The Steve Miller Band - Your Saving Grace 1969
Blues
Your Saving Grace is a much more earthy collection of tunes when compared to the band's previous three long-players. While there are distinct psychedelic remnants of the Boz Scaggs (guitar/vocals) and Jim Peterman (keyboards) era, the addition of keyboardists Ben Sidran and Nicky Hopkins -- which began on the Steve Miller Band's previous effort, Brave New World -- adds a jazzier facet to this second incarnation of the group. Harking back to the band's blues roots, Your Saving Grace includes a couple of distinct blues originals -- such as the up-tempo and gospel-doused "Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around" and a somewhat uninspired arrangement of "Motherless Children," which sounds more synchronous with the Sailor or Brave New World albums. The funky "Little Girl," the elegantly pensive "Baby's House," and the title track -- which is oddly programmed as the LP's final cut -- are among the highlights of this disc. Once again, the production is handled by Glyn Johns, whose contributions here are more subdued, yet no less noticeable. This is especially true of Miller's crystalline slide guitar licks on Lonnie Turner's cryptically titled "The Last Wombat in Mecca." The same upfront clean sound holds true on the laid-back and bluesy "Feel So Glad" -- which is punctuated by some inspired and unmistakable ivory tickling by studio wunderkind Nicky Hopkins. Although the album is not as thoroughly solid as earlier efforts, Your Saving Grace and the follow-up, Number 5, are definite bridges between the early trippy montages prevalent on Children of the Future and the direction that Miller would take on his much more successful mid-'70s discs.
By Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide.
**
Steve Miller is probably the world's most underated guitarist. He is also very underated as an artist. Your Saving Grace is no exception. The title track is heavy with emotion and while not writen by Miller, shows off the talent of Tim Davis who was the backbone of the early stuff. The forcefull lovesong "Little Girl" and the civil rights motif "Don't you let nobody" are solid rock tracks with a hint of blues and a lot of attitude. "Baby's House" shows off the piano skills of Nicky Hopkins as well as Miller's strength as a vocalist. If you have Miller's box set you are missing out on the full version of this awesome song. "Motherless Children" has a blues twing and a solid emotional base that makes it a classic. While the album is short, it is a good buy. For the Miller enthusist it is well worth it. If not, you might want to start off his early stuff with Antholgy.
By Peter Mahoney.
**
Tim Davis- (Drums),(Vocals),
Nicky Hopkins- (Keyboards),
Glyn Johns- (Guitar),(Tambourine),(Vocals),
Steve Miller- (Synthesizer),(Guitar),(Harmonica),(Keyboards),(Vocals),
Ben Sidran- (Organ),(Keyboards),
Lonnie Turner- (Bass),(Guitar),(Vocals).
**
A1. Little Girl 3:20
Tambourine - Glyn
A2. Just A Passin' Fancy In A Midnite Dream 3:38
Organ - Ben
Piano - Nicky
Written-By - Ben Sidran
A3. Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around 2:27
Vocals - Glyn , Lonnie* , Ronnie (8) , Tim
A4. Baby's House 8:55
Vocals [Chorus] - Barnes Ensemble
Written-By - Nicky Hopkins
B1. Motherless Children 5:52
Arranged By - Steve Miller
Electronics - Tim
Guitar, Electronics - Glyn
Harpsichord - Nicky
B2. The Last Wombat In Mecca 2:53
Guitar - Minor Wilson
Guitar [Slide] - Connie
Vocals - Tim
Written-By - Lonnie Turner
B3. Feel So Glad 5:22
Piano - Nicky
B4. Your Saving Grace 4:55
Guitar - Curley
Gutar, Vocals - Glyn
Organ - Nicky
Written-By - Tim Davis
**
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