Can't Buy A Thrill

Some of their catchiest and most listenable work, but has a few too many lulls and duds, especially in the second half of the album. The highs of Do It Again and Reelin In The Years are matched by the lows of Fire In The Hole and Brooklyn. A decent album but doesn't reach the same levels of jazzy, easy listening, yacht rock that Steely Dan is known for on Aja

You can tell these are extremely talented musicians, which always cool to hear. They keep it movin for sure.

Some true bangers on this. Reelin in the years a favorite. Still these boys tried to have sardonic lyrics but took themselves far too seriously to properly deliver them.

There are points when I thought ‘but Thin Lizzy did this better’. Ricki Don’t Lose My Number is great, though.

Lots of hits. Smooth tunes

3.5 - not quite 4!

Quintessential '70's music album. Pitchfork: 8.6 Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #168 Best Songs Do It Again Dirty Work Only A Fool Would Say That Reelin' In The Years

A few good songs, but mostly lukewarm on Steely Dan. 3.5 stars

Some fun tracks, some kinda boring.

A nice, smooth album, with some standout tracks like "Reelin' in the Years" and "Do it Again" this album asks to be played when you just need to chill.

Two outstanding tracks & stands the test of time

01) Do It Again - 8,0 02) Dirty Work - 7,5 03) Kings - 7,0 04) Midnite Cruiser - 7,0 05) Only a Fool Would Say That - 7,0 06) Reelin' In the Years - 7,5 07) Fire in the Hole - 7,0 08) Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me) - 7,0 09) Change of the Guard - 7,0 10) Turn That Heartbeat Over Again - 7,0 TOTAL: 7,20 (72/100) Current ranking: 350/667

First time I heard Steely Dan I was working in a video store and my boss played them constantly. I remember him telling me about some song where they had the musicians practice it repeatedly until it was devoid of all feeling and how he thought that was so cool. Soulessness was not a quality I was looking for in music at the time so I did not vibe. Only years later on hearing some of their songs in a different context did I come to appreciate what they do. That being said I’m still not a massive fan. This record has some obvious undeniably bangers but some pretty weak tracks too imo. Definitely not my band but I can pick up some of what they put down.

Three ATJs is pretty mega, couple stinkers tho

Funny how many Steely Dan songs I know that I didn’t know were steely Dan. Pretty good musicians

The best music I don't like. There is definitely a lot of craftsmanship, but why do they need to make it all sound as dull and inoffensive as possible? I suppose I'm not a soft rock/ yacht music man.

added two songs to my playlist(the ones id heard before)- nice 70s vibe

Not really for me, but watching Kate car dance to Steely Dan IS for me!

довольно милые + одна песня знакомая, но чуть слишком гитарно

Liked a couple of songs

Sehr nice chill vibes

A host of familiar favourites flanked by sturdy and harmonious songs. This album is a pleasant and not-too-adventurous demonstration of strong musicianship. Doesn't really leave me wanting more but satisfied with the listening experience.

So strange to have another Steely Dan album just a week later (and 2 Black Sabbath 🤷🏼‍♀️). Definitely prefer Aja, this feels a little loosely goosey.

The hits are great but the in between stuff doesn’t wow me.

riccardo ma anche divertente qua e là

Solid Steel.

Some absolute bangers but also so pretty bland tracks.

Just fun but not everyone is a banger. Overall I enjoyed it.

3.5/5 pretty non offensive. Some classics I recognized. Kind of blends into the background of my 80s youth.

Some 10/10 songs. Some 4/10

Pretty good. Some timeless classics. 3.5/5

NO MORE STEELY DAN. PLEASE, FOR MY SAKE do it again- 5 dirty work- 5 kings- 5 midnite cruiser- 5 only a fool would say that- 5 reelin in the years- 5 fire in the hole- 5 brooklyn- 5 change of the guard- 5 turn that heartbeat again- 5

Two great songs here, but mostly the album is full of the sounds that, for some reason, make my gut cringe. Apt title.

Rv

Pretty good

Simple rating system: % of songs I clicked Like on is my score. I'd add about half to my daily shuffle, so 3/5 it is.

Classic dad rock

Enjoyed a bit but his voice can be grating. More adventures than HC but can’t see myself coming back too much more to the other tracks besides the singles

Good album. Deserves a closer listen

Reminds me a bit of the Heaven 17 (Penthouse & Pavement) cover somehow. Not sure what to expect, even though I know the name. And the familiar tones of ‘Do It Again’ to start us off. Soft rock indeed. Pleasant, good groove and feel. From the reviews, I get the sense there is shame in liking these guys, but I dig it. Kinda becomes pretty middle of road and radio rock after a while. A solid start though. Quite a few classics I didn’t know was then eg ‘Reelin in the years’ Not sure it’s an album I’d go back to in a hurry but quintessentially pleasant with a few classics (3.5)

The hits are solid. The rest of this is pretty inoffensive and mediocre. Pretty much the definition of a 3-star album.

I like to listen to this, but I don't feel quite right about it.

More Steely Dan. This is the third I've had now, and I'm only 160ish albums in. It's what I imagine my grandad would have listened to. Too boring for me

It's good, I think? Not for me but not at all bad. Hard to describe tbh.

I didn't even notice I listened to all the songs, so although there is no song that stands out to me, I'd say it's probably a decent album.

The other Steely Dan I had listened to made me slightly cautious when this came up. But I was pleasantly surprised. What would otherwise be pretentious wank on the other albums is interspersed better here. The pacing makes for an easier listen so you can actually appreciate the solo work that bursts from it.

This was fun, it grew on me as the tracks played out.

