Pretzel Logic

Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: Any Major Dude Will Tell Ya Date listened: 12/06/26 Listen when: Spring evening bike ride

Listening session: june 10th, while going for a walk Listened to before: no Thoughts: I’m not really familiar with Steely Dan apart from the famous hits, but this album surprised me with some songs. Some chord progressions and melodies were quite interesting to listen to Favourite tracks: Rikki Don’t Lose That Number, Any Major Dude Will Tell You & Parker’s Band

No creo que pueda superar "can´t buy a thrill", pero haga lo que haga suena bien. Se torna un poco aburrido en la mitad.

sounds fun

I feel like I should like this album more than I do. I generally really enjoy more complex, jazzy arrangements in rock music, but for whatever reason this just didn't click with me. I'll have to give a relisten sometime for sure.

Really nice album, took me a couple of listens but it's a definite yes from me. Soft rock with some lovely vocals and guitar work. Rikki, Night by Night, Major Dude and the last few tracks are all great. 3.5 rounded up.

Major Dude Vibes

Oh fuck yes this is it (fav song pretzel logic)

Mismatched and fairly antiquated

Steely Dan is such a vibe man. The production on this is not as silky smooth as it is on their other records, but I’m positive! And I say positive things. Closer to a 3 than a 5. Trans.

Great band. Lots of stuff going on but I enjoyed it.

Toujours bon du Steely Dan. Je réalise que l'air de Barrytown est quasiment identique à l'air de Tell me what you see (Beatles)

C'est don ben bon Steele Dan. Je pense toujours à mon cher Félix par ailleurs quand j'écoute "Rikki don't lose dans Number"

This was the third Steely Dan album I've listened to so far in this project, and I really don't see why we need more than one. Which is to say, it's fine but not special.

Unknown gem for me!

This was fine kinda a lot more genres packed in than I thought

Pleasantly surprised by this one, hadn’t heard of the artist before, some catchy songs in there, very listenable

me encantaaAa, el sonido, experimental y jazzero. no hay ni un skip

It’s not bad but I also don’t have much to say about it

I like some Steely Dan, and I like "Ricky Don't Lose That Number," but this album, I think this is the first time I heard this album in full. Overall, it fell flat to me. Maybe it's too much in the pocket. I either like the looser earlier stuff or the super refined later stuff. Not sure this is the one.

Очередной пик сильно выше моих ожиданий, точно буду переслушивать

Что то так понравились они после фильма пта со своим dirty work. Тут тоже очень приятный классный альбом.

звучит неплохо, но скорее 3.5

Me dio nostalgia de algo que no viví, difícil de explicar.

Very vibey, felt kind

To my count, this is exactly the fourth best album by the band and the fourth out of the four offered in the list, and while being one of their most fun and groovy record, it lacks the lush tapestry of sounds offered by their later discography as well as their initial two records. All of this to say that while 'Rikki Don't Lose My Number' is a bop, I could do without this record at the end of the day. 8/10 [DROP]

Its not Aja, but its still Steely Dan. 4/5

Nowhere near their best

Noice

Not sure why Steely Dan gets so much hate on this site. This is another very good album.

tiene algo que me gusta pero no me termina de convencer

Not my bag. Don't like this kind of quirky, instrumentally competent but unengaging Americana. Just totally out of sync with my sensibilities.

I just have no strong opinions about this album. It is inoffensive and bland. Not awful but so uninspiring.

Listened Before? N I'm not going to do what 900 other reviewers did and bash this album as "dad rock". All "dad rock" means is mainstream rock from the 70s, which is what it is... so sick burn, guys. Anyway, this one gets a solid 'meh' from me. It's skillfully made, sure, and some of the songs are classics (Rikki), and some are just fun (Any Major Dude).. but at the same time, some of it didn't age very well. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Any Major Dude Will Tell You

Gentle enough, nothing exceptional

This was entertaining to listen to. 4/5

I’ve heard the name Steely Dan, but they aren’t a group that I’ve been drawn to. I’m still not drawn to their music.

I am definitely a fan of Steely Dan, but I gravitate towards the latter output. The list has 4 SD records, including their first 3. IMO none of those are good enough for the list. Aja? Definitely. But where is The Royal Scam? Or Katy Lied? Both of those take the first three to the woodshed imo. A lot of filler on this one for me

A little too mellow for my taste, but the guitar is good, of course.

6+ / 10

Good good

Nice production. Also a nice collection of songs, but not any real hits.

Can’t really go wrong with Steely Dan.

Steely Dan is one of my favorite bands. I generally like all of their albums. This isnt necessarily my favorite, nor is it my favorite period of the band, but I can still appreciate this. Some of their best songs are on this album, but some lesser songs are there too.

It’s fine but not for me. TOP: Pretzel Logic, Parker’s Band

Pleasant dad rock.

very stable album, songs aren't necessarily good or bad

The music of my high school daze. The harmonies and instrument arrangements are superb. Mellow? Maybe, but I still love Rikki, and then the funk of Night by Night. The jazzy funkiness pop of it all flew me through two listens. I'll not be back for a third ..onward and upward

My review for Aja was "Not particularly exciting, but well played and produced." Same? Yup, same. Not rushing to turn it off, but would rather be listening to some Fleetwood Mac or Toto or Chicago or Hall & Oates...

I’ve never really been a fan of Steely Dan to be honest. Fav song is ‘Barrytown’.

Lovely instrumentation. The harmonies are quite nice. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo is fun!

Se siente entre un poco aristogatos y señor country de América central.

I have a like-dislike relationship with Steely Dan. My best friend in college loved them and played their music frequently and I mostly was annoyed by what I was hearing. At the time their music was very different from what I enjoyed, but my musical tastes have changed over the years. That being said, I've never sought them out and mostly don't mind when a song here and there plays. Initially I found myself kinda liking the record, but then a shift happened midway and I began to feel more annoyed. There was nothing specific about it other than the "yacht rock" of it that just couldn't sustain an album worth of songs. Even a pretty short album. There is talent there, but it's just a bit too slick for my tastes. The two songs that stood out were the singles, Rikki Don't Lose that Number and Pretzel Logic. The rest were fine.

Lots of hate for these boys and I kinda get it, era specific and locked. But goddamn it's clean.

Loved listing to this type of music when I went on my winter walks to the pretzel stand in Central Park.

