Eric Clapton

A huge success for Clapton (and for the "unplugged" genre as a whole), Unplugged is an effective acoustic album from the British blues master. Fans of Clapton's more rugged originals might find it a little infuriating, but the record works (and garnered Clapton a whole new generation of fans). The pleasant, easy atmosphere just can't be denied.

Laid-back doesn't equal dead--461 Ocean Boulevard is laid-back. What's wrong with this stopgap is it means to be inoffensive. Relegating Clapton-the-electric-guitarist to the mists of memory and capturing Clapton-the-pop-vocalist in a staid mood only an adrenaline junkie could confuse with the sly somnolence of "I Shot the Sherriff" and "Willie and the Hand Jive," it turns "Layla" into a whispery greeting card. No wonder the pop star he most closely resembles on television is James Galway. (Grade - B-)