Reviews (page 5 of 14)
Steely Dan in my opinion is something for weird uncles
pretty aight
regrese, mi comeback btw me gustaria q me pusieran mas musica de mujeres pagina escuchame porfa :'p track 1: me gusta el intro ya con eso m compro, me encanta la parte instrumental y la tranquilidad q transmite ?? pero no soy muy fan de la voz del vocalista llore, el piano me recuerda de alguna extraña manera al bossa nova. track 2: muejeje me gusta la guitarra en el fondo muejejej, el precoro slayy, sigo resaltando la guitarra carrea la cancion muchas gracias, aca si me gusta la voz del vocalista, tmb me gusta cmo suena la trompeta, el solo de la guitarra gracias por el desayuno, naiiii bai naiiii. best one i think uwu track 3: no soy muy fanatica de las canciones ¿lentas? ns ok, vuelvo y le echo flores al de la guitarra, when the demon is at your door, in the morning it wont be downn nooo moreee, you can run but you cant hide whats inside of you, no le tenia tanta fe a que me gustara pero si me gusto, no era tan lenta como pense. track 4: 1:47 min, me recuerda a las canciones de las romcoms, buen bridge. track 5: uAuauaUAUuaauuauUauAUuau, me gusta demasiado el inicio, ns me acuerda a bob esponja, no me cansaré de hablar del guitarrista, jazz y swing, funciona cmo interlude me encantaaaa, pinche cancion espectacular. track 6: CON AUDIFONOSS AAA, increible q sean 2 bateristas, puaah puaah soy la guitarra ok track 7: q era ese maravilloso intro, EL VIOLIN DIOSAKOLSKALMKALNK ame ame, AAA SUENA PRECIOSO, maybee hes a fairyyy track 8: bingo para el del bajo, sin bajo y piano no funciona, EL SOLO ???, ou yeeh, no tengo nada mas para decir q no haya dicho anteriormente este album es increible wtf, LA PARTE INSTRUMENTAL FINAL AAAAAAAA. track 9: ya me gusta la voz del vocalista no habia dicho eso, with a gunn track 10: q es lo q suena en el coro q me encanta, es una armonica ??, NO ES UNA ARMONICA ES UNA GUITARRA, LAS CAMPANASS ???, is this christmas, the piano brings dramaaa to the christmas table. track 11: y me caso con el guitarrista ok, I FEEL THE MONKEEYY IN YOUR SOUULLL, el guitarrista carrea el album uwu mezclaron en este album hasta lo q no tenian (en el buen sentido) me gusta cuando hay 2 voces shout out al guitarrista again metian todos los instrumentos existentes y si no se los inventaban la vdd no puedo creer q este album sea de los 70s ya habia dicho esto en otras reseñas pero me gusta mucho cuando el nivel instrumental y vocal es completamente parejo ACABO DE DESCUBRIR Q SOLO SON 2 PERSONAS ???? que amo las mentes creativas la vdd no crei q me fuera a gustar tanto
A somewhat of a Steely Dan hater (purely to antagonize Luke), I was grooving and jamming to the album. Listening to the whole thing all the way through was too much for me though tbh. Also I've hear all of these songs separately at some point because Luke is a certified member of the Dandom. Great album name. Luke don't read this!
another shout out to king jerry for this one!! he played steely dan all the time, though mostly their album aja. i think this is the first time ive listened to this full album but god DAMN it’s great. not one skippable song imho. it’s innovative it’s fun it makes me want to hit the grill idk but i loved it so so much old faves: rikki don’t lose that number pretzel logic new faves: night by night barrytown!!!!
Very easy listenin, and it turns out my mom is a big fan of Rikki Don't Lose That Number Favorites: Any Major Dude Will Tell You
Won’t be listening to this again
Sort it out Dan
Good vibes
Tied myself in knots trying to justify a higher score.
