Reviews (page 12 of 14)
I gave this album the ol East St. Louis Toodle-Oo
2/5 Naja.
This was alright.
I don't like Steely Dan, there I said it. Part of it is their name, too clever by half. Who the f*** has actually read Naked Lunch? However, the main reason I don't like them is because their music is boring. This album is only 34 minutes long, but it seemed like 3 hours. Except for maybe Peg, which is not on this album, I'd rather listen to almost anything else but Steely Dan. Obviously they are talented guys. I just wish they would have used their powers for good.
nie mogłam się zmusić żeby przesłuchać ten album a jak już to zrobiłam to akurat w dzień migreny, więc będę bardzo surowa!!!!! wokal nieprzyjemny, w barrytown i charlie freak robi dziwne akrobacje głosowe. muzyka typu prank, instrumenty to: - pianino zabawkowe z kiosku -dzwonki sań mikołaja -kazoo zamiast saksofonu -klaskanie
5/10
Meh - dad rock, to my ears. It's almost offensively inoffensive. Not my taste.
I disliked this album from track 1, It's not that I don't like Steely Dan, it's more that I really hate Ricki don't lose that number. I saw the track list, and that song earwormed it's way right into my brain before I listened to it. The rest of the album was alright.
I think Claude could write this in 2030. Very apple-cheeked.
No Guitar Hero tunes on thus one
i only remember the hits
While the name resonates with me I genuinely think this is the first time I have listened to a Steely Dan record, perhaps even any song? It's pretty dated sounding, I am sure (just becuase I know the name well) it had some profound influence on something, just not on me.
such annoying vocals. The instrumental track was great.
I had trouble forming an opinion on this, so I looked back at my reviews of previous Steely Dan albums, and they were no help, I described them both as "bland". And it's a bland triple-bill from Steely Dan with this too. It's a bit Simon and Garfunkel, slightly funkier, but my overwhleming impression is no impression. The best things I can say about this album are that it didn't actually offend me and it was short.
Want it to be over. I can't put my finger on it but there is something just unsettling and awful about it all. Starting to remind me of Frank Zappa and maybe I don't like Frank Zappa now. Little bits of funk, country come through but it's like it's taking the piss. I know it's an acquired taste but I can't contemplate how people like this.
I have never heard a Steely Dan song that I enjoy. In that regard, this album did not disappoint. I do not understand working that hard to sound so bland.
This album was okay, but it felt unremarkable to me. You can definitely tell it's a 70s piece because of the groovy elements mixed in with the rock music, but there's also some blues mixed in as well. There were a couple of standout tunes to me: "Barrytown" and "Charlie Freak". These songs were perfectly melodic and the storytelling was amazing. Not to say the other songs weren't melodic or told stories, but these two had the best combination of both. The last song, "Monkey In Your Soul", did not feel like a closer to me, more just another filler song. Overall, I see a couple of shining moments in an otherwise sort of bland album.
Album sounds like something my dad would make me listen to as a joke and we're both just mutually suffering to this.
I do love ‘Rikki I don’t lose that number’ but I don’t really care for the rest. It’s accomplished but not my thing.
Not my bag, but it's well done.
I feel like I could become a Steely Dan guy, but I'm not there yet. I kind of like their attitude and writing, but they're a little too smooth for me. This is probably their most average release. A few good hits at the start, then nice enough but a bit slight throughout the rest
I feel like Albini because there's something deep inside that renders me incapable of liking Steely Dan. They just sound so *uncool*. They're undoubtedly competent musicians, but this style of anodyne jazz-funk-pop does nothing to my ears or my body or my soul.
Vous pouvez ben me convaincre que c'est bon mais vous me convaincrez jamais que c'est écoutable. 2.49 étoiles
Ummm This just reminds me of the boys (they were always boys) who could play their instruments really well, keep a beat and not have a single memorable track. Geeks.
Pretty short album, its fine, but nothing catchy really.
Tired of all the Steely Dan.
Fire up the steam powered dildo and prepare to set sail for another helping of baffling 70s yacht rock. This one opens with Rikki Don’t Lose That Number, which puzzled me at the time - why didn’t Rikki just call directory enquiries or look up the number in the phone book? It’s only now that I realise that she was trying to ghost this dork by pretending to write his number down on the back of a napkin or something. The rest of the album is mostly easy listening, smooth jazz/rock which is ok, but the lyrics are just bizarre in places. Does he mean Barry in Wales? Is he going to meet Napoleon in a secure hospital? What has he got against Buzz Aldrin? I genuinely don’t want to look up the stories behind any of these for fear of spoiling them.
The definition of boring middle of the road dad rock.
I didn't dislike it, but nothing stood out to me. Kinda blah.
I gave it an extra point because the production is excellent, and the musicians played amazing, but god what a bloody boring album!
Mildly better than one before.
It sounded very old. I liked it okay
I don’t hate the Dan as much as I did in the 90s, but I’ll never be a fan of this era.
Kinda boring
ah, a banda dos audiófilos™. Tenho nada a dizer sobre esse álbum.
Kind of a mash up of different moods and styles. A lot of the songs didn’t really appeal to me.
I wasn’t super into it.
Donc, l'album du jour, encore du Steely Dan. Le premier que j'avais entendu était plus ou moins sympathique, mais alors celui-ci est tout sauf mémorable. On va être honnête : je comprends pas trop ce qu'il faut dans la liste. Il n'est pas vraiment mauvais, mais c'est pas non plus particulièrement mémorable. Au moins, il était pas trop long.
Some pretty fun tracks but kind of ultimately feels like a mess. I followed up with a couple tracks off Can't Buy a Thrill and liked that more. Maybe this just isn't the Dan for me.
Loved the music but the songs, not for me. They lack any gravitas or conviction
Apple Music said it was rock but wasn’t rock at all
Didn’t recognise any of the songs and found the album pretty boring to be honest, wouldn’t listen again!
