steely dan:
Posted by: ken c on 18 July 2001
the very first tuner than i bought (around 1974) was an Audiotronic from Lasky's (at about GBP45.00, i think) in Tottenhan Ct Rd, London. When i got home and connected it up to the matching Audiotronic amp and when i switched on, the song "ricky dont lose that number" by steely dan was playing.
this afternoon, i heard this song again (this time on a nat02) and it evoked very pleasant memories of being foot loose and fancy free as a student in those days. actually, the memories were so strong that i went and bought --"pretzel logic", which has this track.
i dont have any other steely dan records, so would be interested to hear from real afficionados...
oh, i gave the audiotronic system to my brother --and he still has the tuner...
enjoy
ken
Posted on: 18 July 2001 by Martin M
but I would rate all their albums between good and excellent. You can't really go wrong. Personally I like 'The Royal Scam' the most, other people would suggest 'Aja' or 'Gaucho'. Go to
www.allmusic.com for details.
The easist way out is to buy the Citizen Dan box-set. Its normally keenly priced (40 quid or less) and has all their stuff on it except for 'Two Against Nature'. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
As to sound quality the new remasters (well the three I've heard) are very good and the old ones not bad, if a little harsh in the treble if your system is that way inclined (in other words they'll sound fine on active SBLs). Original US vinyl is the way to go for best sound but you'll look long and hard for copies in the UK.
Posted on: 18 July 2001 by ken c
Posted on: 18 July 2001 by SaturnSF
Pretzel Logic is the best, Gaucho the worst. And I have all original American LPs!! (of course, I live in America...)
Posted on: 18 July 2001 by Andrew Randle
It depends on the mood... My three favourites are "Pretzel Logic", "Can't Buy a Thrill" and "Gaucho".
The strange thing is that I've bought "2 Against Nature" a while ago, but don't play it that often.
Like a castle in a corner,
In a medieval game,
I fore-see terrible trouble,
But I stay here just the same
From "Dirty Work" from "Can't Buy a Thrill".
Andrew
Andrew Randle
2B || !2B;
4 ^ = ?;
Posted on: 19 July 2001 by Pete
As has been said, you really can't go wrong. In fact, not only have they made no duff albums, AFAICT they've never put a single duff track on an album, which is quite remarkable. The Dan are one of those acts where my favourite album is a revolving (well, naturally!) affair. One month it's Countdown to Ecstasy, next it's Pretzl Logic, next it's Aja, and so on. The Live album from a few years back isn't especially necessary, I suppose, but get the rest, and while you're at it also pick up Donald Fagen's "The Nightfly". Kamakiriad's good too, and WB's "11 Tracks of Whack" not bad, but The Nightfly belongs in everybody's collection, a truly sublime pop record.
Pete's favoourite Dan record today... probably Countdown to Ecstasy.
Pete.
Posted on: 19 July 2001 by Former member
I agree.
I have been a big Steely Dan fan for years and I keep coming back to this album.
The sonics on the CD I have (MCAD-31156) really sux...
as does alot of their CDs.
The new album "two against nature" is IMHO a remarkable exception. I don't understand the critics...
John
Posted on: 19 July 2001 by ken c
martin m, saturnSF, andrew r, pete, john -- many thanks for all your dan recommendations. i will probably pick up Countdown to Ecstasy next time i am buying records.
enjoy
ken
Posted on: 20 July 2001 by Former member
"can't buy a thrill "is a Killer
jean-christophe
Posted on: 20 July 2001 by Chris Dolan
I've just put pretzel logic on and i'm v happy.
You mentioned in a thread in "another place" that Malcolm Steward was a reviewer in whom you had faith - I agree wholeheartedly.
I don't think you can apply the same logic to musical tastes. So much is down to emotional reaction.
Having said that....I've got them all on record, I love Countdown to Ecstasy but I found it difficult to get into all those years ago.
