Customer Reviews

Miami

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The 2nd James Gang album with the legendary and deceased Tommy Bolin on guitar. It's not as strong as Bang but it has it's moments. Songs like Do It, Crusin' Down The Highway, Spanish Lover, Red Skies and the little ditty Miami Two Step are among the best this has to offer. The reason it's not as strong and compelling as Bang is because Tommy was distancing himself from the rest of the band. Disinterested and wanting to go solo he soon departed after this recording but still managed to deliver some awesome songs. Ron Kenner's voice is great and Tommy did collaborate with Roy on writing a few songs but at least half of the songs were written with Tommy Bolin and Jeff Cook, the singer of Tommy's former band Energy. A great "lost" 70's album.

This album, the followup to the acclaimed "James Gang Bang", is a strong and somewhat overlooked album. The record features Tommy Bolin on Guitars, and Roy Kenner on Vocals. Bolin plays a variety of styles, from his trademark, searing slide guitar on "Wildfire" to some nice acoustic work (and his lead vocal) on "Spanish Lover". I particularly like "Summer Breezes"...great song and Bolin plays some great slide work, particularly on the beautiful, melodic ending. If you like any of the James Gang's work, or are a Tommy Bolin fan, you've got to add this to your collection!

...and only recently discovered Tommy Bolin; much to my loss! This album and "Bang" are two incredible gems of music that I've stumbled on thanks to the critiques on Amazon's Reviews. 70's style rock music with great songs, played by great musicians, seemingly having a great time! If you're a fan of the genre, looking for something you might be missing from your collection than "Miami" is it. Enjoy....

James Gang's "Miami" is an excellent example of how an incredible guitarist can display his chops without having to go over the top or crank up the volume and speed just to get your attention. That isn't to say that this disc doesn't have its all-out rockin' moments. Every song has something special from Mr. Bolin in it but a word of caution is in order: BEWARE. Those moments are so finely woven into the fabric of each song that you may not realize that you are getting smoked until the flames have already blazed out of control.

I bought this LP when it first came out in 1974 but never really understood why I liked it as much as I did. Now that I'm older I understand perfectly what it was and what made this a "must have" disc when I transitioned into the CD era. A quick breakdown of the songs will give you an idea of what I'm talking about ...

1. Cruisin' Down The Highway (3:16) - an assortment of acoustic and electric guitars combine to make this mid-paced rocker a prime example of getting smoked before you realize you're on fire!

2. Do It (3:38) - a typical 70's rocker with a nice groove and a great guitar ending.

3. Wildfire (3:30) - the song title says it all ... a bouncy rocker that Roy Kenner really belts out nicely.

4. Sleepwalker (4:01) - the perfect James Gang song ... this would probably rank among the favorites of many JG and TB fans if a poll were to be taken.

5. Miami Two-Step (1:32) - an acoustic instrumental that ended side 1 on the original LP.

6a. Praylude -- a soft, moody instrumental intro that opened side 2 of the original LP; reminiscent of Savoy Brown's "Gypsy" from "Lookin In" which served a similar purpose as an intro to "Poor Girl" to kick off side 1 of that release.
6b. Red Skies (5:59) - heavy blues-rocker that has several changes in tempo to allow both Bolin and Kenner ample opportunities to express themselves.

7. Spanish Lover (3:43) - a pleasant little gem that Tommy Bolin provides the vocals for.

8. Summer Breezes (2:40) - the most upbeat song on the second half of this release with soaring slide guitar and a bright/tight performance by the band.

9. Head Above the Water (4:18) - the perfect finale ... slower tempo and TB showcases his mastery of the guitar to create the perfect mood and effect throughout this masterpiece.

It is easy to look at this album as just another solid Tommy Bolin product but that wouldn't be fair to the rest of the James Gang. The band is tight throughout and Roy Kenner's vocals are perfectly suited for the material. All in all the only thing that I know of that could improve "Miami" is a few more songs. Bonus cuts and/or outtakes from the "Miami" sessions or pairing it with "Bang!" as a 2-on-1 CD would be nice. At just under 33 minutes this release is short but the quality more than makes up for the lack of quantity.