Not bad just a bit bland
The apple notes indicate that this is meritocracy, but I would characterize it as mediocracy. I liked the tendency towards original songs and a common band vision. I may not like the vision, and thus the album, but it offered something to like. This might land well with some listeners, but so does the nameless bar band that fills the background. At least some of those bands hope to be found, to put in the work to polish themselves(or be polished) into something that endures.
no niby spoko, ale jest to dla mnie jeden z tych albumów, który brzmi jak tysiąc innych (nawet jak przesłuchałem go milion razy). i to te piosenki, które są dziwnie radosne, a nie jak w soundtracku "Inside Llewyn Davis", gdzie smutek i tak się nawet chce w tym smutku być. no ja nie wiem.
Nothing memorable. That's almost a one. But it wasn't bad, tho'
was okay
Not sure about this one. There were maybe three good songs here. The rest was some of the lamest rock music I've ever heard. That said, somehow I still didn't hate it. It was a level of fine that allowed me to keep listening without getting too turned off (or maybe I've just reached the adult contemporary rock stage of life). I think the key to that was its brevity. The album is about 34 minutes long and most of the songs are under 3 minutes long. If it had kept going much more, I think I would've gotten to the point of strong dislike. Still, I didn't think much of this was very good. A lot of it was bordering the bad side of OK. The few good tracks didn't do much to improve the whole for me. I managed the listen this time, but I doubt I'll be listening to it again. Overall: 2.2/5
Another day another Steely Dan album that does absolutely nothing for me. Maybe one day when I'm a dad in my fifties I will finally get it. Key tracks: Rikki Don't Lose That Number
Estos discos setenteros se me están haciendo bien difíciles
It was a very weird album, not terribly enjoyable or bad, just meh
Easy listening but not something I would go back to.
Aja is amazing! This album was meh, had some moments but I couldn’t get into it.
Boring.
Made 35 minutes look like 135.
Won’t be listening to this again
Sort it out Dan
This album doesn’t really do it for me. It’s very of the time but doesn’t hold up very well. Good lyrics though.
great vocals, and proficient at other stuff but all the elements just seem janky together
I really really tried but simply cannot like this band
I don't even know how they made this so cheesy and boring when the underlying music is so good
2 steely dan albums in 3 days. This is a lot better than Aja. Got songs rather than noodly jazz. But won’t be listening again
Nieuw. Niet mijn stijl maar interessant
This is my second Steely Dan album. And again, it's exhausting. All technique and no soul. It's like being at the guitar shop and hearing some guy shred to impress other shoppers. If that guy recorded all his noodlings, paid top dollar for a tight mix and put out an album, it might as well be a Steely Dan. The album musically sounds like the art-cover & name: Generic.
Ir was alright. Not particularly my jam. I found myself skipping Charlie Freak. Best song was the opener. Would not add to my personal collection 2/5
Steely Dan is one of those bands that I appreciate for their talent, but it's just not my kind of music. I think the songs on this album are clearly very good from an instrumentation perspective, but they just don't seem to flow. Not an album I'd seek out to listen to again, and not one I'd put on my top album list.
Became a dad last year so thought I would like this more.
You can’t make me like Steely Dan. No matter how many of their albums you shove in my face.
Mood, ale nedostatecne stimulující pro muj mozek
Some great cuts. Excellent execution as always. Doesn't grab me
Somewhere between Alan partridge and Saxondale is a Steve Coogan character that loves Steely Dan. Impressive instrumentals by obviously talented musicians- but it just wasn’t special enough for me to want to listen to again. Great guitar work, some outstanding riffs. Also, great keys. Cool hand drums. Great horns. All great musicians playing as a cohesive unit but the songs are just so meh. Donald Fegans singing goes well when the songs are funky and guitar led but I hate the combo of piano and his voice it’s just so wet . I only listened to the end for this review - must be a glutton for punishment as I listened again .
didn’t mind the instrumentals, but the vocals were dire
pretty good album just not my vibe
Not a dan fan
This was fine. Not something I'd listen to again, but I get why white dads are into it.
#205/1001. (Abbey Road #206, Are we not men #204. Not rating Loius Prima caused errors in my numbering) and that might be the things I have about this album: listened somewhere in between losing numbers. Mostly harmless.
a couple of decent songs and a bunch of filler
Kann man sich schon anhören, aber ist halt wirklich nicht spannend. Reicht daher, auch wenn es grundsätzlich nicht schlecht ist, nicht für 3 Sterne.
Nja
It's BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORING! 2/5
vei não adianta eu já tentei escutar steely dan sei lá quantas vezes e nunca funciona é mto cansativo
??? 70’s “soft rock” c
I like Steely Dan. I don't dislike this album. This album feels like unrefined Steely Dan. There was nothing special about this album.... at all...
2.5. Not bad by any means but nothing I ever have to hear again.
Not the worst
To quote Richard Brautigan: "I don’t care how God-damn smart these guys are: I’m bored."
Bit slow and dull. Couple of alright tracks, but really not my cup of tea
Highlights: - Night by Night - East St. Louis Toodle-Oo - Pretzel Logic Liebe das Cover, sehr charmant, aber leider etwas langweilig
To my ears this is mostly uncompelling. Good album cover though.
A couple of stand out tracks but little else emerged for me, as an album.
Too 70s for me.