Was absolutely fine

Not bad but no notable songs

Still the sound of grown up parties in childhood. I recognised Do It Again and Reeling In The Years. Between 3 and 4, rounding down because it is feeling rather samey.

Minner om Pat Metheny group, hvertfal med instrumentaldelene

Good

I'm not middle-aged enough yet to like this album

So, I meet Steely Dan again, far quicker than I anticipated as well. My last steely Dan encounter was with Pretzel Logic, an album that I think is just sort of fine. However, my general ambivalence towards Steely Dan aside, I *do* get the sense that they have something interesting for me somewhere. Let us see if it resides on Can't Buy A Thrill. We actually start really strong here, I really like Do It Again. The Latin influence here complements Steely Dan's soft rock really well. And for how immediate and catchy it is, there are some cool arrangement tricks here. The percussion here is really interesting, and the synth organ solo at the end feels sort of proggy. I will say that I don’t think any other song on here is quite as good, but there are plenty of decent tracks, and I thought Can’t Buy A Thrill was overall pretty decent. I actually liked it quite a bit more than Pretzel Logic, it just seemed to have a bit of a stronger sense of aesthetic, and I thought the songwriting was more consistent. There are actually a good few songs that stand out to me. Midnite Cruiser is some really chill, well written soft rock. Reeling’ In The Years hops along and its verses kind of make me think of The Boys Are Back In Town, which is a good thing. Fire In The Hole is as effective a Vietnam song as there ever has been, and it’s got a great piano line too. I can’t say it’s enough to push us over the vast gap between 3 and 4, but I do feel that it’s a *solid* three (as opposed to Pretzel Logic, which I waffled about a little), so we’re getting better, and my Steely Dan quest goes on.

Was it fun - yea, definitely. Will I listen to it again, probably not. 3-4

Good music before they turned all production values!!

Melodista ja hienoja teknisiä kikkailuja äänimaailman kanssa. Mitä ihmettä onko tämä The Eagle? Ok…

3.75.

Rating: 3.1 The entire time I was listening to this I was thinking… the energy is like if Jimmy Buffett did a moderate and responsible amount of hard drugs. This album sounds like drunk driving on a mostly empty suburban road at 6am on a Tuesday. Nothing bad could (probably) happen to you while you’re playing this album. This record is super tight, obviously well-played and sung, and you can hear them having fun. Just nothing mind-blowing to me.

Some excellent songs, almost 4 stars. A little too much filler.

Good sound, slightly dubious substance if I'm being critical, which I suppose is why we are here 🙂

divertido pero no agregué ninguna. bueno para poner de fondo

Pleasant. Favorite track: Do It Again 3/5

Good album, knew a few of the popular songs

Soft rock. Do i hear mild latin/caribbean influences? Quite easy listening. Not as bad as I expected, but not stellar either. Best track - Only a Fool Would Say That or Do It Again 3 stars but it's almost 4.

Solid album. Only a fool would say that is top tier. Dirty work is great too. Overall good vibes.

Unpopular opinion: Reelin In The Years is my least favorite song on this album. I'm not big on Steely Dan but this was actually a half decent surprise of an album. Probably their best that I've heard, but it also sounds very Eagles like.

Es un álbum bastante chill. Creo que por lo general las canciones eran similares. Muy correcto para escuchar de fondo mientras intento salvar fintech en las últimas 3 horas

It was ok, the songles being the highlights of the album.

Fun.

I don’t understand why this album has their most popular songs on spotify (except Reelin in the Years). Most made no impact on me. Spider exercise in the guitar solo is insane

Very 70s

Was ok. Even recognized a few songs.

Gubbete og greit. Litt søtt at dette regnes som rock.

I liked the last Steely Dan album I listened to for this, and this is their most famous so expectations are high. This first song is fun, and the storytelling's great. The chorus, while vey simple, is fun and catchy too. Great! Dirty Work has some country influence, and it words really well! Again, very catchy I like the story in Kings, and the instrumentals are a bit... weirder? Like the solo at the middle. Good song Midnite Cruiser, while not bad by any means, is a bit boring I guess? Doesn't excite me Next track came and went. In Reelin' in The Years the catchy chorus makes a comeback! This was is fun too, even if I may need to pay more attention to the lyrics. The solo at the end is sooooo fun. Fire in The Hole is great, and I was definately not expecting that piano moment. Lovely. These songs at the end are, again, just coming and going without leaving any other impressions. Not bad, just uninteresting other than a few moments here and there. The final track starts good, and I like the chorus, but then it just keeps going and going and going... This was a weird experience. When this album is good, it is very good! But that was about half of the songs. 'Cause the other songs were harmless but kinda boring. Soooo, while this wasn't a bad record, I can't quite say it was good either. But worth checking out!

Good album. This is a solid 5 out of 10. Other than the three megahits, the album is so-so.

Not bad

Some decent soft rock, nothing to write home about really.

NOt bad

It was ok, I had the hits on my liked songs rotation, no gems really for me outside of that.

Un clásico del rock.

I quite enjoyed this and I don’t entirely know why. It’s very chill, but there’s also quite a bit going on. I like that. I dont think I’d ever go out of my way to listen to it, but I’m glad I have. Nice. 3.5

Pleasant listen but it reminded me of adult radio stations.

A couple good songs otherwise mid

The singles are obviously the standout tracks. Overall not unpleasant.

It's fine. All Steely Dan seems fine. Throw it on in the background and I won't even notice music is playing.

Some good fkn yacht rock, my inner billionaire loves this.

