Steve Miller Band – Sailor (Blue vinyl)

Sailor, released in October 1968 on Capitol Records, is The Steve Miller Band’s second studio album and the final one to feature Boz Scaggs and Jim Peterman in the lineup. The sessions—recorded at Wally Heider Studios in Los Angeles under the co-production of the band and Glyn Johns—demonstrate an eclectic blend of psychedelic pop, blues, and early rock experimentation. The opening instrumental “Song for Our Ancestors” establishes an atmospheric mood, while “Living in the U.S.A.” anchors the record with a boogie-rock momentum. Throughout the album, multiple band members take on vocal duties, exposing a democratic spirit and diverse sonic palette.

Though somewhat uneven in focus, Sailor has earned reputation as an overlooked gem in the band’s early catalog. Its fusion of styles—blues roots, psychedelic touches, pop sensibilities—anticipates later evolutions in Steve Miller’s songwriting. Tracks such as “Quicksilver Girl” and “Overdrive” highlight the band’s capacity for both melody and grit, and its willingness to experiment beyond conventional rock structures. Retrospective listeners often view Sailor as a transitional record: ambitious, sometimes disjointed, but full of promise and creative curiosity.

"At their blues-loving best, Sailor is a classic Miller recording and a must-have -- especially for the more contemporary fan, where it becomes an initiation into a past of mythic proportion." – AllMusic

“The band’s second voyage is smoother sailing through the fields of psychedelic pop and blues.” – Progrography

“On Sailor … the group splits their affection for white blues and psychedelic rock more or less down the middle … they manage to turn what might have been an impossibly diffuse LP into a charmer.” – The Vinyl District