Reviews (page 3 of 15)
Still a fan of Steely Dan. The 'jam' parts of the tracks are my favorite bits. I know this is the third SD entry, but at least it isn't more Brit Pop.
More Steely Dan?! For crying out loud. One was plenty.
3/5
Excellent album
I didn't realize I knew some of these songs, now I'm a Steely Dan fan. They're all so easy to follow and sing along to, a really pleasant listening experience. 5/5 would listen again.
Could listen to this on repeat
Hell yeah
No, Steely Dan, you can't buy a thrill, but I wish you fucking could, because this has all the excitement of a developing flu. Somehow, every flavour of instrument comes together to form a great big slog of greywater. Am I being too harsh? Probably. But the album cover was promising, the average rating was promising, and the genres listed were promising, and this album was just a thousand broken promises.
Rate: 7/10.
Dirty Work / Only A Fool Would Say That / Fire in the Hole / Reelin' In The Years / Do It Again (Barely) A soft rock album with diverse sounds. The last few tracks were dull but all around great songs.
Very big, top 2 of the dans probably. Not a lot to say, frequent listen, lots of moods.
Really enjoyed this. I hadn’t heard any of their music before and likes the mix of rock and jazz. I added 1/2 the songs to my liked songs so that says enough.
9 - excellent front half of the album but second half is just ok
Can't Buy a Thrill is an amazing debut album and while it lacks the more avant-garde brilliance of their later works, its almost flawlessness makes it an essential piece of classic rock.
Purement cool
I had never heard this album, but enjoyed it from start to finish. I like Steely Dan but have never done a full dive into their disscography, so this felt like a great jumping off point.
1. Do It Again - 11 Brilliant track. Lyrically a lot of fun. Instrumentally a masterclass. It is everything that encompasses what is great about a smoothy groove rock from the 70s. Guitar solo in the bridge is nasty. 2. Dirty Work - 6 It's very average. Instrumentally the song is fine and enjoyable but the chorus is a bit stale and overused. Having said that the verses are filled with a lot of great lines so overall the track is good, but grows stale quickly as you get through it. 3. Kings - 8 Very good lyrically with a wicked guitar solo in the bridge that separates the sentiment in the lyrics at the start and end of the track. Very well written. 4. Midnite Cruiser - 6 I have the same criticism with this track as I did with Dirty Work. 5. Only A Fool Would Say That - 7 Solid all around track. Love the lyricism on it and instrumentally there's a lot to enjoy as well. 6. Reelin' In The Years - 6 Instrumentally it's very good with an awesome opening solo. The chorus is very bland and makes the track much less enjoyable, especially with how much it dominates the track. 7. Fire In The Hole - 10 Superb. The piano is absolutely stunning on this track and the big highlight between 2 outstanding verses. Absolutely a track of excellence. 8. Brooklyn (Owes The Charmer Under Me) - 8 Solid track. Lovely vocals on the track with a brilliant sound underpinning the whole track. Awesome to listen to. 9. Change Of The Guard - 9 Instrumentally and lyrically brilliant. The guitar is an absolute monster on this track that sounds so excellent. Great track. 10. Turn That Heartbeat Over Again - 2 It starts well but is complete gibberish after the first verse. Instrumentally it's extremely dry as well. On top of that, the vocals in the chorus and very monotonous. It's the worst track on the album by leaps and bounds. Average Rating: 7.30 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 3.65 Rounded Up: 4 Stars
Aunque solo había escuchado una canción de Steely Dan, el álbum es bastante dinámico y juguetón, agradable al oído en una primera escucha. Lo tendría para escuchar de vez en cuando para la tranquilidad de una tarde.
Aja gets all the love but this one is great as well. 5/5
One hit wonder plane surfer straight rock music.
Absolute quality, great album.
Very nice !
wow that instrumentals are so good
4.2/5
Another classic. Love some Steely Dan. Great vocals, guitar and keyboards, with some excellent songwriting.
one of the best
Was pretty good. It was kind of what I expected because I’ve listened to some other Steely Dan music and it was very much in the scene. I enjoyed it and want to dive a little more into their discography to listen to other songs.
Incredibly bland
I like this so much more than Aja. Aja is like a 3.5 and this is a 4.5
Classic, jangly tracks. Super strong first half and strong end, but the 3/4 stretch, while not grabbing me, has already stuck with me more on re-listen.
achei bem daora, um rock cm uma pegada mais melódica cm um bom instrumental e influências de outros demais gêneros. Gostei da vibe das músicas.
I do like some Steely Dan. This album cover is too bizarre for me; I'll take the weary attitude of Fagen's "The Nightfly" over this image every time. It's amusing to me that the Wikipedia article suggests that the band members also were't fans of the cover art. I really enjoy the music, although I only really know the hits from this one.
This is a band that are are great at what they do.
Steely Dan – Can’t Buy a Thrill was a really enjoyable listen. It has a relaxed vibe without ever feeling boring, and it’s impressive how well it still holds up in 2026. I wasn’t around in the early ‘70s, but this is exactly how I imagine that laid-back West Coast / hippie era sounded. Definitely an album I’ll come back to.
All in all a nice album. Even thow I couldn’t remember the cover, I know a lot of the songs already. So this brought back some memories.
Well written soft rock. Some of the tracks catched my attention but the rest was just enjoyable… not more. Had fun to listen but wouldn’t listen again in near future.
OH HELL YEAH YOU ALREADY KNOW. I am a Steely Dan fan. The first (and debut) masterpiece, in a career of masterpieces. Nothing else like it. No skips. A pleasure to listen to with much to ponder and wonder over. 5 stars.
Call me a dad but I freaking love Steely Dan. Dirty Work and Do It Again are top songs of all time for me, but this whole album is a forever save
I love recognizing songs I've heard on repeat but never known the song title or artists. This album has a few Gap classics (songs that played daily when I worked at the Gap).
A very solid album with several bangers on it. I don't know have a lot of reactions outside of that blanket statement.
