Release Date: 1976
Previously Owned: No
First Time Listen: Yes

Impressions: Like many red-blooded American males who have spent time at Boy Scout Camp, I have an appreciation for the occasional Steve Miller Band jam. My SMB dosage usually came in the form a tape of their greatest hits played loudly while tooling around Wisconsin in a Trans Am. Let’s turn the clock back… Whooshy, familiar keyboard opening, woah, man. Then, it comes in: “TICK TOCK, DO DO DOO DOO.” What can I say? “Fly Like an Eagle” is a pretty unimpeachable classic-rock hit that’s got a good groove to it and fun goofball Moog keyboard whooshes. Other big hits like the lovers-on-the-lam tale “Take The Money And Run” and “Rock’n Me” are super-catchy, hard-to-dislike jams (outside of except for the ubiquitiousness of them.) The slower, woozy “Wild Mountain Honey” is as cheesy as its name and some of his non-hits have a low-key, bluesy-yet-trippy vibe. This straightforward, mid-70s whitebread rock-material might have been only average or worse if it wasn’t for drummer Gary Mallaber’s stellar, in-the-pocket playing that elevates the material. Trippy, dated-but still chic keyboards are all over this album which aimed squarely for AOR radio, but it, hey, it worked.

Starred Songs: “Fly Like An Eagle,” “Take The Money And Run,”  “Rock’n Me”
Sneaky Tracks: “The Window”
Should this album be on the list? Maybe I’m sentimental but I think their Greatest Hits could be a better choice, even though adding compilations to this list seems like cheating.
Will you listen to this again? Ehh, I’ll hear these songs somewhere, no doubt.

Verdict: Mid ’70s rock album of hits with a sneaky groove isn’t revelatory, but still is tape-deck worthy.
Rating: ★★★1/4