Upbeat and easy to listen to

Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: Do It Again, Dirty Work, Reelin' In The Years Great debut album. Enjoyed it. 3.5

Steely Dan! What a good album…. Until the second half! I mean it was nonstop hits and then it was like please stop this! Really liked it 👍 6/10 Favorite track - dirty work

this fucks

nije me iznervirao koliko sam mislila da hoće

It's not cool to like steely dan, but I'm finding it hard to actively dislike them? The arrangements are great, they come dangerously close to rocking out occasionally – it's just not quite my genre but clearly some talented folks

Nice album, kinda mid 3/5

Not bad

Easy laid back early fm guitar rock

Basically 10 different versions of "Do It Again." Should have been called "Do It Again and Again and Again and Again and Again and Again and Again and Again and Again and Again."

Почна многу јако, ама загуби инерција. 3.5

I appreciate the musicianship but the vocals knock this one down to a 3 star.

Can’t buy a thrill from Steely Dan.

70s rock. Some catchy tunes. Very standard and middle of the road.

https://rateyourmusic.com/music-review/JesseOverPessi/steely-dan/cant-buy-a-thrill/255645879

Good

Short, but ok.

A good album. A few of my favorite tunes from them on this one. Unfortunately, it was ruined by the constant interruption with ads. Too bad.

meh, bit boring for me and not very exciting. Wasn't awful just not my kinda music

345/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑

I found this enjoyable. The guitar work on the standout hits make this a decent listen. Seems like, if all the SD “hits” throughout their catalog were on the same album it could warrant a higher rating just based on mainstream success.

As much as I don’t wanna admit this, I actually didn’t mind listening to a Steely Dan record. While two previous efforts of theirs in this exercise earned low ratings (1 and 2), this one was stronger. Maybe because it was their debut. Maybe because it was more on the rock side before they moved into soft snooze territory. Fueled by three radio regulars it definitely stands out.

Okay, I’ll give some credit where it’s due. Last two SD albums drove me crazy. This one has some solid songs with Do It Again, Dirty Work and Reelin’ in the Years (which is prob the best for me). I don’t know what it is about these guys but it just feels emotionless. Reelin’ and Fire In the Hole have a bit more feeling. Regardless, don’t think I’ll be seeking out another listen anytime soon.

Giving Steely Dan a decent rating goes against everything I am as a person...but I gotta admit there are a few songs I legit enjoy. Of course those songs are mostly bookended by songs that make me want to scream into the void. So far we've had three SD albums... Pretzel Logic = 2 rating... Aja = 1 rating (simply awful)... and this I gotta put above those, so I am rounding to 3, god help me... 2.75/5

Песни ворчуна среднего возраста.

Another vanilla album by Steely Dan. At least this one has Reelin' In the Years and Do It Again on it. Of the 4 Steely Dan albums I've listened to on this generator, this one (their debut) is their strongest. Favorite songs: Reelin' In the Years, Do It Again, Dirty Work, Kings, Midnite Cruiser Least favorite songs: Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me) 3/5

Chill album with some fun bits, but very much like the rest of the things from that time

musically very listenable but not super duper my vibe

Not their best, but definitely good.

It’s dad rock ain’t it, gets an extra star for reeling in the years excellent guitar work,

Unfortunate case where the singles are all the best songs.

1. bon solo de guitarra, synth i organ/synth, a nivell ritmic i melodic no em flipa, bons sithes em mola, c'est trés belle. 2. Em mola molt el rollo instrumental a priori, també la veu i melodia cantada; solo mes fluix pero bon saxo; acaba sent una mica repetitiu. 3. Bon ritme, bon flow, bona instrumental i melodia. m'agrada l'estribillo 5. De moment la millor, ritmillo, bon solo amb trets funkis. 6. Prou bé comença, no em mola tant per ser la mes escoltad pero esta b, bon solo final. ... es fa ameno escoltar el disc... Si m'agues de quedar amb alguna canço serien la 2 i la 3 galifardeu!

Not great, not terrible, just a bit boring, but nice background music

This sounds like what you think of as the ‘70s. A lot of songs I had heard before, but never listened to intentionally. Reelin’ in the Years is really good and sounds like a template for Thin Lizzy’s The Boys are Back in Town. At times they remind me of Supertramp, The Zombies, and The Eagles. Fire in the Hole sort of sounds like The Zombies.

Okay, solid middle-of-the-road bluesy pop rock album. Not amazingly groundbreaking but what's here works really well, solid collection of songs even if I've heard this style a bit too often.

Super talented musicians but too many misses on the LP. I could do without the LP but without the historic tunes

Our second, and, hopefully, final Steely Dan album. Again, it's aggressively fine. I think I've heard 'Do it Again' before, but it's so boring that I'm not even completely sure about that. I have definitely heard 'Dirty Work' before! It's not terrible. Still excessively chill, but at least the lyrics provide some emotive contrast. The fact that 'Only a Fool Would Say That' is about John Lennon is funny and good, but somehow the song itself is neither funny nor good. Yep, overall it's not offensive or unpleasant, and more enjoyable than their other album, but nothing I'd ever choose to listen to myself.

Never loved Steel Dan but I can appreciate this album for what it is

Good album with some nice hits. I can see why they are popular.

Steely Dan never quite had the sound i like, their sound always puts into that cigarette stained beige corporate cube farm from the 70's. Just Typewriters and Shirt Pocket Protected Pen Holders and Mustaches galore space. and a shitty fluorescent lighting, with stained ceiling tiles...just that icky beige.