I saw Tommy at Ebbets Field in Denver in 1974 (I was under-age then but nobody seamed to care) and have been a total fan ever since. If he hadn't partied himself to death he would be known as one the greatest guitarists of rock. My friends still wonder what he would putting out now if he was still here. From ballads like the awesome "Alexis" and the rockers like "Post Toastie" he always had something new to test "The Tune Generator". Along with "Private Eyes" and "Bang" highly recommended!

I enjoyed seeing Tommy Bolin play guitar when he was with Deep Purple in LakeLand,Florida around late Jan."76" He was sure (talent wise),climbing the steps of his mentors he admired... (Elvis,and Hendrix).I am thankful he left behind some excellent guitar recordings for others to enjoy.Joe Walsh was right to recommend him for the James Gang,and Ritchie Blackmore was right to recommend him for Deep Purple.

Co-produced by Tom Dowd and The James Gang, by any measure 1975's "Miami" came up short in most categories. With two blatant exceptions ('Sleepwalker' sounding like a dead ringer for Joe Walsh-era James Gang) most of the songs here weren't particularly original, or memorable and while the performances were never less than professional, they were seldom awe-inspiring. That said, having singer/guitarist Tommy Bolin firmly onboard went a long way to helping the band regain some of their creative and commercial footings. While Roy Kenner handled most of the lead vocal, the spotlight was clearly on Bolin. This time out he co-wrote all nine tracks, handled lead guitar, and even took lead vocals on 'Spanish Lover (my choice for the album's other standout performance)'. That said, exemplified by tracks like 'Cruisin' Down the Highway', 'Wildfire' and 'Red Skies' the bulk of the album found the band trying their hand at being a conventional boogie rock. Mind you there was nothing wrong with such a goal, unless you were a band as talented as these guys were.

- 'Cruisin' Down the Highway' had the album's most commercial feel' kind of a feel-good summertime rocker vibe with a catchy Bolin rhythm guitar and some equally nice slide guitar. Which explains why it was tapped as a single. The only thing I didn't like was the Jerry Lee Lewis-styled keyboard bursts and the fact the song faded out just as Bolin was really starting to jam. rating: *** stars
- A conventional slice of bar boogie, 'Do It' could have been a Foghat outtake ... Nice beer drinking tune and a nice Bolin solo, but hardly the most original thing they'd ever done. rating: ** stars
- Showcasing Roy Kenner's thick, if somewhat flat voice, to my ears 'Wildfire' sounded a bit like a good Bachman Turner Overdrive tune. Like a good BTO track, this had one of those sledgehammer rhythms that just sort of beat its way into your skull and wouldn't leave. Elsewhere, Bolin turned in some tasty lead slide guitar. rating: **** stars
- Maybe its just my old and beat ears, but 'Sleepwalker' has always reminded me of a Joe Walsh performance. The production effects on Kenner's voice coupled Dale Peters' fuzz bass, and Bolin's thick, sustained chords gave the song a distinctive Walsh-like vibe. Very nice and one of the album highlights. rating: **** stars
- A short blues-shuffle instrumental, 'Miami Two-Step' showcased Bolin's finger-picking and slide guitar moves. Nothing special. rating: ** stars
- 'Praylude' opened up side two with a brief, keyboard-propelled instrumental that sounded almost like a piece of new age music. It then morphed into a segment that showcased some amazing jazz-tinged guitar from Bolin. I don't even like jazz, but found Bolin's performance mesmerizing. rating: *** stars
- 'Red Skies' was a heavy boogie number with another first-rate lead from Bolin. rating: ** stars
- Bolin apparently co-wrote 'Spanish Lover' with Jeff Cook while the pair were in his pre-James Gang project( energy. A beautiful ballad, the song served to showcase Bolin's wonderful voice and his arsenal of guitar effects. Probably the album's one must-hear tune. rating; **** stars
- 'Summer Breezes' was a great song that showcased Bolin's classic slide guitar moves, but suffered from a weak Kenner lead vocal. You literally sat there wondering whether Kenner was going to make it through the song without blowing a vocal chord or suffering an aneurysm. Should have let Bolin handle the lead vocal. rating: ** stars
- After Bolin's 'Spanish Lover', 'Head Above the Water' was the set's most interesting performance. A mid-tempo rocker sporting one of Kenner's best lead vocals and another arsenal of Bolin guitar chops, there wasn't a wasted over the entire four plus minutes. rating: **** stars