Call me a steely Stan because I’m a steely dan fan

A fun steely dan album, and I like them, but there's better albums of theirs than this one. It was still good though, rikki don't lose that number is a classic.

This album is yet another of Steely Dan's condensed perfections, with a hit single hit to appease the slack-jawed masses and many delicacies for true Steely Dan enjoyers to savor. Each chord of Fagan's keyboard rings like the purest droplets of rain rippling the surface of a dirty street puddle where a character like Charlie Freak might meet their sarcastically comic end. The themes of drug abuse, racism, and xenophobia underscore the balanced fusion of jazz and rock on which Steely Dan built their brand, punctuated by their modern rendition of Duke Ellington's classic jazz composition in the middle of the album. The slimy and uninformed might dismiss this gem as another boring yacht rock album that only dads should enjoy, and those creatures are exactly the type who Fagan and Becker expected would find little appreciation for their music. Thus, their compositions are written and played to prime perfection, wrapped in lyrics that deal with the delicate and controversial themes that the unwashed masses seek to avoid because they aren't things featured in the words of their Daily News.

I thought it was going to be country and it wasn't. Yippee!!

Steely Dan, I always assumed they were a fool band. This is just a bunch of cool old rock songs. Great.

Definitely at the musically technical end of rock, even if it doesn't drift into prog. Ok to listen to on a first go.

Enjoyed this way more than I thought I would, since my last experiences with this band were lukewarm. It's not the greatest thing in the world, but definitely isn't one to avoid. Only thing preventing it from being a 4 or higher is that some songs didn't hit as hard as others. Highlights-Rikki, East St. Louis, Through With Buzz, With A Gun, and Charlie Freak.

The Good: Pretzels! The Bad: Not getting offered a beer… The Ugly: Trying to understand non-logical logic… Fuckers. Steely Dan… the band I always thought I had to hate… and now there isn’t a thing they did that I dislike. Nothing to add to this album that they haven’t proven themselves… pretzel logic is all about realizing that beer, at the end of the day, is awesome and the answer to many questions. Thanks Steely Dan for clarifying that drinking beer is good! 5*

Yeah I mean. Class.

Rly loved it

so thoroughly boring. not even interesting enough to merit a 1, which means there’s at least *something* going on. and what a blah ending! gonna be a nope from me dog

Le dernier album de steely dan j’étais passé à côté alors qu’il était très acclamé par la critique Là encore je me fais plutôt chier Ça pue le 2 : ce n’est pas sans intérêt mais je n’aime clairement pas. L’écoute n’est pas désagréable non plus. La voix du chanteur ne me fait rien et je trouve les musiques plates Hey j’aime bien east St Louis ! J’apprécie quand même la qualité générale de l’enregistrement, soulignée par les fans du groupe Pretzel Logic est bien Finalement sur la fin de l’album je me surprends à plutôt aimer les sons

first two tracks are premium Dan but I overall prefer them stranger, more nocturnal - very necessary record in their evolution as a band but not my favorite!

Boring. The very embodiment of bog standard American rock. It might hit differently if you are crossing the Badlands in an RV… but I am not.

Actually enjoyed this to begin with but over time this petered out as seemed to become blander as the album progressed. There are some nice licks thrown in at times, and the drumming is super solid; vocals a bit more shakey and in the end, turned into slightly more generic blues fare.

ganz ok but not rly memorable

3.8

Perfectly fine, but nothing special

It’s hard to put one Steely Dan album on this list without putting all of their 1970s albums on this list. My favorite is The Royal Scam. Or their Decade Of Steely Dan collection.

Absolute dull pish

I absolutely adore Steely Dan, and this is a top three album for me. Not a bad track on the whole thing. 5/5.

Oh cool, another final album! It's time for my final Steely Dan album of the project. I've grown to like this guys quite a bit, but unfortunately, I think we're ending on the weakest of the 4 albums of theirs on this list. Well, okay, I would say that that's unfortunate, if it weren't for the fact that Pretzel Logic is still really good. Yeah, this is only the weakest one by a bit. I still really like this. Not as much as an album like Aja, of course, but Pretzel Logic's still got some great songs on it. I mean, this thing opens with "Rikki Don't Lose That Number"! That song's awesome! "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" and the title track are also pretty great in their own rights. How could Pretzel Logic be the weakest of the bunch? Well, again, I don't like Pretzel Logic. I just like the other three albums of theirs on this list more. There are some songs on this album that don't excite me as much, especially on the latter half of the album, but it's all still a fairly good time. Fagen and Becker were still on top of their game around this time. Although, this is still in the realm of the band's "early days," so they're not quite at the peak of their studio mastery. But, at the end of the day, Pretzel Logic is another enjoyable entry in Steely Dan's discography. I like it. Decent 4/5.

Vibey

RATING: 4/5 this is just peak dad rock i don't know what to say, its good though honestly, i do enjoy the more jazzy sound on the instrumentals. FAV SONG: Rikki Don't Lose That Number, come on its just catchy i don't know what else to say. DURATION: 33m 52s, 11 songs DATE: 20/05/26

I can’t explain this but this album made me want to dance badly. Like, it made me want to dance, but when I did it was bad. So like, I guess that’s better than not wanting to dance, but I wish it had inspired good dancing. Does this make sense?

I’m a Dan fan

2.3/5 Nothing too amazing on this album but also nothing too bad. Easy listening.

Still the essence of Steely Dan after "Can't Buy a Thrill" but this one feel more slow. Still love SD!

Another winning LP from hi-fi’s favourite band. This is pretty flawless outside of the ragtime number at the end of side 1. I really enjoy Donald Fagen’s storytelling. Excellent drumming too.

It's good, but nothing too special. 2/5

This is a low 3, high 2 for me. I really enjoy Steely Dan's music, but based on how I've been rating other bands' albums, this one must be skewed down. I grew up on this music. It's in my blood, but it doesn't have that punch like some of the other Steely Dan albums do. I'm giving it a 3 because it hurts to give it a 2... (Literally, lyrics are going "Don't you think it was wrong? as I wrote that. Come on, universe. I'm trying...)

