Saturday, 2 April 2022

Recall The Beginning - STEVE MILLER BAND***

Welcome/Enter Maurice/High On You Mama/Heal Your Heart/The Sun Is Going Down/Somebody Somewhere Help Me/Love's Riddle/Fandango/Nothing Lasts/Journey From Eden

Recall The Beginning was released during a slump in the fortunes of Steve Miller. It was his last to feature prominently his blues-rock sound before he transitioned to more radio friendly songs. (US:109)

“This was Miller’s last LP before finding the formula that would bring him massive commercial success starting with The Joker. Structurally, it follows a format often seen in progressive rock of the era, in which side one is relatively conventional while side two is used to stretch out more.”

“The record before he found his commercial groove, it showed all the signs of good things to come without any radio hits.”

“Side one is above average song craft, but side two is something else again. Stellar writing and arrangements that float by in a dreamlike sequence that's capped with the superb Journey From Eden. It's the closest he would ever come to a suite of material that's almost art.”

“Quite an eclectic collection of tunes with a lot of musicianship that I think had gone unappreciated when this album came out.”

“This was the last album before Miller went radio friendly pop. But there was a time Steve led a San Francisco psychedelic rock group. This album is split between a tribute to early rock styles and a farewell to his particular style of bluesy acid rock. This mix of styles probably didn't do album sales any favours which is too bad since it contains some of his finest work.”

“This is a real evergreen favourite for me; side two in particular is simply gorgeous. This album is so much better than later, more commercial Steve Miller. A real shame that this never received the praise it deserved when first issued.”

“Released during the less known years of Steve Miller. Not psychedelic, or disco-pop, just blues-rock with several good songs.”

“The second side of this album has always been one of my favourite song sequences. Starting with Lover's Riddle each song dreamingly leads into the next until it closes with the hauntingly beautiful Journey From Eden.”

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