A nice read, thanks!
Citizen Dan Boxed Set
It has been awhile since I listened to this set. This afternoon I played it on my Yamaha CD S2100 player for the first time and I was blown away by the sound, details, and warmth of this boxed set remaster, which was done back in 1993 by Glenn Meadows at Masterphonic in Nashville.
The first three albums sound outstanding filled with clear and rich highend and warm full ranging bass...no compression to these ears. I could hear all the nuanced details that was a hallmark of Gary Katz’ production, the engineer extraordinaire Roger Nichols, along with Walter and Donald’s obsessive qualities for excellence in the studio.
Tunes like Midnight Cruiser, The Boston Rag, Any Major Dude and Parker’s Band sound just as vital today as they did over 40 years ago.
Katy Leid is one of my favorites and it sounds great as well, even though, as the story goes, the masters were lost during the recording. The opening track Doctor Wu really demonstrates how much this band evolved in the studio just three years.
The Royal Scam is yet another recording studio triumph and features some of Fagen’s most biting commentary on hippies, wives, and would be terrorists...I love that sax solo in Don’t Take me Alive as well it sounds so rich on this set, as it should.
Here at the Western World is presented in its fully sonic glory as well.
Years back when Fagen was totally into DVD-A with his solo work, there was talk that the entire Steely Dan catalog was to be reissued in DVD-A tragically that never came to fruition
Now when you get to Aja and Gaucho things have changed dramatically as this band reached it pinnacle in popularity...for the time being. I remember growing up, I was 13 at the time, and the months of anticipation for the release of Aja back in 1977.
I recently purchased a SHM SACD version of Aja and I do love how it sounds, as Roger Nichols did the remastering, but the version on Citizen Dan sounds truer to the original vinyl release in my opinion. Listening to the two version of Aja exemplifies my point. Steve Gadd’s drumming sounds extremely present and vibrant as well as the full the soundscape.
If anyone could chime in if the true analog masters were used for this Geffen release I would appreciate it.
Now I do believe Gaucho was recorded digitally, as it was 1980.
This album again is a personal favorites and for the time, it was one of the greatest swan songs for any of those mega bands from the 1970’s, although that would label would only last for 20 years, although Pink Floyd’s The Wall may take that top honor.
But I am getting ahead of myself because we can’t forget that most relevant at the time and funky song FM, with it’s killer bass line played by the late Walter Becker. This song , along with no static, became an anthem of AOR.
It sounds glorious on this set.
Now back to Gaucho. I have owned the DTS version for nearly 15 years and have loved it! Both the high resolution stereo and 5.1 mixes. I also recently picked up a 96/24 Flac version form HD tracks recently which sounds very good as well.
What this boxed set version of Gaucho offers is what I stated about Aja, this recording is rich and luscious. What they called in the music business...ear candy. Meticulous produced vocals,an arsenal of talented drummers, four in total, a very deep bench of guitarist including Larry Carlton, Mark Knopler, and Rick Derrenger, three bass players, and a horn section that is pretty darn spectacular.
This album probably cost MCA alot of money back in the day, and rightly so.
Even the two singles are examples of sonic perfection, along with Fagen’s sarcastic and insightful purview. I remember watching a 60’s Minutes interview of Fagen, at the time the record came out with Mike Wallace no less, being grilled about what the true meaning of Time Out Of Mine was...hilarious and worth seeking out on Youtube.
Side one ends with the epic swath at Hollywood with Glamour Profession. A song that makes you just feel like in the passenger seat as you are driving on the PDH making a call from your car.
The end of discs features more digs at the lifestyles of the rich and famous, and people who live off them...case in point Gaucho. The genius of this album is that it balances great musical hooks with glorious musical production hooks and Fagen’s trademark sarcasm and clever and insightful way of presenting the warped world of LA.
The album closes on a somber and disturbing note with Third World Man, which features an epic guitar solo.
The final song is an demo version of Everyone Gone to the Movies, which is great and perfect ending.
If you own the box set break out tonight or seek it out on ebay. Original issues in mint condition are only in the $20-$40 range.
