In the days of album expansion, it's not unusual for a record company to reissue an old album with a bonus track or two. This reconstruction of the January 13, 1973, comeback concert by
Eric Clapton is something else again, however. The original six-track LP ran less than 27 minutes; the new 14-track expansion runs almost 74 minutes. The eight additions -- "Layla," "Blues Power," "Bottle of Red Wine," "Bell Bottom Blues," "Tell the Truth," "Key to the Highway," "Let It Rain," and "Crossroads" -- make the disc an effective recapitulation of
Clapton's career over the previous seven years, including his solo work and his appearances with
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers,
Cream, and
Derek and the Dominos. Despite the addiction that had kept him largely homebound for almost two years,
Clapton played well, though the all-star backup band was as ragged as it was spirited. The loose feel of the evening was brought out in the stage announcements, many by
Pete Townshend, who even mentioned a social disease just before introducing "Presence of the Lord." This still isn't a great
Clapton show, but it has been transformed from a historical curiosity to a historical document. ~ William Ruhlmann