Reviews / Album

The Magical World is one of those marvelous wake-up calls to remind us that while the sun still shines here in the west, things ain’t so bad at all.

A generous host, at the end of the day, though you’ve got everyone from Derek Trucks and Gary Clark Jr to Earl Klugh and Los Lobos, it’s Clapton who remains the star. Even Keith Richards can’t upstage him.

Contemporaries such as Coldplay, Sia, The National and Santigold deliver pedestrian tracks that’ll undoubtedly sound at home in the film, but here, are a little uninteresting overall.

This is a great (and great sounding) addition to their catalogue that serves a number of purposes – a hits package, a sign that they are still alive and kicking as a band and a reminder of what a dynamic and visceral live act they remain.