"Do It Again" is why audiophile stereos were invented, but then audiophile stereos are what gave us the subsequent Steely Dan albums which gave us the 80's Wall Street greed era which begat tech bros and Elon Musk. So despite "Do It Again" being a stone jam, one must gaze at the album through the dolorous lens of history and stall the waterwheel of unlearned-from mistakes. Let us not be the fools doing the Dan's dirty work. Plus the non-single tracks are so-so.

This is the 'band' Steely Dan vs. every other album which was the 'duo' Steely Dan. That's neither good nor bad. Just different. "Rolling In The Years" is was of those songs I loathed growing up for whatever reason (likely it's constant playing on classic rock stations was pretty much the only exposure I had to music in my early years). But as a part of the broader album, I have an appreciation for it now. More weird Wikipedia trivia (I think I'm having more fun just finding weird shit on Wikipedia for each album: *** Sometime after recording Can't Buy a Thrill, Steely Dan wrote and recorded a jingle for Schlitz Beer that was rejected and never aired. Long considered lost, it was rediscovered in July 2023 by Cimcie Nichols in the archive of her late father Roger Nichols.[24] The 1 minute and 50 second jingle has a distinct Steely Dan sound with layered vocals by Fagen, after a spoken word introduction in Spanish by Baxter (in a squeaky inhaled helium voice), with Fagen speaking an English translation. Recording took place in Studio A at The Village in Los Angeles. At the session, a photo was taken of Fagen in reindeer sweater and Dias in overalls and sombrero while holding a tank of helium that subsequently appeared on the back cover of Katy Lied. ***

I must be a dad already because Steely Dan is my jam. These are all great. Dirty Work is iconic and soothing, Kings is funky as. Overall this album is awesome. 3/5

A bit of a hit and miss album for me…some great tracks on here - Do it Again & Reelin’ in the years are particular stand outs. Not an album I was thrilled to have pop up, but have a new appreciation of the band - certainly great production values throughout

Lalala Musik

It's good but also boring.. 3.5

Good shit, but definitely had some snoozers. First Steely Dan album, excited to listen to more

This has some huge hits on it, and unlike a lot of its counterparts from this era, the album ends before it gets boring and repetitive.

This is Yacht Rock at its peak. And that's both good and bad. Yes, it can be fun for a day at the beach, but it can also be too cheesy. If you're in the mood, it's great, but if not, it's pretty bad. 3 stars

Really impressive for a debut album, though outside of "Reelin' in the Years" the other songs aren't particularly memorable for me.

Har aldri vært en enorm tilhenger av Steely Dan. Fagen og Becker har begge imponerende evner innen produksjon og instrumentering. Der er også en del gode melodier og bra gitarspilling. Jeg syns bare at det blir litt overfladisk, som om der ikke er så mye å finne bak den sleipe vestkysts sounden deres. De høres sjeldent lidenskapelig ut. Der er mye å like i musikken, men det treffer ikke helt meg.

A good album, but not nearly as good as Aja.

This would be 3.5 if I could. Overall enjoyed it but didn't grip me very much. I'll likely listen to his other stuff though.

Just okay, couple of bangers, but not my style. Fairly repetitive.

Perfectly pleasant middle of the road listening

A certain classic loaded with great and (given the production date) proven timeless songs to add to Sunday playlists but none too memorable. 7.6/10.

A couple really catchy tunes (the hits), a good overall vibe, but not something I’d likely come back to.

Probably the best Steely Dan album I've listened to.

Recently, someone pointed out to me that people are likely more acquainted with Steely Dan than they realize, often having heard their music without connecting it to the band. While listening to "Can't Buy A Thrill," I was amused to recall how many songs I remembered listening on late-night FM radio in the 80s during high school. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen are true musical craftsmen, which is clearly demonstrated on this album (and the ones that followed). However, I have always sensed that their pursuit of perfection overshadows the actual music from a creative exploration perspective. The music itself, which includes elements of jazz, R&B, and blues, evokes a light, carefree feeling, as if I should be cruising in a convertible along the coast at sunset on a warm summer night. The most well-known tracks remain strong, and others like "Dirty Work," "Midnight Cruiser," and "Kings" also shine. However, aside from perhaps "Reelin' In The Years," I find this album to be somewhat passive; it’s the kind of music you might play in the background and forget about, more like pleasant white noise. It’s not the type of music you actively engage with, except maybe during your first few listens. That is not a criticism of the quality of the music, just an personal observation. While I enjoyed "Can't Buy A Thrill", their best album remains either "Pretzel Logic" or "Aja".

A few famous songs this album was ok

Thoughts before listening: I think this is the first Steely Dan album I have got on this project. Sometimes I LOVE Steely Dan and other times I think they are the epitome of bland cheesy rock. I believe this album falls in the former category. Review: So the hits on this are really good. "Do It Again", "Dirty Work", and "Reelin' in the Years" are deserving of their place in classic rock station playlists. I also like "Change of the Guard" as a pretty strong deep cut. That being said, the rest of the album is pretty boring to me. I guess Steely Dan is just always going to be a greatest hits band to me. 3-stars

Folk Rock, 1972 -> 3

do it again, bam bam bam.. badum deedee beedleedee beedeembee bo

Soft/Jazz Rock. Reelin' in the Years is probably the stand out. That, Do it Again, and Dirty Work were all on the radio constantly in the 70's and 80's. The rest of the album is OK. Nothing terrible, but nothing really great either.

Takie 3/5. Zaczyna się bardzo dobrze, ale cała reszta piosenek w sumie podobna.

v fun but not great winter vibes--feels more summery. like objectively good but simply not a fav

I love Steely Dan, but they really developed the qualities I love most from them on later albums. I wouldn’t say this is a must listen, especially compared to other work by them.

good work day listen with lots of really familiar yacht rock feel good tunes

Sounds like something my dad would listen to. Not bad though

3/5 meh

Not heard before … but recognised quite a few tracks. Pleasant enough but probably won’t listen again.

