On this LP of blues covers, Clapton sounds about as loose and raw as a virtuoso can sound—in other words, like he's having fun. The results are both faithful and contemporary, like on "How Long Blues", where he pays tribute to Leroy Carr by setting his guitar aside and letting the barrelhouse piano lead. His take on Tampa Red's "It Hurts Me Too", meanwhile, shows no such restraint, following a distorted slide-guitar lead that sounds sharp enough to tear your shirt in half.