I've just become enamoured with Steely Dan. Are there any other Steely Dan lovers at hipforums? If so, can you evaluate pre-Pretzel Logic albums, because I haven't heard them.
Sorry, I can't say I know too much about them...I like them alot, though. I just started listening to them a bit ago. You see, before, I thought that Steely Dan was the name of some guy named Dan...so that goes to show you how little I knew about them...and I still don't know that much.
A steam powered dildo from The Naked Lunch, by William Seward Burroughs (I've read it). Ah, well. A mystery band, by the sounds of it.
Two albums before Pretzel Logic 1- Can't Buy a Thrill (1972)features The sublime Do It Again and Reeling In The Years. An ok debut but too many filler tracks. 2- Countdown To Ecstacy(1973) far less commercial than the first album. More jazzy elements come to the fore here. Standout tracks Showbiz Kids and My Old School. Has worn well despite some dated synthesizer sounds
You can also check out their post-Pretzel Logic works as well. Including the solo works of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. I really like 'Can't Buy A Thrill' since it's the most rock and roll to me. The synthesizers in 'Countdown To Ecstacy' I found a bit hard to take in some places although it's been a long time since I heard the whole album.
I really like this one album by them called Everything Must Go. One of my favrate albums. In fact Steely Dan is one of my favrate bands. I like how with each song they set up a spesific mood and every note is perfect.
Big Steely Dan fan here, but I don't have a clue about the order their albums came in. Aja kicks ass.
Ya, it took awhile for someone to mention Aja, which is a surprise. However, i wouldnt call Steely Dan's music Jazz. They are pretty cool though anyhow regardless.
Today the radio station was having a tribute to them today, as it was one of the member's birthday today.
Donald Fagen is coming to my area on this tour, but the tickets are just too much for me... How come people don't know Steely Dan? They're played on the radio enough. HMM
They were/are not a jazz band by any means,but they injected 50's & 60's jazz ideas,chords,angular melodies,etc,into their rock/pop/r&b material.And they did it more sucessfully (artistically speaking) than any other rock band/artist,imo.Many of their songs sound simple and sing-along-able,but have a lot of "jazz chord" changes happening underneath.(Josie.) Some have simple chords,but have textured arrrangements a la Miles Davis.(Home At Last.) And if nothing else,they knew when to let a soloist.blow.(Reelin' In The Years,Deacon Blue.)The main thing is,it came off sounding natural and all of one piece,not like "here's the part where we stick the jazzy bit in." I think they're brilliant.I believe they got their tongue-in-cheek description of their own music from a reviewer:"plush jazz-rock." Favorite quote: Fagen: "We're all for construction criticism.It's just that..." Becker: "...we've never heard any."