Have discovered via this project that I LOVE Steely Dan lol - also weird that of 1089 albums i’ve got two Steely Dan in the first 20! This was fun but not quite as good as Aja for me. Please 1001albumgenerator gods save me some Steely Dan for later
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
Pretzel Logic is an interesting mix of rock with jazz and pop influences. The sound of the album is fluid and interesting, ranging from instrumentals such as "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo" to the atmospheric basses and piano riffs of "Rikki Don't Lose That Number". Vocals are strong and enjoyable, and reinforced by appropriate instrumentation.
yes i like
Great album! Some songs I would skip but overall great
Great album. Probably a four star record for me that gets bumped up by the strength of the singles.
J'aime bien. Mais l'album ne pas autant transporté que ça.
Love steely dan
I had not heard this Steely Dan album; it was great. I have really come to appreciate them this past year.
The entirety of MAGA.
definitely has the nostalgia feel of dad rock from the 90s that you heard in the background of all of your Boys and Girls Club basketball games. The harmonies are nice and it is perfectly unoffensive
I’ll preface this by saying that I’m partial to Steely Dan as it’s one of the primary bands my father in law played in the house while my wife was a kid. They tend to get dismissed as ground zero of cheesy dad rock but I actually think there’s so much to admire in their work. Donald Fagen was a master of jazzy keyboard harmonies turned into rock structure, and most of their compositions are so lushly and interestingly orchestrated (and sound great on record through nice speakers). Starts with an absolute classic and doesn’t lose too much steam by the end.
Steely Dan never transcends to the heights of nostalgic now-dad-rock that some people seem to love, nor do they slip to the grating lows of boring-dad-rock so many seem to hate. Totally fine. Never unhappy to hear this come on in the background, but would never seek it out either.
very good I liked it a lot more than expected! I liked the jazzy aspect and its very fresh sounds 8/10
I really really tried but simply cannot like this band
I only liked one song on this album; East St Louie Toodle-oo- other than that just standard songs.
I don't even know how they made this so cheesy and boring when the underlying music is so good
Steely Dan? more like Really Dan g bad
Hadn’t listened to Steely Dan in years. It was good to hear his voice again.
i quite liked it tbh
3/5 Rikki Don’t Lose That Number Night by Night Any Major Dude Will Tell You With a Gun
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
I don't know why, but I've never gotten in to Steely Dan. I've got nothing against them, really, they just come off as boring to me. Listening to this, I can get that they're gifted musicians and song writers. Still does nothing for me, though.
Yep its Steely Dan ... didn't love it ... didn't hate it!
5 stars, smashing!
Honestly, it’s a perfect choice for today again. Only yacht-rock can gently fondle my ears after a sleepless night. I love yacht-rock and Steely Dan sooo much. I’ve listened to Rikki Don’t Lose That Number over 10 times since 2019. And probably never listened to other songs from this album. Time to fix it. I really want to write a big text about the album or Steely Dan in general, but I’m tired af. So, it has been postponed until their next album, glad we have 4 of them on the list. Only one thing I can say, the album disappointed me. I hoped to add a lot of songs to my playlist, but no. It’s a small catch. There’s almost no fish in this album for me. 3/5 —————————————— Liked: — Rikki Don't Lose That Number — With A Gun
Nieuw. Niet mijn stijl maar interessant
I do love these pleasant jazzy tunes, the nostalgia is raging from my days living in Georgia but I still like it now.
Great find. Hadn’t listened to Steely Dan before and am glad I discovered this along with Can’t Buy a Thrill. Will be in the rotation going forward.
Not my favorite Steely Dan album, but it's alright.
Lots of good sounds!
Great sneaky funkiness.
It’s a pretty chill but lowkey make you want to move your shoulder type of album. Surprisingly I liked it, added a few songs to my playlists.
From my favorites
Hyvä klassikko tämäkin.
