This is my first Steve Miller record, and I don’t get it.
It makes sense that it’s his most popular, as there are 3 radio hits here. But it’s oddly constructed. It’s book-ended by tracks that try to sound futuristic (a ’70s attempt at it), with lots of ARP, as if Miller had just found out about this instrument the Who and the Floyd were fooling around with in 1970. But then in the middle is straight ahead roots rock and roots pop, some okay covers and some completely unnecessary ones. But at least they don’t date themselves like his ARP experiments.
I just don’t get why this record exists as it does, as it feels like mostly one thing, book-ended by something else. And neither part is good, though I get that there are hits on it. Those hits are meh. Miller isn’t a great songwriter; his lyrics are not great – sometimes reek of the era he came of age in – and his melodies are run of the mill.
I’m not sure who this is for. But I know this music echoes a lot of other, better music without ever reaching those levels. And it’s just hard to know why anyone who likes the three radio hits should listen to this record instead of a “Best of.”
5/10
- “Space Intro” (Steve Miller) 1:15
- “Fly Like An Eagle” (Miller) 4:42
- “Wild Mountain Honey” (Steve McCarty) 4:51
- “Serenade” (Miller, Chris McCarty) 3:13
- “Dance Dance Dance” (Miller, Joseph Cooper, Brenda Cooper) 2:18
- “Mercury Blues” (K.C. Douglas, Bob Geddins) 3:30
- “Take the Money and Run” (Miller) 2:50
- “Rock’n Me” (Miller) 3:05
- “You Send Me” (Sam Cooke) 2:42
- “Blue Odyssey” (Miller) 1:00
- “Sweet Maree” (Miller) 4:16
- “The Window” (Miller, Jason Cooper) 4:19
- Steve Miller – vocals, guitar, keyboards, sitar, ARP Odyssey (1, 2), producer
- Lonnie Turner – bass guitar (all but 12)
- Gary Mallaber – drums (all but 12), percussion
Additional Musicians:
- James Cotton – harmonica (11)
- Curley Cooke – guitar (12)
- Les Dudek – guitar (12)
- Charles Calamise – bass guitar (12)
- Kenny Johnson – drums (12)
- Joe (njjoe) Dandrea – percussion (Zildjian ct tophat) (12)
- John McFee – dobro (5)
- Joachim Young – B3 organ (2, 12)