I didn’t like this very much. The band is on point and the music sounds good I guess, it’s hard to explain, there is just something annoying about this record. Barrytown was super annoying, just complete nonsense. Title track is pretty solid, it’s not all bad by any means, it’s half bad and I’ll never return to this one. I’ll stick with Aja or Can’t Buy a Thrill. The album cover for Pretzel Logic is absolutely great though, so it’s a shame this isn’t better. I don’t know why this annoyed me so much but it did, it’s 2.5 stars but I’m rounding down. 2 stars
FUCK! I did not want Steely Dan. At this point, I know what I'm getting: impeccably crafted elevator music with lyrics that only make sense when you read the backstory, but aren't really interesting enough to want to read that backstory. I said in my Replacements review that imperfections make human connection to art rewarding. Despite the slavish devotion to studio perfection, I guess this is still imperfect in the sense that connecting to it isn't rewarding for me. How in the fuck was Rikki Don't Lose That Number a SINGLE? Actually, I'm knocking this down from the Coward's 3 due to the inclusion of East St. Louis Toodle-oo. Fuck off.
Technically impressive but kinda boring?
Troisième album de Steely Dan généré, le premier étant le très jazzy 'Aja' (plus récent) que j'avais plutôt apprécié (3/5) et le second le plus pop/rock 'Can't Buy A Thrill' qui m'avait moins intéressé (2/5). Ce nouvel album est aussi très pop/rock, il ne m'intéresse pas plus que 'Can't Buy A Thrill' : il m'a paru interminable malgré ses 34 mn ... même note donc. =>2/5
2 stars. I'm sure they've done better than this. Any major dude will tell you this album is boring.
Bit boring
Not this one. 1.7
I'm not a Steely Dan guy, but even setting the bar low, I've never gotten the praise for this album. The only songs I find engaging are "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," the Outlaw Country "With A Gun," and the angular, sinister "Charlie Freak." "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" sounds like warm milk but gets points for extremely corny '70s lyrics ("I've never seen you looking so bad my funky one/you tell me your super fine mind has come undone"). "Barrytown" might have been a good song if there was even an ounce of menace the lyrics suggest in the music. "Parker's Band" is the Dorky White Guy tribute to Charlie Parker to the point where it's almost feels like an insult to Bird. "Pretzel Logic" is the dorkiest, whitest, blues song you'll ever hear. Everything else is so forgettable that I can't even bother to make fun of it. I am certainly not one to criticize vocals too much (I just praised a Frank Black album, for chrissakes) but Donald Fagen's warbling straddles the line between "quaintly charming" and "I wonder if I would like this more if they had a better singer." Pretzel Logic is an album very much of it's time. Steely Dan's previous album, Countdown To Ecstasy, was a commercial failure and they needed to get back on the radio. 1974 top 40 wasn't really a neighborhood for challenging music, so yes, compared to Barbra Streisand, Grand Funk Railroad and John Denver, this was practically avant-garde. But a lot of their music was suggestive of better, funkier and (dare I say) Blacker music that was taking place at the time, and nobody should have needed the White Guy filter to enjoy any of it.
Nett. Aber musikalisch kein Meilenstein.
Ok storytelling throughout, too folksy for my taste. Best: Parker's Band Worst: Pretzel Logic
Falls kind of flat as an album (and I'm a Steely Dan fan). I'm discovering that there are four Steely Dan albums on this list! All that is needed is "Can't Buy a Thrill", imho. The rest on here is kind of insanity.
hmm i love the chourus in the 1st song, rest of the song is dissapointing everything was just so boring i zone out heavily like a 4/10
it makes me fall asleep.
Aika kädenlämpöiseksi jäi tämäkin.
Just awful, as in mediocre yacht-rock garbage that wasn't unlistenable, but held little merit. Two stars.
"Pretzel logic" refers to twisted or illogical reasoning. See Example: Steely Dan being on this list. Would I listen to again? Probably on a dare...
Etwas langweilig
I could fill a whole essay with the numerous reasons why I dislike Steely Dan, but I don’t have the energy. Let’s just say their music irks me on a very fundamental level, and makes me want to hit someone in the face with a shovel. I have no problem acknowledging they are technically very competent, but that’s irrelevant. Many artists can produce technically perfect music and still be as exciting as a piece of cardboard. I’ll even admit that it’s the least unsufferable Steely Dan album I’ve listened so far. The instrumentals are generally solid ; but I really hate Donald Fagen's soulless singing. The only song I really loved in this album was East St. Louis... which is actually a Duke Ellington cover. All the other songs are just too dull and emotionless for me to care. 4/10
There's something and then it's nothing. I think I particularly dislike the voice. I don't know what to say. But I won't listen again.
Outdated & nice & common album, nothing special for the listening Album almost already forgotten...
Of all the so-called “rock” albums by Steely Dan we’ve talked about so far (including The Nightfly solo project), this is the first one that actually sounds kind of rock. The production is a bit less clean too, without all that slick jazz-rock polish. Still, it mostly ends up sounding like a weak mix between Supertramp and the Eagles and ends up as a generic record. Yet, it is by far more listenable to me than the others Steely Dan on this list with some nice instrumentations, but honestly, I can’t imagine it ever made much of a splash when it came out.
A bit too “easy listening” for my taste
It wasn't new 50 years ago, now its dull and trite. I prefer a lot of lift music to this.
Lyrically good, but dated. Think, Inspector Morse drinking tea on a porch with his dressing gown flapping.
DNF. not my thing. Not as good as 10CC
It's okay, not as strong as the other albums.
This album is lively and a pleasant enough listen, but it leaves little impression on me and feels slightly bland for my taste. There’s no doubting the album’s “maturity”, and the sprinkle of jazz influence on the soft-rock base is nice to listen to, but it still falls flat and I can’t imagine I’ll remember much of the album in days to come - other than perhaps “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number”.
The compositions and instrumentals are amazing. But these guys can’t write lyrics or sing. They are band geeks who never got past that. Care to disagree? “East St. Louis Toodle-Oo”. Now, shut the fuck up. Hey Steely Dan, me and Geddy Lee, Thomas Dolby, Ben Folds and the guys from Weezer are gonna steal a case of Miller Lites from Cumberland Farms and go to the football game later. Wanna skip band practice and come? Nah, I didn’t think so.