FWIW, my top three most played and the only albums I've bought on cd so far are
I couldn't listen to Nightfly on lp when it came out, I thought the sound was horrendous - may be the cd has improved it - I don't know!
Chris
Posted on: 20 July 2001 by samo7
Donald Fagan "Nightfly" has to be one of my all time favorite albums...the production and mixing are superb...
Posted on: 20 July 2001 by Peter Litwack
My favorite Steely Dan:
Gaucho - overall, their best album - the title track is simply out of this world!
Aja - "Deacon blues" is one of the greatest songs ever written - dark, sardonic, cynical - perfect!
Nightfly - how can you not like "Maxine"?
Kamikiriad - ditto "Snowbound"
Two Against Nature - "Jack of Speed" is tremendous vintage Steely Dan. This album has been vastly underrated.
All the earlier stuff is good as well, but they really took a giant leap with Aja, and since then, all the earlier stuff sounds like early Prestige Coltrane compared to "A Love Supreme".
BTW, both Gaucho and Aja sound better and better the more you listen to them. That's the sign of really great music!
Posted on: 21 July 2001 by ken c
I've just put pretzel logic on and i'm v happy.i am not sure i deserve the thanks -- i actually dont know that much steely dan music -- i just decided to but "pretzel logic" because of the memories that "ricky dont lose that number" evokes. but thanks for the thanks anyway.
You mentioned in a thread in "another place" that Malcolm Steward was a reviewer in whom you had faith - I agree wholeheartedly.
reviewers are a species we would love to hate, but some of them do perform a very useful function -- for example, entertain us with their good sense of humour.
I don't think you can apply the same logic to musical tastes. So much is down to emotional reaction.
I agree wholeheartedly. although i have picked up some very good music recommendations on this forum from "people i trust".
enjoy
ken
Posted on: 21 July 2001 by Mike Hanson
My first real introduction to Steely Dan (other than hearing a few songs on the radio and not knowing who they were) was Donald Fagen's "Nightfly" back in 1982. I was eighteen, and starting to lust after "audiophile" systems. A local shop had a $1500US Technics turntable with a beautiful wooden plinth (apparently the CBC radio used them), I can't recall the cartridge or amps, and Celestion SL-6 speakers. This album was stunning, and I soon started to listen to more of Fagen in his Steely Dan incarnation.
Of all their albums, I would say that "Aja" is my current favourite. "Two Against Nature" is quite stunning, but I don't think it has the same creative center that the rest of their albums do. I'm being really picky here, though, and it may just be a nostalgia factor kicking in. 2vN certainly is the best produced of all of them. The title track is an astonishing layering of musical elements, yet it never loses the groove.
My one big disappointment was the quality of the "Nightfly" CD. It's taken a CDS2 to make it sound "good", although it's still far below their other releases. The LP was one of the best sounding albums that I've ever heard. I purchased a copy of the vinyl recently, and I'm looking forward to giving it a spin on my Planar 3. We'll see how good vinyl on a "budget" turntable stacks up against a subpar CD on the CDS2. 
-=> Mike Hanson <=-
[This message was edited by Mike Hanson on SATURDAY 21 July 2001 at 15:06.]
Posted on: 21 July 2001 by Andrew Randle
Mike,
My Nightfly CD pressing is fine.
However, I've got The The's "Dusk" album on vinyl and it is great. However, the CD pressing I have sounds terrible ! 
Does anyone have a copy of "Dusk"? I'm wondering if I should buy another CD, where the pressing might be better.
Andrew
Andrew Randle
2B || !2B;
4 ^ = ?;
Posted on: 21 July 2001 by Chris Dolan
I'm obviously in a minority of one on the sound of the lp.....although I have heard a number of lps that were all bought shortly after the album came out.
Perhaps it was a bad batch, or perhaps the better quality records were stateside and the better cds are over here? I doubt it.
