in all cases, Clapton’s original can’t be beaten. Although, Masaaki Kishibe’s new age instrumental version comes close.
Lay Down Sally is a toe-tapper but I much prefer the instrumental aspects of the song for while I appreciate Clapton’s vocal, I find Marcy Levy’s backing vocal to be too present in the mix. Whereas, on The Core, I feel her vocal is better placed. Admittedly, The Core is a duet so it should be expected that the vocals were recorded and mixed in a similar manner in an attempt to not overshadow either artist. It’s a shame Lay Down Sally wasn’t mixed similarly.
Next Time You See Her is blues to the core with a simple hook; sometimes that is all you need.
We’re All The Way is closely aligned, musically, with Wonderful Tonight. While We’re All The Way may lack the timeless feel of Wonderful Tonight, it’s still a gorgeous song.
The Core is a solid duet and in a way, it’s surprising to hear Marcy Levy take the lead on the first verse. It’s somewhat unexpected but works extremely well. As mentioned earlier, the vocal mix here is perfect. Also of note, The Core is the longest song on Slowhand and while it could be suggested that it’s too long, the rhythmically infused guitar elements are wonderful to listen to and if you enjoy listening to music while driving, put this on, on your next Sunday drive, and you’ll notice just how magical it is as you traverse through roads less travelled, seeing the countryside, and appreciating the music in your soul. It likely wasn’t written with that intent, but it translates to the scenario perfectly.
May You Never is a John Martyn cover and not that I have anything against Martyn, but I’m so grateful that Clapton re-recorded it for Martyn’s original is akin to a demo rather than a finished song.
Mean Old Frisco has a deep blues sound signature that is simply irresistible. While it may not set new ground, and is somewhat predictable, I find that comforting from a listener’s perspective because you can simply meld with the groove and thoroughly enjoy the song.
Peaches And Diesel is an incredible closer despite being an instrumental tune. Sonically it returns our attention to Wonderful Tonight, a highlight of the album, and subsequently compels me to listen to Slowhand again.
To say Eric Clapton is a musical legend is an understatement and perhaps even an insult for his musical prowess is amongst the best to have ever strummed a guitar and he proves that on Slowhand; a laid-back rhythmic masterpiece.
