Some people, maybe other reviewers, will probably peg this new Eric Clapton album as being overly sentimental and self-indulgent.
Not me.
Yes, there are moments that are a little mawkish but from the get-go Clapton has said that Old Sock is a testament to the songs he grew up with back in the 50s and 60s, and I can live with that. Clapton revisits his I Shot the Sheriff reggae mode with a tidy version of Peter Tosh's Till Your Well Runs Dry, delivers a heartfelt rendition of Lead Belly's Goodnight Irene, evokes Otis Redding on Your One and Only Man, channels the Gershwins on Our Love is Here to Stay - with his three young daughters joining the back-up singers - and captures the essence of the Ray Charles classic Born to Lose.
On every song he finds a different degree of subtlety in his guitar playing approach, with no blistering solos, but with a maturity and depth built on his 50 years as a guitar master.
The highlight on Old Sock by far is his treatment of Gary Moore's Still Got the Blues. Not only is the vocal interpretation unique and appealing, but there's also some stunning and understated guitar work aided and abetted by his mate Stevie Winwood on the Hammond keys. This alone is worth the price of the album.
