Hey Wolf - don't get me wrong. I am very much aboard the Steely Dan/Becker/Fagen bandwagon! Mediocre from them is only so by comparison to the better/best stuff of their own work. I do have to say I don't always have a "sterile" reaction to their music on first listen and also I am not yet calling Sunken Condos, mediocre. Might just take a while to warm up to it. As you point out, I do wish there were more bands working in whatever pop/rock/jazz/R&B genre "the Dan" has carved out over the decades. (BTW- I'm going to have to check out that September collaboration thing). |
Todd K, don't be so surprised that others don't agree with you!!!
Wolf-garcia. Did you ever consider that your gf and myself have our own perceptions of what good pop music is??
I guess I should just suicide off my balcony because I don't like MTC. The album title is dumb, and the music insipid, despite one or two decent cuts. "NightFly" is a very good album, no complaints.
However, I think it is important to distinguish the music of Steely Dan from that of Donald Fagen. Fagen and Becker are brilliant composers, but the "Steely Dan" band is a changing collection of excellent studio musicians which seem to perform way beyond the sum of its parts.
For example, a much overlooked and underrated Dan studio album, (and if we must use superlatives) "Can't Buy a Thrill" is much MORE than just a diamond in the rough. It is a straight ahead rock and roll album but has the Dan quirky "musical persona" The studio band is outstanding, and David Palmer's vocal on "Brooklyn(Owes The Charmer Under Me)" elevates this ballad to ethereal heights. Ironically or tragically, the radio overplayed "Reelin In the Years" despite its catchy, driving rhythms "MAY BE" the weakest cut on the album....This statement should cause a shitstorm in this thread. Will have to check back later. |
I get the same "it's sterile but cool" reaction at first listening to anything from these guys and I've found that opinion always changes for the better as I warm up to it. "Condos" may or may not wind up as a fave, but I think the larger point beyond rating or comparison is that I can't find anything like this stuff...even at their most "sterile" it's just more fun for me than so much of what is out there. I listen to jazz mostly, and when I've used a new Fagan or Becker track when doing live sound testing (not uncommon among pro sound people), especially when doing a jazz show, the musicians notice and it always starts a conversation. Remember, jazz is mystifyingly relatively unpopular in general, and, agree or not, even the New York Times now describes Steely Dan as the premier touring jazz group. And the New York Times is always right...or left...something... |
"Yes, I am biased because Steely Dan is my favorite band, so they could probably sing the phone book and I would like it, but this really is a very good new album."
Funny, with their obscure lyrics I have thought they might as well be singing the phone book! I'm saying this while admitting they're always at the top of my list. |
FWTW...my impressions on first listen to "Sunken Condos": impeccable musicianship, arrangements, & production - but the songs? Kind of boring w/the exception of "Out of the Ghetto" (Isaac Hayes)and maybe, "Slinky Thing". Of course, quite often, a recording that does not immediately grab me on first listen becomes a favorite later on. Maybe that will be the case here. But I have a sense the pursuit of technical perfection has somewhat squeezed the life out of things in this recording. It doesn't always have to happen that way, but seems like a spark of some sort is missing from many of the tracks. Again, just my impression after a first listen. I'll be checking it out again for sure. |
Just my opinion, but I rate "Kamakiriad" well above "Morph the Cat" and "11 Tracks Of Whack" only slightly behind "Nightfly". I can't think of another group that has had solo projects as strong as Steely Dan's. |
I have MTC on CD and it sounds great.Always have enjoyed Steely Dan.Have the same copy of Pretzel Logic that I bought when I was 14 or so in the 70s,and it sounds so good! |
What about Kamakiriad? Kidding...but it is interesting how these guys compete with themselves...I suppose that's a good thing. Becker's "11 Tracks of Whack" has maybe had more play from me than nearly anything these guys have produced, and it rarely gets mentioned. |
"Morph the Cat" is a very good album. "Nightfly" is a perfect album. |
Morph is a great album (except to sunnyjim and my gf) and usually only engenders criticism among those comparing it to other "Dan" stuff...a useless but understandable exercise especially relative to the mountains of crap released in the pop music world every day. Among my musician friends it's always a big deal when something new comes along from the twisted minds of Becker-Fagan...refreshing. Recently a reviewer commented on how simple "Reelin' in the Years" was as a little pop song and all I could think was "really?!" Back then everyone in the working musician world I knew virtually stopped in their tracks and said, "who ARE those guys?" As for my own useless comparison exercise, Gaucho. A grammy for engineering and maybe my favorite guitar solo ever from Larry Carlton in "Third World Man." And for those who missed it...Walter Becker's "Circus Money" is astonishingly hip stuff. |
Really Sunnyjim?? I think Morph the Cat is a near perfect album.
