Reviews (page 11 of 14)
This album was good. Some of it much better than the rest, but it's a solid album.
Perfectly fine Chill Dad Rock. I’d rather be listening to CCR or the Doobie Brothers if I’ve gotta be in Dad Rock mode but I didn’t hate it.
Okay but I got kinda bored.
Great musicianship but they could use more distortion on the guitars. The one without lyrics has a silly talk box on the guitar which honestly might be the coolest Dan moment on that side of Aja.
Good, but really short.
1. 3/5 2. 3.5/5 3. 3.5/5 4. 3/5 5. 3/5 6. 3/5 7. 2/5 8. 2.5/5 9. 3/5 10. 3/5 11. 3/5 = 2.95
Rob Thomas smooth
Steely Dan will always be one of those critics darlings or band that someone who tells you they love music and wants to show you how much they know by their adoration of Steely Dan. I've never understood them and never will I guess. I've evolved on a lot of my opinions on 'controversial music'; classic country? I'm in. The Grateful Dead, I won't see them live, but I'll defend them. Steely Dan, no. 3/5.
This was also just fine
Pretty good. Not my favourite Steely Dan Album but it's not bad or anything
dad rock :)
An okay album, but as it was established twice now, I'm not a biggest fan of Steely Dan. They have some amazing solos on multiple instruments, but their overall work is rather average. Vocalist is quite soulless, taking the fun out of the experience. Also, most of their riffs and melodies are just underwhelming. Okay album, okay rating.
Fun throughout, not really many standout hits but more consistently enjoyable to me than a lot of their albums I’ve done before.
Love steely dan, this album is great for background music but didn’t find as enjoyable as their first one
Not very special
Aja better 🤷♂️
STEELY DAN BABY
Ok. Nice for a change. Old school feel.
Meh.
Rikki Don't Lose That Number is a legendary track, the album starts off strong, "Night by Night" has a cool groove, bassline and vocal track. "Any Major Dude Will Tell you" has a laidback vibe that is really infectious, awesome basslines and guitar licks in this track. The rest of this album feels like filler tracks, nothing else really sticks out. Overall a pretty "milk-toast" album, with some good guitar licks and a classic track. Nothing on this album is awe-inspiring, or "outside of the box", but the album has a good overall sound, and was worth the listen.
Solid
I recently spun Aja after many, many years, which I was reminded about from a recommendation at r/classicrock. People raved about it there but I didn't personally see the huge appeal, I thought it was good quality background music but not much more than that. I was skeptical coming into Pretzel Logic but I ended up enjoying it much more than Aja. It flowed better and made much more of a sonic impact. I would listen again, and might explore more of Steely Dan in the future.
It's alright. Good musicianship, good quality recording. Just didn't have anything that particularly jumped out at me. I bet it's a grower.
Another Steely Dan album I just couldn’t get into. I don’t know why they don’t grab me, I guess they just sound kind of empty?
The songs on this album are very short and I think it limits the impression the album could have because of that. It's cool 70s pop rock though. 7.0/10
It's dad rock. Crippling lack of emotion and depth but good tunes for driving your son home from football
Well. Love me some Dan. That being said, this one was not my favorite. The greatest hits and other highlights of their oeuvre are pretty much it for me, there are some clunkers on here that don’t even approach the pinnacle of their abilities.
a little funky, clever song writing, but I cant really find a track that stands out. I do really enjoy the variety of sounds they employ!
Not too bad
Achei bem mid para falar a verdade. Surfa entre jazz, rock and r&b mas não se localiza em nada o que ficou um tanto quanto sem personalidade pra mim
Good vibes.
Tof!
I always get Steely Dan and Stealers Wheel mixed up. This is not my cup of tea, super well produced though and smoother than a babies bum. East St Louis toodle do is a soundtrack to a Mario Bros level.
Unfamiliar with the artist, but I've heard songs by them before. Overall it was mid, nothing really spoke to me
Fine album, nothing special, couple catchy tracks. 2.5
The slower vibe of the album was a bit of a letdown after Boddhisatva. That being said, I really like the lyrics on here, they feel really playful and precocious. The varied instrumentation is very fun, and I like the sometimes experimental production. The group vocals and brass section on My Old School are sick.
Heard before: yes Good album, a little front-loaded, but still solid. Funny that this was their attempt to write pop songs - pretty good hooks, tight song structures, classic crunchy harmonies. But the songs kind of fade into the Steely Dan canon as soon as it’s over, not enough sticks out. Top tracks: Night By Night, Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Rikki Don’t Lose That Number
Fun but not very memorable
Some fun moments, but not as memorable or unique as Aja and not as effectively fun as Can't Buy A Thrill. Standouts: Rikki, Don't Lose That Number, of course. Of all the stabs taken at rocking, With A Gun is the most interesting.
Meh, it’s a good album. I can imagine when it came out in 1974 it was blowing peoples minds but it’s not really doing much for me. Although, pretzel logic is really good and I would listen to that song again.
