I Still Do – Eric Clapton
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I Still Do is the 71 year-old Eric Clapton’s 23rd (and perhaps last) solo studio album. Clapton has said that he “kind of might be saying goodbye” here. Much of the excitement about this release was around Clapton reuniting with veteran producer Glyn Johns, who produced Clapton’s classic 1977 album Slowhand and 1978’s Backless. The album features mostly cover songs with some new material written by Clapton. The cover is a painting of Clapton by Sir Peter Blake, who previously provided artwork for Clapton’s 1991 live album 24 Nights, and is best known for co-creating the famous cover design for the Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album. There has also been a lot of attention around a mysterious guest on “I Will Be There”. More about that later.
The band includes Clapton, Henry Spinetti, who has played with George Harrison and Paul McCartney among others, on drums and percussion, Dave Bronze on bass, Andy Fairweather Low on guitar, Paul Carrack on Hammond Organ, Chris Stainton on keyboards, Simon Climie on keyboards and guitar, Dirk Powell on accordion, Walt Richmond on keyboards and Angelo Mysterioso on acoustic guitar and vocals on “I Will Be There”.
Here are a few comments about each song on this fine album:
Alabama Woman Blues – an excellent slow blues version of Leroy Carr’s 1930 recording, featuring guitar, piano, organ and accordion.
Can’t Let You Do It – this is a J.J. Cale song that Cale’s wife Christine provided to Clapton on a CD of his unreleased songs after Cale’s funeral. It has a “Lay Down Sally” guitar sound. Features some good backing vocals, accordion and organ.
I Will Be There – this song features Angelo Mysterioso on acoustic guitar and vocals. Much has been made of this as the name is very close to L’Angelo Misterioso, a pseudonym used by George Harrison when he recorded anonymously, including with Clapton when he was in Cream on the song “Badge”. This led to speculation that the song would include vocals from Harrison, which Clapton has denied. However, could the vocals and guitar be from Harrison’s son Dhani? The lyrics could serve as a tribute to Clapton’s relationship with George.
Spiral – an original slow blues song, it features the line “You don’t know how much this means to have this music in me”.
Catch The Blues – an original song that has a light Latin feel with nice guitars and female vocals. He sings that he has been living in a world of pain. One of my least favorite track on the album however.
Cypress Grove – a cover of Delta Blues artist Skip James, who died in 1969. This slow blues song features some excellent accordion work by Powell.
Little Man, You’ve Had a Busy Day – This tender lullaby shows off Clapton’s tender voice and features acoustic guitar. The song was written by Mabel Wayne, Al Hoffman and Maurice Sigler and first recorded by Elsie Carlisle in 1934.
Stones In My Passway – a Delta Blues song that Robert Johnson recorded in 1937. Features some excellent guitar as well as Powell’s accordion.
I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine – an excellent cover of Dylan’s song from his 1967 album John Wesley Harding album, again features Powell’s accordion, some tasty guitar and good backing vocals.
I’ll Be Alright – this is a version of the traditional hymn “We Shall Overcome”. Features excellent backing vocals and guitar.
Somebody’s Knockin’ – this is another slow blues J.J. Cale song that Cale’s wife provided to Clapton on that CD of his unreleased songs after Cale’s funeral. Clapton has used this song to open his concerts in recent years. Features some excellent guitar and piano and organ.
I’ll Be Seeing You – This beautiful rendition of a post-war standard popularized by Billie Holiday, takes on special meaning if this is indeed the last song on his last studio album. Features soft percussion, piano and acoustic guitar and Clapton’s tender vocal.

• Never Lose Sight. You can pre-order Chris Tomlin’s new album Never Lose Sight, which will be released October 21, beginning September 23.
• NEEDTOBREATHE on Conan. NEEDTOBREATHE performed “Money & Fame” from their chart-topping album HARD LOVE on Conan September 12.
• You Know It. Watch the new music video for “You Know It” from Derek Minor from his new album Reflection.
• Lecrae: The Destination Tour. Lecrae is promising some new music and tour. Look for a concert near you on his new The Destination Tour.

• A cross meant to kill is my victory. Crowder   
• Count your blessings not your failures. Lecrae
• Sin doesn’t make friends, it takes captives. So don’t flirt with it. Flee it. Trip Lee
• No, they did not take his life–he laid it down. And the chains of death could never hope to hold him, so in the night my hope lives on. Andrew Peterson

My Victory from Crowder 

This song was first included on the Passion band album Salvation’s Tide is Rising earlier this year. It’s one of my favorite songs of the year. Listen to a live version here.

Here are the powerful lyrics to the song:

You came for criminals and every Pharisee
You came for hypocrites, even one like me
You carried sin and shame the guilt of every man
The weight of all I’ve done nailed into Your hands

Oh, Your love bled for me
Oh, Your blood in crimson streams
Oh, Your death is hell’s defeat
A cross meant to kill is my victory

Oh, Your amazing grace, I’ve seen and tasted it
It’s running through my veins
I can’t escape its grip in You my soul is safe
You uncover everything

Oh, Your love bled for me
Oh, Your blood in crimson streams
Oh, Your death is hell’s defeat
A cross meant to kill is my victory

Behold the Lamb of God
Who takes away our sin, who takes away our sin
The holy Lamb of God
Makes us alive again
Makes us alive again

Oh, Your love bled for me
Oh, Your blood in crimson streams
Oh, Your death is hell’s defeat
A cross meant to kill is my victory