Eric Clapton: 461 Ocean Boulevard (Disc 2) CD Track Listing

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Eric Clapton 461 Ocean Boulevard (Disc 2) (2004)
461 Ocean Boulevard (Deluxe Edition) - Disc 2 of 2\n2004 Polydor UK Ltd\n\n2004 Polydor Ltd. (UK) / Universal Music\nOriginally Released July 1974\nCD Edition Released 1986 ??\nMFSL Gold CD Edition Released November 15, 1993\nRemastered CD Edition Released August 20, 1996\nDTS CD Edition Released November 25, 1997\nHybrid SACD Edition Released November 9, 2004\n2CD Deluxe Edition Released December 6, 2004\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: (Deluxe Edition) Polydor/Chronicles' 2004 deluxe edition reissue of Eric Clapton's 461 Ocean Boulevard -- long considered one of Clapton's best solo albums, ranking alongside Eric Clapton and Slowhand as one of his finest studio efforts -- expands the original ten-track album to two discs. The original album is supplemented by five session outtakes on the first disc, all of which have been previously released on other reissues: "Walkin' Down the Road" appeared on 1996's Crossroads 2, "Ain't That Lovin' You" appeared on 1988's Crossroads, while "Meet Me (Down at the Bottom)" appeared on 1999's Blues and the other two tracks, "Eric After Hours Blues" and "B Minor Jam," appeared on the limited-edition bonus disc that came with the original release of Blues. All these sound like outtakes -- they're all a little too lazy and meandering to make a finished album, but fanatics will surely like all of these outtakes collected in one place and paired with the official album. The second disc compiles highlights from two concerts Clapton gave at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on December 4 and 5, 1974. Here, Clapton also sounds a little bit too laid back, particularly on the acoustic material, but he does have some fine moments scattered through the disc -- perhaps not enough to satisfy anybody besides dedicated fans, but that's who the reissue is for, and they'll likely be satisfied with this nicely remastered, well-packaged set, even if it packs no revelations. -- Stephen Thomas Erlewine\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: (Hybrid SACD) 461 Ocean Boulevard is Eric Clapton's second solo studio album, arriving after his side project of Derek and the Dominos and a long struggle with heroin addiction. Although there are some new reggae influences, the album doesn't sound all that different from the rock, pop, blues, country, and R&B amalgam of Eric Clapton. However, 461 Ocean Boulevard is a tighter, more focused outing that enables Clapton to stretch out instrumentally. Furthermore, the pop concessions on the album -- the sleek production, the concise running times -- don't detract from the rootsy origins of the material, whether it's Johnny Otis' "Willie and the Hand Jive," the traditional blues "Motherless Children," Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff," or Clapton's emotional original "Let It Grow." With its relaxed, friendly atmosphere and strong bluesy roots, 461 Ocean Boulevard set the template for Clapton's '70s albums. Though he tried hard to make an album exactly like it, he never quite managed to replicate its charms. [The 2004 reissue includes the bonus tracks "Walkin' Down the Road," "Ain't That Lovin' You" and "Meet Me (Down at the Bottom)."] -- Stephen Thomas Erlewine\n\nAmazon.com essential recording\nThe 1974 album on which Clapton's solo career truly caught fire, 461 Ocean Boulevard is best remembered for its hit version of Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff"--perhaps the first time many in America ever heard the rhythms of reggae music. But it's also an album on which emotions run high, especially on two Clapton originals, the prayerful "Give Me Strength" and the pleading "Let It Grow." Clapton maintains his grounding in the blues with versions of Robert Johnson's "Steady Rollin' Man" and Elmore James's "I Can't Hold Out"; revisits a rock & roll classic in Johnny Otis's "Willie and the Hand Jive"; and turns the standard "Motherless Children" into a showcase of snarling guitars. Following a period of dark reclusiveness, 461 Ocean Boulevard was a powerful comeback for Clapton. --Daniel Durchholz\n\nAmazon.com Editorial Review\nThis was Clapton's comeback record after a long bout with heroin addiction. Up through 1970 or so, he