Bit same same
OK
Jazz and funk, and the best of it.
joyful, easy music well suited for driving
Not My Favorite, just not my style.
It's not their best album, but I still like Steely Dan.
teräksinen.. jatsi infuusio infusion.. infusioninfusioninfusion... perushassuttelu albumi, aikaa ei dan tuhlaa. täysin keskivertoa kamaa, miellekästä jopa. ei huonoja biisejä mutta ei varsin vaikuttaviakaan. jaztsi osiokin on lähinnä poppipulitusta konsanaan ja ennemmän jazzesque saundi eikä itse jazzztyyppistä musiiikkia, kyllä minä näistä tiedän... silti kiva pretzel logic
Very good musicality but nothing in terms of great songs
I liked it but I don't think I'd listen to it over other stuff. Solidly 3 stars for me
Fine, just fine.
Meillä oli tällä levyllä melkonen pop-vaihde silmässä hanhen kanssa
More interesting than I thought it would be.
Les Steely Dan font toujours le travail mais j'ai de plus en plus l'impression qu'on s'est fait berner par l'intro de leur premier album généré. Attention à ne pas faire une Richard Hawley.
Steely Dan nous offrent comme à leur habitude de la bonne musique, mais rien de bien bandant non plus. Sur la célèbre echelle du Bobby Womack, permettant de mesurer la taille de son erection, on est seulement sur un petit 13cm.
The opening song, Rikki don't lose that number, is the only one off the album I'm familiar with. There's a couple good songs on the album, East St Louis Toodle-oo is a fun instrumental break. The titular song is alright, With a Gun is good too. Finishes strong with Charlie Freak and Monkey in your soul.
Some good songs, the others are pleasantly forgettable
Eh it’s ok. More songs I knew than I realized.
Ricky Don't Lose That Number is a classic so it was a hit right off the bat with this album. The other songs have that usual Steely Dan sound and overall I thought it was a solid album.
Mediocrity was all I got out of Steely Dan's Pretzel Logic. Nothing here stands out as spectacular or interesting. Lacks a common theme or story to explore on further listens. Very representative of 70's sound, whatever that might mean to someone who wasn't around then. After listening I turned on some Doobie Brothers on and heard some proper 70's tunes. This just lacks emotion and interesting themes. Pretzel Logic didn't necessarily age well for new audiences. With that being said nothing is bad here, but certainly nothing here that's going on my playlist. Coming off the incredible Channel Orange, this is a bit disappointing.
This is yacht rock at its finest. These riffs and melodies can not be beaten. Sooooo cheeesey
Nothing spectacular, but nothing horrible. I do love me some yacht rock though. Rikki Don't Lose That Number is such a good mix of rock and smooth jazz.
Although I've always heard of Steely Dan I'd never taken the time to listen to any albums. This was a pleasant surprise and I gave it 2 plays through. Didn't recognise any songs as singles just enjoyed the flow. It's definitely of a time but hadn't aged too badly in my opinion. Will listen to more too.
čudan mišung
Sounds like one long song. Not for me.
A fairly jammy album. I can see the appeal, but it's not my favorite. Songs like East St. Louis Toodle-Oo are just goofy, but not fun for me. I love the album art and most of these track names are fantastic. I can respect this album, but I probably won't revisit it for some time. Not my favorite Steely Dan record.
é bom
Emana anni 70 da tutti i pori. Un disco solido, pop rock, un po' jazz a tratti, interessante ma assolutamente non il mio genere. Non penso ci ritornerò mai. 3/5
Good length, I dont like steely dans general style. its not bad quality. charlie freak reminded me of roscoe and east st louis reminded me of fallout. in charlie freak, the part when he sings "Five nights without a bite" is what i dont like about steely dan. most of the album is like that part.
never heard any of this outside of "Rikki Don't Lose That Number"
Un poco rollo. Pero me ha caído bien Walter Becker. SoftFolk - rock.
It's certainly an album
ok
It was okay
Fairly inventive, esp for the time. But basically like easy listening. Not my thing.
It’s like kinda good I guess? But I don’t really get it. Not bad, not good, just is.
it was alright
Rating; 6/10
странно что у него британский голос хотя он не есть британец... симпатично и очень в стиле 70х
Decent but a bit easy listening. Not sure it’s one to revisit.
Not anything to write home about. Typical 70s music.
I like Steely Dan, but I’ve always felt they’re a “Best of” kind of band. Nothing got me excited, but not a bad album.
Pretty good, don’t usually listen to grittier styles of music like this
Steely Dan’s third album is as funky as it is charismatic, and while some songs don’t hit their mark as much as others, there is a consistent charm that carries through the whole runtime.
This was very much your run of the mill Steely Dan album. Short and sweet, somewhere between grocery store music and porch swing music. There is no wow factor, just Steely Dan.
B- Rikki Don't Lose That Number 3 Night By Night 3 Any Major Dude Will Tell You 3 Barrytown 3 East St. Louis Toodle-Oo 3 Parker's Band 2 Through With Buzz 4 Pretzel Logic 3 With A Gun 4 Charlie Freak 3 Monkey In Your Soul 4 Steely, Steely, Steely. Ah, what a Dan.
