Eric Clapton: The Lady in the Balcony – Lockdown Sessions Review
To understand Eric Clapton’s The Lady in the Balcony: Lockdown Sessions, we need to go back to 1992, when MTV first aired his Unplugged episode. The show, and subsequent Grammy-winning album, revitalized and recontextualized Clapton’s career. Prior to Unplugged, Clapton was settling in as an adult contemporary artist and performing based upon the strength of his catalog, rather than his newer material, which had shifted away from blues rock work. He was successful but trapped between two worlds.
Unplugged showcased Clapton’s songwriting and love of the blues, with his revisiting his older material, and reworking it for an acoustic setting, rather than just playing the same songs the same way on an acoustic guitar, as too many MTV Unplugged guests did. Unplugged proved that Clapton was still a vital artist, and the accolades from that album made him comfortable moving forward in the blues direction that began his career. The Lady in the Balcony is another Clapton live acoustic album, this time showing an artist returning to a slot machine that once paid out for him, Clapton hoping to duplicate the magic.
Unfortunately, he doesn’t.
The album resulted from the cancellation of his May 2021 Royal Albert Hall shows due to Covid. Clapton’s become a problematic figure, due to his past statements against immigrants, which he’s walked back as being due to drinking. There’s also his anti-masking, anti-vaccination stance, which resulted in a single on the topic, with Van Morrison, “Stand and Deliver,” as well as Clapton’s own single, “This Has Gotta Stop.” Clapton took a lot of heat for a controversial take rooted in his personal privilege and it’s telling that neither track appears here.
I understand the personal politics of vaccination and masking and can only speak to it as someone who lived about a mile from the epicenter of American Covid, and whose family lived in the area of the east coast’s first major outbreak. It’s terrifying to hear the sirens screaming by constantly. It’s horrifying to see your hospitals overloaded beyond capacity. And I say this as a person who was lucky enough to be able to work from home during the pandemic, and fortunate enough, so far, knock-wood, to avoid getting sick. So to have millionaire rock stars weighing in on this subject, upset because they have to cancel some shows, and can’t make even more money to fund their castles and jets, feels, to be kind, tone deaf.
But artists have a right to express themselves. However, the fact that Clapton’s made an album, based upon the concept of not being able to play in front of people because of the pandemic (the lady in the balcony is his wife Melia, the only non-musician/camera person to witness the show), but doesn’t address his thoughts about the pandemic, feels weak. Mike Zito’s Quarantine Blues is an artist processing the impact of Covid and it’s brilliant and raw. Clapton had the same opportunity, with the added benefit of having the means to bring a band to the English countryside, and instead he defaults to his greatest hits. Clapton’s unwillingness to seize a moment when he has our attention, and share his ideas, makes the album feel like he’s checking a box, rather than digging deeply.
The songs are fine. Clapton’s voice is in strong form, although he needs help hitting the high notes for “Bell Bottom Blues.” You don’t get much of his guitar; Chris Stainton’s piano is much more prominent in the mix, and often gives the songs a bit of a theatrical fair, almost like Clapton is auditioning the tunes for a potential jukebox musical. There are some downright questionable musical choices, too, like Clapton playing twelve-string guitar on “Black Magic Woman,” dedicated to Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Green, who wrote the song. The twelve-string makes the track muddy, with Stainton’s piano trying to fill in the gaps.
The album’s strongest moments are the final three tracks, which has Clapton going electric for blues songs. Here he finally sounds like he’s enjoying himself, tearing through Muddy Waters’ “Long Distance Call,” his own “Bad Boy,” and back to Waters’ for “Got My Mojo Working.”
In addition to “Black Magic Woman,” Clapton covers Fleetwood Mac’s “Man of the World,” also written by Green, and featuring the line “I’m not saying I’m a good man / Oh but I would be if I could.” It’s a song about yearning for love, but one has to wonder if Clapton is aware of how his statements, past and present, have hurt people. We’re all works in progress, and all of us have moments we’d like to have back. Clapton’s mistakes are more visible than the average person’s, but that makes it all the more important for him to engage with his missteps, and not just revert back to a moment when the public adored him. It’s one thing to wish to be a good person; it’s another thing to actively try.
One of the many reasons Unplugged was such a great album, one still in my rotation, was Clapton’s palpable joy. You can hear how much fun he’s having across most of the tracks. The same happiness feels absent from The Lady in the Balcony and you’re left wishing Clapton had the self-awareness to explore and share what isn’t working for him: personally and musically.