" Steely Dan is not a group; it’s a concept." Creem
" Steely Dan may not be the greatest American rock band (by a long shot) but it remains unquestionably the weirdest." Dave Marsh
" They obviously sleep all day...they don’t own a Scrabble game, as it turn out." Rolling Stone
" Downer Surrealism" Frank Zappa
" This is a band that springs from everybody’s underground, from every odd corner of America where twisted logic lingers in the shadows." Merrill Shindler, Playgirl
The first three albums sound outstanding filled with clear and rich highend and warm full ranging bass...no compression to these ears. I could hear all the nuanced details that was a hallmark of Gary Katz’ production, the engineer extraordinaire Roger Nichols, along with Walter and Donald’s obsessive qualities for excellence in the studio.
Tunes like Midnight Cruiser, The Boston Rag, Any Major Dude and Parker’s Band sound just as vital today as they did over 40 years ago.
Katy Leid is one of my favorites and it sounds great as well, even though, as the story goes, the masters were lost during the recording. The opening track Doctor Wu really demonstrates how much this band evolved in the studio just three years.
The Royal Scam is yet another recording studio triumph and features some of Fagen’s most biting commentary on hippies, wives, and would be terrorists...I love that sax solo in Don’t Take me Alive as well it sounds so rich on this set, as it should.
Here at the Western World is presented in its fully sonic glory as well.
Years back when Fagen was totally into DVD-A with his solo work, there was talk that the entire Steely Dan catalog was to be reissued in DVD-A tragically that never came to fruition
Now when you get to Aja and Gaucho things have changed dramatically as this band reached it pinnacle in popularity...for the time being. I remember growing up, I was 13 at the time, and the months of anticipation for the release of Aja back in 1977.
I recently purchased a SHM SACD version of Aja and I do love how it sounds, as Roger Nichols did the remastering, but the version on Citizen Dan sounds truer to the original vinyl release in my opinion. Listening to the two version of Aja exemplifies my point. Steve Gadd’s drumming sounds extremely present and vibrant as well as the full the soundscape.
If anyone could chime in if the true analog masters were used for this Geffen release I would appreciate it.
Now I do believe Gaucho was recorded digitally, as it was 1980.
This album again is a personal favorites and for the time, it was one of the greatest swan songs for any of those mega bands from the 1970’s, although that would label would only last for 20 years, although Pink Floyd’s The Wall may take that top honor.
But I am getting ahead of myself because we can’t forget that most relevant at the time and funky song FM, with it’s killer bass line played by the late Walter Becker. This song , along with no static, became an anthem of AOR.
It sounds glorious on this set.
Now back to Gaucho. I have owned the DTS version for nearly 15 years and have loved it! Both the high resolution stereo and 5.1 mixes. I also recently picked up a 96/24 Flac version form HD tracks recently which sounds very good as well.
What this boxed set version of Gaucho offers is what I stated about Aja, this recording is rich and luscious. What they called in the music business...ear candy. Meticulous produced vocals,an arsenal of talented drummers, four in total, a very deep bench of guitarist including Larry Carlton, Mark Knopler, and Rick Derrenger, three bass players, and a horn section that is pretty darn spectacular.
This album probably cost MCA alot of money back in the day, and rightly so.
Even the two singles are examples of sonic perfection, along with Fagen’s sarcastic and insightful purview. I remember watching a 60’s Minutes interview of Fagen, at the time the record came out with Mike Wallace no less, being grilled about what the true meaning of Time Out Of Mine was...hilarious and worth seeking out on Youtube.
Side one ends with the epic swath at Hollywood with Glamour Profession. A song that makes you just feel like in the passenger seat as you are driving on the PDH making a call from your car.
The end of discs features more digs at the lifestyles of the rich and famous, and people who live off them...case in point Gaucho. The genius of this album is that it balances great musical hooks with glorious musical production hooks and Fagen’s trademark sarcasm and clever and insightful way of presenting the warped world of LA.
The album closes on a somber and disturbing note with Third World Man, which features an epic guitar solo.
The final song is an demo version of Everyone Gone to the Movies, which is great and perfect ending.
If you own the box set break out tonight or seek it out on ebay. Original issues in mint condition are only in the $20-$40 range.
" Steely Dan is not a group; it’s a concept." Creem
" Steely Dan may not be the greatest American rock band (by a long shot) but it remains unquestionably the weirdest." Dave Marsh
" They obviously sleep all day...they don’t own a Scrabble game, as it turn out." Rolling Stone
" Downer Surrealism" Frank Zappa
" This is a band that springs from everybody’s underground, from every odd corner of America where twisted logic lingers in the shadows." Merrill Shindler, Playgirl
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