Me and Mr. Johnson (2004) Eric Clapton's Me and Mr. Johnson is a full-band album and will likely become a coffee-table album. Clapton sounds reinvigorated in these 14 songs by… Eric Clapton Blues
Eric Clapton | 'ME,' MYSELF, AND I Clapton sounds reinvigorated on ''Johnson''
Image credit: Eric Clapton: Robert Gauthier/LA Times/ RETNA
'ME,' MYSELF, AND I Clapton sounds reinvigorated on ''Johnson''
EW's GRADE
B+

Details Release Date: Mar 30, 2004; Lead Performance: Eric Clapton; Genre: Blues

Eric Clapton's Me and Mr. Johnson is a full-band album and will likely become a coffee-table album. Clapton sounds reinvigorated in these 14 songs by crossroads soul-salesman Robert Johnson, with phlegm in his throat and (relative) fire in his belly. It's not without some 12-bar sameness, but Johnson also has brisk turns like ''They're Red Hot,'' where Billy Preston's double-time piano delightfully illuminates the ragtime-rock link.

Originally posted Mar 26, 2004 Published in issue #758 Apr 02, 2004 Order article reprints