had been a restless musical seeker, opening rock up with his guitar experimentation, trying to get to the bottom of the blues. There is none of this on 461. He seems relieved just to be alive. It's a low-key affair, and that suits him. Some of his best songs are here, as well as his cover of Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff." Torn and frayed from the melee inside him, this album may be the most personal blues he ever made. --Steve Tignor \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nEC's Best Solo Album Gets the Royal Treatment, November 22, 2004\nReviewer:: Paul Allaer (Cincinnati) \nAfter all these years, I still believe that "461 Ocean Boulevard" is Clapton's best solo album. I will readily admit I'm not such a big fan of the more recent blues albums such as "Me and Mr. Johnson", which I thought was rather dull, as well intentioned as it was. But I digress.\n\n"461 Ocean Boulevard - Deluxe Edition" has grown from the original 40 min. album to an exquisite 2CD spread (26 tracks, 142 min.), and quite comfortably at that. CD1 (15 tracks, 69 min.) brings of course the original 10 tracks, and they still sparkle today as they did 30 years ago. The remastered sound is fantastic. It has of course the hits "I Shot the Sheriff", "Willie and the Hand Jive", and "Motherless Children" (all from the original Side 1), but there really are no weak songs here. Other classics include "Let It Grow", the pensive "I Can't Hold Out", and the album closer "Mainline Florida". The 5 bonus tracks are session out-takes from the album recordings, they have appeared elsewhere before on various compilations such as "Crossroads", but are grouped together here for the first time. My fave of them is "Meet Me (At the Bottom)", a mostly instrumental jam session. CD2 (11 tracks, 73 min.) is a live album, recorded in London at the end of the 461 Ocean Blvd tour in December, 1974. After the announcer's "Well Ladies and Gentlemen, this is it, the last show of the tour, please welcome Mr. Eric Clapton and his band!", we're in for a treat. Only 3 of the 11 tracks have appeared before on the Crossroads compilations. The highlights are many, including "Let It Grow", the Steve Winwood cover "Can't Find My Way Home", a rousing "Tell the Truth", the Jimi Hendrickx cover "Little Wing", and the closer "Let It Rain", with at the end EC simply saying "bye bye, thank you" to an elated audience.\n\nThe liner notes are a bit skimpy, but that aside, everything is an A+ on this "Deluxe Edition". Let me emphasize that this is not just for the EC fanatic. Anyone interested in just plain good music will be taken aback by this album, finding Clapton at the top of his game. Strongly recommended! \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nEric Clapton's best 70s album hasn't gotten any better, January 13, 2005\nReviewer: Docendo Discimus (Vita scholae) \nWell, I'm sorry, but it hasn't. "461" was always a great record, and the accompanying live disc is quite good without being truly spectacular.\nBut the five studio outtakes don't do anything at all for the album...for one thing, they have been available for a long time already. And none of them are particularly interesting; they are outtakes, songs that didn't make the cut, and they sound like outtakes. Even Clapton's rendition of Jimmy Reed's "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" is tepid and meandering.\n\nThe live album is compiled from two concerts Eric Clapton gave at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on December 4th and 5th, 1974. Again, he often sounds a little bit too laid back, like on a sleepy "The Sky Is Crying" which completely lacks the intensity of the original.\nBut there are some fine moments as well, like "Let It Rain", "Layla", and the always good "Let It Grow". Nothing to make you throw away your copy of "Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert", however, and this reissue is mostly for diehards, to be honest.\n\n3 3/4 stars. Some good live songs, but the added studio recordings are so-so. The original LP was better, actually...all this second-rate material only serves to obscure the high overall quality of the material originally issued. \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nSACD review, November 22, 2004\nReviewer: scomoore "scomoore" (Seattle, WA USA) \nThe SACD version of "461 Ocean Boulevard" does sound much better than the CD version. With the surround mix, the separation of the music and the broader soundstage really helps compared to the CD.