The Review: 7/10
Can’t Miss Tracks
– Got My Mojo Working
– Bad Boy
– Long Distance Call
The Big Hit
– Long Distance Call
After reading the review, 7/10 seems higher than expected.
Indeed!
Excellent review. Well argued
There seems to be more in this review about Clapton being a bad guy than the music on the album. I’m not even sure one is related to the other or what Clapton has to say about Covid is even relevant. I disagree with his stance on vaccinations but also could care less what he thinks about it but I can’t wait to hear the music on the record because he is one of the best at what he does. I also don’t think the reviewers experience durring the pandemic has anything to do with the quality of the music he is of reviewing.
Listened and watched the bluray today. A great session, by a band clearly enjoying themselves. Quite the opposite of what the reviewer says. Lots of smiles and appreciative nods. So I don’t agree with this review at all. The music is great. Clapton is still singing and playing well and the band are impeccable.
Amen! The reviewer seems more interested in Clapton’s views, which he disagrees with. The music is better than just about anything else out in 2021.
I’m not entirely sure what the writer’s location has to do with this review apart from a blithe attempt at taking a geographical moral high-ground? I’m double vaccinated (as is Clapton, it’s worth noting) but given his experience – let’s not forget there have been thousands of deaths as a consequence of the Vaccine – I defend and understand his stance on coerced, mandatory vaccinations. But, this reviewer has heard a few ambulances going by so let’s all nail Eric to the wall for expressing perfectly justified reservations.
I agree with Michael! Eric had a bad reaction from this jab and has legitimate reason for concern and well being of himself and his fellow man! It is nice to see people take a stand against this tyranny!
I disagree with the review. Probably its not Clapton at his best, but i liked very much, a fine tune selections,top gun musicians, clear sound, well mixed and produced. Let alone Clapton’s statements, his past etc. The ‘reviewer’ should appreciate just the only thing that really matters, The (His), Music !
Half of the text is about EC’s views on COVID. While I personally agree that he cocked this one up royally, that has got nothing to do with his music. Have listened to the album and was really impressed by the musicianship and above all, the human nature of the record. No auto tune, no overdubs, just live takes of great music. Contrary to the reviewer I particularly liked what he did with Black Magic Woman. The 12-string absolutely sings! Well done, EC.
Bassist Nathan East perfectly summed up the reason his association with Eric Clapton remains intact in a quote for The Washington Post: “In the Olympics, they throw out the best score and the worst score. You get the measure of a person not on the day they did the very, very best thing they did and not the day they did the very worst thing they did.”. Eric Clapton’s life and career beyond those extreme highs and lows have represented him well. On that note, this performance is better without including protest songs. “The Lady In the Balcony” is a celebration of musical performance at a time when music couldn’t be performed live. EC is in his mid seventies and battling health issues that impact his ability to play guitar. Thankfully, he has long held the conviction that less is more, and he still has the dexterity to draw plenty of emotion from the guitar. His voice is strong, and he is backed by three of his best long time band mates. There are a few surprises in the song list. The result is the kind of new release I’ve been hoping for from Eric Clapton.
Washington Post: “What happened to Eric Clapton?”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2021/11/11/eric-clapton-vaccine-lockdown/?fbclid=IwAR1wbo0NAkeZDjk7m2tjCJZ1kvIPheBzoAxtnIfHt25LkrTlRGeqRwGdZys
>>They did not talk politics at Cowdray House, and “Lady” would include no between-song chatter about vaccines or lockdowns. But behind the scenes, Titelman found himself in an uncomfortable position. Clapton wanted to include “Stand and Deliver” alongside his classics. Titelman didn’t think much of the song musically. The subject worried him more. He thought it would distract from “Lady” and even prepared a speech he planned to deliver to Clapton if he insisted on including it.
“This is about music and performance and live music going on while we’re in the midst of this horrible pandemic,” Titelman planned to say. “So it’s everything you want to say to people. And if that thing’s on there, it’ll explode.”
In the end, the record label solved the problem. Titelman was told it didn’t want the song.<<
I completely disagree with this review. The artists personal political ideas do not have anything to do with his artistry or music quality. “You don’t get much of his guitar”? Seriously? For someone who is supposed to write music, you completely missed his greatness. This level and quality of finger style playing comes only after years of experience. His playing is on point, crisp, simple but yet complex when needed. For anyone who understands about guitar playing, this is a definite keeper.