Last two songs are ok.

Steely Dan strikes again. I hadn't heard of him before starting into this, but I've heard two of his albums now, and their solid

I like the horns on track 2. There are some really terrific melodies on Can't Buy A Thrill but there is enough of that slimy 70s blues grime that it prevents me from getting into the groove.

This is my second Steely Dan album. Countdown to Ecstacy wasn't exactly my kind of music as it just didn't appeal to me. This one's a tad better, but still just music that would play in the background.

3.5 I didn't think i'd like it that much but v groovy, i like it.

Pleasant as background music, nothing annoying or bad about it, but it doesn't completely resonate with me.

It's a decent album with some famous hits. Not my favorite music but not my least favorite either. Solid 3/5.

Steely Dan is one of those bands I don't hate but don't like. They have some decent songs, but for some reason they are missing something for me. As such, this was a good but unremarkable listen for me.

easy-listening soft rock. not for me

somewhat pleasing

Not my favorite Steely Dan album but it's still a great listen. I've heard the hits on this one many times but never the whole thing. It has a nice upbeat vibe that I really liked. I'm sure I will be putting this on again sometime soon.

Pretty good. Calm and safe music. Some tracks were better than others. The closing track was repetitive and weak, but a net positive experience. 2.5/5 -> 3/5

My fourth Steely Dan album and further cements them to me as ‘a band who once existed’. I had a bit of an emotional rollercoaster as I recognised the opener and tried to work out where from. Then excitement as I realised it was from Guitar Hero, which I loved and brings many happy memories. Then anguish as I remembered this was one of the hardest songs on the game and cost us HOURS of getting that boring long intro exactly right only to fall down on the stupid solo. I doubt I’ll be back for more.

cv c’etait sympa

Angenehm zu hören. Aber es plätschert dann so vor sich hin. Midnite Cruiser hat mich spontan angesprochen. 3/5

I think this was quite chill? Don't remember that much

point2.

It was ok

Would possibly score higher but these tracks are to synonymous with Rom-Coms now to truly enjoy

Funky

This is what they call yacht rock, right? Give me that saxophone. Dirty Work is an ear worm. I think this is solid guilty pleasure music.

More like a 3.5, solidly middle of the road - only here for the hits to accompany a drive down the shore lol

“Dirty Work” and “Reelin’ in the Years” are both great, classic pop songs. Hope there is more Dan in this book as this is probably the least interesting album!

Despite Steely Dan being super cheesy in my mind and feeling like "why would I ever like that?" (lol) I enjoyed this record. It's definitely not necessarily my vibe but the musicianship (separate from singer/vocals) on this record is great. Lots of little flairs I hadn't noticed before. For me, "Dirty Work" is the highlight of the record. Is it because the song is good or because it makes me think of Tony Soprano? Idk. But I dig it.

Lot of old bangers, enjoyed it.

Pretty ok. A lot of it kind of sounded the same but I can see how people dig it.

Alright chill rock.

Solid.

Some funky Songs, Some rather boring

I'm not a fan of soft rock, the type of inoffensive garbage that you're subjected to in shops and waiting rooms. I will acknowledge that this is really good for what it is. It's just not something that I would ever choose to listen to.

Tatsächlich eine Band deren Songs mir teilweise bekannt sind aber ich den Namen nicht kannte. Für eine Platte der 70er auf hörbarem Level.

They were going crazy on this

Jeder Song ist gut aber irgendwie clickt es nicht. :( Erhh 7/10

Steely Dan is always better than I expect. 3.4.

Can't Buy A Thrill is the debut album from Steely Dan, a band primarily driven by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. They made jazz-inspired rock, and are a central figure is what has come to be called yacht rock. They incorporated Latin and Mambo rhythms into their own style of complicated, richly orchestrated, softer rock. The album's success was driven by two hit singles: "Do it Again," and "Reelin' in the Years." The songs are staples of the "classic rock" world, and helped make soft, jazzy rock part of pop music in the 70s and 80s.

Nice, jammy! "Do It Again" really funky.

I always assumed Steely Dan was psychedelic and not soft rock. Not my cup of tea..I don't hate it.. just very inoffensive

A great sounding album. I do like the 70’s musical production on this and some great playing. This is the second album I’ve had chosen for me from the list and I’m starting to warm to Steely Dan

Another interesting record. Cool that it was recorded in the 70s.

Perus steely dania

Not a big Steely Dan guy but I will say prefer this early incarnation of The Dan...more rock band than the smooth jazz combo of Aka. This is very much in evidence on Do It Again with its Santana-style percussion and signature harmonies. The album struggles to reach the heights of Do It Again. A 3 for me

This website has been busting out the heaters lately. The second half lacks what the first gets right and has songs that are stretched a little too thin for my liking, but on the whole this is quite good. One of the few albums that I'm likely to return to once this entire list is behind me.

My second time listening to this and at the beginning I was thinking that maybe I was finally getting steely Dan. I think I sort of do, but the second half of the album is not bad but pretty bland. Dirty Work is great. High 3.

Once again I have been deceived by a great opening track that the rest of the album doesn’t remotely live up to.

This is the one with Do It Again and Reelin’ in the Years. They trigger all the old LiteFM memories. Sliding around in the back of a station wagon, speeding down the highway, on the way to the mall. As for the album, it’s alright. Clearly they were wonderful musicians. But there are still a lot of early 70s tropes draped on top of otherwise decent music.