Okay

very fun enjoyable groovy album, steely dan is the man

Pre Listen: I've got a few Steely Dan songs on my playlist, so I have some familiarity with them. Growing up I never heard them, as my mother considers them her #1 pick for the worst band on earth. I didn't inherit that opinion, but we'll see. Notable Tracks: Rikki Don't Lose That Number - Absolute classic, catchy start to the album. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo - A classic blues styled song? On a 1974 album? And it sounds immaculate? Easy favorite track on this album. A cool little jive. May add to my playlist. Charlie Freak - Least favorite track on the album. While I respect trying out unique instruments in songs, Jingle Bells do not belong on anything other than Christmas music. I looked at the comments under this song and people were calling it a Christmas song, which comes off as a massive cope to me, considering nothing on the lyrics or theme is remotely holiday related. Post Listen: The A-Side of this album was much better than the B-side in my opinion. So much so I would rate the A and B side seperately, if I could. The instrumentation, lyrics, and flow work together for some real bangers through the first 5 tracks, but drop off steeply over the last 6. The vocals specifically become more slurred and intrusive over the last few tracks, to the point I wish some were instrumental instead. Perhaps it was a mixing issue, but some songs felt as though every instrument was working against each other to have the spotlight, fighting against the vocals which consistently held that spot. It wasn't an offensive album by any means, most tracks would service completely fine as good background music for any day-to-day moment. I would have given this album a 4/5, but the latter half bumped it down to a 3/5. Got me feeling *steely*.

Steely Dan mentioned!

Rikki Don’t Lose That Number got me out of bed. Going into this I knew nothing about Steely Dan or their music but I was pleasantly surprised. I got to listen to this album driving on a rare sunny day and it just made me feel good. I just felt good listening to these instrumentals and they often put a smile on my face. I added several tracks to my library and would like to listen to this again.

5 stars, really, for Any Major Dude but the whole thing is solid

Listened to on my Apple AirPods Max. Beyond a single listen years ago to 'Aja', perhaps Steely Dan's most famous album, and repeated listenings to 'Hey Nineteen', a song from them I adore, I don't have too-too much experience with Steely Dan, and their 1974 release Pretzel Logic doesn't really reshape what I came to expect from the band, but still delivered a good album of tunes that can be pretty diverse in terms of sound. See, I am familiar on the surface with a lot of Steely Dan's hits, and this album certainly starts out with a big one in 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number', and I am also aware of their reputation, which seems to be one of a sort of snobbery, like 'Oh you listen to Steely Dan. Pfft.' To a degree, I can see where the root of this may come from, in both their perfectionist studio style where only two members, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, are actually 'Steely Dan' with the rest of the instruments outsourced to session musicians, while also putting out music that, honestly, sounds that way. There's nothing to argue about the performances, which are very locked in, but the songs do kind of have this sense of a lack of grounding to a centralized idea. It's certainly an interesting idea, to have a band be more of a rotating group of people who serve a track specifically, but it removes some personality that could form from the tracks as a cohesive whole as well, which I think Fagen's lyricism doesn't really help either, which is about a whole load of things that doesn't feel like a whole load of much, outside of certain tracks (I'm not such a big fan of his voice either). Still, there is solid enjoyment to be gained from the listening of this album, which really started to warm up to me at 'East St. Louis Toodle-Oo', which perhaps highlights the strength of Steely Dan's variety the most--an instrumental track with this really whimsical vibe from the rhythm and the horns, overlayed with a guitar that has a really kooky kinda effect on it before switching off to a clean delivery, swapping to a plucky honky tonk piano and horn section before rounding back off in that wah wah guitar. Just a great track with a lot of personality, where the instruments get to speak for themselves. What follows is my personal favorite track of the album 'Parker's Band', which has such an infectious, upbeat fast paced rhythm that it was impossible for me not to groove along to it while listening. The album continues with the brief 'Through with Buzz' which was a really interesting pull/push flow to it with some great string instrumentation, and beyond that there are continued explorations into different vibes like the Western-feeling 'With a Gun'. Funnily enough, clicking on random tracks for refreshers to this album review has me really vibing to what I hear, and I think it kind of illustrates the success and failure of Steely Dan in Pretzel Logic. There's an endless supply of great performances on this album, and there is a good sense of exploration even in more typical sounding soft rock tracks, in the sense of chords played or rhythmic switch ups on drums, and it makes for great material on it's own. But in terms of serving a cohesive whole, an album, it's really hard to find the soul in there. It doesn't make it a bad album, but it's something that stops me from really immersing myself within the album, when so much of it feels interchangeable, whether it's the songs or the musicians themselves.

Dog in hot car music

Through With Buzz

It's more classic rock radio station fodder. It's not bad by any metric. Just kinda boring. If I was working in the garage and this came on I wouldn't be upset. I think it's better background music than to sit and listen to it.

Steely Dan is always great. So well crafted, great line up of musicians and lovely songs they were able to create here. There's one goofy ahh song in the middle but that doesn't really ruin my enjoyment of the album. Honestly kind of interchangable with other Steely Dan albums but I really enjoy all of them.

The one Steely Dan song most people would know without knowing it's Steely Dan. And I'm no exception. The music and the production are good, but I still have problems with Fagan's voice and some lyrics. My last Steely Dan record on this list, so I might be a bit generous.

So much is so good about this but in the end it still sometimes has a tinge of elevator music vibe at times.

Music is intrinsically linked to memory for me and this album really has a special spot in time for me. Rikki Don't Lose That Number got played alot by my mom when I was a kid so hearing it kick off the album immediately got my attention. I'm passingly familiar with Steely Dan so I had an idea of what to expect on this. It's a very jammy kind of record to me lots of really talented musicians throwing ideas at the wall and then constructing a lattice of sound together. A definite funk underline for the whole album but the jumps from jazzy to folk to rock to funk and back and forth made for a breezy album. Really hope there's more Steely Dan on the list even if they are kinda corny sounding sometimes.

Some bangers, couple skips

To me a child of the 70s Steely Dan represented that boring middle of the road. Not on a par with hated groups like Yes and ELP. Just background music not much going on. Like Rikkie probably from years of hearing it. The rest is OK with short to the point songs. Did I dislike it? No Did I like it? No A cert 3

A fun listen and l think that the album name also contributed a lot to my appreciation. I like pretzels

Always good vibes and a good time with Steely Dan

Banal city. The type of music Mike and Carol Brady would play to unwind after a long family day trip in the wood panelled station wagon.

A classic band I've never listened to before. It definitely sounded to me like 70s rock, understated, but with its own style (I particularly enjoyed the horns).

