Steely Dan - Search and Destroy

Kamikiriad, from 1993, is a little less accomplished but a lot funkier. It's another concept album, though, which makes the songs work a little better than if they'd been left to stand alone.

The new Steely Dan album, Two Against Nature, is also very good, if you like the earlier albums. It's almost a straight development from Gaucho, but they've retained the funky, rounded feel from Kamikiriad so the clj factor isn't so noticeable.

I'm surprised more people haven't flamed this thread - come on, it's Steely Dan! I've only recently got their albums and to be honest, I still feel a little dirty listening to them. I also fear I am approaching that time that I've read about, when I start to see music as Steely Dan and 'everything else'. Is this really normal, acceptable behaviour or should I consult my doctor?

Learn to play...
the SAX-o-phone
And drink Scotch whiskey
all
day
long

And DIE BEHIND the WHEEL

Do I enjoy performing "Deacon Blue" at karaoke?

Yes! And I perform it very well.

hahahaha

I just put my hands on the keyboard and all of the jiggling caused by my laughter made that post

fyi

That was awesome! Is that Eartha Kitt????

Search: everything up to and including The Royal Scam
Destroy: the overrated and thoroughly boring Aja and the lifeless Gaucho.

Flag Post

dont understand how you can like royal scam and not gaucho

there's definitely a kind of stylistic break between the last two and the preceding albums, but if anything the Royal Scam is the one I listen to the least. Can't live without "Time Out of Mind" though.

btw:

Statement from Donald & Libby Fagen:
"Despite misleading reports in the press, we are happily together. Now in our 23rd year of marriage, we’re looking forward to many more."

the gaucho criticism has already been ruled invalid, people fought over it and that side died back in the 20th century

^^^^^ right

https://vine.co/v/iMqDLOnhADQ

if anyone can tell me what the hell is up with this label i'll give you a million bucks. got it at the store today. at first i thought it was a u.k. pressing because the cover had that euro/u.k. feel to it. the paper. the weight. but it wasn't. u.s. address on the back. definitely an original u.s. pressing. the person i got records from had bought some stuff 30 years ago in england and this had a record & tape exchange inner sleeve so he bought it in england. the vinyl is heavy. way heavier than any u.s. copy i've seen and i've seen a ton of them. never seen this label ever with any ABC record. this copy sounds amazing by the way. maybe some weird u.s. export variation?

https://scontent.fbos1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14523113_10155248741862137_3302801438504977328_n.jpg?oh=e5843f489612b6f84b7f1ccc236df283&oe=588A3542

what's the issue with it? orange center, yellow ring..missing the dark purplish at the center I guess?

that's a white ring, no?

made of coke

you ever been in a hallway or some public place and think "....this hallway smells like cocaine."

this is the u.s. first pressing label:

https://scontent.fbos1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14915125_10155249401417137_4495401933332820383_n.jpg?oh=1a57c362e588058d6ff3fadf9a6593bf&oe=58984F39

i checked all the discogs photos for different ABC-846 releases, but yeah, none of them had the white coke ring label. weird!

the label is raised too. like a deep groove label. it's really very nice. it's almost like it was made in the u.k. or europe instead of the states. the vinyl is beautiful. and a lot of 1975 u.s. vinyl wasn't. sound-wise isn't one of the best copies i've heard. and i've heard great first pressings, german pressings, mfsl pressings.

the deadwax just has the catalog number ABCD-846 and no other markings.

Joan loves Chachi: "ABCD-846" would make a good song title.

oops, i meant to say "IS" one of the best copies i've heard.

anyway, your gold teeth into chain lightning still rules.

still think that any world (that i'm welcome to) is the weak link. i like the lyrics and the sentiment but i feel like it strains too hard with the chorus. it's the only time i can see them sweat on this record.