Fun rhythms, great 70s harmonies and some supremely catchy hooks. 4/5
No cóż… kolejna płyta, która nie jest zła, ale nie ma w sobie nic wyjątkowego. Taki soft-rock, z lekkim może folkowym narzutem. Spokojne, czasem kojące, częściej nudne. 6/10
Call me a Steely Fan because I am a fan of Steely Dan
Steely Dan fazendo o que Steely Dan faz, não tem mistério. Melodias sensacionais intricadamente construídas com um apreço audiófilo imenso. Claro que toda a limpeza cirúrgica desse som não é do agrado de todos, mas certamente é do meu agrado. Os refrões memoráveis com aquelas lambidas de Jazz, é um som hiper-específico que só eles conseguem arquitetar. Produção fantástica, semigual, pureza sonora inegável. É notável que cada uma dessas faixas levou centenas de horas de esforço e trabalho. Acredito que esse seja meu disco favorito do grupo, mas é uma escolha difícil, visto que eu gosto de quase todos. Todo instrumento é magistralmente tocado aqui, e toda canção é composta de maneira tão linda. Claro que a voz de Fagen não é uma das melhores do Rock. Mas o que falta na capacidade vocal dele ele mais que compensa com melodias e harmonias lindas e viciantes. Combinando isso com as instrumentalizações impecáveis que o grupo produz, você tem um disco objetivamente bom, especialmente para audiófilos. Aí a única coisa que falta é você gostar ou não desse estilo meio sleazy, jazzy, yacht-rock. Não é pra todos, mas eu gosto. Ótimo álbum. 5/5
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.
Good, not great
Can a Steely Dan album be too polished? Maybe. And yet, that's not really my problem with Pretzel Logic. The issue is subtler: the album feels more tame than the records of theirs I enjoy. It's a little too well-behaved, not quite as sardonic or sharp. I don't think it's the attention to craft that did it either — the issues existed prior to the studio. I sense more Dan filler on this album than others as well. Ultimately, it's a weaker entry in their catalogue and barely makes the 3 star mark.
Great Album
As a big fan of Steely Dan's previous album, I was a bit disappointed. The album sounded good as you can tell they are starting that perfectionist attitude that they would focus on going forward. However the song-writing especially in the back-half is a step down from their first two albums, other than the title track. The first side is strong though and I believe that this album could grow on more listens. 3.5/5
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
Richtig tolles Album, mega schöne, lustige, verspielte Musik. Bisschen wir Bob Dylan, bis jetzt mein Favorit
Ntb. RYM: N Saved a song: N
Liked the Jazz influence here. Last two songs and that weird East St. Louis instrumental diversion really worked for me
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.
The epitome of dad rock. Still pretty good though.
Perfect
Became a dad last year so thought I would like this more.
Not their best but with enough bangers to still make it great!
You can’t make me like Steely Dan. No matter how many of their albums you shove in my face.
Never a steely dan fan but pretty solid album
more country vibes, soviet, 50/60’, really nice but no outstanding ones
fantastic from front to back
loved this album very much the Vibe is unmatched
It's fine (Rikki Don't Lose That Number an all-timer tho)
solid soft rock album
Progy jazzy goodness in pop record clothing. There is so much going on and yet it feels so smooth. The technical execution is so impressive. You kind of miss how extraordinary they playing is at times because it's so clean and natural sounding in the ensemble. Such a strong start, I do feel like it slightly looses steam on the b side, but maybe those are the growers
Not my kind of music but I'd happily listen to it at a cafe or a lounge!