I don’t think this is as complete as last week’s Steely Dan album but I was still impressed
At some point or other I’ve happily listened all the way through each of Steely Dan’s first seven albums. At best they stand among the upper ranks of seventies music. At worst they provide great music to listen to while working, only half-realizing music is playing at all. Pretzel Logic falls into the second category. Their work is characterized as elevator music by some, and with songs like “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” and “Any Major Dude Will Tell You” as the headline tracks on this album, the critics make a valid point. On most other Steely Dan records, they would be mid-tier songs at best. “Night By Night” is to Pretzel Logic what “Home At Last” is to Aja; it’s not the most popular track, but with multiple listens it feels more like a hidden gem. I have a tough time hearing the Lou’s influence in “East St. Louis Toodle-Oo,” but I thoroughly enjoy the variety in this pure instrumental. Pretzel Logic is not as good as The Royal Scam or Gaucho, and comes nowhere near Can’t Buy A Thrill and Aja. It adequately showcases Steely Dan’s style but leaves the listener thirsting for more. That may as well be the perfect formula for a three.
A little too 70s but not in the good way if you know what I mean.
The other champion of the Jews besides Springsteen. This was ok. Nothing bad, nothing good. Just alright. A solid 3/5
спотифай решил перестать играть нормально, но в целом вроде поняла. много думала про требования к вокалу в стародавние времена. норм
3/5 Best: With a Gun Worst: East St. Louis Toodle-Oo
This is like THE album that Spotify constantly pushes under my nose, but I’m waiting til 40 to make “Dan Stan” my entire personality, thanks.
Funky
About once a year I binge Steely Dan hoping to finally get them. I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t actively hate this music, but I recognize it’s not my jam. The “perfectionist” narrative around them seems so overblown to me. There’s nothing objectively perfect about music, so basically Steely Dan can just say it’s perfect whenever they choose to stop. In reality it seems to me to be an excuse to be insufferable pricks during recording. And if the two of them weren’t such assholes, I don’t think there’d be as much mystique around this band.
A few classics and a few other good songs but in no rush to listen to it again.
that perfect but so boring music
Enjoyable and I like the name👌
Still not liking Steely Dan but this was much more bare able than Countdown to Ecstasy.
Seems like I should listen to more Steely Dan. They pull off a lot of the proggy elements that lots of their contemporary and modern prog bands do. In reading their wiki, looks like session musicians from this album and its follow-up went on to form Toto; that makes sense.
Decent album. I don't have a ton to say about it though. I'd listen to it again, but I'm not super stoked about it. 3.25/5
A few good moments but not much in it for me
Nice enough
Steely Dan is always going to be a nice soft rock listen. The songs all have a similar vibe but it's a good vibe!
3,5
A big surprise though it wouldn’t be my cup of tea but catchy and funky
Great vocals, great guitars, solid production, tight execution. I just find the song structure to be a little lacking. Ideas are fully fleshed out but having each song littered with solos makes me exhausted.
It’s fine. It feels like I know it but I don’t. I think that’s due to Steely Dan being so distinctive.
Listening to this album kept reminding me of Peanuts and Charlie Brown.... it just sounded so much like the music on those cartoons, care of the awesome Vince Guaraldi. Rikki don't lose that number, and Pretzel Logic, prob the best 2 tracks of this very short album, only about 30ish mins. I enjoyed the album, has been well produced in the sound booth, even though, for me, its dated and a tad bland, but these guys can sing, play instruments very well, and write some pretty good lyrics to the arrangements. The annoying thing is, its just music from that 70s era, I can just picture in my mind, the type of peops back in the day, out in their best wide lapelled suits and frocks, dancing around their handbags on a 70s disco floor, all thinking this sound was coolio, but it's just not my kinda music.... and I don't have a handbag, or a flared suit with big lapels, or a gringo moustache and greasy hair lol.
Terrific production and compact songs make this collection more palatable than other Steely records.
Very short! To me an OK album, maybe some songs would grow on me if I listened again but nothing really grabbed me. 3 out of 5 for me
Perfectly fine. Not the biggest fan of the blend of jazz and rock they were trying as I don't think it suits the vocals, but the album wasn't displeasing to listen to
I've been curious about what I'd think of Steely Dan, so I was happy to get this. It's not exactly what I expected. It's okay, and there were parts I liked, but not enough for me to give it 4 stars. Not really that much to say about it. I'm hoping I'll like one of their other albums on here more. I do have 3 more, after all. My favourite song was East St. Louis Toodle-Oo.
My first Dan - has a lot of flavours that aren't to my taste in terms of the melodies and instrumentation, but gets big points for the lyrics and straightforward song structure that other albums of the era have sorely missed. Fave track: With a Gun
AJ: listening late, bet it’s good!
Good but not Aja.
A classic rock groove. Very easy listening.