Not really my thing, but there’s just enough charm to tilt it more toward the “kind of like it” side. Favorite: Only a Fool Would Say 3.5?

Pleasant enough. Not super exciting beyond the first song.

Never heard the album, just some of the songs. A couple of classics here, in particular Reelin' in the Years still sounds great (and what amazing guitar work). Noteworthy for being Steely Dan's debut album, but not consistent enough to be considered "great". "Dirty Work" doesn't hold up, and still sticks out as the Steely Dan hit that doesn't fit with the rest of their most popular songs. "You been tellin' me you're a genius Since you were seventeen In all the time I've known you I still don't know what you mean"

Steely Dan, that ubiquitous 70's music that you neither love nor hate. 3.5 stars rounded down because I'm tired of lips on album covers.

Eclectic mix of rock, jazz, blues, and country. The variety of voices, instruments, vibes keep the listener on their toes.

This filled me with a warm, comforted feeling - I remember some of these songs being played to me as a child. Nice

I guess I’m hitting the part of the 1001 challenge where bands are turning up for their second or third time. I don’t think multiple entries are warranted unless a bands sound or album style has changed significantly. That said, this is a fucking sexy album!

I was feeling cynical going into it, but my tapping toes don't lie!

Very good! I was familiar with both the name and the music before, but don't know if I would be able to connect them together. Listened in the car on the way up to Tahoe with Lemur.

It’s alright . Favorite song: Reelin’ in the years Least favorite song: Midnite Cruiser

When I was a kid, my uncle told me about Steely Dan. I felt so grown up and cool to be listening to them. Turns out, still get a similar feelings 25 years later. I hadnt listened to this album before. It is chill, I like it. Im not sure if I like it as much as Gaucho though. Reelin in the Years is fantastic though!

Solid, nice in the background, nothing really to praise, nor to complain.

steely dan falls into that category where i would never turn it OFF. but i would rarely turn it on either. fun and enjoyable but never something im looking for. plus Aja was better than this so well go high 3

songs to sign your divorce papers to

Jolly album with some real SD anthems along the way. Enjoyed it, I should have gone double denim for the day and pulled off some dad dancing. You can understand the sucess they have had over the decades.

it was fine.

A solid album with a couple of memorable songs but some of the songs are relatively nondescript.

it’s cute. dirty work always hits the spot for me. all songs are good but nothing besides dirty work stands out to me. even though all the songs are nice.

This is #day74 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... for the first time in this challenge, here we are with another album by the same band. Just a week ago, I explored Aja, and now it's time for Steely Dan's debut. While it doesn't quite match the brilliance of my first encounter, this one's still an enjoyable listen. I mean, look at that collage album cover, and it's 1972 outside. "Do It Again," and "Fire In The Hole" are personal highlights. As one reviewer noted, I might be turning into a dad... I wouldn't mind checking out more from these guys. Are there any other albums on the list? This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to#day75.

1. "Do It Again" 3,4 2. "Dirty Work" 2,8 3. "Kings" 3,3 4. "Midnite Cruiser" 2,9 5. "Only a Fool Would Say That" 3,1 6. "Reelin' In the Years" 3 7. "Fire in the Hole" 3,2 8. "Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)" 3 9. "Change of the Guard" 3 10. "Turn That Heartbeat Over Again" 3,5 Average 3,12

Can't buy a thrill strikes me as an absolute classic, a band probably at the top of their game when they wrote it. Pretty much standard classic rock format, steady drums to foot tap your way through the albums, understated bass line, piano and guitar. Vocals are a safe and steady addition. It is simple ingredients done well, and certainly unapologetic about it. Rate a 3 out of 5 (in my scoring system that is a good score, an album everyone should have on their list). It's easy music to listen to, but doesn't blow my mind.

Do It Again - 7.8 Dirty Work - 7.9 Kings - 7.3 Midnite Cruiser - 7.6 Only A Fool Would Say That - 7.6 Reelin In The Years - 7.3 Fire In The Hole - 7.5 Brooklyn - Change Of The Guards - Turn That Heartbeat Over Again -

soft rock noun [ U ] music specialized uk/ˌsɒft ˈrɒk/ us/ˌsɑːft ˈrɑːk/ a type of rock music (= popular music that is played with electric guitars and drums) where the beat is not very strong and loud, and it's a teeny bit dull; aka Steely Dan. Pleasant enough listen, but I just found it a tad insipid.

Solid, easy listening dad rock. No weak points but also no big highs, just a good album the whole way through. I preferred Pretzel Logic - that one felt more varied and interesting to listen to. Still, another strong 3 - I’m giving out a lot of 3s at the minute!

Not a huge steely Dan fan but this has some solid songs on it.

Yall I might have amnesia cuz I don't remember much about this album. That means it gets a solid 3.

Adult contemporary dad rock of the not-so-cringey kind.

I liked it for background music, though it isn't my usual genre.

Thing with Steely Dan albums is that you can't really find a fault in it. Instrumentally as well as lyrically, they are good. Their songs are catchy with clean, groovy production. It's the lack of experimentation and passion that makes them uninteresting. You can sit through them, you may even like some of the songs (Do It Again, Dirty Work, Midnite Cruiser), but they seem to play safe.

It's got some neat songs. Not mind blowing by any stretch of the imagination.

