Slowhand [HYBRID SACD - DSD]

Eric Clapton

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 9, 2004)
• Original Release Date: November 1977
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Hybrid SACD - DSD
• Label: Polydor / Umgd
• ASIN: B00064X3BI
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #32,386 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Cocaine

2. Wonderful Tonight

3. Lay Down Sally

4. Next Time You See Her

5. We're All the Way

6. Core

7. May You Never

8. Mean Old Frisco

9. Peaches and Diesel

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Slowhand SACD Review, July 21, 2005

By	Ian Low Boon Tian "Ian Low" (Singapore) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Finally, Slowhand comes to hi-resolution format. I have heard multiple CD versions from the original to the Gold Disc to the remastered, but this new SACD version just blows the rest away.

Slowhand has always been my favourite Clapton album over the years. Classic Clapton originals like Lay Down Sally and Wonderful Tonight define his style and songwriting capabilities and singing. His voice has an aching and tender reach on the ballads, and yet bluesy growl on the fast tracks.

From 461 and Slowhand, Clapton began to rely less on his guitar prowess on albums, but move towards stronger songwriting and singing to establish his albums, and Slowhand is the best example of it. And yet, his taste for covers cannot be faulted either.

Dusting off JJ Cale's Cocaine and William's We're With YOu All the Way shows how he can choose the right material to augment his own songs, until they blend into a seamless piece of excellent work.

Ending the album with an instrumental ballad that recalls the piano coda to Layla, Slowhand remains his best and most focused work over the years. And throw in a great guitar jam in the epic Core, you get a Clapton masterwork that is as timeless now as it was commercially and critically successful during its original release almost 30 years ago.

Listening to the 5.1 mix by the original producer, Glyn Johns did a superb work. Although some has commented the mix sounds muddy, its actually not and its true to its original sound. Its natural and spatial mix and creative surround mixing by Johns gives this classic a new dimension that was not there before.

The electric solos now sound more alive and kicking and even the tender fender licks that kick off Wonderful Tonight sounds so much there and enveloping. Its the drums that has a tendency to sound muddled underneath and the strong bass levels that gives the muddy impression. BUt '70s recordings tend to be presented in such fashion and listening it over again, the surround mix is just perfect and natural. Compared to the bright but not as creative surround mix of 461, this is far superior in the end.

A compulsory purchase and listening for every Clapton fan.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SACD review, November 22, 2004

By	scomoore "scomoore" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

After waiting through the bizarre back order situation that accompanied the release of "Slowhand," when the SACD did finally arrive it was worth it.

I do not have the original CD or vinyl version of the album, so I cannot make a comparison to the sound quality between the two, but I can say that the surround mix done by Glyn Johns (also the producer of the original) is outstanding and very creative.

The best example comes from 'The Core,' where the surround channels contain the back beat, creating a cool point/counterpoint between the front and rears that really adds to the listening experience.

Other highlights are the atmospheric keyboards in 'Wonderful Tonight' and others. Just an overall great effort.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good surround recording, but not spectacular., May 24, 2005

By	Robert Bauer (Astoria, N.Y. USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is without a doubt Eric Claptons best album. After a couple of mediocre lps, Theres one in every crowd, E C was here, and No reason to cry where Eric was going in a more ambitious direction with special guests in his band and bigger productions (which is not always a good thing), Clapton decided to go back to a simpler low key approach. And it worked. Keeping his vocals to a minimum and letting his guitar do more of the talking, he came up with a beautifully solid and laid back sound, similar to his 461 Ocean Boulevard album which was his other classic. The classic Cocaine, Lay Down Sally, and The Core to name a few, this is a real feel good lp. Sometimes simpler is better. I'm sorry to report however that the SACD version of the album did disapoint me. The new surround mix was done by the original producer Glyn Johns, and you would think that since he handled the original recording, that he would really go all out on the remixing into surround on this LP. Unfortunately no. Don't get me wrong, this is a decent sounding mix. Clean and spacious but it could have been more dynamic. It sounds a little flat. Also a little muddy. However, it is definitely worth repeated listenings and still is a very enjoyable album. I still recommend it.