Steely dan

Goucho

Hey, the first seven albums--

Can't Buy a Thrill
Countdown to Ecstasy
Pretzel Logic
Katy Lied
The Royal Scam
Aja
Gaucho

are all immortal classics, you can't go wrong with any of them. The two subsequent revival albums are, by comparison, half-hearted crap.

Back in the late-70's, I used to complain to my (future) wife that Steely Dan had become the "house band" on the local FM station. Now she complains that they are our household band.

quote:

Originally posted by aht:
Hey, the first seven albums--

Can't Buy a Thrill
Countdown to Ecstasy
Pretzel Logic
Katy Lied
The Royal Scam
Aja
Gaucho

are all immortal classics, you can't go wrong with any of them. The two subsequent revival albums are, by comparison, half-hearted crap.

Absolutely spot on.

If you are buying CDs - look out for the original issues (US 37xxxx for example). They sound much better than any subsequent re-issue (not counting MFSL special releases).

Joe

If Dire Straits was the British answer to Steely Dan, score one for the colonies. It's a case of that vaunted "Yank humour."

quote:

Originally posted by avole:
Don't bother. They all sound the same. However, they do make you realise how good Dire Straits were.

If you had to write a thesis on your extensive SD knowledge, how many sentences would you complete?

Cool - so no need to say any more then

For me, I recommend absolutely everything they have ever done, solo work included. There are those who get the dan and then there are the uneducated.

quote:

Originally posted by avole:
One.
Don't believe in wasting words.

Well I think you have wasted words, as you clearly don't like the band. If you have heard both Can't Buy a Thrill & Countdown to Ecstasy for example, they are as similar as ice cream and vindaloo

Simon,

Glad you mentioned the solo work. Fagen's albums are well known, but Walter Becker's "Eleven Tracks of Whack" is often overlooked. I only listen to it maybe once a year, but it breaks my heart, every time.

Aht - You must buy Circus Monkey - Beckers best album IMO.

Morph the Cat by Fagen is a blinder as well.

Simon,

Thanks for the tip. I'm embarrassed to say I had not heard of Circus Monkey. The samples on Amazon sound promising, I'll order it right away.

Agreed, Morph the Cat is pretty good, but IMHO sometimes it suffers from "too much groove, not enough song," like the last 2 SD albums. As songwriter, Fagen seems to have become a bit lazy.

Took me a while to get into Circus Monkey, but after a couple of listens, it clicked.
I think the last two SD albums are outstanding, but in a very different vein to the originals. Same applies to Morph.
Those two just get better and better, and I'm gutted I couldn't see them this time round

Have them all but IMHO don't get the recent(ish) remasters which sound poor in relation to the MCLD UK issues released as 'mid-price' from around 1990.

Graeme

quote:

Originally posted by Fisbey:
I have Katy Lied which I like a lot - any other recommendations?

Thanks

Spend the money on HMHB records instead

OK, not helpful - so Countdown to Ecstasy and Pretzel Logic are both good elpees - I don't like The Royal Scam, but others do.

Very difficult to recommend music, but Countdown to Ecstasy is a very very good record and well worth a listen.

Myself and Danny Baker have at least one thing in common ....we both firmly believe that "Countdown To Ecstasy" is the best album (by anyone) ever released (fact)

quote:

the best album (by anyone) ever released (fact)

Nero

I agree about the new stuff. Once you listen without wanting it to sound like the old stuff then it starts to reward in spades. Almost Gothic, negative girl, pixaleen, the great pagoda of fun, the night belongs to mona, mary shut the garden door etc - classic Dan IMO. Lets hope they have another couple of albums left in them. Fingers crossed!

Without wanting to wind you up I have to say that their recent gig at the apollo was just bloody brilliant. The best of the four times I have seen them.This band is just soooo good. I would love a new live album of this tour.

I think the recommendations are pretty spot on, but I don't agree on recent stuff...Everything Must Go is a great disk.

I like the solo work of both blokes, but I tend to find they're great, but then I get bored of them...Nightfly, loved it, never play it now. SD albums just a bit more enduring.

If I had to pick one recommendation it would be Aja...with a bonus track (I sadly can't arrange for you) of Any Major Dude - my favourite track.

The easiest way to deal with this used to be to download the whole lot for 7,99 from the iTunes store but the buggers seem to have kicked the price up to 18,99

If there was EVER a band which deserves more than crappy 128kbs it is steely dan. Yuk!!

OK - I got (via Amazon) Countdown to Ecstasy, Can't buy a thrill and Pretzel Logic, have only listened to Can't buy a thrill- which is OK, but the sound is so thin....

sadly I ignored the avoid the remasters advice as Katy Lied is a remaster and sounds pretty good.

mmmmm

Try not to force yourself into liking them. Let them wash over you and they will begin to reveal their charms over repeated listens. This is dense music.

Five listens minimum, although with Katy Lied I am starting to appreciate some extra magic now that I have broken the 2000th listen!!

quote:

Originally posted by Fisbey:
OK - I got (via Amazon) Countdown to Ecstasy, Can't buy a thrill and Pretzel Logic, have only listened to Can't buy a thrill- which is OK, but the sound is so thin....

sadly I ignored the avoid the remasters advice as Katy Lied is a remaster and sounds pretty good.

mmmmm

Try to get the MCLD 19145 UK releases from late 1980's/early 1990's of the classic albums. Much better sounding than the remasters to most peoples ears.

Graeme

Or just stick on the vinyl and really start smiling!

quote:

Originally posted by Graeme Hutton:

quote:

Originally posted by Fisbey:
OK - I got (via Amazon) Countdown to Ecstasy, Can't buy a thrill and Pretzel Logic, have only listened to Can't buy a thrill- which is OK, but the sound is so thin....

sadly I ignored the avoid the remasters advice as Katy Lied is a remaster and sounds pretty good.

mmmmm

Try to get the MCLD 19145 UK releases from late 1980's/early 1990's of the classic albums. Much better sounding than the remasters to most peoples ears.

Graeme

Or the US MCAD37**** series. I agree with Graeme, the remasters (even the SHM versions) are not as good as those original releases.

If you think the remaster of Katy Lied is OK, try it against one of those.

Joe

OK sound quality issues asside - I quite like Countdown to Ecstasy and Pretzel logic - in fact I think I'll grow to like them as much as Katy Lied, can't buy a thrill however doesn't do much for me, as yet....