| CD REVIEW The Steve Miller Band |
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Band : The Steve Miller Band I guess many of you could not believe the rumors, upon hearing that Steve Miller would be releasing a new studio album, on Roadrunner Records, of all labels. Yet true it was. After many many years (17 actually) of silence, the man is back. The younger amongst you might not even have heard anything about Steve Miller, but he actually scored a few hit singles, like '"he Joker" or "Fly Like An Eagle" to name but two of them, yet unlike some other American groups or singers he never made the big breakthrough here in Europe or elsewhere. Being one of the few review writers for Concrete Web who's old enough to remember Steve Miller, and since my musical preference is very varied, I got the task of writing the review for this album. I must say it was a very pleasant task. For a guy who's on the brink of turning 70, he manages to play some pleasant, catchy songs. OK, most if not all of them are covers, but this is the kind of music that he got famous with in the eighties. He won't have a hit with this, but if you like your music to be rock, larded with a good dose of blues, then this album will do the trick. Even when this kind of music is not my main interest, I do think I'll be playing this CD again. Maybe later on this year, while my steak is sizzling away on the BBQ, and I’m waiting till the meat is ready, sipping a good cold bear while lazingly sitting on the patio. I hope there will be another album out soon. I mean, if Keith Richards can go on, why shouldn't Steve Miller do the same. His guitar work seems just as good as ever before. 85/100 Erik Morren. Band : The Steve Miller Band “Would you like to do the new Steve Miller Band?,” the editor-in-chief asked me, getting my spontaneous answer of “Ja-huh!”, while thinking, “Didn’t know they still existed!”. Of course I’d known the band during the ‘70s and early ‘80s when songs of theirs were almost a constant in the hit parades of many countries and a staple at the better dance parties, but if I’m honest I’d have to admit that in latter years I kinda lost track of the band. Which isn’t quite that an extraordinary thing, because it’s been quíte a while since new studio material by the band came out. In fact, it’s been since 1993’s Wide River, which was followed only by the King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents The Steve Miller Band in 2002 (a recording originating from the band’s beginning days), the Young Hearts – Complete Greatest Hits sampler in 2003, the 30th anniversary edition/ re-issue of the Fly Like An Eagle album in 2006, and the Steve Miller Band – Live From Chicago DVD in 2007…stuff which hardly even got any attention in most of the important Rock & Metal Magazines, so how on earth could I even have known Steve was still around and kickin’ fun at frequent touring shows? Over the years, Steve frequently changed the musicians in his band, the current one consisting of Steve on guitar and lead vocals (as well as backings), second singer Sonny Charles (actually rather new to the line-up, himself a veteran of the Blues genre, fronting his band Checkmates), second guitarist & backing singer Kenny Lee Lewis, keyboardist/ backing singer Joseph Wooten, and drummer Gordy Knutsen. And here’s a little piece of news fans of that uncomplicated yet certainly not unadventurous Blues Rock this band is known for…are gonna lóve to hear: Bingo is only the first of an ungoing series of recordings by The Steve Miller Band, co-produced by Steve and engineer Andy Johns (the legendary engineer/ producer known from his participation to albums by such “biggies” as Led Zeppelin and Rolling Stones). Which should immediately crush down the negative critics about the choice of material for the band’s “comeback” album! I mean, I was personally somewhat apprehensive myself about the fact that the album only contains 10 covers of songs from the Rhythm ‘n’ Blues era, and has no Steve Miller originals, but then I read that the band had already done recordings with the late harmonica player/ singer Norton Buffalo (died October 30 of last), Steve’s partner-in-music(al-“crimes”) for 33 years. Recordings which will be releassed on album next year! So, apparently the band has been rather busy in the studio last year! Well, even though there’s only covers on this album, even the most recognizable ones are so sublimely altered to fit Steve Miller Band’s usual sound the end result is like listening to an album of originals anyway! For those unfamiliar with the sounds of this band, you can find their hits of the ‘70s and ‘80s at myspace.com/stevemillerband. Songs like “The Joker”, “Abracadabra”, “Fly Like An Eagle”, “Jet Airliner”…well, every óne posted there was and still is a hit! There is however only the one track off the new album here, so for more material off the album you’ll have to look for the album on Amazon.com or some other on-line retailer. I’m sure they have samples of all or a majority of the album tracks available! As for the fact that there’s no rating for this album…how can I be “unpartial” when this is in fact a real, really good covers album with darn nice re-workings of classic tracks, the majority I know the originals of? I can only tell you that with each listening session I gave the album, my conviction was growing towards the necessity of nominating Bingo! into my year-lists! Extra points for the nifty cover art! I hope the next (possibly with a completely original set of tracks) album can excite me just as much. Tony. |