Me lembra muito um filme dos anos 80-70 dos EUA. Viagem pelo deserto. Podia estar na trilha de breaking bad. Também me lembrou Ariel Pink. Do It Again é bem convidativo pra uma primeira faixa.
This album was really a thrill! There are no songs that feel weak or out of place, the guitar parts are wonderful and the album is a vibe all around! With that said I wouldn't consider this one of the best albums of all time, just super fun and catchy!
Good pop hooks, good musicianship, good stuff.
Ok, so my Dad didn't listen to Steely Dan; he was more into Beach Boys and Eagles.
Start strong with back to back to key bangers, then settles in and ends are quietly.
Thoroughly enjoyed this album the whole way through. I’d only heard Dirty Work by Steely Dan before this album. Great to listen to, will definitely give it a few more listens
Was okay.
O aš maniau, kad jie nepatenka!!! Labai gerai.
The first time anyone got to commercially hear some Becker & Fagen songs when they were a recording AND touring and band with Denny Dias, Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter, Jim Hodder and soon to depart extra vocalist David Palmer (who sings Dirty work and Brooklyn nicely). Any album with Do it again and Reelin' in the years is well endowed, but Midnight Cruiser, only a fool would say that and turn that heartbeat over again were a cut above at the time and their run of albums is one of music's wonders from my perspective. The start of something beautiful.........
The older you get the more Steely Dan makes sense. No matter what I do I can't seem to stop turning into my father. Do It Again through Reelin' In The Years is an exceptionally strong run. The last 4 songs are good, especially Brooklyn, but not quite at the same level as the first half. At only 41 minutes not a minute is wasted and I considered rating it 5 stars but I think it is really a strong 4 stars. Also the album cover is iconic.
I would sell my soul to achieve the levels of groove woven throughout this album. Masterpiece.
Tak to je opäť niečo, čo vlezie jedným uchom dnu a druhým vylezie von. Nič, čo by ma zaujalo...
This whole Steely Dan is dad music is absurd. If that's true then 60s music is grandfather music and 50s music is great grandfather music. Also 80s music is son music, 90s toddler music, the 2000s is baby music. After that it's music for the unborn making their way up the fallopian tube.
A collection of tracks that in my opinion ,and from my limited understanding of music history, elegantly showcases some of the highs of 70's rock. This is showcased greatest in the guitarwork.
8/10
Really fun yacht rock with some tasty guitar licks. I had somewhat low expectations but they were exceeded.
Santana vibes on "Do It Again" of course, but a strong start for their debut. A bit of Bowie on Fire In the Hole. Easy listening, good times 70s rock, and the start of something to frame an era; but per critics, Steely Dan's best and most innovative was yet to come.
es un álbum con vibras de padre (en el buen sentido), perfecto para ponerlo mientras conduces o simplemente de ambiente, es un mix entre rock y jazz
3.5
Love Steely Dan. This is probably their most inconsistent work, but also their most approachable work. Lots of great hit songs, mixed with some generic soft rock. Midnight Cruiser could legitimately be on an Eagles record and I wouldn’t notice. Overall, got to give the Dan 4 stars, knowing there will be multiple 5 stars from them to come.
My favorite needle drop moment in film in recent memory has been the dojo scene in One Battle After Another, i've been obsessed with Dirty Work since then. I'm only familiar with the Dan's main singles, which included Reeling in the Years (which is fine, but burnt out by it from radioplay) and Do It Again (fantastic start to an album, never get tired of it). Love how the keys flow throughout the album, it's the most interesting part of the listen. The bluesy, folksy og yatch rockyness of it makes it a very easy listen. I'm looking forward to other Steely albums, this is good to ok.
If you can’t buy it then what, you earn it? Really groovy and fun album
Still not the biggest fan of Steely Dan, though I guess the list maker thinks I should keep trying. Not a bad album, just still not my thing.
The hits are a fun re-visit but the rest of Steely Dan just sounds like dated 70s music.
Meh
Turns out I love Steely Dan
Overrated, but also maybe generally underappreciated.
They really hit the ground running with this one. My faves will always be The Royal Scam and Gaucho but every track on this one is a banger.
Best Steely Dan so far. One I can genuinely say I enjoyed, not just to please my dad.
nie mój dżem
Det er da fed hva'. God stemning, højt humør. Rigtig fint album, første- men ikke sidste gang at jeg lytter til det.
* 76 Immaculate vibes, fuld tryk på GH-energi. Det er på ingen måde kompliceret eller prangende, men det er bare herre dringe.
Det her var godt nok en lækker omgang - Det vil jeg gerne høre igen
Har altid haft en opfattelse af Steely Dan som 'hifi-test-musik', og man går da heller ikke helt galt med masteringen af dette album. Det lyder jo kanon. Varmt, tørt, kontant, præcist og kompromisløst - alt er placeret fuldstændig tredimensionelt i lydbilledet. Det er så også lidt kompromiset i min optik. Det bliver lidt for tørt, og jeg synes ikke, der er så meget liv og sjæl i det, og det resulterer i en lettere kedelig gennemlytning. Jeg kunne forestille mig, at jeg finder rigtig meget glæde i det, når jeg om 15 år står og slår søm i et bræt i garagen. Vi har hørt om tissemandsjazz. I et review kaldes dette for dildorock med reference til deres navn. Det er et udtryk, jeg udelukkende vil bruge om Steely Dan fremover Jeg tænker, det bliver en: 3.3
Fuck hvor jeg hader slide-guitar. Der er simpelthen ikke et nummer i musikhistorien, der er blevet bedre af at få mast en slide-guitar ind. Hader egentlig også soft rock. Og alligevel er der faktisk meget her jeg godt kan lide. de første 2 numre er ret fede, og det er i det hele taget meget lækkert. Men på den sidste halvdel går der lidt for meget yahoo i den. Det sidste nummer lyder nærmest som noget shubidua kunne have lavet, og der er altså ikke noget der trækker op
For my final Steely Dan album, i really enjoyed Can't Buy A Thrill. This one was a little bit inconsistent when it came to good songs and meh songs but i found that the good was heavily outweighing the meh here. The jazz rock fusion on offer works very well as it does in all the other Steely Dan albums i have looked at. Some of the songs on offer were a bit forgettable but the majority of them were incredibly fun trips and felt very relaxing while still having that incredibly funky vibe. I would not say that it is completely perfect as there were still some meh songs like i mentioned but overall, i enjoyed my time with this album and i am gonna miss listening to this band for this project. Best Song: Change of the Guard Worst Song: Do It Again Side note: Like i said, Last Steely Dan album, the rankings are here: 1. Countdown To Ecstasy 2. Can't Buy A Thrill 3. Aja 4. Pretzel Logic
Cohesive album. Enjoyed music in songs I did not know. I prefer some of his other songs more. A solid 3 for this one.