Album Review: Pretzel Logic – Steely Dan Rating: 72/100 The Vibe: A mix of sophisticated instrumentation and confusing storytelling. While the bass lines and production shine, some tracks veer too far into "bland yacht rock" territory to make a lasting impact. The Highlights: Grooves and Instrumentation The album opens strong with distinct musicianship. "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" sets a high bar immediately with that driving bass line and a satisfying guitar finish. This momentum carries into "Night by Night," which delivers a fun, funk-inspired bass that keeps the energy high. The title track, "Pretzel Logic," is a standout centerpiece. It features a haunting opening and a driving rhythm section that anchors the song, complemented by a tight mini-guitar solo and well-placed trumpets. The instrumentation is also playful on "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo," where the "Peter Frampton" talk-box effect creates a fun, ragtime instrumental break. The Critiques: Lyrics and Tone Despite the musical proficiency, the album struggles with consistency. "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" feels like basic yacht rock; the lyrics come across as bland rather than profound. Similarly, "Barrytown" has a solid beat, but the lyrics are difficult to parse, feeling like a generic upbeat '60s rock track rather than a cohesive story. "Charlie Freak" is the biggest point of contention. While Steely Dan is known for their ironic juxtaposition of dark lyrics with bright melodies (similar to Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks" or The Monkees' "Last Train to Clarksville"), this track misses the mark. The storytelling is there, but the sound doesn't land, making the irony feel less effective than their contemporaries. Track-by-Track Breakdown | Track | Song Title | User Notes | |---|---|---| | 1 | Rikki Don't Lose That Number | Nice bass line. Nice guitar toward the end. | | 2 | Night by Night | Fun funk bass line. | | 3 | Any Major Dude Will Tell You | Very basic yacht rock. Lyrics just feel bland. | | 4 | Barrytown | Liked the beat, but struggled to make sense of the lyrics. Feels like upbeat 60s rock. | | 5 | East St. Louis Toodle-Oo | Fun instrumental. Ragtime feel with "Peter Frampton FX" (Talk box). | | 6 | Parker's Band | Straightforward uptempo rock with a fun sax solo. (Note: This is a tribute to Charlie Parker, rather than a cover). | | 7 | Through With Buzz | Feels very Elton John. | | 8 | Pretzel Logic | Haunting opening, driving bass. Nice mini guitar solo and trumpets. | | 9 | With a Gun | Fun upbeat tempo. Engaging lyrical storytelling. | | 10 | Charlie Freak | Good storytelling, but the sound didn't click. The "happy sound/dark lyrics" irony wasn't executed as well as other classics. | | 11 | Monkey in Your Soul | A nice, fun, non-serious palette cleanser. Liked the horns. | Final Verdict Pretzel Logic is a technically proficient album with undeniable grooves, particularly in the low end. However, the varying quality of the lyrics and some stylistic choices prevent it from being a masterpiece. It’s a solid listen, but not without its skippable moments.
Mood, ale nedostatecne stimulující pro muj mozek
Any major dude will tell you is a classic.
People may think Steely Dan is lame but their music is so layered and sonically rich, so full of harmonic complexity it elevates it from rock to jazz. The irony-tinged lyrics add to the fun. Fagen and Becker are undoubtedly geniuses. I don't think this is their best album but it's still pretty damn good.
Some great cuts. Excellent execution as always. Doesn't grab me
Pop Tiger Woods on your 360, stick on Pretzel Logic. A partnership like gin and tonic or Hobbs and Shaw. Bliss.
Everything steely Dan does is gold
4.5 war echt gut, vor allem barrytown. der rest war auch gut, manches hat sich zwar ähnlich angehört, aber das ist ja eigentlich auch unvermeidlich.
classic album
big, big fan of 70s music… but i don’t think steely dan is for me. some fun moments but just not my style favorite tracks: night by night pretzel logic with a gun
I love steely dan! This one’s got Rikki dont lose this number
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
It's a no from me
I didn't dislike this album as much as expected. Faint praise, huh? Steely Dan has always been one of those bands where fans discuss the equipment used and the engineering precision as much as they do the music. A local hi-fi specialist shop uses Steely Dan as one of their demonstration records for sound quality. I don't really jive with Steely Dan's rock-jazz fusion and I'm not an audiophile. But this album wasn't awful as a whole. Surprised to throw this one a 3 star award.
i knew a steely dan album would show up on this list, i just didn’t know when or which. pretzel logic is a fun listen! starting strong with rikki and ending strong with monkey, i enjoyed myself.
I ate an entire bag of chocolate covered pretzels today and instead of taking personal responsibility for my weight, I will blame Steely Dan
332/1089 - Not their best for sure. The 1001 list has weird picks for Steely Dan. I think Countdown and Pretzel could be swapped for Royal Scam and Gaucho. Or better yet, swap them out for some Doobie Brothers albums so there's some more Michael McDonald on the list than just Aja background vocals and that one corny Berkleecore Thundercat song
Abrupt ending! Any major dude - didn't realize classic riff was from this song
pretty good album just not my vibe
I just can't get into Steely Dan...