Du bon petit rock, pas aussi intéressant que Can't Buy a Thrill, mais quand même agréable. Rien de tant plus à dire. 7/10
There are Steely Dan songs I like, but outside of Aja I can't really find myself fully invested in a full album. 3/5
cool grandpa music fo sho short and sweet epic piano + harmonies + rockin guitars 💗 sooo fun!!! nice jazz n brass stuff going on too. fave tracks - any major dude, east st., parkers band,, idk so many solid tracks its hard haha least fave - ? I guess the title track only bc they meantion minstrelsy lol, also Charlie freak bc I'm not into the jingle bells would I listen again¿ sure dude
I dunno, I just find Steely Dan to be too easy listening. I can't even quite make them a guilty pleasure
More jazzy than I expected
2/3
The soundtrack to suburban corduroy clad couples politely tucking into salted peanuts and cheap wine before depositing their car keys into a fruit bowl. ("Rikki Don't Lose That Number" is a stone cold classic though)
fine music that just does absolutely nothing for me
I should hate this. But there’s a craft there that can’t be denied. Sure, Fagen is a miserable so and so and the late Walter Becker wasn’t much more pleasant but there’s a talent there. Crack musicians in the band. I don’t like this one as much as the glorious aja but it’s good. As a certain kind of musician it’s both the thing you’d love to play on and what you’d like to do. Too cynical to be really classed as ‘yacht rock’ (unlike the less misanthropic Doobie brothers or a tonne of privileged white boys most of whom I can take or leave), I can see why punks and harder rockers tend to dislike this. But it, as the kids say, slaps.
A familiar easy listening sound, but didnt know this by name... I now see its good easy listening mix of jazz blues rock and other experiments. I cant dislike it, but its doesnt make a strong impression on me.
Steely Dan. Just a bit too smooth, a bit too clever clogs for me. I just need a little bit more of an edge to really appeal to me. There are a few slightly rockier numbers on this album that work a bit better for me (Night by Night, for example). I don't mind smart rock and roll, but I just need a bit more rock. There is some filler here (East St Louis Toodle-oo - neither satisfyingly rock nor jazz) I own this record, but almost never play it, and have considered giving it to my son (who likes prog and jazz. He was a very excited to find a copy of Countdown to Ecstasy in a record store bargain bin recently). Actually, I'm listening to Night by Night again, and it's pretty good... I'll bump my rating up a bit I think...
It was alright… but not my style i guess
Smooth jazzy pop record, perhaps a bit too accessible to me and without much intensity it is a big boring after a while. But I appreciate the clear production and talent the band has.
There’s no doubting the talent of the band’s members or the uniqueness of their sound. Just lacks the needed edge to match my tastes.
Funky af!
I don't understand what emotion this music is trying to caption or evoke. The songwriting is creative, but the performance and production are about as boring as it gets. Very listenable, though. Very inoffensive. Favorite song: Parker's Band
intense opener, let's see if the rest of the album is as fun.
Un poco rollo. Pero me ha caído bien Walter Becker. SoftFolk - rock.
Un poco rollo. Pero me ha caído bien Walter Becker. SoftFolk - rock.
Ok
Something like quintessential dad rock. Album gets better towards the end, the start is relatively slow and nothing to write home about. Later half is much more enjoyable. Standout Song(s) : With A Gun; Honourable Mention : Pretzel Logic.
Good stuff
Can't buy a thrill with this album.
20th March 2023 Listened throughout the day while working and rehearsing Rita. St rehearsal until 10. Laid back country folk blues, not sure why he has a reputation for being cheesy. Didn’t mind it at all.
Solid 7/10. Easy listening.
Never really got into Steely Dan. I've listened to Aja and Can't Buy a Thrill before this but it's really not my thing. The creativity is impressive but none of the songs catch my interest except "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo". There's something about the style of singing in the rest of the songs that I don't like but I just can't pinpoint exactly what it is. I do however like Donald Fagen's solo album The Nightfly.
Steely dan goeie bal
Gostei do álbum. Estilo meio folky/jazzy rock - bem agradável de escutar. Percebi influências do Bob Dylan, tanto no ritmo quanto na letra, o que certamente faz parte da razão de ter gostado da banda. Achei que a utilização de instrumentos de sopro nas músicas combinaram bastante e realçaram os pontos positivos do grupo.
Started out really strong for me, but towards the end I really did not care for some of the songs. Standouts for me were Rikki Don't Lose That Number and Any Major Dude Will Tell You.
Not bad
The Yachtiest rock
Steely Dan doesn’t really do it for me. It just makes me think I’m back in the car as a kid listening to my dad’s music. Not bad, not something I’ll seek out.
Love Steely Dan but this was not one of their best
Not bad, not as good as ‘Can’t Buy A Thrill’ but still decent. 3.5/5
Rigtig hyggerock, meget harmonisk, mangler måske lidt gennemslagskraft
Ja wel lekker rustig
Had heeel erg veel zin in Steely Dan, maar vond het niet zo leuk als Can’t buy a thrill en aja!!! Schrale troost dat die waarschijnlijk ook nog voorbij komen dus dat is heel. Als nog een 3 want gewoon lekkah
3.5
groovy
Great musicians
Meh. Had heard a few of these before but never listened to the whole album. Steely Dan brings the funk on a couple but the rest were a little uninspired.
