Eric Clapton-Journeyman (1989)

For much of the 1980s, Eric Clapton's musical journey was marked by albums of limited quality and commercial appeal, with predictable works far removed from his earlier output. Albums like "Another Ticket", "Money and Cigarettes", and "Behind the Sun" were experiments quite distinct from his blues style, focusing more on the electronic sounds typical of the 1980s, and featuring a watered-down Eric Clapton, both in his songwriting and instrumental performance. Toward the end of the 1980s came his eleventh album, "Journeyman", where he recovered his unmistakable style and returned to his blues roots. Recorded between The Power Station studios in New York and The Town House in London, throughout much of 1989, the album featured a string of renowned musicians, including Robert Cray (guitar), Nathan East (bass), George Harrison (guitar), Pino Palladino (bass), Phil Collins (drums), David Sanborn (saxophone), and Daryl Hall (vocals), among many others. The album opens with the spectacular "Pretending", which, along with the charming bluesy "Running On Faith", the catchy "Bad Love", and the soul-rock "No Alibis", are the highlights of this release. However his characteristic blues influence is present in the tracks "Before You Acuse Me", "Old Love", and the jazzy "Hard Times", while "Lead Me On", "Run So Far", and "Anything For Your Love" showcase Clapton's more subdued side with his usual enchanting ballads. With this album Eric Clapton returned to the top of the charts, earning half a dozen platinum records and sales exceeding four million copies worldwide. Moreover, and more importantly, he regained his credibility, which he had lost for some years, as one of the best guitarists in rock history.