Very groovy, i like the variety of instruments/sounds throughout the album, definitely would keep a cd in the car to listen to ocasionally (probably wouldn't buy it for more than 5€ though) 6.5/10
Rock on
Legitimately have never listened to a full Steely Dan album until now. Now I want to know what else I've been missing out on.
More eclectic than Aja
I recognize it
3.5/5 + Funky grooves, nice jazzy dad rock instrumentation, very attention grabbing + Great voice and vocal production + really easy to get into... - ... but sometimes it sounds needlessly complex, technical and unfocused - not really a satisfying album experience, but great stuff for some of my playlists - very basic album artwork Fav: Barrytown, With A Gun, Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Pretzel Logic Least Fav: Night by Night
Bonjour à vous les masochistes auditifs qui me suivent dans ce périple insensé des "1001 Albums qu'il faut avoir écoutés avant de mourir". Aujourd'hui, je vous écris depuis le fond du gouffre, depuis les tréfonds de la lassitude, une tasse de café froid à la main et le regard vide de celui qui a vu l'abîme et qui a vu l'abîme lui faire un clin d'œil ironique avec une paire de lunettes de soleil teintées. Oui, nous y sommes... Encore. Si vous suivez ce blog, vous connaissez mon passif avec Steely Dan. Vous savez que ce groupe et moi, c'est une histoire de haine qui se bonifie avec le temps, comme un mauvais vinaigre qui deviendrait... un vinaigre encore plus acide et imbuvable. Nous avions déjà abordé le cas clinique de "Aja" (1977), cet album que j'ai disséqué avec la joie d'un légiste sur une scène de crime particulièrement propre (trop propre). Nous avions ensuite subi "Can’t Buy A Thrill" (1972), leur premier méfait, qui avait confirmé mes craintes : ces types sont l'antithèse absolue de ce qui me fait vibrer musicalement. Et aujourd'hui, le destin, ou plutôt cette satanée liste des 1001 albums, place sur ma route "Pretzel Logic", sorti en 1974. Alors, on respire un grand coup, on pense très fort à "Unknown Pleasures" de Joy Division pour se donner du courage, et on y va. Je dois vous avouer quelque chose : il y a une certaine forme de confort dans la détestation. Quand on lance un disque de Steely Dan, on n'a pas peur d'être déçu, parce qu'on sait pertinemment qu'on va passer un mauvais moment. C'est rassurant quelque part, c'est la certitude de l'ennui. Pas de surprise, pas de trahison, juste cette ligne droite, plate et interminable de jazz-rock fusionnel aseptisé. Comme je l'ai dit pour les chroniques précédentes, ma note ne bougera pas d'un iota. On reste sur un 1 sur 5 magistral, un 1 de principe, un 1 de résistance, un 1 qui hurle "Non !" à la tyrannie de la perfection studio. Je reste droit dans mes bottes, ou plutôt dans mes Doc Martens usées par des années de concerts dans des caves humides qui sentaient la bière et la sueur, tout ce que Donald Fagen et Walter Becker semblent détester par-dessus tout. Commençons par le positif, car je suis un critique magnanime et rendons à César ce qui appartient à César : cet album est court. Oh oui, merci mon Dieu, merci les limitations du vinyle de l'époque, merci à la paresse ou à la lucidité des musiciens. 33 minutes c'est la durée de "Pretzel Logic". C'est court, c'est à peu près le temps qu'il faut pour se rendre compte qu'on s'emmerde, mais pas assez pour avoir envie de se jeter par la fenêtre. C'est une durée "sitcom", une durée "trajet de bus", c'est... supportable. Comparé aux interminables solos de certains groupes de prog ou aux jams infernales qui peuvent peupler ce genre de disques, 33 minutes, c'est presque une bénédiction. C'est la seule raison pour laquelle je n'ai pas mis 0, la brièveté est ici la qualité suprême. Parlons du son, puisqu'il le faut. "Pretzel Logic" est souvent cité comme l'album de la transition pour le groupe. C'est le moment où ils ont définitivement arrêté de faire semblant d'être un "groupe" de rock pour devenir ce qu'ils ont toujours rêvé d'être : deux dictateurs