It's not Aja. Enjoyable, easy listening, smooth yacht rock. Nothing too innovative to my ears.
Solid album, super clean production and great compositions.
Had it on in the background. Some good songs, no standouts.
It was ok - not my taste in rock (classic or modern). I was born after this album came out and I find it really tough to rate/critique an album if you weren't around when it was released.
Yeah was good. Listened ages ago now so can’t remember much but is steely Dan so ye
I recognized a couple of them liked a few and didn’t like a few
me gustó bastante el primer tema y después como que bajó igual tranqui 6/10
Expecting something more rocky, but in no way disappointed by what was far folkier in nature. I really need more than 5 stars to work with.
One of the most unique bands of the Era. They brought a Jazz Rock style to popular music. Donald Fagan and Walter Becker are amazing song writers and performers. Rikki Don't Lose that Number was a top 10 song in the USA. Standouts: Rikki Don't Lose That Number Others: Pretzel Logic
I've known "of" these guys forever, but ouside of their singles, I don't know their music at all. I think they get a bad name for being the band the boomer dads listen to in sock and sandals. Either that really short-changes them or I'm a lot more boomer dad than I realize. I thought this one was really interesting. I wish I had more time to sit with the album. I'm really torn on a ranking. I thought the song I know the best (Rikki) is the worst of the bunch. Does that mean I'd grow bored with with rest of the record if I came to know it better? I loved their interpretation of E. St. Louis. I picked up an Ellington's Hits album 20 years ago and this sond was the one I had on repeat at the time. It was funny that I recognized it within the first 2 notes on of SD's recording. I really want to come back to this. Hard to rate it above a 3 for now, but that could change if get to know it better. 1 = bad 2 = average 3 = good 4 = great 5 = outstanding
Outside of "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" and "Any Major Dude" I'm least convinced of this album's place on the list, of the four Steely Dan albums on it. But I suppose those songs almost make it worth it.
Rikki don’t lose that number 👍
One of the more varied and experimental Steely Dan efforts, with each track having its own distinct feel. There were no songs that stood out and wowed me, but taken as a whole this was a pleasant listen I could see myself returning to for some easy listening.
good
This album got really good in the middle. I’m not the biggest Steely Dan fan. I’ve never played this album before, though I did know the two singles. Night by Nigh and Pretzel Logic were my favorite tracks. The ones I did not like I was fairly bored by and wishing the song would end. Over all I’m glad I spun it, if only to find the Pretzel Logic song. Given that, I doubt I would play this again. I saved 6 songs to my library.
Well, at least I can say now that I've given Steely Dan's catalogue the ol college try. They're fine. They have some good songs, but overall this album just sort of droned on in the background while I did other things. I'll confess that I don't get what it is about this band that fascinates people so much, but at the same time I could see why people enjoy it overall 3/5
Not my thing, but quite unique. I can tell why Steely Dan is a classic. Bonus points for my favorite song of theirs being here: Monkey In Your Soul.
Everything is well-written, but nothing really stands out. Worth a listen.
Not my fave SD album but not bad - 3.5 stars
It's great musically and very clever lyrically. But not quite all the way there for me - I think it lacked an emotional core for me to truly connect?
Really enjoyed. Added to Library
It was alright it wasn't horrible it reminded me of the music Dad listened to
Steely Dan diverts from their usual formula and shows us they can write short pop songs. I like the calm aesthetic that feels like I'm in some wacky 70s TV show, whose genre is not really defined. "Night by Night" is like an episode of Columbo. It's not very consistent, with each song tackling a new idea, and beyond the first few tracks, none of them really execute their idea well or feels complete besides the title track, but I didn't find any of them bad. I like Steely Dan's unusual instrumental and jazzy aesthetic, so the diversity of the tracks and shortness of each track is enough for me to revisit, even if I would never listen to most of them on their own. I'd say I enjoyed the whole album.
Really enjoyed this.
An interesting blend of genres and an enjoyable album 3/5
I really shouldn't like this, but it's infectious.
I appreciate this. I wouldn't listen to this.
This was a fun Little Rock album. It capitalized Little Rock and I kind of like that. Smooth rock perfect for a bar or cookout.
Another from Steely Dan, this time with less tracks I know. "Rikki" seems familiar, I've probably heard that on some classic rock radio. This album makes them sound Midwestern, I don't know if that's accurate but that's the vibe I get. Overall, I'd say this is low-risk low-reward kind of music. Mostly run of the mill, so it's decent but nothing really wowed me. Favorite Tracks: Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Barrytown. Album art: I was about to say it's a man selling hot dogs but his sign says pretzels and the album is called Pretzel Logic. Very wintry, very industrial. Again, my feeling is Chicago. 3/5
Yacht rock
6/10
Interesting, easy to listen to album, but I haven't felt like it's extraordinary.