My fourth and final Steely Dan album on this list. Checked back and saw that I could actually copy and paste any of my previous reviews to this album. The over riding feeling I get when listening to these Steely Dan albums is an aching in the stomach and a yearning for the decade which was the most significant in my life. I hesitate to say it was the most happiest but I was living life to the fullest. There was a certain vibe to this particular brand of 70’s music and this album has it in abundance. A feeling of long hot summers spent in the Californian sunshine. California was just a dream in those days. Something then you probably thought you’d never sample but this type of music was the next best thing. Thing is back then I was never ever going to buy this album but was more than happy to have it play in the background in pubs and bars to waft over me and transport me away to some unreachable paradise. Today this album does not have the same effect as I’ve seen California for myself. But it does take me back to those happy pubs and bars, friends forgotten or gone, wishing I could do it all again but differently this time. 4/5 16/6/26
Some classic songs on this album real decent riffs catchy lyrics and a overall good vibe . However toward the end of the album the catchy classic riff element drys up rapidly.
Not bad at all, just lacks a bit of energy
So glad they kicked Chevy Chase out
Steely Dan, maybe their best album? Toss up between this and Aja. Not a wasted note on this whole record
Steely Dan is a hard band to properly rate. On the one hand, they're incredibly good at making smooth, radio-friendly music with strong pop songwriting skills. On the other, their music frequently inspires nothing in the way of emotion in me. This is probably the best Steely Dan album on the list, as there's an actual, palpable appreciation for catchy songwriting rather than just pure studio perfection. While a lot of the trademark Steely Dan sound is here, it also has a magic that Steely Dan would never again capture. The vocals and lyrics are typical of Steely Dan, but the instrumental backing is weirdly groovy(by Steely Dan standards). This is my pick for best Steely Dan album based on that alone. This album is ranked #5 of 31 albums released in 1972. Other 1972 albums rated by me: Ziggy Stardust(abbreviated title)(1/31)-4 Vol. 4(3/31)-5 Talking Book(6/31)-4 Superfly(7/31)-4 Machine Head(11/31)-5 Paul Simon(12/31)-4 All Directions(13/31)-4 The World Is A Ghetto(15/31)-4 Eagles(16/31)-4 #1 Record(20/31)-5 Manassas(25/31)-2 Something/Anything?(26/31)-3 American Gothic(31/31)-2
Pretty good but wouldn't listen again
4 of these songs were on the playlist my dad made for my mum that we often listen to if we are all in my parents’ car together. I hadn’t listened to the album they were from, even though they are some of my favourites on that playlist. I think those 4 songs remain my favourites from the album, part of that is probably nostalgia and part of it is that a lot of my music taste was shaped by my dad so it makes sense for me to like the same songs as him. While the other songs didn’t overtake the ones I was already familiar with, I really enjoyed the experience of listening to the whole album. Fav song: Dirty Work / Reelin' In The Years - depending on my mood. I've put Dirty Work first because it's the one I can't get out of my head today. Least fav: Fire In The Hole
Nostalgic, gorgeous and a little heartbreaking. Favourite song: Reelin' In The Years (but Dirty Work is a very very close second) Least: Fire In The Hole
Steely Dan is always good, this is a great debut album. The hits do a lot of work, but the rest of the album holds up as well.
A solid debut album with 3 major songs on it getting radio play. Some insightful lyrics on the state of America in 1972. Definitely a collectors LP with a great cover.
The older I get, the more I like Steely Dan. This is a really strong effort for a first album. I like that they wrote what they wanted and never varied from that over the years. There are some real gems on here....mostly what you hear over the air on a regular basis. I can even appreciate the songs that didn't do anything for me at all.
Solid, chill 4.5
It was good I enjoyed the vocals and it was an easy listen. Didn’t stand out to me tho mostly so I’m gonna rate it a 3/5, but as it was my first listen I would definitely need to re listen to it as some point
Do It Again - 4/5 Dirty Work - 5/5 Kings - 3/5 Midnite Cruiser - 3/5 Only A Fool Would Say That - 4/5 Reelin' In The Years - 3.5/5 Fire In The Hole - 3/5 Brooklyn (Owes The Charmer Under Me) - 4/5 Change Of The Guard - 3.5/5 Turn That Heartbeat Over Again - 3/5
Steely Dan sets an amazing vibe, my go-to easy listening album Fave track: Reelin' in the Years
What a great debut. Reelin in the Years legit goes off. 4/5
dad rock, easy to listen to
Three excellent singles and some nice soft rock make this a breeze of a listen.