Overall impressions - Has a classic familiar sound, yet I'm not sure I've ever heard any of the songs before - The original Fleetwood Mac vibes - Very movie montage - Easy to listen to, although not easily discernable on a first listen. Lyrics aren't immediately apparent Song Breakdowns - Do It Again has a laid back vibe and a chill guitar solo. The electric keyboard solo right after is also worth noting. Groovy maaaan - Dirty Work is technically sound but man, fuck that cheating bitch and honestly hope there's a redemption arc further on in the album because can't respect it bro - Kings has some brilliant and ironic story telling. Fuck that piece of shit, king John but also pour one out for my homey - Midnite Cruiser makes me oddly nostalgic for a life of crime and thrill that I've never had. Like I want to go back to worse times that have never existed? I bet that Midnite Cruiser is a sexy piece of curvy metal. With lots of buttons. Take me to Harlem, babe - Only A Fool Would Say That coming in hot with beach chilling sunny vibe times. Stand out track, but not so down with the put down of optimism. Good song though, fave so far - Reelin' in the years has magnificent syncopation, killer guitar solos, and the pointed lyrics of desired suffering are timeless. Get fucked, I hope you're miserable - Fire In The Hole owns the piano. I'm feeling a redemption arc and some character development. Get that bag bro. It's not over, keep fighting and wait for that explosion - Brooklyn is the worst track so far..Slow start, uninspired, repeatative, and just when it started getting good with a guitar solo it did the dreaded fade out. Boo/10 - Change Of The Guard is Fleetwood Mac with less cocaine and cheating (but probably still some). Or maybe Fleetwood Mac is Change Of The Guard - Turn That Heartbeat Over Again is a strong finisher, probably my second favorite. Some original riffs and solos. Brings a sense of conclusion that is satisfying for the album Will I re-listen? First impressions say songs will make it on certain playlists, but some stinkers if you ask me. But I enjoyed listening and appreciating it for what it is.

For some reason, I believed Steely Dan was tacky 80s rock played at backyard Fourth of July parties. This was more than that. Colors of red, orange and bright green. Made me feel joyful and quickly found myself singing along. Favorite song: Kings

I feel like I have Deja Vu with this one

This was my first time listening to a full Steely Dan album, and I guess I shouldn’t have waited so long. Familiarity with the opening tracks helped me settle in, and I really enjoyed the entire ride. Kings was probably my favorite track, the backing vocals were on point during that tune. Only a Fool Would Say That was also great, felt like Do It Agin Pt2, not sure if that was the intention. I’ll likely revisit this album in the near future.

Sounds like something my dad would listen to.

I enjoyed this album. I didnt think I knew who Steely Dan was but a few songs pops up that brought a few memories back.

3.5 Ssteely Dan never clicked for me, but it's growing on me every time I hear it. Pretty. I appreciate the production value but musically, still not my thing.

This is what i imagine would play in the 70s when i hit the local diner after high school in grandma muscle car. Not too elaborate but "listen-able"

Better than the Gene Clark rubbish I was subjected to the previous day. Familiar with some of the hits and on the whole quite competent 70s soft rock

Pretty decent rock.

70/100

Лучше, чем альбом с монохромной обложкой про бублики. Музыка в целом хорошая, но глубоко не хватает. Лучшая песня - Dirty Work.

I think this album is pretty overrated. There a few Steely Dan songs that I adore, but generally, I find their music really hokey and conceited. This album is an example of that. Do It Again kind of just drags on, I have no idea why it is 6 minutes long when 1/3 of the song is two terrible solos. The melody of this song is grating, and I think the vocals feel really strained. Reelin' In The Years is another song I feel similarly about. I just do not enjoy it. The melody is annoying, and the vocals just irritate me. The guitar ornamentation around the track is boring, and the tone/timbre of the guitars are just not great. The rest of the album is okay, and has some moments here and there that I enjoy, but generally is pretty whatever. Dirty Work, Turn That Heartbeat Over Again, and Brooklyn however, are great songs. Aja and Groucho are two way better projects, where I feel that their songwriting and production matured. In closing, they are talentless hacks who have thrived off of surrounding themselves with incredible session musicians like Bernard Purdie, Larry Carlton, and Chuck Rainey. 5 misses and 2 fucking terrible songs, but 3 songs that I revisit very often.

Hey, a couple hits I recognize! It was fine. It got a bit samey, but it was an enjoyable listen. The sound is pretty unique, though, so I'll forgive a bit of samieness. I could see myself coming around on this if I give it a few more listens, but I don't have much of a drive to right now.

Not my cup of tea, but I enjoyed it a bit. To be honest it just made me go and listen to the Doobie Brothers instead.

A record of extremely solid unoffensive and vanilla songs. They are well recorded, produced and written but most of these albums I play while working and there will be a track or two that grab my attention. These just all came across as background noise with nothing jumping out as interesting.

nice one

Pretty much everything you need to know about Steely Dan

Very competent but too detached 3.4

Solid album with good guitar and some biting lyrics.

Pretty good. Though not as clever clever as later albums

A solid classic rock album, specifically on the Soft Rock spectrum. It won't blow you away, but it's okay. Favorite Song: "Do It Again".

I don't usually listen to classic rock but this was pretty good!

Effortless pop, slightly too clever and knowing. I've always loved Do It Again. My musical tastes are SO conflicted and fucked up.

In a nutshell: inoffensive and unremarkable debut. Donald and Walter knew from get-go what they wanted their albums to sound like. Sometimes to a fault with their overzealous perfectionism. Or maybe I'm just a Millennial who doesn't get it. Reelin' In the Years is good. The rest of the album varies from "it's fine" to forgettable soft jazz rock. So many long outros and solo jams that it enters cliched territory. Nice attempt, fellas. You got better with age. Overall: 5/10

Interesting album, best songs are the popular ones Standout songs Do it again Midnight cruiser Reelin in the years

Do It Again oli GH biisi. Leppoisaa rokkia missä on vähän ehkä folk vaikutteita. Ei kantria kummiskaan. Parhaat: Do It Again, Dirty Work, Change Of The Guard

Soft 70’s rock

This felt like an afternoon with classic roach radio on. So many perennial hits from this one album. Jazzier than I expected it to be. They are clearly very talented and there are some timeless aspects. But it HARD to shake the dust of classic rock association.