Good vibes, some are nice to hear , some are okay.

i like the mix of soul and rock but some songs just feel a little bit outdated

78/100. A solid pop rock record with plenty of jazz influence running through it. It does feel like a slight step down from their first two records, but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking. There are still some great songs here that make it an easy and enjoyable listen.

Thoughts before listening: Outside of Aja I've mainly been a greatest hits guy when it comes to Steely Dan. I know this is one of their more celebrated albums, but I don't know what's on it. I'm sure there will be some recognizable songs that fall in their typical niche of pleasant, jazzy light rock with strong instrumentation, technical prowess, and sharp lyricism. Review: Yeah I nailed the sound here...and I definitely recognize a number of these songs. It seems I know a few more of the deep cuts than I thought with "Night By Night", "Any Major Dude Will Tell You", and the title track being equally as recognizable to me as "Rikki Don't Lose That Number". There are some nice discoveries for me on this album: "Parkers Band" piqued my interest with it's more rock centered sound that still mixed the jazz elements with a nice horn solo, "With a Gun" which adds in a western shuffle vibe, and "Charlie Freak" that features a driving piano line that really draws me in. In general this album balances Steely Dan's rock and jazz sides very well, and is a consistently rewarding listen. 4-stars

very good instrumental writing and arranging and excellent performances. i have no earthly idea what the lyrics writer(s) were thinking and/or doing.

Pretty good album. Never listened to Steely Dan, so I didn't know what I was expecting. Barrytown and East St. Louis Toodle-oo were my stand outs. 6.8/10.

Steely Dan made some expertly crafted albums. Compared to some others on this list it's 5 stars. Compared to their own albums it's less. So holding it to the higher standard of something you need to have heard before you die, I would pick some of their other albums

Egentlig ok.

I wasn't sure how I felt about the first two songs, but Barrytown got me. I love the melody, lyrics and instruments. I think this gratefully impacts what I thought I would rate the album.

2/10 Not my favorite. Too slow

Pretzel Logic devoured, the dans are Steely indeed. As someone without any prior steely dan knowledge this one was fine! Nice, even! A lot of the guitar noodling I loved. That being said, at least when I compare it to the other 70s rock album I listened to (sheer heart attack) there's some kind of flavor missing from Steely Dan that Queen has in spades. Maybe it's just the difference in particular rock subgenres but, I found myself just kinda pleasantly nodding my head and going "yep! This is music!" for a lot of the songs on this record. There were still some standouts tho. Highlights: Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Night By Night (actually maybe my fave from the album), With A Gun. Maybe mr dan's other albums are more steely? This one was perfectly fine tho!

A fun bit of light rock, earnest and a bit dorky

MY GOATS FINALLY ARRIVED AFTER 100+ DAYS. The pioneers and masters of Jazz Rock. Basically every album is a 5 and this is no exception, that said pretzel logic is on the lower end of their discography. Standouts are Rikki don’t lose that number, Night by Night and Pretzel Logic. I gotta comment on the broader narrative of the discography, because Steely Dan’s 9 album run mainly follows through the eyes of an american man going through the years living mainly a life of excitement and debauchery and he clearly ages with each album, on their first (Can’t Buy a Thrill) he’s clearly young and barely out of school and by the time of Gaucho (the 7th album), his prime as long since past and doesn’t fully understand the current generation, Pretzel Logic is the 3rd album and fits in nicely as he seems to be a young adult to younger middle-aged man, while the album doesn’t clearly showcase the characters age, it shows the character is an adult thats living the fun city life, watching bands (parkers band), asking women out (rikki) and having a deep understanding of the city life while being between albums that clearly showcase age makes it fit nicely in the middle chronologically. Also noticed The Royal Scam AND Gaucho aren’t in the list, what the heck guys??

Yes, it’s suburban dad rock, but you can’t deny the talent of these guys.

I don’t like Steely Dan. This was boring. I didn’t know any songs. Early 70’s rock is one of my least favorite genres.

I think I’ve heard enough steely Dan, thanks

“night by night” is cool.

Δυνατό άλμπουμ με καλόγουστα drums. Προφανώς δεν μπορώ να τα αγνοήσω. Μου άρεσε ιδιαίτερα η 'σφιχτή' αίσθηση που είχε Night By Night

Wasn't expecting anything good from this album,but it proved me wrong. Steely Dan's ability to deliver more than expected remains unmatched as always

Yet another amazing Steely Dan album. Meticulously crafted. Amazing musicianship. The quality really shines through especially compared to current standards. A classic. Completely stands the test of time

Live long enough and you get to see everything go in and out of style. In the 90s, you could see Fleetwood Mac play country fairs. If you lived in a small American town. Now, they're every young person's favourite band. Unless the young person is cool. Then they like Steely Dan. Steely Dan are still a closed shop to me. Many acts are closed shops who don't want your custom. Bob Dylan, once hostile to his audience, has been coolly indifferent for most of his career. Steely Dan certainly channel some of Dylan's melodicism on Barrytown, but it is hard to tell if it is parody, tribute, or pure accident because the vocal delivery is so straight. Is there any affection there? Is there any affect at all? Regardless of how Dylan things of his audience, there is no doubt that he has affection for the process and the words. Elsewhere on the record, Fagen - to my surprise - sounds a little like Frank Zappa. And this is, perhaps, a more apt comparison. Zappa does have contempt for the audience and does want to dominate them with noodling. However, Zappa's sadistic glee is always apparent in his performance. He wants you know that he is expressing his sense of humour - which is not exactly the same thing as being funny. Whereas I not entirely sure that Steely Dan want to let on that they're being funny and clever. And that's the funny, clever thing. Exhausting. Without any energy being exerted by any member of the band. At least you get the impression that Zappa would beat you with a guitar lead, if he thought it would get a reaction. Steely Dan try to dominate through negging: you wouldn't get it; I'm not doing anything. I, for one, won't put up with that again. 1.5 Awful. Worthless songs, overdressed and overproduced. The singing is lifeless and the lyrics are something worse. It wouldn’t be so bad if there wasn’t a pervasive sense that the band think they are clever and/or funny. Steely Dan are shit and that’s as clever/funny as I feel like being after listening to Pretzel Logic again this morning. 1/5

I knew the song "Rikki" but not the rest. It's pretty mellow as far as 70s rock goes. They use harmonies that remind me of the Beegees a bit.

If the whole album packed the nostalgic punch of the opening track, I could see this maybe being thr first Steely Dan album to rise to 4 stars. But, the rest of thebalbum is largely less memorable and more self-indulgent. That, plus the fact that this is our 3rd Steely Dan album and I know we aren't getting through this without at least one or two more means this gets a 2.

