After being in several successful rock bands including The Yardbirds, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Cream and Blind Faith, Clapton recorded an album under his own name in late 1969 and early 1970.

The album cover, photographed by Barry Feinstein,[2] depicts Clapton sitting in a Los Angeles photo studio[3] while smoking a cigarette, his Fender Stratocaster Brownie electric guitar leaning between his legs.

[9] Robert Christgau rated the album with the "B" mark and noted: "I blame a conceptual error, rather than Clapton's uncertain singing, for the overall thinness.

[7] In a retrospective review for AllMusic Stephen Thomas Erlewine feels that Clapton "sounds more laid-back and straightforward than any of the guitarist's previous recordings.

Erlewine finishes his summary by stating "it's encouraging to hear him grow and become a more fully rounded musician, but too often the album needs the spark that some long guitar solos would have given it.