Top tracks — play these first
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Angel of Darkness — The opener sets a haunting tone with its evocative lyrics and intricate guitar interplay, establishing the album's emotional depth right from the start.
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Goodbye to the Blues — This track encapsulates the essence of the album with its bluesy rhythms and reflective lyrics about moving past sorrow, showcasing the band's signature sound.
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Mama Let Me Lay It on You — The song combines playful lyricism with a catchy riff, illustrating the band's knack for blending humor with profound emotion.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases solid songwriting and performance but lacks a cohesive flow across its length.
What we noticed
- The album features a consistent use of dual guitar harmonies, with intricate solos interspersed throughout the tracks.
- Several songs incorporate call-and-response vocal patterns, enhancing the blues tradition while allowing for dynamic interaction between the singers.
- The tempo varies across tracks, with a notable shift in energy from the mid-tempo opener to slower ballads and upbeat numbers later in the sequence.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady mid-tempo reflective flow
- heartfelt acoustic warmth throughout
- thoughtful lyrics for contemplation
- ideal for relaxed gatherings
Maybe skip if you
- prefer fast-paced excitement
- seek standalone hit singles
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released on April 5, 2011, 'Steady as She Goes' marks Hot Tuna's first studio album in over 20 years since 'Pair a Dice Found' in 1990. The album comes during a resurgence of interest in the band, whose core members, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, have remained influential figures in the American blues scene.
- Stylistic neighbors
- The Allman Brothers Band· Jorma Kaukonen· Gov't Mule
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Angel of Darkness 4:43
- 2 Children of Zion 4:50
- 3 Second Changes 4:21
- 4 Goodbye to the Blues 4:32
- 5 A Little Faster 4:55
- 6 Mourning Interrupted 5:06
- 7 Easy Now Revisited 3:41
- 8 Smokerise Journey 4:28
- 9 Things That Might Have Been 4:15
- 10 Mama Let Me Lay It on You 4:46
- 11 If This Is Love 5:01
- 12 Vicksburg Stomp 3:44
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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