Clapton has his own opinions-always has- and I have not always agreed with him, and I certainly don’t agree with his view regarding the importance of Covid vaccination-the sooner we are all vaccinated, the sooner he can play before audiences again. That being said, I have been a Clapton fan- since the Yardbird days forward. He has done some ground-breaking work that will last forever and he has done some work that is not up to his standard. I listened to the new album yesterday. I enjoyed it-especially great to hear the super talented Chris Staunton again. I will continue to listen to Clapton but If I met him, I would tell him that he is absolutely wrong on the vaccination issue!
Listened to it once, don’t need to listen to it again. It’s fine, but not interesting or impressive enough to make me buy it. I also agree that the 12-string on BMW is an odd choice and it’s all a bit middle-of-the-road. Was a nice way to pass a couple of hours, nothing more.
Having followed Eric Clapton for decades, this was a good live collection. I’ve grown tired of the COVID pity party authors. Everyone is entitled to deal with Covid in their own way. Worry about yourself.
Having read the comments on the review, I’d have to agree that it seemed a little bias in a negative way. I’ve my own bias, been an admirer of EC for many years. Even if you say it is a shit album, I’d give it a listen and judge for myself. The man has done a lot in his life and like baseball, you aren’t going to hit a homerun every at bat. To me, the fact that EC still jams, can fill a large venue, speaks volumes…
Don’t really get this review. 12 string on ‘Black Magic Woman’ muddy? I’m not hearing that. Sounds well recorded and an interesting choice to use it. Lovely guitar too BTW 🙂 His views on vaccination should not be referenced as far as far a in concerned. I disagree with Clapton’s anti Vax stance myself but this is an album review. I just hear a group of excellent musicians playing tastefully and well within themselves, not trying to impress, but just enjoying making good unplugged music.
The reviewer is an intellectually and emotionally incapable individual with no capability of handling a differing opinion.
As a journalist, Steven, presumably younger than Clapton, you are probably not a musician, nor a songwriter, nor an entertainer of any type. You may not know Eric’s history, or even his tragedies, some of which are expressed with great emotion in his most well known songs. Disagreeing with EC’s opinions in the public/private discourse about the pandemic is no excuse for your published disrespect for the most influential blues musician in the past century – the man who established and funded the Crossroads Centre for Recovery in Antigua, and has been very influential in the support of, and success of many musicians, including BB King, Buddy Guy, and Jimmie Vaughan, following the tragic death of his brother Stevie. In my opinion, this article disqualifies you as a credible reviewer of music, especially of the only musician to have been inducted the the R & R Hall of Fame 3 times. Go back to the woodshed, Steven, you have many lessons ahead of you.
I’m months late on this, but I’m happy that Michael Brooks hit the nail on the head about Steven Ovadia’s way too long turn into virtue signaling. Lifelong New Yorker and as such, hearing this gobblygook about where is family originates and the terror of hearing ambulances is eye rolling at best.
Not to be a total dck, I would like to compliment Ovadia on an otherwise insightful review. Going forward, tinging everything with this overwrought need to ejaculate 21st century politics is boring already. I’m not ready to grab my pitchfork and join the rest of the townies in outing the non-compliant. It’s not a bad album, I’m going to listen to it again and it’s what I’d expect of a guy in the 70s who has nothing to prove at this point.
The music shines, the video is a joy. Four veteran professionals clearly enjoying themselves making great music. The guitar work is impeccable and comes through loud and clear on a good system. Black Magic Woman is a stellar interpretation that Clapton obviously feels deeply connected to. The weakest songs are the last electric ones, not the best. The reviewer doesn’t have a clue
I’m very late here, but having just purchased and listened to this album, I’d like to thank the commenters for their excellent work in giving this review the thrashing it so richly deserves. The album is amazing. The fact that Clapton has turned into a something of a cantankerous old SOB doesn’t detract from the fact that his music is phenomenal.
Its good review but author gives way too much importance about past statements of mr. Clapton and also being too emotional about it. It is entirely different album than MTV Unplugged. That album was kind of revolutionary, it was something new with such quality acoustic performance that was very rare before and since. One more milestone among many Clapton achieved in historical sense. The Lady…is totally different, laid back approach without much ambition behind it. Clapton has nothing more to prove, he simply play with quiet joy and simplicity like he probably will for the final years of his life. He is also much older and there is much less intensity and enthusiasm naturally. For being 77 even now he play more interestingly than most bands of today. It would be nice to hear more daring, experimental approach from Clapton and more powerful leads but he seems to not care about such playing at the present. Maybe electric/acoustic approach would be better with more instruments. This album have different quality than MTV Un.. You can just relax, no loud sounds, very meditative. For what it is, is very good.
All I read up to was “unfortunately, he doesn’t “. All I have to say is, unfortunately you must have a hole in your head and ain’t your ears.