Ear gouging music.

5/5

I can dig it.

Un rock simple, se disfruta, pero no tiene algo en particular que en este momento pueda destacar Pude entender que este álbum es una especie de comeback de un álbum que no fue para nada disfrutado También entiendo que tienes hits más sonidos así que veremos que viene adelante

Short and sweet. I generally enjoy Steely Dan and this album made washing dishes and making coffee in the morning more enjoyable. I figure that's enough to give it a four.

This band reminds me of my father. He was born in 1957, and he loved this kind of music.

It didn't knock my socks off, but it did make me want to wear dad shoes.

In comparison to the last two Steely Dan albums this was disappointing. Not bad but pretty lackluster nonetheless

Det er kort, og ok. Derfor nok bare ligegyldigt, men heldigvis kort...

Som alle de andre Stealy Dan albums: alt for pænt og kedeligt

Quite chill. not a lot of pure bangers, but altogether nice

Not bad, but I wouldn’t say great either. The instruments are vibrant, tight, and interesting, but nothing that makes me really want to listen again. With a Gun is good. I found everything else to sound too similar to the rest of the album to stand out to me. Something I would put on in the car driving around with an old guy or my grandpa. P.S. I have heard so much hate about how boring this album is that my 2 or 3 rating might just be influence rather than my actual opinion, but likely not. Definitely nothing wrong with it, just a little shallow.

Haven’t listened to this album before but I really like steely Dan so this was pleasant. Would definitely listen to it again.

Fun album

A lot of fun for sure, I like the jazzier bits here

Enjoyed this one. Dunno if it was the weather coupled with the yacht rock stylings, but it just worked for me today. Nothing too exciting, but really good despite not being anything more than what it was.

It is a classic album and is good top to bottom. That being said, it’s pretty same-y throughout and sounds like a lot of other albums from the time.

I mean. It’s all so perfect. I don’t have any thoughts on how they could improve any of the tracks on this album!

3.5 - not my favorite album…but still Steely Dan

I love them but this is not my favorite album. 3

Washed over me nicely enough, but nothing really to latch on to 2.5

Lots of interesting rhythms and harmonies. So why does it all feel so...vanilla

any major dude will tell you is a JAM it's very hard to dislike these guys, but im not totally head over heels either. it's very very well performed and an surprisingly easy listen, just not terribly memorable outside of a handful of great catchy tracks

I am not the biggest Steely Dan fan, but I usually enjoy their music enough. However, this album did next to nothing for me. It really just sounds like they were going through the motion, nothing here stood out either in a good or bad way. Mid 3.

Didn't really engage me

This is a classic. Along with all Steely Dan albums. Great song writing & amazing musicianship.

One of the best of all time. I love steely dan

Rikki Don't Lose That Number

This one was gorgeous. I already knew and liked steely dan but I never focused on the band. this was a true win

This album is fine, nothing remarkable either way. I am perhaps poisoned by the passage of time, but it sounds like a bar band doing a pretty good job singing songs I'm not familiar with. Not sure why its on the list.

me lembrou muito a banda "america", apesar de ser mais rock. conheço pouco bandas de rock americano dos anos 70, então todas são meio parecidas pra mim.

Wow. I've heard Rikki before but none of the rest of this album. It's not 100% my taste, but it's undeniably excellently written, produced, mixed, and recorded. I have a newfound respect for Steely Dan.

Faultless! by this time Becker and Fagen had already started to dissolve the original band and use session musicians in the studio, the original members were used for some parts but the die was cast for the future. The opener, Rikki, is one of the most iconic and successful SD singles, but this is a great album all round, Any Major Dude and Barrytown are highlights for me and East St Louis Toodle-oo and Parker's Band both give a sizeable nod to classic jazz.

7/10

No skips. Excellent. One of their best. Superb guitar work. Includes a Duke Ellington tune. You owe yourself a listen.

I really like the arrangements and everyones playing their hearts out.

3.5, with a reserved right to change to a 4 later

Good album with nice vibes.

Not the strongest release from Steely Dan, but a solid dad rock album.

Steely Dan is the GOAT. He was sampled by De La Soul

Steely Dan sounds like a parody of dad rock; and not even a good one! Lyrics are just cliches and complaining with a set of power chords being repeated. I really don’t get it.

I gave this album the ol East St. Louis Toodle-Oo

Steely Dan is a band that I kinda enjoy but each album I don’t find any stand-out thing to point at when trying to figure out my level of enjoyment

STEELY DAN STEELY DAN STEELY DAN

Rikki be really losing that number just to eat pretzels. SD has better albums, still good

Groovy and pleasant. Dad music to the max.

(6 estrellas)