Steely Dan on ollu ainakin viimeisen vuoden joku skenejuttu, joten odotin pahinta. mut täähän oli kunnolla groovaavaa bluesia! aloitusraita levyn paras. sopivan lyhyt levy. hupiukkomusaa. pretzel!
Gives me film noir on the beach vibes. Veryyyy 70s sounding, kinda like the beatles. Very clean sounding too. Love it. Slows down quite a bit and gets a little dry for me by track 6. Favourite from this album is "Rikki Don't Lose That Number".
65/100: Having never really listened to Steely Dan before, I had really high expectations for this album. For the most part, I was pretty let down. Most of the songs on this album were pretty boring, although a few did stand out—but I was expecting an album full of songs like this from Steely Dan based on the few songs of his that I have listened to. “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” “Night By Night,” “East St. Louis Toodle-Oo,” and “Pretzel Logic” were all pretty good, if not at least interesting listens. The rest of the songs felt either pretty straightforward or too dissonant to really be enjoyable. I’m holding out hope and assuming that this isn’t Steely Dan’s best album in this project and my expectations from them will eventually be met.
Quite liked this. Nice harmonies, VERY 1974 sounding. I’d definitely listen again.
A good fun listen, quirky in the middle.
Quiet fun, bit soft and sweet, bit CSNY
Coffee shop vibe Night by night is a bop Love/hate the cover art
slightly showing its age in the lyrics and chord progressions, but still a great pick me up listen fav song: ricky (all time banger) least fav: east st louis (sounds like the family guy theme song halfway through)
Some good songs and overall sound to album was good.
je m'attendais à mieux
très bon kiff
Lekker plaatje hor! Funky!
Some good vocal harmonising and guitar, but nothing really stood out to me. Doesn't recapture the magic of Can't Buy A Thrill
Musically this album is great, but it just has too much dad rock vibes it makes it feel like a guilty pleasure to enjoy.
I know Steely Dan because he played with Mark Knopfler.
so so to be honest, isnt my type but 6/10
Best Song: Barry Town. Feels like the kind of song that plays at the beginning of a movie as the main character parades down the main street of their town, greeting neighbours, before anything bad happens. It feels like a song where nothing bad CAN happen. Worst Song: East St. Louis Toodle-Oo. My favourite part of this album is the vocals riding along with the instrumentals, not the instrumentals masquerading as vocals. Wah wah. Overall: I really like the vocals here. It feels like what bands like Def Leppard aspire to be. Still, the guitar wankery gets a bit obnoxious at times, even in an album this short. I'd prefer they focus more on the buttery hooks and less on the (probably technically very sophisticated) musicianship.
Not a bad album, but any huge enjoyment for me lays tensed up deep down somewhere.
I liked the first few songs a lot but then the quality dropped off pretty sharply. Weird thing is the songs sound pretty much the same so it’s pretty clear I don’t know what the hell I'm talking about. 3.5 stars
junk drawer goofy rock Frank Zappa
It was fine, lots of variety, but sort of early prog rock wasn't my jam
Bit fed of saying albums are just 'fine', but here's another one 😅
Steely Dan goes pop. I can't say I've ever been a massive Steely Dan fan, but I preferred "Aja" to this. Still, the harmonies are great, the musicianship tight. Favorite tracks: "Night by Night", "With a Gun"
Rikki Don't Lose That Number is a great song, and it's joined by some other original songs (my favourite being East St. Louis Toodle-Oo, with its original and very creative sound). But the passage of time is hard to ignore, and generally speaking Steely Dan is best experienced these days through albums such as "The Very Best of Steely Dan".
It was good, not groundbreaking by any means
Another short album, pleasant to listen to with highlights being the opening track and the one with dude in the title!
Pretty good but not in my top few Steely Dan albums. I thought this one was a bit too scattered by be great although it definitely had nice moments and great playing.
It was good - no tracks I knew but that didn’t matter too much.
I guess I can see why others might like this but it barely registered with me. There's a couple interesting songs but nothing great. I now know who sings "Rikki(?) Don't lose that Number. I never liked that song and I still don't. Honestly it's not so bad to get through but I just have to shrug. A respectful 3 that could've easily been a 2.
So smooth listening I'm surprised I even remember listening to it.
Some good ol' fashioned jazzy Steely Dan.
I’d never really listened to Steely Dan. I gotta say this was pretty good. There are some really catchy jazz infused rock pieces here. There’s probably more Steely Dan albums on here and frankly I look forward to listening
I thought I would like it more.
Good stuff, wasn’t a big fan of the guys voice but it was good
Not as into this as their more experimental stuff like Aja but it's still catchy and pleasant.
Rock. Cosas interesantes.
Not really my kind of music. Easy going and pleasant, just doesn't excite me.
Quite cinematic and rich album- defs a studio band sound. I’ve heard their stuff when I was young and it sounds a bit basic but overall pretty good
I can't say I'm a huge Steely Dan fan or anything, but I get the appeal. However, wouldn't re-listen to most of the tracks, personally. Fave track: either title track or With a Gun.