Music for guys who unironically say "God forbid a white boy catch a vibe"
Great album. Packed with classics, starts strong, good variety but strong identity. A worthy inclusion. 4.5/5
So this is cool. I only listened to the first song. 9.7/10 Do it again
i didn’t like
i have listened to three Steely Dan albums and Do It Again is finally a song of theirs that i really like. took long enough! rest is not really great and has a lot of the elements i don't like about this band, but it deserves some credit as the best album i've heard from them. deserves to be one of the 1001? this and Aja do but the others don't
What a great album this was. All Rock with just a little tiny bit of Jazz thrown in a few places. So, I’ve heard of Steely Dan before. I’m very aware of the name, but could not name a single song of theirs. Can’t even tell you any of the band members. This is the first of 4 Steely Dan albums I have rolled for this project. It is the first album chronologically, it’s the highest rated by far, and it’s the one with their top 4 songs on Spotify. What did I think of it?? I thought it was great. 3/4 of those top songs I actually knew going in. The rest of the album is largely filler, but it’s not bad filler. In fact, I don’t think there’s a skip here. The album has a nice length at 41 minutes and 10 songs. “Do It Again” is already saved to my library, and remains my favorite song on the album. I’ve heard of “Dirty Work” (Thank you The Suicide Squad) and “Reelin’ In The Years” before as well, and they’re very catchy. I think my only minor complaint with this album is that while I genuinely enjoy every song, none of these songs blow me away. They’re all VERY catchy, but not something I would always turn on if I was trying to rock out to something. However, this is one of those albums that had me singing “You’ll go back, Jack, and do it again” as well as “I’m a fool to do your dirty work” literally all day. Those songs in particular are fantastic, and the guitar solo in “Do It Again” is genuinely phenomenal. It’s so cool that that’s their first, and honestly, best song. I don’t know what they’ve done to warrant having 4 separate albums on here, but this is the highest rated of all of them, and it’s a hell of a good start. I’m very interested in checking out the other 3, even if I’m wary of not only their inclusion, but more importantly how they compare to this debut album. As it stands, 2 songs are going to stick with me from this one, and they were 2 I already knew going in. It’s a really good album, but it’s not perfect. I love the singer though, he’s great. The tone of the album is very different from song to song, almost to the extent that I don’t really know what to describe the vibes on this album. That does make it more interesting though. Ultimately, 2 really good songs, 1 pretty good, a whole lot of filler, but far from perfect. Still though, it’s a 4 from me and I’m excited to hear the other 3.
Pop dinámico divertido
Classic album through and through
I can name three prettttty cool dudes in rock history: Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, and their porn-star cousin, Steely Dan. Can’t Buy a Thrill asks the important question: is a gentle ass-kicking possible without getting kinky? Steely Dan and his economy pack of magnum condoms say: MAYBE. This shit tenaciously works the glutes while whispering jazz chords into your ear like a divorced philosophy professor in a silk shirt. It’s a delightful little potpourri of rock guitars, Latin grooves, soul vocals, country dust, pop hooks, and enough clever, slick musicianship to leave you nude and disoriented in a strange room, haunted by the suspicion that devious play has occurred. The production is pure bygone-era luxury: every instrument has its own furnished condo, nothing crowds the room, and everybody is suited, booted, and lightly moisturized. Yet somehow, despite being arranged tighter than Steely’s dangerously ill-fitting condom situation, it’s undeniably accessible. Brainy but not insufferable, smooth but not sleepy, sleazy...but the taxes are filed early. Total package record. Bangs like a stallion with a mortgage, a library card, and suspiciously soft hands.
Summer sunshine in every vinyl groove. Something about the chill beats, funky guitar riffs, jazzy keyboards and touch of soothing saxophone has me floating into the grassy smoky haze of the quintessential 70s summer. Stuff like this is classic for a reason. Fav Tracks: Do It Again, Reelin’ In The Years
good Classic
4/5
This is a good summer album. I listened while I was putting together some furniture and a nice root beer, so that was a fun listening experience. I don't know how else to describe it, but a lot of the tracks are all unique, while also sounding the same. The songs weren't bad, just hard to differentiate (other than the singles/big hits) Overall, a decent 6/10
so fun and infectious idk hey any fo the lyrics were but i throughly enjoyed super up and fun and i’d totally listen to the whole thing again , dirty work , reelin in the years, and dirt in the hole or sum are my favs, the comments say really good lyricism too so i wanna read through , also good vocal comp
The only thing I don't understand about this record is how I haven't heard it before it's frankly amazing
4 or 5 stars I think, I really liked the joyous vibes I got from the album.
Just made me feel happy?
I liked this a lot. Very fun, instrumentals are great, lots of iconic songs. Found the last couple of the songs not as good.
Godt classic, jazz rock album. Vidste det blev godt da jeg lyttede til det første nummer og der var en sitar med, der var jeg allerede solgt. Albummet er åbenbart lidt sjovt, fordi der er en dualitet i at det lyder meget muntert og lyst men teksterne er åbenbart typisk mørke. F.eks. handler do it again om en mand som bliver ved med at være i et loop af at gentage de samme fejl igen og igen og ikke være bevidst om det. De havde åbenbart ikke sådan en hel definerbar genre, fordi det var jazz rock men også poppet. Det var ikke prog rock og ikke glam rock, men det havde stadig groove og festlighed i sig.
Good
Almost perfect
More cool shit from steely dan. I really like their sound. Exited to hear "Aja" since its suposed to be their best work.
Solide
Maybe I’d enjoy this more another time but wasn’t feeling it
Class. smooth grooves and sharp hooks
This was actually a delight
Clássico absoluto. Um dos primórdios de uma banda que se tornaria exemplo dali pra frente em referência a sofisticação, boa mescla de elementos jazzisticos, mas que nunca deixa de lado toda a pegada pop. Steely Dan é muito foda.
One of the biggest surprises of working through the list is how much I actually like this band. Smooth and easy going on the surface, but complex harmonies/arrangements, polished production, and lots of surprising melodic twists and turns.
The melodies and rhythms are just great. Never thought of them as musicians in that way as a catchy hook would come on the classic rock station, but really listening to the timing and melodies made it worthwhile all over again. 4
It was fun and upbeat and feel-good vibes.
Some fun groovy tracks, worth another listen
This one made me say 'oooh, nice' out loud several times while listening to it. Huge gulf here between album art and album quality.