\n\nHowever, the surround mix itself is inconsistent. It seems like they were going for an immersive sound stage, but the results are hit and miss.\n\nRight from the start, 'Motherless Children' starts off sounding like the left/right channels are just duplicated in the surrounds, with even the main drum track in the surrounds too. Then in the middle of the song the surrounds contain only what sound like the 3rd and 4th guitar parts. Not sure what happened.\n\nOther songs sound better from a surround standpoint, especially 'Willie and the Hand Jive' and 'Let it Grow,' but everything else in between sounds uninspired.\n\nThe most disappointing of all is 'Mainline Florida.' With it's layered guitar parts and keyboards, it should have been the best. But everything sounds shoved together in the front channels with the surrounds being an afterthought.\n\nThe extra tracks on the SACD deserve mention, because all three are great songs. The last one, 'Meet Me (Down at the Bottom),' also rates as one of the highlights of the disc from a surround presentation standpoint. \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nUneven Pavement, August 17, 2002\nReviewer: Patrick Noonan (Atlanta, GA USA) \nWhat were we thinking back then? This was a top album at the time of its release in 1974, aided by a couple of hit singles -- and, apparently, Clapton's guitar-hero halo, which prevented us from taking a good listen.\n\nThe recording doesn't age well. It's largely uninspired, languid 70's rock. Great cover songs (Motherless Children, Willie and the Hand Jive, I Shot the Sheriff) are run through the de-flavorizer. Clapton's singing sounds like he's been told to keep it down and his playing shares a "don't wake the neighbors" restraint. Where's the fire? NOT on this album.\n\nThe best moments are the back-to-back ballads, Please be With Me & Let it Grow. Dated and sentimental, perhaps, but with great changes and gorgeous arrangements.\n\nClapton may be God, but even God rested on the 7th day. And now we know at what address.\n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nEC Hits His Solo Stride, August 8, 2002\nReviewer: the dirty mac "boot64" (Nutopian Global Institute) \nChoosing between this album and Clapton's previous studio masterwork, LAYLA, makes for an interesting debate. 461 OCEAN BOULEVARD lacks Layla's smoldering extended jamming, striking a more upbeat, restrained, and radio-friendly tone instead. The rockers "Motherless Children" and "Mainline Florida" open and close the album. In between we have tender ballads such as "Please Be with Me" and the achingly beautiful "Let It Grow," which shows what an underappreciated songwriter EC is. As always, there are great covers that he imbues with his own distinct flavor -- "Willie and the Hand Jive," Elmore James's "I Can't Hold Out" and Robert Johnson's "Steady Rollin' Man." Years before the Police came along, Eric brought reggae to the mainstream with the #1 hit "I Shot the Sheriff." Each one is a standout.\n\nThat said, this CD release has one serious deficiency. When first released on vinyl in 1974, the album's second song was a Clapton original called "Better Make It through Today." When remastered for CD, it was replaced by "Give Me Strength." I always believed that "Better Make It through Today" was integral to this album's success, and its absence is awfully conspicuous. The back cover of the vinyl version of 461 OCEAN BOULEVARD contains a notation saying that "Better Make It through Today" was recorded at Dynamic Studios in Kingston, Jamaica, whereas the rest of the album was recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami. Clapton's 1975 follow-up, THERE'S ONE IN EVERY CROWD, was also recorded at that studio in Jamaica, and sure enough "Better Make It through Today" now appears on the CD version of that album. Perhaps it was never supposed to appear on 461 OCEAN BOULEVARD, but people are right to complain about the change. So this album gets two ratings. The old vinyl release gets 5 stars while this CD release is downgraded slightly to 4.5 stars, which is still pretty damn good.