Customer Reviews

Book of Dreams

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When Miller, Mallaber, and Turner took their chums into the studios to record 'Fly Like an Eagle', they emerged with 22 tracks. Some may have noticed that there are only 12 tracks on '... Eagle'. Rather than release what would have been one of the greatest double studio LPs of all time, Miller decided to release a magnificent single LP there and then, and hold on to the remaining tracks for the next release. No way could the tracks he held onto be considered less outstanding than the ones that made it for immediate release.

If anything, 'Book of Dreams' is an even better album. It has the two excellent singles 'Jet Airliner' and 'Jungle Love'. It also has the wonderful 'Swingtown', which was typically the first pick of many TV and FM radio stations when the album was first released. (In the UK, the Old Grey Whistle Test played the track to one of those marvellous American black-and-white cartoons of the 1920s or 30s.)

But the stand-out track -- the real reason why you cannot just buy the Greatest Hits album -- is the sublime 'Sacrifice', preceded by 'Electro Lux Imbroglio'. Les Dudek's guitar solo on 'Sacrifice' is quite simply one of the most sublime I've heard -- a 1970s peak which has never since been bettered in mainstream rock.

The only question remaining is which version of the CD to buy. Personally I would spend a little extra to get the remastered version from Eagle. I have the 1992 Australian pressing from Liberation Records (manufactured by Disctronics) and though the synthesizers are very sharp, the drum sound on tracks like 'Jet Airliner' is a little dull.

Which you buy, you won't be disappointed.

Steve Miller's follow up to his massively successful "Fly Like an Eagle" was nearly as popular. Between them, the two albums contain 90% of Miller's best known material. "Book of Dreams" is another platter featuring Miller at his radio friendly best, hook laden songs, ace guitar work, warm lead vocals and middle-of-the road sensibility. "Jet Airliner," "Swingtown" and the eminently silly "Jungle Love" were the three big hits off this album, while "True Fine Love" and "Wintertime" are two other staples that appeared on his 1974-78 Greatest Hits album. The second half of the album admittedly lags, with obvious filler material rounding it out, but this is still a strong collection of songs from the Space Cowboy.

Overall, this is a 70s rock classic that has aged very well.

Steve Miller Band sounded good in the 60's but starting with "The Joker" in '73 their sound had changed although it was still easy to identify as Steve Miller. "Book of Dreams" came out around a year after "Fly Like an Eagle". There are lots of good songs on both albums. The songs that got the most radio play from "Book of Dreams" weren't my favorite. "Jet Airliner", "Swingtown" are good songs but I got tired of hearing them after awhile. My personal favorites are "Winter Time", "Wish Upon a Star", "Jungle Love" (has some great sound effects), "The Stake", "My Own Space", "Babes in the Wood". But the best on this whole album has to be "Sacrifice" with "Electro Lux Imbroglio" essentially being the introduction. These songs had an energy to them that I don't think Steve Miller ever quite attained again. For me, this was Steve Miller's last great album. If you were around in 1977 and hearing these songs they really stood out from the rest. But I think the ones that got the most radio play are not the best. So if you like Steve Miller's sound don't judge the entire content of this album only by what you've heard from it on the radio.

Book of Dreams, Steve Miller's follow up to 1976's smash hit Fly Like an Eagle was recorded at the same time and is just as strong of an album. Again like Fly Like an Eagle about half the songs on the album where hits. Jet Airliner(not edited like greatest hits 1974-78),Swingtown, and Jungle Love are all great songs, even the filler is good, if you bought Fly Like an Eagle you need Book of Dreams to complete your collection.

This album has the best version of Jet Airliner- the one with the long, driving guitar intro.

I'll be brief, this is one of my all-time favorite albums, and I think it is even better (by quite a bit) than his previous work, the classic "Fly Like An Eagle".

The better 12 of the 24 songs Steve recorded for Fly Like an Eagle and Book of Dreams are here. Highly recommended and this may be his best.

Noticing Steve Miller's uneven track record when it comes to albums,some critics predicted the that he could never follow up FLY LIKE AN EAGLE with something just as good.Happily,these doomsayers were proven wrong with the first supersonic jet noises of THRESHOLD which bleeded nicely into the radio staple JET AIRLINER.Like EAGLE,BOOK OF DREAMS has many Miller Classics taken from it:The areana rock of SWINGTOWN,the romantic pop of TRUE FINE LOVE,the playful rythms of JUNGLE LOVE,and the hard guitar blues of THE STAKE.There are also hidden nuggets like the Beach Boy -like sentiments of MY OWN SPACE.Carrying on from FLY LIKE AN EAGLE,Steve Miller experiments more with keyboards and other effects;perhaps trying to prove that on BOOK OF DREAMS he could be more than just another "guitar whizkid".The whole Steve Miller Band gets to show their chops well on this release.If you loved FLY LIKE AN EAGLE,Then I urge you to pick up BOOK OF DREAMS ,and be prepared to be lifted off the threshold.

I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed listening to this follow up to "Fly Like An Eagle" and small wonder considering my 8-track player doesn't work anymore! (Not to mention the fact that it got towed away along with my '68 Chevelle Malibu Station Wagon in '79 or '80). Not quite the start to finish success of Fly like an eagle, but damn close. Jet Airliner still gets and deserves airtime, Winter time still haunts and lingers and Jungle love is the lost classic most classic rock stations can't seem to find or play.

"Book Of Dreams" #2 1977).
I have always found "Book Of Dreams", my favorite album by The Steve Miller Band, this is their 10th release. Highlights include,the three hits,"Jet Airliner" #8, for me I would always get the album version, than the best of version, "Swingtown" #17, has strumming guitar with a little dab of a disco beat, and "Jungle Love" #23, I remember back in high school cruising down main with this song cranked full blast with those whistles! (By the way it was an 8-track). "Winter Time", just brings winter to mind every time I hear this song. "Wish Upon A Star", our local rock station would close there programming with this. (Yes, they shut down the station at 12:00 in the 70's). "True Fine Love", is just a fun little rock song. "Sacrifice", one of the prettiest guitar solo's out there, with help from Les Dudek. "The Stake", is kind of a modern blues tune, another great solo by Steve. "My Own Space", love this mid-tempo rocker. And the album finishes with the Instrumental "Babes In The Woods", kind of a Scottish jig. Steve Miller has done some fine albums, but I find this one, his ultimate best!