Layla And Other Assorted Love

• Disraeli Gears
• Blind Faith
• 461 Ocean Boulevard
• Pure Blues
• Deja Vu

Anyway, Eric Clapton wasn't totally comfortable with the rôle of front man early on in his career, and so he hid behind the "pseudonym" of Derek and the Dominoes, wishing to escape the superstar expectation that sank Blind Faith.He gathered the rhythm section from Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett's band, with whom he had just toured, and retreated to record this album, which still stands as his greatest achievement. It burns with passion, and having spectacular slide guitarist Duane Allman alongside Eric Clapton is every bit as great as you would have guessed.

"Derek And The Dominos" tear through the best, most consistent collection of original material Eric Clapton has ever recorded, and they do it with burning, intense emotion, laying down definitive electric renditions of Jimmy Cox's classic "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out" and Big Bill Broonzy's "Key To The Highway", as well as a fine take on Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing".And even though more than half of the songs break the five-minute barrier ("Highway" is 9½), the two guitarists rarely if ever come off sounding indulgent; they never play ten notes when three would have done the trick, and the arrangements are never less than superb.

There is barely a weak track on this superb record, which opens with the lovely rock ballad "I Looked Away", and one of Eric Clapton's best original songs, "Bell Bottom Blues", which features burning slide guitar from Duane Allman.Other highlights include Billy Myles' "Have You Ever Loved A Woman", the wonderful classic blues "It's Too Late" by Chuck Willis, and the soulful two-guitar-blueprints "Keep On Growing" and "Tell The Truth", which were written with organist/pianist Bobby Whitlock who shares the lead vocals on a few tracks.

And then there's the magnificent title track, of course, Eric Clapton's longing ode to "Layla", i.e. George Harrison's wife Patti (Boyd) Harrison, with whom Clapton was desperately in love.Ironically, considering what a personal album this was for Eric Clapton, the lovely acoustic coda "Thorn Tree In The Garden" is a solo performance by Bobby Whitlock, but it sums up the entire record perfectly.

Filled with excellent songs and superb musicianship, "Layla" is a must-have for any and all lovers of...well, music, actually.A collection of blues, rock, folk, and soul that Eric Clapton has never since been able to match, and one of the finest records of the seventies.If Clapton had never made another record, his legacy would be secure based on this one alone.

Even if every one of your experiences with love has been happy, you will be crying to the darker side by the time this song has spun its duration into your brain. You will feel uncontrollably driven to partake in typical heartbreak behavior like alcoholism without really knowing why...and you will fleetingly contemplate never loving another again, even after listening to "Love Is A Wonderful Thing" on repeat and watching every notable American romantic comedy available on DVD to dissuade yourself against better judgement.

Additionally, even if you're an atheist or agnostic or a godless heathen, you will seriously consider the guitar solos on this song to have been sparked from some otherworldly spiritual force...or perhaps from a sadness that only permeates the darkest depths of human desperation..you decide.

And if you have no soul, this is just a good rock n roll album...possibly, a soundtrack for cleaning your bathroom. But you need to ignore the fact that the music and lyrics are stained with heartache and that it might spill over onto your tiles if you make the mistake of letting it creep into your psyche.

All of these are love songs; ballads, blues numbers, and straight out rock. Duane Allman plays rhythm guitar and backup vocals on many of the selections, and the effect on the energy is palpable. This is infectious rock and roll at its finest, played with a maturity and sincerity that I think is really hard to find anywhere else, and is listenable in any context. All the songs are complete and balanced; there is no self-indulgent excess here, and the band is tight. Although these are all love songs, the main reason why this album just plain WORKS is that there is no typical rock adolescent fixation on sexuality, and there is no hyper-sincere self-pitying narcissism that marks most rock love songs from the seventies and early eighties. Just look at the "monster ballads" for sale on late-night TV, and you understand that its only by our nostalgia and camp humor that bands like Journey still get by.

LAYLA totally transcends that. There is real content, real sincerity, and superb playing that takes this album to a higher level. Clapton's writing and arrangements are perfect. The covered tunes are great selections; various in style and translated perfectly by the band. Each song holds up on its own, and the album as a whole is unsurpassable. "I Looked Away" starts out right away with a straight forward, tightly played song. "Bell Bottom Blues" is a classic in its own right; Clapton, no great singer by any measure, nails this one. The 9+ minutes "Key to the Highway" is a great blues romp that is never tedious. "Why Does Love..." is a frantic balls-out jam. The cover of Hendrix's "Little Wing" almost makes for an off-note with its pretentious intro, but having two singers and great guitar solos makes it a wonderful tribute to Jimi. "Layla" of course is the one everyone knows, a 7-minute song with the 4-minute ending; a glorious excess. My personal favorite, however, is the last tune: Bobby Whitlock's solo "Thorn Tree in the Garden," which is so soulful and elegant I wish it were more well-known.

Almost have the songs are over 6 minutes. Altogether the album is almost 78 minutes. So quantity and quality all come together here. This is definitely a must-have. Clapton's best work. It'll liven you up on the sunny days and get you through the rainy ones.

• Styles > Pop
• Styles > Classic Rock
• Styles > Hard Rock & Metal
• Styles > Rock

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