I like Steely Dan. Smooth jazz mixed with prog rock, very enjoyable. They are the kind of band I never really liked well enough to delve into the catolouge, but always enjoyed on the radio. For that reason I was happy to give this album a listen. Strong start Rikki Don't Lose That Number, great song, and the only song on the album I'd heard before. Night by Night, I liked alot, feels like I'm in for a banger of an album. Then it drops off into the realm of "meh". Very talented players, but feels like they are trying too hard to be hip and cool. Part of that is their white guy groove, they try so hard to sneak a funky groove into their songs, but they are so damn white. It's fine, doesn't ruin the songs, but gives them a musak feel. Only other songs on the album worth note are the title track Pretzel Logic, which is very good, and East St Louis Toodle which is awful. Sounds like something they had fun with in the studio and decided to share with the world, should have stayed on the cutting room floor. Overall the album was dissappointing but not bad. This is a very strong 2.
Interesting mix of rock and blues, always soft and light. Catchy hooks.
15 cent pretzels? That's a deal and a half
Didn’t mind this one while it was on but nothing very memorable
Started off good but then just got boring
1st track is a classic but it's downhill fast from there.
Super soft 10-ply. Nah man, I can lose this number
Good vibes, a bit dated.
My second attempt at getting into Steely Dan. The musicianship is flawless, and the production is pristine but the songs feel like they’re stuck in neutral. It’s technically impressive yet completely devoid of energy. How something this well-played can sound this dull is kind of fascinating in itself.
“Rikki Don’t Lose That Number”! Great opener to the album that goes in a lot of different directions. What it lacks in cohesiveness it makes up for in songwriting. What a strange release in the heyday of rock n’ roll where money could be made off of album sales alone. I liked it but it’s a little too yacht rock for me. I feel like there’s an inherent lameness that gives me the “ick” as the kids say.
This album screams 70s background music.
Good if you're into that kind of thing
Pretty boring
🤙🏾
Rikki Don't Lose That Number and that's about it
One of my least favorite internet tropes is when people share a medium-hot take that is ostensibly uncontroversial and then add on ‘There, I said it’ as if they've made peace with their god about confessing the white hot rage they've kept locked away for years, morality and social norms be damned. Anyway, Steely Dan sucks. There, I said it.
I’ve commented about the size of this project before and how ranking 1000 albums is going to inherently result in many mediocre choices being ranked. I’m a middle aged white guy, so I have plenty of time for Steely Dan. But this is obviously not their best work, and not even a fan’s choice of underappreciated album (I like “Coubtdown to Ecstasy” personally. It’s fine, and again as a middle aged white man, who doesn’t like to be reminded of that scene in Say Anything when John Mahoney is cruising around to “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number”?
Frank Zappa for stuffy folks. 2/ 5
Rikki Don't Lose That Number and 10 more songs you totally won't care about
It's fine, but given the current time I'd prefer more silk in my songs
With a gun, with a gun I will blot out the sun
I just don’t think I “get” Steely Dan. Occasionally there’s a song I like. But mostly it’s just good music on a telephone call I don’t want to be on. 2.5/5
Yes the performances and production are immaculate, and the songs are well crafted. But holy fucking shit it's so god damn boring. I understand the praise this band gets, but it is not for me. I'll give it a 2 just because the production is genuinely perfect. Trying to view it objectively, I can't say that it's bad, I just strongly dislike it
Started great then went straight to funk-a-licious town but then got too weird and "experimental."
I consulted ChatGPT to tell me why this sounds like music for psychopaths and it was an interesting reply - it is so perfectly cut and there is no 'unnecessary' sound anywhere - it is the antithesis of the music that I like. However, I listened to the album all the way through and appreciated - and respected - but did not enjoy and I think would not have enjoyed at any point in my life.
I never really cared for their minor chording
Surprisingly dull for a Steely Dan album, like an album full of filler tracks. Expected more from this one, but it just kind of happened and left no lasting impact like I’ve got from other records of theirs that I’ve heard. Great album cover though.
One or two songs that get you going, but overall just ok. -2/5
the definition of not good or bad enough to warrant a re-listen.
I didn't hate it as much as I thought and it was short. That's my positive review.
Has that early 70’s easy listening vibe, think Eagles or Jackson Browne of the era. Chicago may be the best comparison - bigger band with horns, piano driven etc. Has some 70’s colloquial language in the lyrics that feels corny today. Honestly I think all the lyrics are pretty saccharine. I’m not sure why this album would be in the list, it doesn’t feel special to me. Ricki Don’t Lose That Number is the hit in the album. Other notables include Parker’s Band - only due to the guitar solo at the beginning.
Honestly I could not wait for this to end. Fatigued half way through. Songs added to/on playlist: 0
Wow, I do not like Steely Dan. Feels like sad Dad music. Like at the end of a night when a Dad is drinking beer alone in the garage, thinking about his life choices...
The songs didn't stick with me to be memorable and the sound overall was a bit safe.
Some nice bits of guitar here and there but otherwise forgettable.
I don’t know, man… it’s a mixture between good and cringe… I was listening while charging my electric car. At first, while waiting, it was a fun listen, just like how I was enjoying the battery going from 12% to around 70%, fast… but as time went by, it became less of a joyful experience to listen, and I wanted it to end, just like my charging session
Sorry. I find it boring..
Just not a fan of Steely Dan
Should be 2.5 - some are really good, while others are instantly forgettable.
This was fine??? I don’t see why it’s so critical I listen to this album, it was kinda mid dadrock. I listened to this over two sittings as well and the fact that there were a few days in between where I didn’t think about it or feel pressed to listen to the rest probably says a bit about how I feel about this album. Felt a bit symptomatic of some of these albums so far where there’s way less women on the list but heaps of middling rock music.
Dad music
Voladito Cómo que tendría que escucharlo en el tocadiscos tomando un whiskey al atardecer
Really not very inspiring and Steely Dan’s idea of soft rock is uninteresting and I’m not a massive fan of their work in general to be honest.
