Not many of the classic rock titans of the 1960s have done much more with the holiday than a stray single or two, so it was a mild surprise that Clapton announced this album for 2018, although we should remember he featured prominently on the Special Olympics compilation A Very Special Christmas Live. Fans of the modern solo Clapton will recognize what they're hearing, possibly with the exception of "Jingle Bells (In Memory of Avicii)," which is loosely based on the popular carol with a sort-of EDM backing to Clapton's blues-based guitar work in tribute to the late DJ. There's one new original song on this album written by Clapton's keyboardist Simon Clymie and Nick Ingman, the soul ballad "For Love on Christmas Day." The mildly Cajun-influenced "Chrismas in My Hometown" is a Sonny James tune, the uptempo "It's Christmas" and the mid-tempo "Home For the Holidays" originated with Anthony Hamilton, the slow acoustic number "Sentimental Moments" comes from an old Humphrey Bogart movie, and the blues shuffle "Lonesome Christmas" is the Lowell Fulsom song. Among the more familiar numbers are a faintly reggae treatment of "Silent Night," a classic Clapton-style blues kickoff on "White Christmas," a semi-funky slow treatment of "Away in a Manger (Once In Royal David's City)," a faithful cover of "Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday," Freddy King's blues workout "Christmas Tears," the Charles Brown classic "Merry Christmas Baby," and Clapton puts his personal stamp on an otherwise familiar cover of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" with the original third verse. Overall, it's the bluesy numbers that mark this as a Clapton recording, and they're the ones I'd put in the holiday playlist. There's a lush box set with a flexidisc, Christmas ornaments and a flash drive with the album on it for you determined collectors out there. UPDATE: Songwriting credits I obtained online indicated there were five original songs written by Eric's bandmates, but I should have caught at least the "Lonesome Christmas" credit as spurious. Thanks to Stubby for straightening me out.
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