Back Home [Import]

Eric Clapton | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 30, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Reprise / Wea
• ASIN: B000A3DFZE
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (156 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,936 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Back Home is Eric Clapton in a good mood, filled with upbeat toe-tappers about hearth and home (a young child even puts in a cameo on "So Tired"). Blues-rock ("Lost and Found"), reggae ("Revolution"), and R&B (the Spinners' "Love Don't Love Nobody") mingle comfortably with laid-back pop (George Harrison's "Love Comes to Everyone"). Recorded around the same time as Me and Mr. Johnson, his bestselling collection of Robert Johnson songs, Clapton's first recording of (mostly) original material since 2001's Reptile is a combination of solo compositions, covers, and collaborations with writing partner Simon Climie. Backing musicians include John Mayer (guitar), Blind Faith mate Steve Winwood (synthesizer), and longtime associate Billy Preston (keyboards), whose expertise with the Hammond B3 shines brightest on the Vince Gill cowritten "One Day". There are no real surprises on Back Home, just Clapton doing what he does best--with an extra spring in his step. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Product Description

Back Home is Eric Clapton's first album of original material in several years, follows this summer's historic and heralded Cream reunion and 2004's gold, Top 10 Me and Mr. Johnson covers disc (and it's audio/video companion, Sessions for Robert J). With Back Home, three-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and 16-time Grammy winner Clapton finds his way home with another modern classic. Reprise. 2005.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

175 of 211 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A happy Eric is not Eric..., September 2, 2005

By 

Albert G. Smith Jr. (Daytona Beach, Fl USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Back Home (Audio CD)

I am torn here. In the review I posted for the last Mark Knopfler CD, I defended the lower prominence of lead guitar, based on the fact that this is 20-something years later than "Sultans of Swing", and an artist grows, as they should.

I tried to apply this same standard to this Clapton album, but it just doesn't work for me. Knopfler might have cut back on the guitar gymnastics, but the tone and subject matter of the songs remain that same Knopfler that made me buy all of those albums. A happy Clapton is not Clapton. I'm glad his life is going well, but this also might prove that art comes from suffering.

I am not a casual fan. I have every Clapton release (some on old vinyl), and tracked every vintage of his career. I can throw an old disc on that I have heard a thousand times, and experience it like new every time. I'm afraid "Back Home" will soon be relegated to the back of my CD shelf next to the dusty Pilgrim and Reptile discs. Thanks for the decades of great music Eric, but it looks like the days of buying every new album sight unseen has reached the end.

I wanted to like this disc, I really did. 3 stars because this is technically a fine recording. The two missing stars are for the missing desire for me to listen to this disc after the first couple of tries.

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Eric's Good Mood, September 15, 2005

By 

James Arria "authentic blues man" (West Haven, CT USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Back Home (Audio CD)

Ok, I admit, I had some misgivings when I first heard some song samples from this album. I wondered, "where's the guitar?" and "Has Eric gone soft?" But after buying the album and listening to it more fully my answer would be definitely not!

Now I'll admit, it's not 'Layla' or '461' or 'From the Cradle'. But you know what? It isn't supposed to be!! Mr. Clapton is not an artist who rests on his laruels. I'm sick of reading negative reviews from people who expect him to do nothing but play recycled blues standards or solo until his fingers fall off.

This album has a warm, relaxed feeling to it. Some mistake this for being bland or lazy. I dispute this on several songs:

1) So Tired-a toe tapping humorous look at family life
2) Love Don't Love Nobody-his singing on this song is ridiculous-the Spinners would be proud
3) One Day-have you heard the solos on this?
4) Run Home To Me-a powerful moving performance
5) Lost and Found-for the people who need the bluesy/guitar fix, great riffs
6) I'm Going Left-again, very upbeat, I got this one stuck in my head
7) Revolution-great groove, EC knows his way around a raggae beat

Has everything EC has tried worked? No, but while the blues may be his base, he shows his versitility on this record. He isn't stuck to playing 'Crossroads' or 'Hoochie Coochie Man' 900 times.

Eric Clapton is one of music's greatest contributions. He continues to do what he feels, regardless of 'popular' opinion. Stop sometime and listen

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Album-Great High Resolution Audio, September 4, 2005

By 

J. M. Falkner - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Back Home (Audio CD)

3 stars for the album and 4 1/2 for the DVD side high resolution audio. Not one of Eric's best efforts, but a very comforting album mostly dedicated to the songwriters he admires most over the years and to his family. If you're a Clapton fan (and have learned not to expect too much), you'll enjoy it. I bought the DualDisc version and am very impressed with the audio quality on the DVD side which for once is in real DVD-Audio (both 2 channel & 5.1 surround) using 24 bit sampled at 48khz. This is so welcome since most DVD sides on DualDiscs only provide Dolby Digital sound which is way too compressed.