Everyone knows the intro track, Ricki don't lose that number. Track 2, man its hard not to call this yacht rock... But if I was in a convertible driving down the boulevard with tight jeans on and sick side burns... I would have felt the vibe. the album shifts to more laid back melody with Any Old Dude.. Look, not an album I'm likely to spin again any time soon, but it was fine... If a bit wanky. Highlight - With a Gun
there's some fun song titles here. the album cover is good. i didn't think i knew any of their songs but rikki don't lose that number started and i was like OH YEAH THIS. the rest of it, idk. im doing some work on my laptop and just kind of bopping along to this but it's one of those albums that is just kind of there and nothing else.
Every few years I dig out this or some other Steely Dan on Spotify and see if I can identify what an old college friend used to find so attractive about them. And here I am again. It's not awful. There are decent moments. Rikki still is a catchy song. But then there's that godawful St. Louis Toodle-Oo. And overall the more you listen the less there is to like here. See you again in ten years.
There’s no denying that Steely Dan has talent. They are excellent musicians and songwriters. Having said that, I don’t care for most of their stuff. On rare occasions, I can listen to a song but never an entire album.
weird! like their other stuff better
I think Steely Dan is an overrated band. Its good but not the best or even close. Its pop rock with a little southern thingy but guessing tjats what americans like as rock. Album is good but can't get to love them. There were soooo many more creative and original bands in that era that they feel generic. As an album it works, songs are well ordered and produced. But nothing that I would die if I didnt have it in my life.
Aggressively mediocre. I don’t remember a single song that wasn’t Rikki, and I only remember that because it was in a marching band show I was in. Otherwise they play their instruments well, and I’m sure the fans will say there’s a depth to the song writing you can only appreciate on repeat listens. This won’t get that repeat listen, I barely paid attention on the first one.
Dull
I mean. Again, I get it. I just don't really like it.
not really my thing. not a huge fan of dad rock, and this is really indicative of that sound.
Segundo disco de estos aburridos en esta lista.
Not as good as Aja
First impressions were that it's quite soft rock and the vocal harmonies are reminiscent of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. You can hear some funk influences running through the album but it's generally just some uninteresting 70's American pop rock. Doesn't do much for me and there were no stand out tracks. Have to admit the production quality is excellent though.
Hokey, wet, and badly aged.
Taking me back to my retail days, stuck listening to Rikki Don't Lose that Number. This is not a good thing.
Not a terrible sound, and mercifully short, but as with all Steely Dan we must ask ourselves - Why?
I don't hate Steely Dan, there are some songs I really like. Rikki is one of their songs of all time, but I did get pretty bored during this album. After Rikki, which I know pretty well since I played it for marching back in the day, I just stopped paying attention by the halfway point. Very yacht music-esque.
Tres álbumes de Steely Dan en esta lista (por ahora) me parecen demasiados. Éste en concreto no es que sea mal álbum, pero creo que palidece un poco en comparación con los otros, aunque puede que sólo esté cansado de escuchar el mismo estilo tres veces. De nuevo tenemos el soft pop-rock típico de este grupo, con toques de jazz y blues, una instrumentación muy virtuosa, y una producción super pulida. Típico yatch rock de los setenta que, aunque musicalmente sea bueno, hoy me ha resultado algo estéril y poco interesante. Le daría un tres pero lo voy a dejar en dos porque no entiendo qué hace éste álbum en lista.
I don’t really love it. It’s just so boring, like something you’d hear in a supermarket.
I loathe steely Dan, but I tortured myself with this album anyway, because that’s how this game works. This is music for white dudes that tuck their Hawaiian shirts into their cargo shorts.
Pleasant enough to listen to but no real highlights for me. It felt like quite a bland mix of pop/rock with some jazz vibes throughout. Probably won't come back to this one. 2.5/5
Shit
I recognize that this is good, but I really am not a fan
niet me ding
Middle of the road dad rock. Few of these songs would be out of place in a 70s sitcom opening
Not a band I’ve ever understood the hype for. Two albums we’ve had now and only one song has stood out as ‘good’. Although Parker’s Band stood out for sounding like it was from the Peanuts Christmas special.
It was fine. Adult contemporary I guess?
I just… don’t think I like Steely Dan. I’m not sure why because I like stuff like The Eagles and Grateful Dead which they sort of remind me of. But I just don’t find them interesting or memorable at all. At least not so far.
To me this sounds like the embodiment of my memories of inoffensive AM radio. Real Boomer music here. It’s all very competent and pleasant and may even have been innovative for its time but there’s nothing here that gets me excited.
It will not take any Pretzel Logic to come to my conclusion on this Steely Dan album. Which is kind of a bummer. The opening track Rikki Don’t Lose That Number is one of my top five Steely Dan songs. It’s followed by Night by Night, another good song, and I thought we were off to a good start. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there. The only other song I like is the title track towards the end. The rest of Pretzel Logic reminded me more of songs better meant for a B-Sides release. Just not good material. This is a 2 rating for me. 2/5
sleepy
Light easy-listening funk. Solid musicianship. Sits pleasantly and unobtrusively in the background.
Not my jams
Inoffensive, middle of the road album. Standard Radio 2 fare, but not really my thing.
couple good jams on here. I feel like if I listened to this album 10 or more times I'd fall in love with it. Will I do that? unlikely.
Not interesting
Obviously great musicians, but for me, it all comes out largely generic.
Highly killed musicians, but I can never help feeling, like with Coldplay, that if it wasn't for the voice, it's largely slightly bland and generic.
I like the style of music they play, like a mix of 70s easy rock and blues is a great combination. Unfortunately, it just seems to lack any real big songs, maybe just not great writing?