Good Album
I'm not a danfan, gotta say it. I'll always bop along to Reelin' in the Years and I love Dirty Work, but songs like Rikki Don't Lose That Number feel so trite and cheesy to me. It actually sounds like an 80's one hit wonder, which is weird because this is from 1974, so maybe Steely Dan are visionaries and that's why people are nuts about them. But I'm not. They're okay and I'm okay saying that. I guess what I'm really saying is Can't Buy A Thrill is their best album to me. This one is okay, it's better than Countdown To Ecstasy. I'd sure love a hot pretzel for 15 cents, hot damn, that's a hell of a deal! And that’s something we can all agree on.
So I get another Steely Dan record just two days later. Seriously why are there FOUR Steely Dan albums on this list? This is pure boomer dad rock material. It's not bad, it's not great. It's just fine.
Album cover ko štand za jest u GTA IV, čak su i NPC-a pogodili LMAOOOOOO. Bez zajebancije solidan album, vrijedi poslušat, no mislim da se neću vraćati.
Bueno
Steely Dan. Just a bit too smooth, a bit too clever clogs for me. I just need a little bit more of an edge to really appeal to me. There are a few slightly rockier numbers on this album that work a bit better for me (Night by Night, for example). I don't mind smart rock and roll, but I just need a bit more rock. I own this record, but almost never play it, and have considered giving it to my son (who likes prog and jazz. he was a very excited to find a copy of Countdown to Ecstasy in. record store bargain bin recently). Actually, I'm listening to Night by Night again, and it's pretty good... I'll bump my rating up a bit I think...
suitable odd
De los inicios del rock un tanto psicodélico de los 70. Ritmos e instrumentos típicos de la época. Sin terminar de enganchar. Estilo suave y fácil de escuchar
That’s some fine steel guitar on East St. Louis Toodle-Oo, my favorite tune from the album. This was my first exposure to Steely Dan and I found it to be much jazzier than I expected, not sure why. Clearly pretty technical music though, very well done even to a layman. Decent, short album.
I had fun listening to this, nothing too sticking though.
I don't know much about Steely Dan, unfortunately. I downloaded Aja on my computer many years ago, but I have not heard it in a long time. Aside from that, I have not heard a Steely Dan project before. I dig the tunes here for the most part, they're nice. I'm not blown away or anything, but it is performed well.
Certainly more palatable than the other Steely Dan one we had. Yeah, it was fine.
The Dan are an oddity. I shouldn’t like them, but I kind of do! Good album; not my favourite though
Steely Dan - always good - but still working towards their best.
I've heard a variety of Steely Dan's singles over the years, including "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" from Pretzel Logic. This is the third Steely Dan album I've reviewed for this 1001 list. There is some interesting funk and grooves to some of the music ("Parker's Band"), but Steely Dan still hasn't truly captured my attention. Listening to this album was enjoyable, but I doubt the album will get a second listen from me.
foot tapping all the way through 3.5
Best band named after a pneumatic dildo.
Nothing special, nothing terrible. I’d consider this typical of Steely Dan. Rare moments of interesting instrumentation surrounded by atrociously mid tracks and moments. 5/10.
Popular with both of my parents, I remember listening to this album a lot as a small child.
This album was an easy listen, nothing to complain about
Love Pretzels! Leider bewerte ich Steely Dan Alben bislang zu niedrig. Kann nur jetzt keine Konzession machen, war „Aja“ einfach laid back und „Can‘t buy a thrill“ so ist dies eher last day‘s pretzel. 2.8
I prefer 'Can't Buy a Thrill', but this is still a very good album, doesn't sound dated at all.
Nice easy listening, brings me back to a 8 year old!
A decent Steely Dan album. Rikki is a standout definitely
Instrumentally very interesting and appealing but the lyrics are not something that are for me
Fikk ikke hørt gjennom
Solid
Lovely nostalgic listen. 3*
Groovy.
Enjoyed this jazz/rock mashup and will hunt out some more material
Yacht Rock’s numero uno
Albumet höll en variation från början till slutet. Genom att variera stil och instrumentalval behålls intresset. Musiken var väldigt välskriven och ren. Jag fick känslan av att varje not var genomtänkt. Samtidigt höll sig musiken oftast inom sina ramar. Musiken gjorde inget fel vilket kan vara ett problem. Det gör inte musiken men det begränsar originaliteten. Sångarens röst är värd att nämna. Personligheten i den passade perfekt till musiken. Att han inte träffade varje not gav en starkare känslomässig laddning.
Some great songs, some good songs and some terrible songs. Patchy
The band are amazingly talented, majority of the songs are great... but having a chump that sounds like Randy Newman on vocals automatically means they can't get over 3*.
Great talented band but with music I admire but can't love
More classic Steely Dan.
