Fagen

Posted by: j8hn on 06 December 2005

Here's an excerpt from Billboard Magazine which should be of interest to Steely Dan and f*gen fans!

Steely Dan principal Donald f*gen finds love in an airport security line, mulls the ramifications of a ghostly feline, chats up the late Ray Charles and ruminates on aging and death on "Morph the Cat," his first solo album in 13 years. The nine-track set is due early next year via Reprise.

f*gen is backed on the set by such familiar Steely Dan sidemen as drummer Keith Carlock, guitarists Wayne Krantz, Jon Herington and Hugh McCracken, clarinetist Lawrence Feldman, pianist Ted Baker and saxophonist Walt Weiskopf, among others.

As usual, the album is highlighted by the unique blend of f*gen's imaginative storytelling and the groove-oriented, backing vocal-laden pop for which Steely Dan is renowned.

He woos an airport security screener on "Security Joan" ("Girl you won't find my name on your list / Honey you know I ain't no terrorist"), talks shop with Charles on "What I Do" ("He says, 'Don don't despair -- just take some time / You find your bad self -- you're gonna do just fine'") and imagines a "thuggish cult" taking over the U.S. government on "Mary Shut the Garden Door" ("So if you ever see an automaton in a midprice luxury car / Better roll the sidewalks up, switch on your lucky star").

"Morph the Cat" is the follow-up to 1993's "Kamakiriad," which debuted at No. 10 on The Billboard 200. Plans are in the works to release a boxed set featuring that set, "Morph the Cat" and f*gen's 1981 solo debut, "The Nightfly."

The is the track list for "Morph the Cat":

"Morph the Cat"
"H Gang"
"What I Do"
"Brite Nitegown"
"The Great Pagoda of Funn"
"Security Joan"
"The Night Belongs To Mona"
"Mary Shut the Garden Door"
"Morph the Cat" (Reprise)
Posted on: 07 December 2005 by Simon Matthews
ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC NEWS!!!!!

I spent bloody years waiting for new output from Fagan/Dan and once we got into the 21st century three come along all at once. Although different from earlier work I think 2 against nature and Everything must Go are classic Dan - much more than I could have hoped for after such a long wait.

I have been tracking snippets of info about the recording of this album but didn't expect anything so soon. I hope he recorded 'live' onto analogue tape in the same way as the last one - the recording is sensational. I think that recording approach helps to account for the speed of delivery of the last two albums.

I wonder if Becker had a hand in anything. There was also the rumour that Carol Bayer-Sager (Burt's ex) helped on lyrical duties - I wonder if that came to anything.

Thanks for spotting this - I'll post anything if and when I see it. Looks like spring might be coming early this year. Smile Smile Smile
Posted on: 07 December 2005 by Geoff C
Thanks for the headsup.

Hopefully another Classic on the way then!

Regards
Geoff
Posted on: 07 December 2005 by woodface
This really is excellent news. I am not the biggest fan of Nightfly (I think it is really good album but perhaps too clever,clever). The recent Dan releases are a bit mixed for me, I really love Everything Must Go but Two Against Nature is a bit overdone (souless?). Having said that, half baked SD is better than just about anything. I suppose when the bar has been set so high it's easy to pick faults. I think Katy Lied is my favourite of theirs overall.
Posted on: 07 December 2005 by Simon Matthews
quote:
Having said that, half baked SD is better than just about anything


Absolutely.

With regards to favourites, I put all their albums onto my ipod and then tried to create a playlist of my favourites. The near impossibility of that task was a great reminder of how absolutely consistently brilliant their output has been.

I cannot think of any individual/band in popular music which has so consistently achieved greatness.
Posted on: 07 December 2005 by Simon Matthews
Anybody with any first guesses as to the meaning behind the album title?

I found on 'mizar 5' (unofficial dan site) that it is due for release in Jan / Feb 06 - yipee!
Posted on: 07 December 2005 by J.N.
Good news indeed - looking forward to it.

That's reminded me to dig out the splendidly titled 'Eleven Tracks Of Whack' (with 12 tracks!) by Mr Becker.

John.
Posted on: 07 December 2005 by woodface
A brave statement Simon, but probably a valid one. I think overall the Beatles just pip them, I think SD do divide opinion like no other but once you get them...
Posted on: 08 December 2005 by Simon Matthews
I LOVE the beatles but with reference to my fairly crude ipod playlist test I find that it is easier to discard songs from their catalogue when creating my own best of, especially in the pre - revolver/rubber soul days and on a few of the less focused tracks on latter albums.

Steely Dan hit the ground running with can't by a thrill and scorched through the 70's with classic album after classic album.

Not for a minute am I trying to put the Beatles down - at their very best they created timeless masterpieces and defined entire musical genres almost by happy accident.

At the end of the day this sort of debate is entirely subjective but that's my take. The fact that that we have to call upon the fab four as competition surely says it all.
Posted on: 08 December 2005 by woodface
Hi Simon, good point in that there is a fantastic consistency with the SD output. The thing about the Beatles is that you can hear them develop (in a very short period of time) and there early stuff is what it is (high quality but simple pop). SD did seem to appear fully formed, their music has an instant sophistication and perhaps a more ruthless quality control. Although I could be wrong, The Beatles were much more prolific and also had to cope with fame in way like no other band. It is interesting that once they stopped doing the touring (and concentrated on recording) their music suddenly became more sophisticated, this perhaps explains why SD, as studio junkies, were able to hone their craft so quickly? Anyway the point is moot as both bands are great, although I still cannot get the wife to like SD!
Posted on: 08 December 2005 by Martin D
"Beat or Prevent Gum Disease & Tooth Decay Starting Today"
bugger wrong search
Posted on: 09 December 2005 by Simon Matthews
Woodface

very good points - especially the connection between the quality of the Beatles output being raised in parallel with the reduction in touring duties. I suppose we also have to dial in the effect of Pet sounds, a sudden and profound change in the social and cultural landscape, George Martin production abilities and knowledge of the recording studio, the competitive streak running through lennon and Mcartney, mind altering narcotics and an overwhelming desire to rip up the rule book which had up to that point defined the supposed limitations of a 'pop' song. As a very nice extra throw in a few great tunes from the pen of Mr Harrison and voila.

I suppose the arc the Dan took led them eventually to the expansive aja - different time, different place, different drugs, different levels of optimism.

One thing with the Dan tunes - you never can really tell where Fagan ends and Becker begins in their songs. All the musicians that ever had the 'pleasure' to record for them talk of a almost supernatural synergy between the two, like they were both listening to exactly the same song in their heads long before the tape began to roll. That sort of stuff puts a smile on my face.
Posted on: 09 December 2005 by woodface
One thing I forgot to mention, was the the poor quality of the equipment that The Beatles recorded on. Only the White Album and Abbey Road has decent sound quality, much of their output was on 4-track with mulitple parts 'bounced' on to each track. It would be fantatsic to hear SGT Pepper in all it's glory, I believe that the equipment used was primitive even by the standards of the day. Apparently the Beach Boys had much better recording facilities?