Stages (1993)

Spectrum's 1993 Stages is a curious compilation that offers a little bit of every phrase of the prime of Eric Clapton's career, containing a few cuts from his stint with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, a couple tracks from both Cream and Derek & the Dominos, a cut from Blind Faith, and a solo cut from the '70s. The caveat is, with the exception of Cream's "Crossroads" and maybe "Steppin' Out" and "Hide Away," which are the signature Mayall tunes, none of these are hits -- they're just taken almost at random. Most of it is ... Read More

Spectrum's 1993 Stages is a curious compilation that offers a little bit of every phrase of the prime of Eric Clapton's career, containing a few cuts from his stint with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, a couple tracks from both Cream and Derek & the Dominos, a cut from Blind Faith, and a solo cut from the '70s. The caveat is, with the exception of Cream's "Crossroads" and maybe "Steppin' Out" and "Hide Away," which are the signature Mayall tunes, none of these are hits -- they're just taken almost at random. Most of it is pretty good, but it's not assembled with the intention of revealing his lesser-known tunes, nor is it a good choice for casual fans who want to dig deeper. It's just a hodgepodge, but as hodgepodges go, it's not bad. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi Read Less