Subversive is the best one-word description of this band, and this album contains many examples. Not my favorite of their many great albums, but still very good. Made at the peak of their time when they were actually a performing band and not just a recording project of the songwriters. The two guitar players are insane. Denny Dias is the best guitar player no one never heard of before or since - and that it not hyperbole, just truth - and Skunk Baxter, beyond being the primary visual inspiration for Spinal Tap's Derek Smalls, and before his run with the Doobies, is downright nuts. But where two guitars often turns into a pissing contest, these guys are always tasteful and never too indulgent, which is consistent with this tightly arranged and not too long album. Night By Night is one of the great album tracks you never heard before. I love this song so much. Killer groove. It's so dark and and bleak and lonely. Lyrics so cynical, they actually warm the heart in these uncertain times. "I'm cashing in this ten-cent life for another one." One of several great dystopia tunes Dan has in their songbook. Also has one of my best misheard lyrics. Easily for a good twenty or thirty years I thought the first line is "It's a Vegas lie, said the Queen of Spades," but actually he's singing "It's a beggar's life, said the Queen of Spain." Haha! Literally for decades I would wrongfully sing along, and it was only when I taught myself the song many, many, many years later that I discovered my error. Hahahaha! But I always understood and just totally love the line "When the dawn patrol's got to tell you twice, they're gonna do it with a shotgun." Chilling. Another thing Steely Dan can be relied on is incredibly oblique lyrics about relationships. Rikki, Don't Lose That Number. Any Major Dude. These songs make you feel like you're walking into the middle of a conversation. They are more concerned with painting pictures than telling stories and you'll never really get what they're singing about, but you get them in another, nonliteral way. Barrytown is more straightforward. I guess you can call it a town-and-gown tune, from their Bard days, when I understand that Chevy Chase was their drummer. Followed by a delightfully faithful rendition of Duke Ellington's East St Louis Toodleoo. Duke died only a few months after this record came out...did he ever hear it? Is this what killed him? And did you notice the outrageous guitars on this track? I mean, the note-for-note recreation of the plunger mute trombone solo from the 1927 original, but with a wah-wah pedal...incredible. Go listen to the original recording and then listen to this again. An amazing tribute. That's just one of many jazz references on this album. The first groove the album opens with, on Rikki, Don't Lose That Number, is lifted directly from Horace Silver's Song For My Father. Same key and everything. Later on, they have a tune about be-bop, Parker's Band. And again, sick guitar. The lyrics are mostly twists of be-bop song titles. Mostly. They can't help themselves with the bridge's "We will spend a Dizzy weekend smacked into a trance." And they do mean smack, like heroin. For if these guys loved anything in this world more than jazz, and end times, it was heroin. They have so many songs about shooting it, snorting it, even smoking it, the narcs would have arrested them if they paid attention to their lyrics. Again with the subversive thing! But even they realized they needed to rein it in because the very next song, they're singing about being "Through With Buzz" ("he takes all my money..."). And the cautionary tale of Charlie Freak, complete with haunting sleigh bells, driving piano and guitars that sound like violins. Creates a mood. And we didn't even get into photo that is the album cover. And people call this yacht rock. That's one fucked up yacht, is all I'm saying. Superficially, it's slick to the point of boring. I guess that's the yacht. But peel back a layer and it's teeming. Hence subversive.

Steely Dan is one of those artists that this project really should have considered breaking their no-compilation/best-of-album rule, even if it means losing the chance to hear the hits in their natural habitat, and conversely to hear rarities and back-catalog songs altogether. I've enjoyed listening to Steely Dan over the years, and I appreciate hearing a lot of this album for the first time (pretty much everything except the opening "Rikki don't lose that number"), but I remain unconvinced that we needed to hear four Steely Dan albums and a bonus Donald Fagen album before we collectively die. That said, I kind of wonder if *this* should have been the lone Steely Dan album--it's very solid and consistent, and while it would be a shame to miss out on some of their big hits on the other albums, this one seems like they found their groove and sound (with the exception perhaps of the vaudeville version of Duke Ellington's "East St. Louis toodle-oo").

This album is new to me, and I listened a few times and, as with most Steely Dan, really need to listen to it a few more times to wrap my head around it (damn pretzel logic!). Their blend of devastating lyrics and smooth, effortless-sounding, music makes it too easy to miss how good this album is. Need to listen some more!

Vähän ehkä menevämpää Steely Dania, mutta kyllä tässä on niitä samoja chill elementtejä ja vekkuli soundeja mikä on hyvää Steely Danissa. Mut ei BONGOJA! Hyvä levy, mutta ei paras Steely Dan. Parhaat: Night By Night, With A Gun

Мастеринг альбома - отличный. Содержимое - на троечку. Этакий легкий рок ни о чём на заднем дворе

2/5 Naja.

Great album, bunch of hits. Classic rock but lounge style.

21/04/26 jojo reference, bom meio rock de tiozão, mas melhor que deep purple por exemplo os solos aqui tbm são realmente superiores a voz do cara é agradável, a sonoridade tbm é um rock de tiozão calmo sunny day de um jeito bom o vocalista tbm parece mudar esse solo do gaita fire fire omg Duke Ellington no blues a fusão rock blues desse álbum é foda assim, a sonoridade do projeto é semelhante. só que não incomoda, porque ela é compacta (só tem uma música com mais de 3 min), bem explorada com solo, instrumentos diferentes e mudança de vocalista. rock de tiozão anos 80 sunny day de uma maneira ótima, meio esperançoso e reflexivo também não deveria ter subestimado esse pela capa 4/5 / 8/10

🥨🥨🥨🥨🥨🥨🥨🥨🥨🥨🥨!!!!!!!!!+

Yacht rock at its finest! Great album.

Really homely atmosphere, warm. Beautiful ritm and vibes. Every song tells a story. Fun but not amazing.

This is a weaker entry especially on the back half, but still a really wonderful listen. Any major dude into Barrytown is such a great little run.

Probably my least favorite of their first seven albums. That said it still rips. Kudos to the Dan for not turning East St. Louis Toodle-Oo into an interminable 35 noodle noise odyssey that some of their contemporaries would have done. Thank you generator for sending Steely Dan as the first album of fatherhood. Well done.

People will call this dad rock (derogatory), but there's fun solos, harmonies, and ensembles here. Not their best, but Steely Dan deserves more praise. (3.5)

This was alright.

I’m sure it’s a good album if you like Steely Dan, but I don’t.

Any Major Dude Will Tell You that this album rules.

Enjoyable album

Solid 3 or maybe 4? Let’s make it 4

Many spots of absolute brilliance, with some streaks of cheese mixed in

The distinctive bass and piano on Rikki Don't Lose That Number form a nice backbone, with a memorable chorus and good solo. I like Night By Night even more, a similar stop-start rhythm to the riffing and nice backing melodies and effects. Any Major Dude has a breezy guitar lick that makes the song. Barrytown is another highlight - melodic in what I think of as a 60s way. Then we get a quirky ragtime-inspired instrumental. This is starting to be a trip through different times and places, but it all comes together in a cohesive way. I like the strings on Through With Buzz, and the title track is excellent, pure blues rock with driving melodic bass and maybe the best solos on the album. Charlie Freak is kind of brilliant also. There's something effortlessly cool about this. I like the clear, clean production too. I'm between **** and ***** but rounding up because I keep wanting to go back and listen to this.

Great start to the record with Rikki Don’t Lose That Number and Night by Night. Everyone after that sort of sounds the same and I got a little bored. Nothing special but certainly not the worst thing I’ve heard

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

Rikki Don’t Lose That Number // Barrytown //

i just listened to all the music thats ever been. my favorite was a song a little girl sang to her cat in greece in 1286. my second favorite was from a ceremonial performance in modern day ethiopia, from 22000 bc. i also liked STEELY DAN.