Leuk maar ik zie er niet zo veel in
Couple of bangers and I do find them interesting as a band but the album is a little uninspiring overall
This was supposed to be the ecstasy after the countdown... :-/ The move to shorter, more focused songs without the flab was nice, and I liked the earthy, old-timey vibes of East St Louis Toodle-Oo, With a Gun, Charlie Freak etc. But the more traditional song-writing does mean this album doesn't stand out from the pack as much as the previous one did, for better or worse. I'll give it 3 stars anyway because I do like the album title.
Легонько залетело и забылось
Some nice melodies and a bit more funk/soul compared to their debut.
Good 70s classic rock style
I always thought Steely Dan had a style all their own. Sometimes I liked it, sometimes I didn't. Ditto for this album. Kudos to them for bringing their own brand of funk or jazz (or whatever) to rock. Surprised Rikki Don't Lose That Number (a good one) was the only one I recognized. Some songs grew on me (Night by Night, Pretzel Logic) and some didn't (Barrytown, East St Louis). Respectable, but there's plenty of other albums I'll turn to from this era when I need it.
Pretzel Logic is full of funky and enjoyable sounds, but it's lack of edge or meaning harms the overall experience. Every track on here sounds the absolute same, the guitars, the drums, and the vocal patterns. If it was any other group of 4 white guys in their garage making the same happy pop rock, it would not have been as well received as it was.
First time really giving Steely Dan a serious look. Some of it is a little bit "adult contemporary, easy listening" for my taste, but much more of it than I expected is pretty good. Monkey in your soul and with a gun were highlights for sure.
Levystä tuli hyvä fiilis ja jaksoi alusta loppuun asti pitää tunnelman yllä. Kiva pläjäys.
its kinda like a better version of Boston 2.5
“Pretzel Logic” by Steely Dan (1974) The chorus of the opening track is one of the most irritating earworms in the history of recorded music. It got waaaay too much airplay, even on FM. So I won’t annoy you by mentioning its title. Apart from that, this album is good. After all, it’s Steely Dan, albeit with a more ‘pop’ sound than their better albums (especially the earlier “Countdown to Ecstasy” and the later “Aja”). Cool jazz and funk grooves populate this music—well composed, arranged, and delivered with elan. “East St. Louis Toodle-Oo” is a nice homage to Duke Ellington, but it’s apparent Steely Dan never spent much time in East St. Louis in the 70s. By then it was way past time to retire “Toodle-Oo”. Nice guitar riffs and solos are contributed by Jeff Baxter, who was soon to take off for The Doobie Brothers, where he was undoubtedly more appreciated. Listening to this record is a nice blast from the past. But it doesn’t inspire. Sadly, after hearing the last song, the album started over and now I’m stuck again with that damn earworm! 3/5
It was ok.
Pretty easy going 70s rock with some funky grooves. Will listen again.
Classic Steely Dan sound, but not quite as compelling as Countdown to Ecstasy. Harmonies and musicianship are still there and catchy.
It was fine.
Some good vocal harmonising and guitar, but nothing really stood out to me. Doesn't recapture the magic of Can't Buy A Thrill
Not my favourite Steely Dan album, Aja is pretty hard to beat. Nevertheless, this is pretty good, the final two tracks in particular.
Liked a few songs
Li ho trovati interessanti e molto bravi tecnicamente, puliti. Night by night l'ho anche aggiunta ai miei pezzi preferiti su Spotify perché adoro riff e soli di chitarra. Ho trovato molto interessanti anche altri pezzi, ma nel complesso direi che quest'album è discreto. Darei un 3.5 ma non 4.
This was a blast from the past! I remember 'Rikki don't lose that number' and 'With A Gun'. Enjoyed the bluesy numbers esp the title track & East St Louis Toodl-Oo
Some definite bangers and I enjoyed listening to something I’d not heard before.
Good mix of rock, blues and jazz few songs missed the mark on the album but overall decent
This was my favorite of the first three albums. Especially cause it was a normal length! I really enjoyed the first track and the couple that followed. After that the tracks lost a flow for me. None of the tracks lead into each other to make a cohesive album.
pretty good! feels a lil less jazzy than the other dan ive heard, more rockin
first off, great album cover. jazzy rock fusion sounds like dad music
I liked a few of the songs, but haven't really ever been able to connect with Steely Dan.
Bangers from this album were Parker’s band and barrytown. Any major dude will tell you this album is good!
Always a good listen but lacks the fire power if some of their other albums. Night by night, east St. Louis
3.5
Good
Not my favourite Steely Dan album, I prefer some of their other albums better, but what is here is still generally pretty good.
Anche se i pezzi sono ben scritti e piacevoli, c'è qualcosa che non mi convince. L'interpretazione vocale non mi piace ed anche quella dei musicisti la trovo un pò sterile.
some neat parts - but a lot of that bleed together boring 70s sound too
Ok album - liked the classic early 70’s sound, nice guitar moments. Moments where I thought some songs of the songs sounded the same. All together I enjoyed the album. 3/5
Steely Dan made more accomplished albums than Pretzel Logic, but they never made a better one.