de studio embauchant la crème des musiciens de session pour exécuter leurs partitions maniaques. On y trouve "Rikki Don’t Lose That Number". Vous connaissez forcément ce morceau... ttout le monde connaît ce morceau. C'est le genre de truc qui passe dans les supermarchés, dans les salles d'attente des dentistes, dans les ascenseurs des hôtels Ibis. Ça commence par une ligne de piano piquée à Horace Silver (au moins ils ont du goût pour le vol), et ça débouche sur ce soft-rock californien qui me donne des envies de meurtre. C'est techniquement irréprochable et c'est ça le pire, car on ne peut même pas dire "c'est mal joué". Non, c'est trop bien joué. C'est là que réside tout le problème avec Steely Dan, et particulièrement sur cet album. J'ai passé ma jeunesse et ma vie d'adulte à chercher l'émotion, la faille, l'urgence. Quand j'écoute Nick Cave, j'entends un homme qui se bat avec ses démons. Quand j'écoute Godflesh, j'entends le bruit de l'usine et la froideur du métal. Quand j'écoute Sonic Youth, j'entends le chaos structuré. Quand j'écoute "Pretzel Logic", j'entends des chèques signés à des musiciens de session qui regardent leur montre en attendant la pause déjeuner. C'est une musique de technocrates, une musique pour des gens qui trouvent que le rock'n'roll est "un peu trop bruyant" et qui préfèrent analyser la complexité d'un accord de onzième diminuée plutôt que de ressentir un truc dans leurs tripes. C'est de la branlette intellectuelle pour audiophiles qui dépensent 5000 balles dans un câble d'enceinte mais qui n'ont jamais foutu les pieds dans un pogo. Il y a une ambiance "Yacht Rock" avant l'heure qui se dégage de ce disque. On s'imagine sur un voilier, avec un pull en cachemire noué sur les épaules, un cocktail à la main, en train de discuter des taux d'intérêt. C'est l'anti-punk par excellence. Et moi, né en 70, ayant grandi avec le post-punk, ayant bossé chez un disquaire indé où l'on vénérait l'authenticité et l'expérimentation, je suis allergique à ça, physiquement allergique. Même quand ils essaient de faire du blues ou de s'encanailler un peu (la chanson titre "Pretzel Logic"), ça sonne faux. Ça sonne comme des universitaires qui essaient de parler l'argot de la rue. C'est propre, c'est lisse, c'est brillant comme un comptoir de cuisine en formica qui vient d'être passé au Cif. Où est la crasse ? Où est la vie ? Où est le danger ? Nulle part. Tout a été gommé, polissé, compressé, égalisé jusqu'à ce qu'il ne reste plus qu'une surface parfaite sur laquelle rien n'accroche, surtout pas mes oreilles. Si j'étais encore derrière le comptoir de mon magasin de disques indé et qu'un client m'avait ramené ça à la caisse, je l'aurais probablement jugé. Oui, je sais c'est mal, le client est roi, bla bla bla. Mais ce disque est l'ennemi de tout ce que j'aime. Il est l'ennemi du lo-fi, il est l'ennemi de l'improvisation libre (même si ça ressemble à du jazz, c'est cadenassé à double tour). Il est l'ennemi de la passion, c'est de la musique de compétence, pas de la musique d'expression. Alors voilà, 33 minutes plus tard, le disque s'arrête et le silence qui suit est le plus beau son que j'ai entendu depuis une demi-heure. Je peux enfin remettre un truc qui gratte, peut-être un vieux The Cure pour me laver les tympans avec un peu de mélancolie authentique, ou un bon coup de Sunn O))) pour faire vibrer les murs et chasser les fantômes de ce jazz-rock bourgeois. Mais je ne suis pas dupe, je regarde la liste et je sais ce qui m'attend... Il en reste un, un dernier, le Boss final de ce niveau infernal. "Countdown to Ecstasy". Et sauf énorme surprise, sauf intervention divine, sauf si Donald Fagen débarque chez moi avec une batte de baseball pour me forcer à changer d'avis (ce qui serait, pour le coup, assez rock'n'roll), je connais déjà la note. En attendant cette ultime épreuve, je vais aller écouter de la musique faite par des humains pour des humains, et non par des robots de studio pour des chaînes hi-fi de luxe. Note : 1/5 (Pour la brièveté de la torture).