Is that really Becker doing all the leads on "Black Friday"?

https://www.discogs.com/sell/item/400340983

that's probably this isn't it

http://www.kompaktkiste.de/cover/steelydan/abcd846lpa.jpg

except that it's totally different...

could be u.s. export to german army base px...that's my best guess.

yes I later realised that the discogs listing probably wasn't the same as yours after all and found a photo that's more likely the same as the discogs listing

'Bad Sneakers' (love the way it suddenly changes key in the chorus) and 'Rose Darling' are two of my favourite Dan songs... love this album.

the vocal harmonies on "Your gold teeth" are so wonderful... unreal, even

Absolutely wonderful drumming from Jeff Porcaro throughout, too.

tfw you're 10 years older than everyone else in the bar and "dirty work" comes on

ha I did a tour with some seriously young bros who were also ace musicians and the first night they soundchecked w/"dirty work" and I was like FUCK YOU, YOU ARE PLAYING THAT SONG EVERY NIGHT AND I'M SINGING IT AND THAT IS JUST HOW IT GOES

it's in a total bitch of a key to sing, too

The harmonies are sick

That song is pretty high register to sing. There is just something about those early 70s recordings with the electric piano and how they were recorded gives it such a warm sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNpMC4FslNk

My favorite musical moment in the show

https://open.spotify.com/track/28nsHZ5UW6xrbif7Uv4YLZ?si=1CNuBdmOTKyAqH1mgdQWMQ
This old version of Brooklyn sounds like a Blonde on Blonde outtake played by a couple of methodone clinic outpatients

https://www.stereogum.com/1976387/donald-fagen-discusses-the-future-of-steely-dan-in-first-interview-since-walter-beckers-death/news/?amp=1&__twitter_impression=true

New Donald interview (podcast)

sweet, thanks!

that's a great interview

Sure, he’s a Jolly Roger

The organ sound on My Rival is all-time

track is so ill
Tailor-made for Lexington Ave somewhere in the 60s

the electric piano licks on the second and third choruses of any major dude

“The Bear” is such a weird track. Dig this chorus:

There's a bear that walks like a man
Better shake him fast
Better hide yourself if you can
cause he wants your ass
I believe you'll do quite well
But only time will tell
if you got the bear or the bear got you

Anyone know what the fuck these two geniuses are actually talking about here???

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/42637/the-heavy-bear-who-goes-with-me

Also makes me think of a Flannery O'Connor short story.

Oh yeah

It's Wise Blood, not a short story!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wise_Blood

not the violent bear it away ?

Actually I thought you meant a Faulkner story

I've tied myself in knots: it was Enoch and the Gorilla I was thinking of, and uh, a guy in a gorilla suit. So nothing to do with bears at all.

They call Alabama the crimson tide
Call me garçon blue

call me L.S.U.
L.S.uuuuuu

Nailed it

Found a "D":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW8rWRBmABA

Omg, amazing

incredible

haha woa wtf

Are you feelin’ in the beers?

WOW

This is too much.

tbf, Don 'n' Walter did record an ice-skating solo for that one, but decided late in the editing process that the technique and finish were not adequate to the song's requirements

And that skate-solo grew up to be "The Fez."

I distinctly remember the Donny & Marie segment from my early childhood. It was my introduction to Steely Dan.

Steely Donny

As someone who loves "One Bad Apple" and "Down by the Lazy River," I feel justified in saying that that is alarming.

it's amazing how technically proficient they are, yet how bad the outcome is! i guess taste should be part of the equation as well

didn't make it to the two minute mark, sorry

it's amazing how technically proficient they are, yet how bad the outcome is! i guess taste should be part of the equation as well

― The GOAT Harold Land (Karl Malone)

Ha, thought the same.

been really enjoying the sound of lo-fi steely dan outtakes lately

Compiling lists for my blog, I'm...almost ashamed to admit I haven't found an Osmonds song that wasn't at best meh.

“I, I, I” is smooooth chill disco

you show up at your crush’s place and she’s wearing this, wyd? pic.twitter.com/Lnz0iRSY77

— Joshua Minsoo Kim (@misterminsoo) January 14, 2021

don't pinch yourself, because this is a dream

I really enjoyed this -

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/my-high-school-crush-on-steely-dan