The run-of-the-Miller blues

This album seems like it should come together well. It’s a blues album, and Steve Miller is as great a musician as he’s ever been.

Sure, you tap your foot. That’s the blues working its magic. 

But you realize about halfway through not only that Steve Miller’s voice doesn’t carry enough weight for the nasty guitar he’s playing, but that you’ve heard this album before — Miller’s “Bingo!” released last year.

“Let Your Hair Down” is a valiant effort. Every song is technically good. “The Walk” features a honky-tonk sound reminiscent of Little Feat, and it ends the album on a high note.

However, some songs end up sounding tired, like a half-baked and redundant cover of “Sweet Home Chicago.”

Overall, Miller’s latest is just another blues album. If you’re a big fan, the bonus tracks feature a fun version of the Yardbirds’ “I Ain’t Got You” that fits his voice perfectly and is better than anything before it.