It's good, a step back but i can see what they were going for. Would result in much better albums
Im not sure what to make of this. It was entirely bland. I listened twice and cant remember a single thing.
On paper this album has things I should love - great musicianship, varied tones and styles - but it just felt empty. There's very little emotion or feel behind any of this, it's just bland musak for yachts.
Ok
2.5
Starts strong but meanders through the middle.
Generic rock. Won't listen again
Maybe my vibes were off but I couldn’t even make it through this one. Headache? It’s lame dad music from 1985.
The grooves are pretty good. The singing is little cheesy. And the lyrics are about nothing. I recognize the musical ability of this band, but they consistently fail to evoke any emotion from me. Just not my thing I guess.
If I’d have been around when this first came out I’m sure I would have popped my puss to this. Liked some of the instrumental bits. Kind of feels like an album a fictitious band in a film would make, to me. Overall not for me
Not a strong steely dan fan and not a strong steely dan album.
Well now, that's a massive improvement on the last offering from this lot. I'm coming to the understanding that although I can appreciate the prog that is jazz based, I just don't do other jazz based music. And a fair chunk of this album was more blues based than jazz. And that is why I preferred it. Ricky is one of their classics, and it makes me think if I were to buy any of their albums it would be a best of. There were some really bright spots in this, and it was a massive improvement, a 💯 % improvement to be honest so it's getting a 2
Does nothing for me. Just boring music to me. I don't hate it. Don't lose this number is okay, but possibly only because of its familiarity from radio play. Nothing else stood out to me in anyway
Another approach to Steely Dan. This one is less polished and a bit more interesting than Aja. Still, I feel like I'm listening to a masturbation contest. Not for me, but slightly better than Aja. 2.5/5
A fine addition in terms of production and generally solid songwriting but nothing feels as good as from their other works like deacon blues, or reelin' in the years. The playing is there and it's nice to have on in the background but just not as memorable.
Such dad rock. I do like some Steely Dan, but this album I don't like as much as the others.
"Pretzel Logic", what does that mean? I can't do anything with it and I come from the land of real 'pretzels' but of course it fits perfectly with "Steely Dan" the band name is just as stupid. OK, 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number' is a catchy song. The rest, however, is not my thing. But I must also say, I like Donald Fagen's voice, it really has a good feel. The guitar, on the other hand, annoys me. As a fan of jazz-rock, fusion, I don't know if I should really put this album in that category, but the whole thing is also very diverse. So OK, 2.5 stars for "Brezel Logik", rounded off to 2. The rest of the album is really boring.
At best, dentist office soft rock. At worst, East St. Louis Toodle-Oo.
I see a lot of what I presume is Americans bemoan the amount of dull British bands on here. Although there may be a hint of truth to their complaints, let Steely Dan show the US is not immune to producing inexplicably popular dullards like Steely Dan. 2*
This album must have been one of the last four in.
For me this album starts and ends after the first song. Sorry Rikki, but 2 stars or D is my ratiing.
Good tones and enjoyable listen but not for me, it lacks something - perhaps the vocals? 4.6/10.
I love a half-hour album.... but I didn't love this one.
I'm not the biggest Steely Dan fan, but I feel like their earlier stuff was edgier, their later stuff was smoother, and this just missed.
Okay I do not like this bandbut this was not as terrible as I thought it would be. I really liked the east st Louis instrumental. 3 more SD lps on this list, ugh.
Just didn’t really stand out to me. Very few songs that I think I’d come back to
Steely Dan is just all right for me. I don't mind listening to it but their music never sticks.
Boring dad rock
Fine
Funky album. Enjoyed listening to it. Doubt I'll listen again
Not quite the genre for me
Sounded very generic to be honest, and like it should be background music. I appreciate songs that are story-like in their lyrics but I don’t feel it’s done well here, and there are so many better examples of this genre.
definitely steely dan
great instrumentals and easy listening but idk I found it overall very forgettable
A couple good songs, but not even close to their best stuff.
Mid. Not great but not unlistenable either. Favourite track: East St Louis Toodle-oo
Inoffensive middle-aged dad rock. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that if that’s your thing. Sometimes though you just need a bit of excitement in your life to feel young again. Didn’t get that here though, just quite dull.
More middle of the road 70s dullness that this list laughable calls rock!?!
Really struggling to compute (from reading about them) why this was considered in any way innovative and ground breaking. Just very very dull. Saved from a 1* by a couple of half decent tracks towards the end.
Painful 70s fusion. Pulled up from a 1 by a few songs, such as Parker's Band.
LOL Stu LOLLL how funny - I on the other hand LOVE THEM SO MUCH - on of my top 5 all time favorite bands.. pretzel logic has a couple of beauties but this may be their worst record, in my personal ranking ..
What a bizarre album. It feels like a hodge-podge collection of music for television sitcoms opening credits circa '20-'80s. I don't know what to make of it.
Just no. I will not bend. I will not yield. I simply will NOT Steely Dan.
I have never been a fan of Steely Dan. I have heard, "Rikki Don't Lose That Number"many times, but this is my first time listening to this album in its entirety. Not really for me.
