Slowhand - Eric Clapton (1977)

Three months in 1977: Released Nov 25. I’d already written up Chic’s debut album, which I included in a thing about 1978. But according to Wiki it came out november 22, 1977. Also worth noting that I could keep going past my arbitrary stopping point: the last few weeks of 77 included Eno’s Before And After Science, Jackson Browne’s Running On Empty, Wire’s Pink Flag, and Suicide’s first album.

Produced by Glyn Johns, who had produced a bunch of the biggest rock records of the previous 10 years, this album tamed down some of Clapton’s tendencies to jamming and wandering, resulting in a set of mean and focused tunes.

I love JJ Cale’s version of Cocaine, but the Clapton cover is transcendently beguiling and gritty.

We get several of his biggest hits and most recognizable songs, along with just enough bluesy jams that you don’t forget whose record this is.