Your Favorite Steely Dan Album?

[Shadow_Ferret]

You forgot a "None of the above" choice.

 

[edwelly]

Am I the only one on this board who can't seem to get into Steely Dan? I got the Greatest Hits but it wasn't my cup of tea...

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

No, my post was a gentle jab that I have never gotten into Steely Dan either. I've managed to bite my tongue this long without replying to this thread, but I couldn't let it go any longer.

 

[jaxvon]

You forgot...

Becker & Fagan the early years.....

And kamakariad since your including fagan "solo" efforts

but nightfly and stand alone Fagan stuff should be excluded
but in keeping dont forget Beckers 11 tracks of wack...
total turd but should be included with the other solo stuff.

My vote is citizen... (ie ALL of it)!

I have "Catalyst". It's amazing to see how some of the songs have been around for quite awhile, and also how much some of the old ones suck

 

[fatroz]

I can see why people wouldn't like Steely Dan. But I am not one of those people. Fagan's voice can be hard to get used to, but it takes time. It took me a while. The Royal Scam, in my opinion, is their best album. Every song on that album is killer. Also the musicianship(not that it is bad on other albums) is amazing. The guitar solo on Kid Charlemagne(sp?) has been a staple for guitar players everywhere(myself included). Plus some of the other solos are great too.

 

[nm2285]

I wasn't struck with "A Decade of..." either when I first purchased it. The more I listened, though, the more I realized the genius behind songs like "kid charlemagne" and "do it again." Then I went and purchased "citizen" (since it was WAY cheaper than buying each separately). That opened up a whole new world of the dan! what fantastic tracks they skipped for the greatists hits cd.

 

[gene]

<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><A href="http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avsoftware/cd_other/SteelyDanAja.php"><IMG style="WIDTH: 125px; HEIGHT: 122px" alt=[aja1] hspace=10 src="http://www.audioholics.com/news/thumbs/aja1_th.gif" align=left border=0></A>Steely Dan’s <I>Aja</I> represented a defining moment in my young musical development; being a jazz-lover and serious student of music (drums/percussion), I had never imagined that a Rock-and-Roll album could sound like this. Of course, with its predecessor <I>The Royal Scam</I> and a literal “who’s who” of the era’s finest studio musician’s, you could almost see it coming. By the late 1970’s, </SPAN><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1ersonName><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Don</SPAN></st1ersonName><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">ald Fagen, Walter Becker, and producer Gary Katz had mastered the multi-track analog recording medium. Ironically, it took Becker and Fagen over 20 years to finally win a Grammy (for Two Against Nature), having added the duties of producer to their many talents and adapting to the digital world. Nearly every track on this disc features a memorable line or performance that, even years later, represents the “Steely Dan sound”.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><?xml:namespace prefix = o />[Read the Review]</SPAN></P>

 

[jaxvon]

Nice review by one of the guys there Gene. And thanks for linking to my thread. It sounds like there is a tad of bias in the review, but oh well. It says everything I would, so it must be right

 

[djoxygen]

I think Nightfly is one of the best albums ever recorded. Great concept. Perfect execution.

However, it is almost unfair to even ask us to rank these, or pick one above the rest.

 

[mnnc]

Just for kicks, I put The Nightfly on the end, as it's also an impeccable effort by Fagen. Just trying to feel out the SD scene here...

...and Kamakiriad (however it is spelled) solo in addition to Nightfly.

 

[mnnc]

<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><A href="http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avsoftware/cd_other/SteelyDanAja.php"><IMG style="WIDTH: 125px; HEIGHT: 122px" alt=[aja1] hspace=10 src="http://www.audioholics.com/news/thumbs/aja1_th.gif" align=left border=0></A>Steely Dan’s <I>Aja</I> represented a defining moment in my young musical development; being a jazz-lover and serious student of music (drums/percussion), I had never imagined that a Rock-and-Roll album could sound like this. Of course, with its predecessor <I>The Royal Scam</I> and a literal “who’s who” of the era’s finest studio musician’s, you could almost see it coming. By the late 1970’s, </SPAN><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1ersonName><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Don</SPAN></st1ersonName><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">ald Fagen, Walter Becker, and producer Gary Katz had mastered the multi-track analog recording medium. Ironically, it took Becker and Fagen over 20 years to finally win a Grammy (for Two Against Nature), having added the duties of producer to their many talents and adapting to the digital world. Nearly every track on this disc features a memorable line or performance that, even years later, represents the “Steely Dan sound”.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><?xml:namespace prefix = o />[Read the Review]</SPAN></P>

..it also marked the beginning of what would be the best recorded album to date that the SD project would experience as Fagen and Becker would become obsessed with audio quality based on improvements with recording equipment/studio resources. Saw them live in Raleigh, NC back in '95. Been offered a $100 bucks for the tour shirt. Not for sale!

 

[mnnc]

Every Steely Dan / Donald Fagen album is a treasure! Its hard to pick a favorite but Aja is certainly up there.

I haven't heard the SACD version of Gaucho. Does it sound better than the DTS version?

I have not heard the dts version but the sacd/dual layer version , yes. Very well done. S&V mag gave it a very high rating 4.5 or 5 stars if memory serves me well.

 

[HowY]

Well is it the "becker fagan" tee
or the steely dan tee...

Saw the 3rd show (Cinci riverbend) of the first US tour and
have a Small & X L "Becker Fagan" black shirts with a duet
logo of the pair... Seen the same tour some 30 shows (7 months)
later (on the back side swing) In Columbus and got "Steely Dan"
shirts and no "duet" shirts for sale at all....

So these 2 t'ees have only been worn to the cols show and
a pittsburgh show only... mint condition!

Any takers!

 

[macersl]

For me it is Countdown to Ecstasy. I am not really sold on their two new ones and Gaucho is a little obnoxious. All the others hold a special place with me.

Nightfly doesn't really count because it's not a proper SD album but oh well and Live was missed but it's not the best. Here is my order:

Countdown
Katy
Pretzel
Aja
Nightfly
Thrill
Royal Scam
Gaucho
The rest in no order

 

[macersl]

Am I the only one on this board who can't seem to get into Steely Dan? I got the Greatest Hits but it wasn't my cup of tea...

It's alright. To each their own............... SD is like a gift from god to me but I could how someone wouldn't dig it. Eventhough they were pretty revolutionary with the studio at the time it's the melodys that put the hook in me.

Someone I just don't get that people love......Tom Waits. Fingernails on a chalkboard (to me anyway).

 

[mnnc]

Well is it the "becker fagan" tee
or the steely dan tee...

Saw the 3rd show (Cinci riverbend) of the first US tour and
have a Small & X L "Becker Fagan" black shirts with a duet
logo of the pair... Seen the same tour some 30 shows (7 months)
later (on the back side swing) In Columbus and got "Steely Dan"
shirts and no "duet" shirts for sale at all....

So these 2 t'ees have only been worn to the cols show and
a pittsburgh show only... mint condition!

Any takers!

Steely Dan tee. With lyrics from steely dan songs randomly printed all over and bright colors. Tour dates or places as well...have to get it out of a box somewhere in closet. Rare indeed any SD, Fagen, Becker tee.