The last album Steely Dan made whilst still a touring band is a collection of concise tunes with a greater pop sensibility than their two previous efforts. It contains their biggest billboard hit (Ricky don't lose that number), their first album title track and their first and only cover and instrumental (East St. Louis doodle-oo). It is an eclectic and quirky mix, and a number of the songs are from Walter and Donald's writing before the band was formed. Not my favourite album of theirs but still totally magnificent stuff - 'every major dude will tell you' is a phenomenal piece of work.

Four Steely Dan albums is at least 2 too many. This is just dull

average steely dan epic moment but not as good as a few of their other albums

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.

This list actually makes me look forward to listening to a Steely Dan album. Is this what being old feels like? If that wasn’t enough, this album art would be enough to make me want to listen to this album. I find Steely Dan to be very odd because I don’t know how to categorize them. It’s like “elevator dad rock” but I love it because it’s so unique.

the punk part of my brain says i should hate steely dan. but a band named after a sexual torture device from a william burroughs novel has some pretty punk notes. and i do love me some steely dan

Awesome. Steely Dan's first great album.

I have not started listening to this at all but the name and album cover make me want to learn more. Inter-rest-ing. Also what is it with every music head saying that every masterpiece of an album is just a bunch of sweaty white dudes who probably got bullied in middle school(also known as a band). Pretty chill but also did not finish the entire thing

Nöd so uf passt aber glaubs nöd so schlecht gsi

Raro.pasable, por ahí yo no lo entendí del todo

👌🏻 choice

I guess you can only resist Steely Dan for so long

I think Claude could write this in 2030. Very apple-cheeked.

I may have a new-found appreciation for this band.

I want to like Steely Dan more, but Fagen’s voice is so fucking annoying.

🤓

I liked rikki dont lose that number and any major dude will tell you

Solid listen. Not my favorite by Steely Dan, but very good.

A 2 that became a begrudging 3. I’ve always been kind of irritated by Steely Dan even if I know the hits. The overall sound is just too smooth to me while I also find the vocals grating. But they can clearly write some good songs… and like some others, I actually found more to appreciate on the second side with songs like “With a Gun.” I read more about them and some of their gnarlier lyrics… and I find it hard to hate a band that lets their freak flag fly. Not for me, but I feel like I get what makes people fans of them a little bit better than I did before.

sure!

A nice little album. Kind of short and sweet. Plain vocals, with some great harmonies tossed in. Some nice variety between tracks. And the instrumentation on a couple songs was really cool. All in all, an inoffensive classic light rock experience.

Blah blah blah ... don't get the love for Steely Dan. Forgettable 70s soft dad rock jazz pop, very hard to love it or loathe it. 3 stars

Steely Dan sounds like a parody of Steely Dan. It’s nice, solid music, but rarely does it excite me. I know “audiophiles” go gaga over them, but I don’t listen to music to bask in the fidelity of it.

Nice harmonics

I liked this more than I expected to - there's jazzy elements, and it's got a 70s feel but isn't repetitive. Enjoyed it.

Enjoyed this one. Not as hard as Led Zeppelin but similar 70s vibe, only softer and more listenable

I enjoyed this album from Steely Dan! This was a great rock album with jazz, blues, and pop influences which added flavor and uniqueness to the album. Overall, I had a good time listening to this album and I would check it out again in the future!

Þeir eru oft fínir, en ég tengi ekkert sérstaklega við þessa plötu. Upphafslagið er kannski þeirra stærsti smellur, en það er ekkert voðalega skemmtilegt. Fer ekki niður fyrir þristinn samt.

Gran para estar depre y viajar

The logic of the pretzel. Mmm yes

A few weeks ago, I wouldn’t have considered myself a Steely Dan fan. Between this and Aja though? It’s tough. They’re good! Still not my personal favorite, but they’ve really grown on me.

Summery vibes - nice listen. Some good riffs

Decent and fun!

No Guitar Hero tunes on thus one

I love the Dan but not their best album bar some highlights like Ricky and Dude

I liked this overall. I enjoyed the first few songs in particular. There were some pretty random ones sprinkled in throughout but I think they are interesting to listen to.

ornate

This was okay, was expecting better, all the songs have a somewhat similar sound/feel.

Had Steely Dan last week, same reaction - at least this time they're not pretending to be freaky shit

Not my fave Steely Dan, but any major dude will tell you that this still rocks

Album #66, Steely Dan, Pretzel Logic, ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The only Steely Dan album I know is Can’t Buy a Thrill, which I like. And, as an Irish man, I have a nostalgic love for Reelin’ in the Years. If you know, you know. So this being my second Steely Dan album, I really like it. It’s a strong four, but I think there’s a lot more to discover here. It feels like one that will really open up on repeat listens. It’s a rare band that can move through so many different styles and still sound completely like themselves. They go through country, soul, blues, funk, rock, all these different styles, but it always sounds like Steely Dan. It actually reminds of Rain Dogs by Tom Waits in that way. The guitar work is phenomenal. The licks, the riffs, the solos, the intricacies, it’s all just so, so good. It’s quite an eccentric album, and maybe a bit too eccentric in places. I think especially in the second half it loses me a little bit. But again, it feels like a repeat listen album. I love how short it is as well. It packs a lot into about 33 minutes, and I really appreciate that. Favourite track is Rikki Don’t Lose That Number. I know it’s their big hit, so may be a bit of a basic choice, but it’s just such a great, catchy song. The chord progressions are brilliant. Final note, having just reviewed Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Steely Dans harmonies are better. I think they are an underrated band.

I had never heard this record. I actually like it more than the more popular records

7/10

Pretty good but nothing really stood out. Happily have it on in the background again.

They are all 5 Stars, aren’t they? 😁

THE playlist to draw&dance

Ugh. I don't like Steely Dan. And I recognize a few of the songs on this by title, and already know them to be insidious earworms. I'm not looking forward to this. It's always so frustrating knowing that Steely Dan are notorious for using studio musicians because they felt that the band members weren't good enough to render their parts... meanwhile Donald Fagen is just a _terrible_ singer. The best part of this album is that it's pretty short.

Good album! Smart lyrics that do not make the listener feel stupid if they do not get the meaning. The music is mellow and easy to listen to.

Sorry John

i only remember the hits

This was incredible. Have always loved Steely Dan. Many classics here.

These dudes refuse to make a bad one.

I sincerely doubt I'm going to be able to make myself give any Steely Dan album less than a 5.