4/10 - better than the Countdown album by Steely Dan but still another generic 60s/70s album. Honestly why is this list so saturated with these albums, even crazier is that Steely Dan has 4 albums on this list!
10 out of 10 obviously
I wanted to hate this, truly, but couldn’t really find much to be offended by…
Their rock era - sure, sophisticated but still more rooted in harmonic structures that are much less jazzy - is still their apotheosis in my view. The quality of song and performance is extremely high. The playing is of course top notch, and David Palmer’s gorgeous vocal on Dirty Work hints at what might have been.
I like his voice. I knew and loved a few songs.
OK
I don’t like the music. Too much country flavour and not enough punch. However, I like some of the songs, which sound like it would be a good idea if Hellacopters did a cover of them. Like Change of the Guard and Do it Again.
This is only my 4th-favorite Steely Dan album, yet it's bangers from start to finish. It's the FM radio yacht rock version of the band before they got really into their "tinkering in the studio" phase of the late 70s/early 80s but I still love it. Standouts: Do It Again, Dirty Work, Kings, Only A Fool Would Say That
Steely Dan got the white boys dancin
Love this album. Not too upbeat, not too low. Had listened to Dirty Work before, but hadn't explored the album. Definitely gonna be in my top 50.
The singles are great. The fluff is pretty bland
This is fun!
I loved this one quite a lot!
I mean, it’s gotta be a good omen when your debut record is basically a greatest hits album. Can’t Buy A Thrill is stacked to the gills. This is potentially the most pure example of dad rock to ever be created. So many awesome fusion/pop songs on here. It’s also absolutely perfect for the turn of the seasons rn. This is yet another record that really feels ahead of its time. The production absolutely fucks. It’s so weird to think this came out the same year as Neil Young’s Harvest, Ziggy Stardust, etc. yet feels so fresh and familiar.
Do what makes you happy. Listen to what the people want and make it your own. That seems to the mantra at the forefront of Steely Dan’s Can’t buy a Thrill. A perfect sauce to compliment any playlist of jazz rock or pop. It’s so easy listening and so technical. It’s the perfect mix because it feels so soothing and so engaging. Steely Dan glaze is somewhat justified. This is a debut! THIS IS A DEBUT. Chevy chase apparently was part of Steely Dan at the start what hasn’t been said here. Even the deep cuts are amazing some of the greatest songs of the 70s and they have been uplifted from the Gen Z resurge. I love Donald Fagen whatever he does it just really is my cup of tea. I hate calling it dad rock but it really is that. Singing about past love and the years that have passed! Do it again only a fool even midnight cruiser all songs that are just the greatest music ever. Man you can’t hate. It’s been memed to death at this point and yet I still find myself coming back to it. I will be reelin in the years soon.
Jazz musicians of this time period who consciously draw on elements of rock and r&b are placed within the category of fusion, but there really isn't a similar category for rock musicians like Steely Dan who bring in elements of jazz to create a different flavor of rock music. Overall, I think that this is a decent album. Steely Dan know how to write a hook and the commitment to more ambitious arrangements and playing largely complements those hooks. It really does set the band up for two audiences: on that enjoys the immediately accessible hooks and another that folks on the way those hooks are explored and reshaped through the musicianship. I think that I actually tend towards the first group with this band. This will never be one of my favorite records, but its very listenable.
started off strong, but i got bored of his voice very quickly
Thank you coffee music again
Goooood 4/5
initial reaction to the album (before listening) is that i don't want to listen to it. let's hope i'm wrong. couple of other initial impressions - reminds me of euphoria (dirty work blew up on the internet after euphoria season 2) - on the surface, the whole album feels like a Tommy Bahama golf resort country club... is this what they call Yacht Rock? a closer listen to the lyrics reveals a more cynical take on the world we live in, which is refreshing and a nice contrast to the easy breezy riffs and rhythms first track- impressive guitar break,reminds me of something i'd hear on catalina island. on that little resorty beach with the brunch buffet second track - dirty work - this is a good song third track- didn't despise, but didn't feel this one. wanted to change the albums a couple of times during. this album is a bit theatrical for me. fourth track- midnight cruiser- i like this one actually, the guitar breaks are redeeming and i like the lyric "i am another gentleman loser" six track - i like the lyrics here. supposedly this is Jimmy Page's favorite guitar solo of all time ?! and it's about an ex apparaently, but i could also see it relating to just growing up. seven track - i like the opening of this song but the rest is meh. the piano break is a highlight break final track- sexy little riff at the end of this one- really nice Overall, i'm not mad about this album. would i listen to it again? not my first choice but i also wouldn't be mad if i had to.
Album eccellente. Nessuna nota negativa. Ricchezza armonica devastante, assoli di chitarra spettacolari (sia per la melodia sia per il suono), meraviglioso il pianoforte in "Fire in the Hole". Credo che sia il miglior album 'pop' che abbia mai ascoltato. 5 stelle se le merita tutte.
this steel dan guy is like the beetles of music
One of the better debut albums of the 70's but probably Steely Dan's weakest album
Yeah, this was fun.
There's some elements that I really love, the groovy melodies and the quality of the musicianship. I also don't really love the vocals and some of the soft rock elements thorughout too. Makes it quite difficult rate. I think I'd go 3.5 stars, rounding down to 3 for some of the softer stuff that just was too wet pop for me.
It was a nice and easy listen and I think it’s a really solid album, especially for a debut. I liked almost all the songs and saved a few to my playlist and I’m definitely gonna look more into Steely Dan :)
How do these great musicians make good sounding but boring, easy going songs? This is my third Steely Dan album and again, I wished to like it even more, but it just sucks.
Decent dad rock
A really good mix of chill vibes and beats that make me groove. Lots of gentle swaying and very easy listening. Definitely listening to it again
its cool, i like the musical elements here. It is enjoyable. So for me it is like 6/10.
brilliant
It's not their best, but if it was that might well make it the greatest album of all time. A superb album all the same.
