Eric Clapton’s album I Still Do is a musical history lesson. It’s also a how-to album for a generation that has lost touch with real & authentic music.
This is the Blues.
This is the formula for a good kick back and relax revival.
“Alabama Woman Blues” is the first song on the album and it sets up the mental scenery for the whole album. Listening to this song is like waiting for a train to take you down the northeast corridor, right into the deep southern-influenced depths of this song.
“Can’t Let You Do It” is the take off. This song is the beginning of a journey. It’s a musical movement that can’t be stopped once it’s started. You can’t help but nod your head to the beat as you lose yourself in the song.
“Spiral”, the third track on the album is like listening to a musical epiphany. It’s a song that’s a bit like a drug you find yourself re-playing it at least once before you can move on to the next song .
If you haven’t caught the blues before “Catch The Blues” starts playing, you’ll definitely have it by the time this song is over. I don’t know if you’ll want to get rid of them though!
“Cypress Grove” leaves you feeling like you would feel at a bar on a gloomy Sunday afternoon. You don’t know how you got there, but you don’t regret where you’ve ended up as much as you probably should.
“Little Man , You’ve Had A Busy Day” is a slow song with a reassuring message. It sounds a bit like a nursery rhyme to a beloved son. The song appeals to the inner child in us all.
“Stones In My Passway” stays true to good old Southern blues. When you listen to this song, you can picture yourself sitting on a wooden porch looking out at miles of tall grass .
“I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine” makes you feel reminiscent. It makes you think of days long gone…the days that you wished you’d taken more time to enjoy .
“I’ll Be Alright” features a choir of heavenly voices, you can actually imagine hearing the choir in a lone Southern church, in the middle of nowhere.
“Somebody’s Knockin” is your traditional Blues song with the traditional Blues guitar line. It’s a tribute to a musical genre that has surpassed its expected time limit. Blues is a musical genre that transcends time all together .
“I’ll Be Seeing You” is a bluesy take on a song that’s been played many ways, but generations after generations can’t seem to get enough of it . Clapton’s take on this song manages to stays true to the original and true to himself.
I honestly have nothing bad to say about this album. This album is proof that yes, Eric Clapton still does it. He still manages to capture your attention after all these years without compromising his musical integrity. This is how you make an album. We have to learn to appreciate the greats while they are still around. Give it a listen if you can. You won’t be disappointed. I give this album an A.