FUCK i almost forgot about the homework. oh we got some wiggly noises. why is everything panned so weird. OMG WE FINALLY HAVE AMERICAN ARTISTS theyre still white + singing weirdly abt consent. bro i think rikki turned u down + is not going to have a change of heart but at least this album is short so u didnt quite lose me. oh i rlly like the guitar solo actually....like kinda clean--bro she does know her mind. its tragic this is like clearly abt a girl i cant even imagine its a rickey (gay) smfh. theres like a goofy quality to this music....like the instruments sound goofy. idk how to explain it. not hating it tho which is funny bc i was rolling my eyes at deep purple just the other day...this feels less self important? more fluid n less like mechanically chugging? the guitar is rlly doing it for me its like not as distorted so it sounds softer and wigglier (idfk bro im just sayin things). i wouldnt say i dont care if its wrong or right but i sure aint got the heart 2 lose another fight, guess i gotta consider taking it night by night too. okay no next song is a fucking shitpost. this shit sucks. "any major dude will tell u my funky one" bro can u be fucking serious. the guitar is lovely sounding n the melody is nice but--oh okay i cant hide from whats inside of me? rude + personal unsolicited advice. i feel like im getting advised by one of the shirtless bros typing to the kid in the meme. but like that was lovely sounding i simply could not take it serious. barrytown should be playing over an animated montage of star belly sneeches being racist to plain belly sneeches. extra funny bc i grew up nearish to a town called "barre" (pronounced same as "barry" in "barrytown") + we did in fact call that hs "scary barre"...whoops. guitar(???) on toodle oo is so toodle ooing that it almost sounds like someone singing in a little meedley mee voice. actually now im suspicious that it somehow is??? now THIS is playing over black n white cartoon music. w all the "statistically likely 2 b a racist cartoon" that implies. intro to parkers band is fun! unfortunately every time they start singing lyrics it makes it sound goofy as hell. but also many of the other lyrics on these other albums also did so......i feel like steely dan is more likely to know that they sound completely silly goofy than like, deep purple or bluesbreakers or the rolling stones.....so should i cut them some slack.....bro. through with buzz is kind of funny n interesting sounding love a song abt being pissed off bc a guy keeps clowning on u ezcept i DONT like it when u have to throw in a homophobic insult. bro. thats NOT very major dude of u. "maybe hes a fairy" is he a fairy or did he steal ur girl?? insert the grand budapest hotel "u are but ur bisexual". y--you want to tour in a...what....?? this is good electric guitar i guess?? man this is the dad music of a dad whos like mostly chill but then sometimes says something where ur like dad do u know that has Implications and Assumptions?? god the end of pretzel logic sounds good tho. but also the first lines? oh with a gun DOES sound like horse w no name like extremely u werent kidding. and it sounds cool! if i dont process the lyrics which are goofy. but at least the instrumentation / vocals work which is more than i can see abt most of the rest of the chuckleheads weve listened to? im going on some face journeys here. fuck tho that very brief guitar outro. charlie freak is.....hmm this time i feel like that couldve been moving but the instrumentation undersold it. like the lyrics were a bit goofy but that time the instruments were the goofier part. monkey in your soul got some crunchy brass. okay so like....i think the "aware that theyre goofy" read is correct but the more i listen im like "but are they goofy despite awareness bc theyre pure at heart goobers or bc theyre kinda cynical + view rock/blues/Popular Music as goofy" + on the first few tracks id say the 1st but on the last few tracks im wondering abt the 2nd. a perplexing vibe. i think i have to give this another 2 im sorry for being such a hardass of a grader. i promise i was gonna grade them a 3 for at least being good natured but now im like are they?? i will say i can hear that the playing is actually good which is again more than i can say for some of these fuckers. (we rlly should not have let british ppl claim to have invented rock like seriously bro.) would i buy a physical copy: no. standout tracks: uhhh ig night by night, with a gun, pretzel logic / any major dude if i dont listen too hard to the lyrics. biggest problem: im like just not sure why theyre making some of these decisions
Lots of extended instrumentation, timeless and reliable song structures, top flight guest musicians front to back. I feel like when describing this album aloud it sounds in abstract like something I should be crazy about, but it just sounds *flat* over most of the runtime. I just don't why you'd pull together a studio setup this nice with a combo of the wrecking crew and the Doobie brothers, and you end up with something that sounds like a less creative Chicago on barbituates. My favorite tune on the album, "any major dude will tell you", is like a more moddish version of a rod Stewart ballad, has Walter Becker and Donald Fagan being gracious enough to allow some looseness within the ensemble, given it more of a resemblance to human expression than most of this album's runtime. The snoozer backing vamp, cookie cutter songwriting, and insufferably goofy vocals of Barrytown introduce this kind of terrifying antipathy in me. Hearing this kind of steely dan song is like staring at Mr. beast's eyes, it feels so calculating in a way that just leaves me in uncanny valley territory. Pretzel logic has all the groove of a player piano and might, against stiff competition, be the worst white guy blues we've heard in this project so far. In the interest of not just making this a personal diatribe, I will say that you can see cracks of light in this album. Genuine moments of cool original songwriting and arranging that remind you of Steely Dan at their best. Through with Buzz is a great palate cleanser track, well arranged and just the perfect length. There's some genuinely rhythm guitar playing in With a Gun, and a refreshingly active chord progression, elevating what I was worried was just going to be a shallow western pastiche. In my final reckoning here I still just find this music refusing to settle in further than skin deep for me. The marriage of this particular style of music with how airless and exact the studio playing had to be just isn't the steely Dan combo that works for me, the songs need to be properly *weird* and dense if they're going to be assembled this mechanically, there's a reason Aja is so evocative and moving! Sorry. I know there are Dan fans among us, I'm just not one, and this album isn't one of the works that makes me want to reconsider that at all
blah
The musicianship is very good, but none of these songs really stand out and excite me all that much. I like some of their songs, but none of them are on this album.
This is the first time I’ve really listened to Steely Dan and it was exactly what I expected. 1.5, but feeling generous with the rounding because yesterday was Paul Simon, who is spiritually similar to this, but worse.
not really my thing can see why people love it bit of a medley of boringness
Had a few decent tracks, but overall wasn't a fan. Just lame dad rock.
Two hitless, yachty Steely Dan albums in a row.
Very middle of the road. There are odd bits that are interesting but ultimately, it’s bland soft jazz rock. Wouldn’t choose to listen again.
Interesting album. Best I can say. Found their voices unpleasant on a visceral level. Best two tracks were "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", and "Monkey in Your Soul". Each had good writing and a lot of instrumental work running through them. In short, I enjoyed the writing, but wanted to escape their voices.