Feel pretty similar to this as I did Aja. It’s pleasant for sure and I can see the appeal but it just doesn’t do much for me. I really don’t know why that is but the fact remains that I’m fairly unmoved. Aja definitely left more of an impression on me overall though. The songs there were significantly more exciting imo. But yeah, I see the appeal but it’s just not for me I don’t think.

Decent

Maybe if I were alive when it released, it would mean something.

The hits are good. The rest is fine

5/10…

Kinda bummed by this one, to be honest. I've always enjoyed the song "Do It Again" so I was hoping there would be other songs on here I'd enjoy, but I'm afraid I didn't get much out of this album. I didn't dislike it, but it was fine at best. 2.6

They are talented, but it isn't really my jam.

Never heard this album before but actually has some awesome songs. Do it again sounds like something that would play over a montage of someone hustling a casino or something. Most of the rest of the album is chill weed vibes on a blue sky summers day. Steely Dan was a cool guy.

3/5

Not terrible but not really my speed

Actually not too bad, pretty decent album where only the first song (Do It Again) was pretty nice but the rest were a bit meh, although quite enjoyable to listen to, regardless. Overall, a pretty nice album, there were a couple of songs that were pretty nice, so I am not disappointed.

Fine but forgettable.

I thought this would be heavier and much worse. It was fine. Dirty Work is a great song.

A few of the classics on this earlier work. You know what you're in for...

...

Certainly enjoyed this. Two very recognizable songs and learned that they were named after a dildo. All in all, an enjoyable experience

Enjoyed it. Didn’t blow me away but I didn’t hate my life the whole time I was listening to it. Good length and some stuff that was recognizable to me.

Never heard the album, just some of the songs. A couple of classics here, in particular Reelin' in the Years still sounds great (and what amazing guitar work). Noteworthy for being Steely Dan's debut album, but not consistent enough to be even considered "great". "Dirty Work" doesn't hold up, and still sticks out as the Steely Dan hit that doesn't fit with the rest of their most popular songs. "You been tellin' me you're a genius Since you were seventeen In all the time I've known you I still don't know what you mean"

6/10 Best efforts don't corner orange markets boys. Let's try better than your best. 7-12-2024

Liked it more than I thought but certainly won’t listen to it again

Steely Dan is wild because if you asked me to name one of their songs before now I absolutely couldn't do it, but then I somehow knew all of the songs on this album while listening. Perfectly average and unremarkable listening experience. I look forward to once again forgetting about Steely Dan by tomorrow.

I thought I was going to hate this, but I actually liked a fair bit. Except for the bits with Sitar, there isn't a song in the world that has been improved by adding Sitar.

Can't listen to Steely Dan without thinking of "Oh Hello."

Oh another Steely Dan album. Just as good as any of the other Steely Dan albums that I listen to while going through this list. Because it's the same as every other Steely Dan album that I listen to and moderately enjoyed. I think that the list should start to filter out multiple albums by the same performer.

daytime radio friendly soft rock. Inoffensive but also nothing special

I almost skipped this one after the last 2 Steely Dan entries in this list but I’m glad I changed my mind halfway to work. Still not exactly my favourite band but I now at least understand the appeal as this album is far superior to the other two in my opinion. The 3 singles are the highlights (if you don’t sing along to Dirty Work you’re a stronger man than I) but the deep tracks were pretty solid too (Midnite cruiser being my favourite). Solid 3.3

3.2 Yup, more steely dan, another 3 rating.

That’s some good vintage Steely. Strong start, strong finish. Reelin’ In The Years carries the B Side. Never listened to the album in its entirety until now, great debut! Will listen again, they’ll have at least one more that makes the list. Easy (3.2*s)

3.5

It was pretty nice

I wish there was a 1/2 star rating. I would give this a 3 1/2 star. Out of 10 songs on this record, 4 or so are classics. the rest is good-to really good but not classic. Very good record-ish.

Hits=bangers resten går att lyssna på men inte mer spännande än så

I think I'd be more interested if I hadn't heard the hits off this album a ton in middle/high school. It's a pretty eclectic group of sounds that make up this album, but none of them are really for me. But they're also non-offensive tunes, so it's not that I dislike the album. I just don't give a shit.

My fourth and final Steely Dan album from the list! I didn't mind this album. One of the songs was familiar but I forget now which one. I liked "Do It Again" the most. Overall, this album was just OK.

Do It Again 3 Dirty Work 3.1 Kings 2.8 Midnite Cruiser 3 Only a Fool Would Say That 3 Reelin' In the Years 3.1 Fire in the Hole 2.9 Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me) 3 Change of the Guard 3 Turn That Heartbeak Over Again 2.8 Score: 2.97

I appreciate Steely Dan, even though I don't usually seek them out. They're folky, bluesy, funky, rocky, and fun. I like that they let different instruments drive each song - some are heavy on piano while others ride the guitar or bass. It's all a little different but still recognizable.

Not a Steely Dan fan and would usually turn from the classic radio station when a song would come on. This first album is the rare exception. Not a fan of the mid to late 70’s Steely Dan sound.

I know I should love SD but I just don't. Good album.