Is one of my favorites albums of the duo, it have a special part of my heart
Riktigt guitar hero feeling. Bra i stunder men inte tillräckligt genomgående för en fyra.
Uppskattar Steely Dan mer och mer för varje gång jag lyssnar. Gått från musik jag tyckte var lite störig när svärfar satte på på sitt stereosystem till att jag själv kan slå på lite Steely Dan på mitt alldeles egna stereosystem. Jättestark fyra som säkert om några år är en femma.
Är väldigt glad för att den här dagen äntligen är här. Vilket band, vilken debut! Jag föredrar när Donald fagen får självförtroende nog att sjunga allt själv, men håller låtarna där han lånar ut micken väldigt högt också. Man kommer inte runt ”dirty work”. ”Brooklyn” rätt mjeh dock. Bra att de fattade att fagens egensinniga stil är ett vinnande koncept, som sagt. Sparar de riktiga överorden till ”aja”, men jättejättestark 4a som avrundas uppåt!
Seaaaan-Kiiiiii. Njuter
Jag gillar Steely Dan.
I often have mixed feelings about Steely Dan. I enjoy some of their songs while others remind me too much of math rock or jazz fusion: music that seems to value conceptual ingenuity and variety over enjoyability. But I was pleased to find this album enjoyable throughout, and surprised at how many rock radio staples it generated. I was amazed to learn after listening that this is the group's debut. My favorite discovery, however, was the less worn groove of "Turn That Heartbeat Over Again."
Debut album. A motherflippin debut album. A generation defining DEBUT album
Great. Will listen to many times in the future. Idk why it took me until this list to take Steely Dan seriously
Very good.
Do It Again is a banger. Fagan's vocals are killer. Fagan's vocals in general are pretty great. Had no idea Steely Dan does that Dirty Work song. I always thought that was like some standard issue southern rock-adjacent 70s snoozeville music. Even the vocals sound like a Neil Young standby. I guess I don't actually hate it, but it's not a SD song. I only accept the songs Donald Fagan sings on as actual Steely Dan songs. The rest are like another band that no one cares about. It's fine. There's parts I like. There's other parts that feel like basic-ass 70s radio rock. Could fall asleep to this without noticing 'cause it's a bit of a snoozefest.
Listening to this made me realize my parents were big Steely Dan fans because I recognized so many of these songs from my childhood.
Listening to this while walking through a sweltering day, a perfect experience!
I LOVE it
Good
Good
Just absolutely not my type of music. Felt like I need to be in a stables on a farm chewing wheat to fully appreciate this.
Just like the album “Pretzel Logic”, which I listened to on 26 March, I own this album too. It’s great music as well, so it gets 4 stars too...
I got Aja about a week and a half ago, and while I didn’t hate it, I wasn’t made an instant Steely Dan fan either. I actually wasn’t really looking forward to this one when it popped up. But I think I like Can’t Buy A Thrill pretty well. I’m definitely enjoying it more than Aja. From what I understand, that’s probably something of a heretical statement to a true Steely Dan fan, but I don’t care. They seem to give more of a shit about writing hooks for this record. And I still wouldn’t say I’m a massive fan of the band, but I probably have more appreciation for them hearing this. Maybe this is where it starts, and a year from now I’ll be all, “Aja is brilliant and Steely Dan is the best thing that happened to music!” I doubt it, but we’ll see. 7.5/10
Steely Dan's best album is their first
Love thode kind of sounds, very good vibes, had a good time tending my jasmin.
Such easy listening. I could throw this on at just about anytime and it put me in a good mood
Partially known. The hits are the hits.
I’ve heard of Steely Dan, but never listened to them. And I immediately fell in love with their sound by the opening of the first song!! This stuff is soo good!! I’d have this be playing in the background all day.
pue que sea el que más escucho del sucio dan
Ehh was kinda of bored. Definitely a soft rock or road trip album your dad would play. Probably would never listen to it again, but it was fine. Very summery too. Wouldn’t recommend overall, unless that was your vibe or you’re my dad.
The last couple of tracks were weaker but overall a good album.
Not for me
Great jazzy rock with classic tunes.
I tried listening to Aja one time and hated it. So I didn't think I was about to like this album. Maybe it hit me on just the right day. I was already familiar with Dirty Work, Reelin in the Years, and Do It Again from the radio. This album was easy to listen to, and while it won't be my favorite album, I really didn't mind it too much.
Monday, 18 May, 2026 The hits are amazing: “Do It Again,” “Dorty work”, and “Reeling in the years”. Otherwise, well produced.
Excellent album from an exceptional band. They are the epitome of greatness
Has Reelin' in the years and Dirty Work. And other bangers.
Hell yea brother
"Oh, I didn't know this band sang this song!"- Me so many times during this album. Had no clue I liked Steely Dan so much.
I can almost almost ALMOST see myself getting into this. The funk isn't really my thing, but I could see getting
This is one album I wish I could forget and listen to again for the first time.
This is was steely okay. Don't love or hate. An alright burger with no pickles or special sauce.
I had a really hard time deciding if this album rated a 3 or 4. There are some songs on here I really like, specifically the first two tracks. And the others are all good. The musicianship is 2nd to none. But at times the album is just too easy listening. I listened to the album about 5-6 times trying to decide. Then I remembered that I was generous to the god-awful Leonard Cohen album. So why shouldn't I be generous for an actual good album?
Uu groovy pt2
meh
it's alright
This is my 3rd Steely Dan album, how on earth they make it at all in the 1001 albums is completely beyond me. They are talented but it's bland and safe
If I was a dad, I would totally get this. 5/5
I’ve listened to this about 5 times cover to cover in the past week. They’re all good. Except for turn that heartbeat over again it’s just alright. And change of the guard. But when your worst 2 songs are still good that speaks volumes.
One of my favorite albums
Dirty Work and Brooklyn my beloveds
So good. Not one bad song 🎶
Woke up in a historically bad mood and this turned me right around
I probably listen to this album twice a month
4/5 I not really listen this type of music but SOOO COOLLL Girl I like the vibe, it's like good vibe and chill at the same time !!
