This came out in 1999 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
In 1965, blues purist Eric Clapton quit The Yardbirds because they were too poppy. These days, he writes songs for Julia Roberts and Bruce Willis movies. So who’s the sellout now?
OK, I’m oversimplifying — but there’s no denying over the years, Clapton has devolved from idealistic blues wunderkind to FM shlock balladeer. And unfortunately, it’s this latter period that makes up the bulk of the hit-filled Chronicles, his second best-of this fall. The closest you get to new tracks are the fluff of Blue Eyes Blue (from Runaway Bride) and (I) Get Lost (from The Story Of Us). The closest you get to the old days are ’80s hits Forever Man and She’s Waiting. Sure, Clapton is still God on the guitar, but Chronicles just makes it clear it’s been far too long since he raised hell.