First time listen Love Steely Dan. This is a great album but it definitely isn't as great as some of their other stuff like Gaucho and Aja. Production is top notch as always. Favorite Tracks: Night By Night, Parker's Band, Charlie Freak Least favorite: East St. Louis Toodle-ooo 4/5

Nope, still don’t get the hype

Always heared about them, but never actually listened to them beforehand. I don't know what kind of music they play, but this is kind of music that I like.

surprisingly fun and groovy!

An album with good musicianship, easy to listen, but that rewards more attentive listening. The opening track is a bit too pop, but interesting with it's usage of an Horace Silver's base. I like the cover of one of Ellington's most famous compositions. Favourite track: "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo"

muy fab

Smooth and velvety at times jammy

Not sure how to place the style/genre of this album. It had a jazzy/funk feel, but also an edgy indie vibe. I listened to it while running, and I’m not sure when I would listen again on the pure basis that it doesn’t fit into a listening setting. I didn’t love nor dislike any of the songs. I liked the instrumentals but wasn’t a huge fan of the vocals. 7/10

Really enjoyed this, very chill and great vibes overall.

I kinda feel like it is technically insanely good, but still, something misses... Feeling

I went on a Steely binge a few years ago and I knew that this was not one worth coming back to, at all. You can make an excuse for Countdown to Ecstacy I guess, but this was especially bland by their standards. Title track was the best song.

no me encanta. Siento que tiene elementos de los Beatles y algo que me recuerda a Elton John. Creo que hay canciones que fácilmente pueden estar en una película, si es que no lo están ya.

Apparently there are several more Steely Dan albums waiting for me on this list. I never could get into them, mostly for how they seamlessly blended the 2 most irritating tropes of the 70s and early 80s pop scene - languid adult contemporary melodies and cool, smooth jazz. The result is an overly preppy, self-centered sound that reminds me of sleazy businessmen and plain ordinary suburbanites. Of course, the Dan has a couple of songs I like here and there, but they're on Can't Buy a Thrill and Aja. This one, at a crossroads between those 2 albums - one came before and the other after - Steely Dan can't quite seem to consolidate their sound, and though songs like the title track and "Charlie Freak" show some promise, the rest is too middle-of-the-road to be memorable. I think the previous 2 albums could definitely be included on this list (and I have no doubt they will be) but I'm not sure why they would include this one as well and not something with a better critical assessment, like Gaucho or Royal Scam. I'm also not sure why certain artists like these guys, Costello, Dylan or even Bowie need to have this many releases represented... Key Tracks: Night by Night, East St. Louis Toodle-Oo, Charlie Freak

strong 3.5

Overall I like the vibe. A few songs were pretty fun. Liked Barrytown and With a Gun.

Good band but pretty average from them

solid

Album starts on a heater! Super sleazy 70's funk thru those first 3 tracks, kinda cools in the middle and then picks it back up towards the end. Not a fan of the song they choose to end with either, not bad I just prefer to be left wanting more and this song didn't do that. They didn't seem to "jam" these out as much as the previous albums, overall it is a fun album worthy of your time.

Cute. Fun. I liked it

Major heat. Pleasantly suprised

fun! not my fave of theirs, but a solid album

8,50/10 Muy buen album, me gustó. Alegre y movedizo, me hizo acordar bastante a Bee, siento que varios temas pegarían muy bien con la película. Buena instrumental que acompaña la voz sin opacarla

Caveat: I grew up listening to Steely Dan and I still love 'em. Pretzel Logic is fab, a precursor to the sound that would emerge as Aja. The musicianship and arrangements are top notch. I could listen to this almost daily without tiring of it.

Wonderful, beautiful, easy listening album. It definitely deserves its spot on this list. It's an album everyone should hear at least once and pairs great with the smells of pines on the summer air and campfire smoke, the feel of cold water and the heat of UV rays reflecting off sunscreened skin, and the taste of watermelon and cheap light beer. 9/10, it's Steely Dan.

I like a bit of Steely Dan - as a child, these were the songs that played in the background on the radio so they instantly transport me to simpler times. I like their rich, smooth sound, it’s just… nice. Is this an essential album? Not sure. To be honest, I’d be happy with a best of.

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.

Very good rock album. Nothing really stands out too much about it, but I enjoyed it and it was very well put together.

Cool Jazz dads unite!

Incredibly strong out of the gate with the first four tracks (plus pretzel logic later). Too much mid to be five stars.

Nope. Not a Steely Dan fan.

I’ve got this album at home! :-) Lovely music...

Love steely dan so. What else then 5

Immaculate but way too tied to Baby Boomer culture

Second Steely Dan album on the list. First one underwhelmed me — overproduced and musically uninteresting. This one shines with diversity. Every track has a unique spin. 'East St. Louis' completely blew my mind on first listen. What's remarkable: from 1974 but sounds like 80s — must have been quite revolutionary for its time. However, on second listen it already wore off. The 'great' factor isn't as captivating anymore. Not quite the heavy rotation material I thought after first listen. Still solid, but loses impact on replay.

Steely Dan always lands in the good not great territory for me. It’s obviously competently executed, and the production is top notch, but the songs lack something I’ve never been able to define.

Enjoyed this! Better than Countdown to Ecstasy, although it got me listening to that again and I might have to adjust my score for that… Very interesting songs, enjoyable vocals, not too long. Good stuff.

Classic. Short and sweet. Every song is great 5/5 pretzels 🥨🥨🥨🥨🥨

It’s just all a bit twee. ‘East St. Louis Toodle-Oo’ had promise but quickly descended into meh. I di enjoy the piano bit though.

Not my favourite Steely Dan album, but this is a solid effort that starts strongly with both the classic “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” and a great follow up with “Night By Night”. The middle section (basically from the bizarre “East St Louis Toodle-Oo”, which feels like it’s out of place on this album) has the wheels off a bit, but by the time you hit the title track you feel back on the right path. Overall, the album isn’t as interesting as what they’d do with Aja a couple of years later, and falls a little flat at times. This is very much a 3 and a half star album for me, but I don’t feel it is strong enough overall for 4*.

Another band plucked from my parent's record collection. I like the stacked backing vocals. I like the brass. I like the piano. In places the vocals made me think of Rod Stewart for some reason. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo feels like a completely out of place cover (although I liked it). I think as a whole I enjoyed it, but it didn't set my world alight. Another 2.5/5 if I could half star it, but as I can't: 3/5

Pretzel monies

its steely dan, cant go wrong

Fun