ATCO didn't put a lot of promotional effort into the collection. One single was spun off and it did little commercially:

- 1974's 'Crusin' down the Highway' b/w 'Miami Two Step' (ATCO catalog number 7006)

Even with all of the above reservations, I have to admit I really like this album. In fact I like it more than the individual song ratings would have you believe. I'm not sure why, but I suspect it has something to do with Bolin's reluctance to get to showy on the set. Like Duane Allman, Bolin seemed to understand the concept of less-is-more. Well worth checking out, especially since you can still find cheap copies.

"Miami" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Cruisin' Down the Highway Tommy Bolin - Dale Peters) - 3:16
2.) Do It Tommy Bolin - Roy Kenner) - 3:38
3.) Wildfire Tommy Bolin - John Tesar) - 3:30
4.) Sleepwalker Tommy Bolin - John Tesar) - 4:01
5.) Miami Two-Step (instrumental Tommy Bolin - Dale Peters - Jimmy Fox) - 1:32

(side 1)
1.) a. Praylude instrumental Tommy Bolin) -
b. Red Skies Tommy Bolin) - 5:59
3.) Spanish Lover Tommy Bolin - Jeff Cook) - 3:43
4.) Summer Breezes Tommy Bolin) - 2:40
5.) Head Above the Water Tommy Bolin - Dale Peters) - 4:18

Somehow in my teen years of Led Zep, Doors, Kinks, Stones, Hendrix, etc...I missed the James Gang. How awesome to find them now and this album is stirring up a lot of great feelings. I am a radio dj and when i play this on-air I always get phone calls of nostalgia! Powerful music with Joe Walsh early style. It is great that these songs did not get serious radio play so they seem fresh and make me hunger for more!

If "Rides Again" was the James Gang's best Joe Walsh-led album, then "Miami" is certainly their best record with Tommy Bolin on the lead guitar and songwriting helm. By the time of its release in 1974, the James Gang's once-potentially bright star had begun to rapidly fade, but the band seemed not the least bit distracted, but very reinvigorated by the addition of guitar virtuoso Bolin to the lineup.
The previous album with Bolin on board, "Bang" was a solid effort, but "Miami" seems more realized. And yes, the labels often thrown at the material, which include but are not limited to "generic," "uninspired," and "standard 70s party time hard rock" all can apply in many places on the album, but there are also several spots in which they don't. The dazzlingly gorgeous instrumental 'Praylude' is as beautiful a piece of music ever spawned from a 70s rock act, while the mysterious/funky 'Wildfire' and the reflective gem 'Sleepwalker' add taste to the disc. Bolin gets a lead vocal turn on 'Spanish Lover,' and the tracks on which the "generic" label does apply - namely the rollicking opener 'Cruisin' Down the Highway,' 'Do It,' and 'Summer Breezes' - they're such enjoyable songs that it just doesn't matter.
"Miami" is a lost gem in a decade of endless lost gems. It is well played and each bar is squeezed out with dedication. There are cryptic and deep elements in "Miami" that counter the good-time-rock-n-roll, with a beauty you can't quite put your finger on.

Usually my reviews are fairly long because I have trouble controlling my excitement for some of the best rock music of the century. That is, 70's classic rock specifically. With this review however, I'm going to make it short and sweet:

The James Gang's Miami album is an underrated classic because the guitar riffs are great, the solos are spectacular, the muddy production makes the music more exciting, the drumming is decent, and the vocal melodies are memorable in every single area of the album (especially on the ballads and the very last song in particular). I absolutely adore this fantastic hard rock effort. Rock on Joe Walsh and Tommy Bolin. Rock on forever.