I give 6/10 it was nice
Good variety throughout. Very nostolgic
cool chill little album of rock. nice listen but nothing too crazy
Decent album, enjoyed it even if there wasn't much standing out to me
Chill.
Cool album, with cool tracks. Steely Dan is a nice discovery. Here, there is a song made as response to Imagine, by John Lennon. Very interesting! Favourite songs: Do it again, Only a fool would say, Change the Guard
Great soft rock
This was a grower. I knew and liked the opening track but didn't know anything else by the band (at least on this album). Midnite Cruiser was a standout track for me.
Alright
Had some great classic songs by them on it.
while Aja is perhaps a more cohesive document and the high point conceptually in their catalog, Can't Buy.. serves as the best collection of individual tracks from Steely Dan– a landmark achievement in jazz rock bonus note: "Do it Again" was a whole lot of fun to play on Guitar Hero: World Tour especially with the special guitar with the separate touch section on the neck 5/5
Not really what I generally listen to nor seek out. But still, I know all these songs and to be honest It's a damn good album. Easy 4...
Grew up with this album and always a favorite
Not for me. 1/5
Very easy listening album, solid background noise. 3/5
Only way this wouldn't be 5 stars is if I had to rank it alongside other Dan albums. Shoutout to Midnite Cruiser
strong 4.0. talvez o melhor álbum deles
crazy how many hits are on this album. it’s fucking steely dan!!
I quite enjoyed this album! I'm not super familiar with Steely Dan, only really knowing the name. But I'm excited to get to his other albums on this list!
Cool album !
Этот альбом понравился больше чем их Pretzel Logic. Но всё равно не мой тип рока
Steely Dan has been on my "to listen" list for a long time. I've heard a few songs here and there, but was great to dive in. And most of it is stellar, with great songwriting and some really good playing. But sometimes it veers into just hifalutin elevator music.
This just in: I like Steely Dan. At least this record. Would I like it without its copious use in film & TV? Hopefully. +1 for being named after a dildo.
Amazing album, great sounds and great songs. Feelin’ In The Years is one of my favorite songs of all time along with Dirty Work. Hidden gem of the album is Only A Fool Would Say That, great very enjoyable album!
This album has legit all of the jams. Steely Dan = legendary.
Kinda like itt ayeee
Perfect album for a sunny day Reelin' in the years is such a good tune
goeie songs, soms net iets te gepolijst...
Really good. I would definitely recommend to multiple friends was nice to listen to while waiting for my bus.
Es wirkt wie ein eleganter, aber noch suchender Startpunkt für Steely Dan: geschliffene Melodien, smarter Jazz‑Rock‑Touch und ein paar echte Klassiker wie „Do It Again“ und „Reelin’ in the Years“. Doch zwischen den Hits verliert sich das Album manchmal in seiner eigenen Coolness – brillant gespielt, aber emotional etwas distanziert. Ein starkes Debüt mit Glanzmomenten, allerdings noch nicht die volle Magie der späteren Dan‑Alben.
2-3 good songs I genuinely enjoyed followed by what my untrained ear heard as middle of the road dad-rock.
Great album - must hear
At least three of their all-timer hits (Do It Again, Dirty Work, Reelin' In The Years), and the rest of the choogling and vibing worked pleasantly enough!
не
unfamiliar with your game etc
8.5 / 10
Good ole classic rock with great guitar. Only complaint is that all the songs start to run together
i like it more than i thought i would based on my previous thoughts about Steely Dan. It’s still not my favorite type of music to listen to but it was pleasant enough to hear and i liked more of the songs than i thought i would. i already knew i liked Dirty Work; Midnite Cruiser, Reelin’ In The Years, and Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me) were the other standout songs to me. I still just feel like it was a lot of the same but overall it was a pretty good album and an enjoyable listening experience. I’m not sure what the rating scale will be but it was like a 3.5/5 or a 6/10 for me personally.
Very very nice soothing vocals, great background music
Something I can confidently listen to and know it was as kickass now as it was then. Araki was onto something, and I suddenly want mushrooms to be better friends with this album
Peak, listened to the album fully through back-to-back and didn't get tired of hearing anything on there again.
Banger after banger off this album. Even the less popular songs are solid.
Banger album start to finish. I knew the hits (Midnite Cruiser, Dirty Work, Reelin In the Years) which are great but there are no misses on this thing.
Classic sound, classic album. I love the laid-back feeling and great songwriting. Not quite the top of my list but coherence, quality and craftmanship that must be appreciated!
I liked it, and it was groovy, but it got a little repetitive towards the end. A good introduction to Steely Dan.
I don't understand Steely Dan. There are some clever lyrics, but this isn't something I need to hear again.
One of my fav albums ever. HIlarious that it came up first.
Fire in the whole is very smooth
steely dan me salvó el verano
Nice one, actually it did gave some hippie vibes. would listen as bg music to some epic adventure
Yacht Rock at its finest. They just don’t groove like that anymore
An easy listen. Enjoyed.
No notes. Perfection.
Can't buy 5 stars but 4 will do.
meerdere bangers, leuk album.
Easy but kind of boring to listen too.
Really good album, I recognized some of the songs that were in it and definitely added a few into some playlists
yepp. great birthday vibe.
