This a companion piece to last year’s ‘Bingo’ album but it stands up strongly enough on its own as well. Simply put, brilliant Blues played by the guy who has been around forever and still looks like your older brother and not your dad.The recipe is pretty straightforward: a bunch of covers of tunes that Miller has either grown up with or been playing for fun for years; get a powerhouse band together and let it all flow – simples.
The end result is just sublime. I have always liked the way that he can put a song over without overstretching his vocal and he is well within the zone here and he puts over some truly classic Blues with real verve and soul.
Tracks from the likes of Junior Wells, Muddy Waters. John Lee Hooker and Jimmy Reed just can’t fail but he does make them sound like Steve Miller originals.
‘I Got Love If You Want It’, Slim Harpo at his best, has a funky and soulful vibe and could have been written for Miller and John Lee Hooker’s ‘No More Doggin’’ gets a jazzy treatment with real sass in the vocals – very unlike the original but it works brilliantly. My favourite number is probably his version of Muddy Waters ‘Love The Life I Live’ simply because it stays so true to Muddy’s original yet takes on a totally Steve Miller sound.
This album is poignant as well, as the last recordings of Miller’s long term playing partner Norton Buffalo and his harmonica is excellent through the whole album.
Albums like this one leave you smiling and there isn’t too much more you can ask of music these days.
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