Anyone else love MTC? |
Available on Cd. Don't give up sunny. |
When I was searching for "Two Against Nature" a few years back, I posted a question on these fora and learned the following:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?gmusi&1156281899 |
I hope it is much, much, much better than "Morph the Cat" What a dog!!!!
Is "Sunken Condos" available on CD (yet)?? Or is vinyl the only medium for now??
"Countdown to Ecstasy" was an excellent jazz venture. For me, "Two Against Nature" was a bust. Will have to give it another play.
Currently, revisiting Fleetwood Mac. "Tusk" has a few turkeys, but over all a very good album. Received but still have not listened to early Mac's "Boston Blues" live compilation from 1970.
I was happly to discover that I sold, lost, or gave away my vinyl copy of "Rumours" Lovely elevator music, but torturous to listen through in a one sitting. |
I got "Condos" the day it came out after pre-ordering it...I NEVER do that, and had no idea it would arrive the day it was released. Whoo hoo...the bad news is that my GF can't listen to Fagan, and barely to Becker (his 2 solo albums are BRILLIANT and personal faves). Weird, but a concert promoter music librarian friend claims that, in general, "chicks don't like Steely Dan"...I'm not sure this is true, but I am sure I don't care. My Fagan listening is now "off-girlfriend." One of the things about "Condos" is that on some tracks there are a pile of instruments listed you can barely pick out (yes my hifi is resolving and accurate)...bass harmonica, etc. Strange, but, again, NOBODY does this stuff like these guys (do you want Michael Leonhart to produce YOUR next album?..HELL YES)...just crazy and always interesting lyrics, reference quality sound, and cool man musical chord movement that makes me say YEAH...out loud and in private like some idiot. Another note about the sound of this album...the first track has bass that almost seems out of phase (but still cool and clearly intententional), and other tracks make my sub explode...and that's also cool, and intentional...like the opening B note bass extravaganza on Morph the Cat. I hope they have a few more Steely Dan albums in 'em as it's just all good. |
MoFi - thanks for the heads up. I did not know but will be ordering immediately. |
Two Against Nature was released on vinyl. I have a copy. I think this was the album that never had Steely Dan's approval for a vinyl release, (it's either this one or "Everything Must Go"). It's always been kind of hard to find.
Maybe try GEMM or Discogs. |
Good to hear. I pre-ordered the vinyl. I wish they would release Two Against Nature on vinyl as well. |
I like the cover art, global warming anyone? |
Donjr...I've had the pleasure to see Steely Dan at least half a dozen times. One of my favorite shows was at Red Rocks.
French_fries...the sound quality of this CD is exceptional. Fagen is notorious about great SQ and clean recordings. It will be released on vinyl here shortly. HDTracks has a high-res 24/88.2 version available now. |
Glad to hear. thanks for the post |
the sound quality on Steely Dan albums is really good too, to match the super-tight performances. this new piece should be no exception. |
Awesome. Didn't know. Seen these boys twice. My brother was right stage camera man for the Two Against Nature movie. The interviews with Donald and Walter crack me up. I love these guys too. |