\n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nOne Star for the remastered version only, April 27, 2001\nReviewer: A music fan\nDon't get me wrong: 461 OCEAN BOULEVARD is one of the great rock albums of all time, probably on my top ten list. Certainly Clapton's finest solo work (if you count Derek and the Dominoes as a group effort, and it should be). The decision by the record company to delete one of the songs is simply unacceptable, and the deleted song is one of the highlights of the set. Can you imagine ABBEY ROAD without "Here Comes the Sun?" Or BEGGAR'S BANQUET without "Salt of the Earth?" The deletion here is equally as ludicrous. Also, the original arrangement of the songs worked to make 461 an extended work of art, not just a collection of songs. Now it is just a collection. I don't know how to react to this kind of corporate arrogance except to refuse to buy the album, hence the one star rating. Hopefully Atlantic or Polydor or whoever was/is responsible will right the wrong. DON'T BUY THIS VERSION.\n\nAmazon.com Customer Review (DTS Version)\nAn Audio Mix Disaster, January 28, 2001\nReviewer:Fred Williams (Oceanside, CA USA) \nYes, everything the reviews say about the regular CD is correct. This is one of Eric's premier works, but do yourself a favor and purchase the regular compact disk. After purchasing this DTS release, I was horrified to listen to the lead guitar comming out of the right rear speaker on several cuts. I do not rememeber who mixed this (I sent it back for a refund), but they should have been given the janitorial tasks at the company, not at the mixing board. Maybe it was a mistake.\n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nMy favorite song is GONE, August 29, 2000\nReviewer: bruceski "bruceski" (St. Petersburg, FL United States)\nJust got this one in the mail. Does anybody know who decided to replace "Better Make it Through Today" (song 2, side one on the lp version) with "Give Me Strength" on the CD? Couldn't both have been included on a 40 minute CD? The MFSL version does include both. For me it lessons a great album. The remastering sounds pretty good and it still was a major comeback album for Clapton. The rest of the material is a beginning to Clapton's more vocal focused 80's output, but there is still an urgency Clapton's playing here that makes it more than worthwhile. OK, I give it 4 stars if both of the previously mentioned songs were included, and 2.5 with "Better make it Through... oddly deleted.\n\nTower Records Product Notes:\nEngineer: Karl Richardson\nGuest Artists: Yvonne Elliman\n\nIncludes a bonus disc Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London.\n\nPersonnel: Eric Clapton (vocals, guitar, dobro); Yvonne Elliman (vocals, guitar); George Terry (guitar, background vocals); Albhy Galuten (piano, electric piano, clavichord, synthesizer); Dick Simms (organ); Carl Riddle (bass guitar); Jamie Oldaker (drums, percussion); Al Jackson, Jim Fox (drums); Tom Bernfeld (background vocals).\n\nProducer: Tom Dowd\nReissue Producer: Bill Levenson.\nLiner Note Author: Scott Schinder.\n\nRecording information: Criteria Recording Studios, Miami, FL (04/1974 - 05/1974); Hammermith Odeon, London, England (12/04/1974).\n\nAfter playing the 1973 Rainbow Concerts that were arranged by good friend Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton returned to Florida's Criteria Recording Studio to cut 461 OCEAN BOULEVARD. Because of a stint of personal turmoil, Clapton had not played guitar for two years preceeding the Rainbow Concerts, but with the help of a core group of musicians including George Terry, former Derek & the Dominos bassist Carl Radle, Jamie Oldaker, and Yvonne Elliman, Slowhand put together an album that many consider to be his best.\n\nFocusing more on his singing than his guitar pyrotechnics of the past, the new, improved Clapton used a laid-back, J.J. Cale-type vocal style to great effect on a mellow version of "Willie And The Hand Jive" and Elmore James's "I Can't Hold Out." Far from being a kinder, gentler guitar hero, Clapton also showed considerable spark on a slide-drenched "Motherless Children" and the driving "Mainline Florida," which closes out the album. Of course, his cover of Bob Marley's "I Shot The Sheriff" was the musical statement that took him to the top of the charts and let the general public know he was back. 461 OCEAN BOULEVARD is still one of the highest points of Clapton's solo career.

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