Solid tunes
In my mind Steely Dan belongs in whatever genre of music that is that makes up the guardians of the galaxy soundtracks, which makes me feel I shouldn’t like it, but somehow I kind of do
Love Steely Dan My second favorite band Great debut but they’ve made better
PLAY SOME STEELY DAN!! When I was 16, a co-worker of a friend invited us along to see his band perform. He mentioned that they were heavily influenced by an obscure band we'd probably never heard of… no, not Steely Dan, Godspeed You! Black Emperor. We were big fans of GY!BE, so we were absolutely there. They'd rented out a theatre in town between themselves and some of their other musician friends for the evening. There were four bands playing, and the crowd was made up entirely of friends of the bands. So, there was a lot of heckling and banter. One band, brilliantly named “Agitated Radio Pilot”, were a particular highlight. They played very lo-fi and experimental stuff, somewhere between Sonic Youth and Mogwai. Their friends in the crowd were particularly raucous, and after every single song would ironically shout “Play some Steely Dan!!”. This became a running joke in our friend group ever since. If we were watching a band who were quite out-there, avant-garde, or really experimental, one of us would shout “Play some Steely Dan!!”. The thing is, we didn't actually know Steely Dan’s music at all. They just accidentally became symbolic of “easy listening”, a ridiculous request for bands who were trying to push into strange places of innovation or experimentation. So, it eventually happened that we shouted the phrase at a confused DJ, who leaned forward to tell us that the song he was currently playing WAS Steely Dan. That was many, many years ago, and I'm still not very familiar with The Dan. I know “Reelin’ in the Years”, but that's mainly because it's the theme song of an Irish TV show of the same name, a show that feeds off nostalgia like a parasite. So, when I see “Can't Buy A Thrill” come up as my album today, I shout: “Play some Steely Dan!!” As soon as the opening track “Do It Again” kicks off, I realise that I may know Steely Dan better than I thought. It's definitely not the first time I've heard this song. It's a real 70s groove. Laid-back, organ-heavy, with guitar breaks that sound like they're drifting between jazz and Eastern influences. And it's catchy as hell. By the time the chorus of “Dirty Work” hits, I'm questioning my entire youth. What a brilliant song. The organ is again the star of the music, but those vocal harmonies are so good they rival Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. It's a really, really great song, my favourite on the album. But they start to lose me from song number 3. “Kings” has some pretty impressive guitar moments, but I'm struggling to pay attention otherwise. For the next three songs, the whole “Steely Dan = soft rock” joke is starting to make sense after all. While I knew it, I'd never properly listened to “Reelin' in the Years”. There are some really, really fantastic guitar solos throughout the song. Elliot Randall deserves to be mentioned specifically, because these solos are pretty exceptional. And I can't not mention those vocal harmonies again. Smooth as. “Fire in the Hole” and “Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)” are two more great songs to wind down the album. 16 year old me is rolling his eyes in disgust at 42 year old me, but I have to admit that Steely Dan aren't half bad. I mean, the reference of the joke makes sense. The Dan aren't exactly known for making raw, gritty experimental pieces. But what they do make are some decent tunes with some really great guitar moments, smooth vocal harmonies and overall really catchy melodies. So the next time I yell out “PLAY SOME STEELY DAN!!”, I'll fully understand the joke. But, I'll also be happy enough if they actually do. 3.5 stars
BEST OF ALL TIME
10000000/10 for do it again
Heared it for the first time. Haven't heared even Reeling In The Years before. Now I understand why everybody likes this song. This album was amazing
Really liked the use of melody and rhythm to make really listenable soft rock music. Good stuff.
We’ve done a few Steely Dan records and I’ve not liked any of them really. This one was much better, it had a few more it’s and a bit less cheese.
i get it, i understand. it’s technically very good, and there are some all timers on this album. like some truly incredible songs. but aside from like 4 songs, the album just kinda fails to be interesting.
very chill instrumentals with relaxing vocals and stable track lengths——not too long nor too short. fav tracks are midnite cruiser and brookyln.
Leppoisaa ja puhtoisesti tuotettua musaa. Ehkä tällainen pehmeä rock ei kuitenkaan enää säväytä enää niin kovasti.
i'm honestly ... not sure what i expected from steely dan? whatever it was, it wasn't this. and i mean that in the best way possible. i found myself really enjoying the album! dirty work was definitely my favorite song, but reelin' in the years is definitely the most popular song for a reason, it SLAPS.
I don't mind this album but the sound leaves some to be desired. I liked the guitar on songs like reeling in the years, and I appreciate the drums a lot but the vocals leave a lot to be desired. It has a little bit of swing to it on alot of these songs as well which I just dont like. A lot of early rock sounds are just very under developed in my opinion as the time period only allowed for so much pushing of the boundaries.
This is a fantastic first album by a band that mixes rock music with smooth jazz sounds. It has very famous tracks that you will easily recognize and want to sing along with. The musicians play their instruments beautifully, making the entire record a fun, high-quality experience from the beginning to the end.
J4ADORE STEELY DAN
I thought this was great! Very chill background music for working. Pleasant and enjoyable.
8/10 steely dan's peg was my personal fav but this album has this unique feeling to it
rajzolás közben halgattam, baromira élveztem, gyönyörű gitárok mostantól a borítókat is pontozni fogom: tetszenek a színek, és hogy kollázs, de a foltos háttér nem jön be 10/7
Classic dad-rock. Pretty decent.
Bonus point for the epic pick scrape in 'Change of the Guard'
You can't escape the Dannnnnn, mannnnnnnnn Do yourself a favor and get familiar with Skunk Baxter if you don't know him. Some insanely creative guitar work that really makes certain Steely Dan albums just shine. And Walter Becker's basslines are just nuts. Shame that Fagen/Becker chose to go the session-only route after a few records, because this is a pretty magical lineup. I guess maybe Steely Dan was always a studio band at heart, and this is 70s analog excellence at its finest - it's funky, sounds fantastic and is charmingly cheesy in places. 10/10!
Leuk!
(Album 5 of 1089) This album is a nice pop/soft rock album with a sort of beach-y vibe and well written songs. An enjoyable listen, 'Do It Again' a clear highlight.
Recognise a handful of great tracks. Good album
Amazing band, amazing record.
Meh...
Loved it!
3.5 First exposure to Steely Dan, and honestly, not hating this - not mind blowing but there's more going on here than I realized and will definitely be coming back for another listen or two.
2.6/5 I'd heard a couple of songs before but this album was pretty run of the mill for me. Just nice easy listening with not much to complain about but not much to come back too either
peak