I knew nothing of Steely Dan except that they're for dads. (C.f. this recent article: https://www.vulture.com/article/john-mulaneys-son-learned-to-talk-because-of-steely-dan.html). This sounds to me like the type of music that would be on during a dentist appointment. So, it's fine. Not offensive, but nothing comment-worthy, which is a demerit in itself!
Yacht rock just doesn’t do it for me
When I was a kid I thought I hated 70s music. Once I got older and discovered albums like “Heroes,” Physical Graffiti, Pink Moon, and Chairs Missing, I couldn’t understand why I ever thought I disliked 70s music. Then I hear this soft rock nonsense and I’m like, oh yeah, a LOT of 70s music was crap. It’s not as bad as Aja, but that’s about as low as the bar can be.
Definitely not timeless. Their music sounds of the era…
Rikki don't lose that number - 2/5 Night by night - 2.8/5 Any major dude will tell you - 1/5 Barrytown - 1/5 East St. Louis toodle-oo - 3.2/5 Parker's band - 1.5/5 Through with buzz - 1/5 Pretzel logic - 1.8/5 With a gun - 1.8/5 Charlie freak - 1.8/5 Monkey in your soul - 1/5 1.7/5 Dad rock (Not my thing?) Dire Straits are better, sorry not sorry.
I suppose this is nicely crafted AOR, but for that reason I found the album really unengaging. I can't relate at all to mid-70s AOR albums. Dull stuff to my ears.
Didn't like it nor hate it
Worse than I could imagine
I quite enjoyed this. I’ve always thought of Steely Dan as very serious musicians so I like that this is more playful and fun than I’d expected. “With a Gun” is my stand out track. I did enjoy “Aja” more and felt was the more immersive and consistent album. Although clearly incredibly accomplished musicians with a deep understanding of structure and form I still find that their songs are often missing a really strong melodic hook.
Not for me
Not a patch in Aja/Asia.
A bit boring
Maybe one good song. The 70s sound isn’t my thing.
Mostly bland and dull, occasionally mildly irritating.
it's so corny! while it has its merits, I just can't really get into it
I can see the appeal, but not for me.
Steely Dan caught my attention recently when i realised what a banging track "dirty work" is. I can't say this album thrilled me as much of that. Maybe I should have paid more attention but it seemed pretty unremarkable.
First song. Fuck am I going to have to like Steely Dan? (Turns out no, but can tolerate it)
I don’t understand the appeal of Steely Dan. Their music feels so sterile to me. There’s nothing really bad about it, it’s just boring and lifeless.
This is #day81 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... it's already the third album by Steeley Dan that I've got. Unfortunately, this one's my least favorite among the three. It's way too "dad rock" if you know what I mean. And I know, when reviewing Aja, I said I might be turning into a dad for liking it. But that album was different. Pretzel Logic offers nothing too offensive, but nothing too extraordinary to be willing to revisit it in the future either. It's a 2 out of 5 this time. Looking forward to #day82.
Ja, lässt sich hören.
not my thang
2.5-3/5
This was cheesy af... guess I had to be there but bruh...
not for me i think
i don’t CARE!!!!!! i just don’t give a CRAP about this stupid ass easy listening music. obviously it’s not bad but it’s just so boringgggg and cheesy my god. the guy’s voice is so fuckin goofy. whatever. grocery store/dentist’s office music.
Could be worse.. But could also be a whole lot better
Andrew Hickey (A History of Rock in 500 Songs) has this theory about songs that fade out as opposed to songs that end on the beat, as it were. The latter are favoured, he claims, by bands who intend to go out on the road with their music - fading out is an artifact of the studio, and clearly won’t work on a stage. The Beatles, for example (he says) favoured the abrupt halt until ‘66, when they stopped touring. This got me wondering how music may be changing today. We already know that songs are getting shorter, and tend to leap straight in, in media res, so to speak - both the consequence of streaming dynamic. Streaming, also, has eviscerated the recorded music industry (not, as was the case of every major change in the industry before then, where the money was redistributed but remained in the game - streaming is taking money out of the industry and putting not very much back in); touring hard and heavy (as opposed to Live Nation spectaculars) and live performances are increasingly the bread and butter of the recording artist. I wonder how this reality is shaping their output? Anyway. Pretzel Logic is supposed to be the halfway point between the gigging Steely Dan and the studio perfectionists Steely Dan. And, unsurprisingly, it’s neither fish nor flesh. Ricky… and Any Major Dude… are AOR classics. The rest of the album is…not fully formed ideas, I guess. A bit over thought through, and not to good effect.
Generic meh
I'll have to come back to this one because it's the second Steely Dan album I got in a row. Maybe I'm just Steely Danned out, but this one seemed to blend with the first I listened to, although the first one was better in my opinion. No specific notes on the songs themselves because I listened at work, but it was good enough to have me bobbing while working. Pretty meh though. Will update when I get around to listening to it again
Hadn't heard anything from this album other than Rikki Don't Lose That Number. Steely Dan is one of those bands where I'm content with the hits and don't feel a need to explore their deep cuts.
First couple tracks were bangers! Then it kind of fell off for me personally.
I’m preemptively giving this album a 2 without listening to it knowing full and well that the last Steely Dan album I listen to was a major letdown and a waste of my time.
Too sterile.
Need to revisit…. Unsure of….
Elismerem, de nem nekem szól.
Decent made it halfway.
again? goddamnit. this motherfucker on the cover selling pretzels has more grit in his pinky toe than these herbs have in their entire discography.
Definitely was not my cup of tea
Generic classic-rock.
I know I’ve heard music by Steely Dan before that I enjoyed more. This didn’t feel like their most interesting to me.
I do not need to listen to any more Steely Dan
Felt like a worse version of the beatles
Uneventful
Mehhhhhh - just really middle of the road dirgy - no thank you