FWIW my Nightfly lp sounded bright and detailed but hard and aggressive - "digital" in its derogatory sense. The music was good tho'.
Chris
Posted on: 21 July 2001 by ken c
gee, thanks guys. this is a thread i will return to to pick up some more SD recommendations when i go on my next spree.
enjoy
ken
Posted on: 21 July 2001 by samo7
I first heard this song (The Royal Scam) on a long journey on a rain soaked highway in the middle of the night as my girlfriend slept beside me in the halfton back in '77. If this song doesn't send shivers up your spine, I don't know what will. It's as haunting as a song can get. I haven't heard a closer to a concert as good as this since perhaps "Crime of the Century" at the end of Supertramps' concert in '75...
[This message was edited by samo7 on SUNDAY 22 July 2001 at 00:34.]
Posted on: 23 July 2001 by Rico
If you only have Pretzel Logic, I'd recommend
Countdown to ecstacy next.
I firmly second Pete's recommendation that you just buy all of them.
I like the lot of them, but hold Pretzel, Countdown, and Aja in highest esteem, followed by Royal Scam. I find Gaucho a little soft and slick - but it's rather good nonetheless.
Rico - let them eat Kans.
Posted on: 23 July 2001 by ken c
thanks all of you guys. i start by reminiscing on a first tuner experience and end up with a lot of recommendations for new music. cant be bad...
enjoy
ken
Posted on: 23 July 2001 by Bas V
"Aja - "Deacon blues" is one of the greatest songs ever written - dark, sardonic, cynical - perfect!"
How cynic indeed:
They've got a Naim for the winners in the world,
I want a Naim if I lose.
;-)
Posted on: 24 July 2001 by Rico
I think you'll find Deacon Blues firmly rooted on
The Royal Scam.
Rico - let them eat Kans.
Posted on: 24 July 2001 by P
Deacon Blues on The Royal Scam?
You lost me
Care to explain?
P. - All my Base did belong to me but now it's a Fraim up.
Posted on: 24 July 2001 by Former member
I've been into Steely Dan since 1974 or thereabouts. I remember hearing Rikki Don't Lose That Number on Radio Luxembourg ( remember that ?) then while the station faded in and out.
I remembered their earlier stuff from Can't Buy A Thrill and Countdown To Ecstasy but it was this track which got me hooked. I bought Pretzel Logic then and the thing that I like about them was that each album was so different from the last. Also they always had superb musicians. I think around the time of Pretzel Logic they started using a lot of session musicians to get the sound they wanted.
As for my favourite I would have to say The Royal Scam - it is a superb guitar album and features mainly the guitar work of Larry Carlton - the best tracks in my opinion being Kid Charlemagne and Don't Take Me Alive, although they are all great. I have seen them twice - once in Scotland in 96 and here in the US last year. A few of us met up before the concert last year to meet Stuart "Dinky" Dawson, who was their sound man on the 74 tour and acted as a sound consultant on some of their albums. He is an Englishman now resident in the US and he is a real character who talked for 3 - 4 hours and played us some tapes recorded during the concerts and also from old recording sessions.
Sorry to go on a bit - can you tell I'm a fan ?
Colin
Posted on: 25 July 2001 by Rico
Ooops - I might even lose FEP's for that transgression.
Perhaps I should acquire another LP12 and spin some vinyl for a while - it's more effective for programming/etching track listings into my subconcious that the CD.
Rico - let them eat Kans.
Posted on: 25 July 2001 by Former member
Ken - do bear in mind that Pretzel Logic is on a cusp - the transition from a straightish rock band to a more jazzy feel (in fact Nightfly is too Lounge for me).
They're all well produced (except Katy Lied) but I can't resist popping Two Against Nature on to impress people. Crisp or what?
Back when I flogged brown boxes for Lasky's in the 70's this would have been just the thing to get someone to buy a P11D ("Yes sir, everything will sound this good!").
P.S. Sorry if I served any of you guys....