Not my favorite steely dan album but still pretty damn good
one of my first instant 5 that came up. Steely Dan is just so funky and cool This is the first time I remember listening to this album strictly with headphones and so much more comes across, prime example is the beginning of Rikki.
I didn't dislike this one as much as the previous album but that could be because I wasn't paying much attention and it did nothing to even try and grab it. From what I remember, well put together, ticked the boxes, very easy listening. There is a time and a place for this but it's not essential. 2.5.
Easily on par with the other Steely Dan albums in the list. Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Night by Night, With A Gun, and Charlie Freak were the best tracks. Generally jolly classic rock. Surprised me how mild it all was - but in a good way. Listened twice, I'm a man of steel.
I was pleasantly surprised by the last steely Dan album we had. This wasn't as good. It's still all decent enough though but fairly standard and probably won't be rushing back. I'll stick to the other one. Firm 3
Definite sound from the 70s. And that's not a bad thing.
Not a dan fan
Ok
Day706 - i didn’t like it as much as can’t by a thrill and aja but still very good
The 70's is becoming one of my fave music periods. Rock n roll!
I love Steely Dan and I won't apologize for that. You're probably thinking that I'm a white suburban dad because of that, right. Well, yeah, I am. Whatever. Think of me what you want; I'll be listening to some white suburban dad rock with my headphones and I'll never hear you talking that shit ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
This was fine. Not something I'd listen to again, but I get why white dads are into it.
Easy listen but needed time to really enjoy. Favorite tracks are East St Louis and the final 3 track run
Not my personal favorite Steely Dan album but nevertheless and incredible album in it's own right.
Even on a quick listen it’s full of moments that jump out. Night by Night has a great guitar solo, and tracks like Parker’s Band just put me in a genuinely good mood. There’s a relaxed, playful feel running through the whole record that makes it enjoyable even when I’m not listening very deeply.
Ihan ok, hyvin soitettu, melkoista sointukikkailua rasittavuuteen asti
#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
This felt a little different than the “reelin in the years” steely Dan. I liked it.
Very chill album, definitely would listen again. Added a lot to my playlist, very calm.
Dope
contexto: desde que salio Can't Buy a Thrill que fisicamente no puedo parar de escuchar Steely Dan, genere una obsesión al punto que me se todas las canciones del album y me escuche otros, entre esos Pretzel Logic, asi que let me say: Mi segunda vez escuchando este album, tiene canciones buenisimas con un estilo mas desarrollado y estable que el que vemos en el debut. Ya no lo dejan cantar tanto al otro del duo asi que la voz es también mas monotona. Extraño igual los solos instrumentales y las canciones donde se grita un poquito mas. No creo que sea tan bueno como el primero, pero igual lo disfruto mucho y me alegra que haya salido. Favs: Night By Night, Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Barrytown
Hat mir richtig gut gefallen. Schöne Rockplatte - keine Ahnung, ob würdig für diese Liste. Da habe ich aber sowas von den Überblick jetzt schon verloren. Wollte eigentlich vier Sterne geben, aber das Albumcover ist total geil. Muss man würdigen.
Kann man sich schon anhören, aber ist halt wirklich nicht spannend. Reicht daher, auch wenn es grundsätzlich nicht schlecht ist, nicht für 3 Sterne.
Ist ne gute Platte, aber der Vorgänger konnte mehr, gerade was die Hits angeht.
Der Dan gefällt mir echt gut. Geht sehr schön ins Ohr!
Schönes Album.
Schon das letzte Steely Dan Album gefiel mir sehr gut, aber das hier hat wirklich Spaß gemacht. Werde ich mir mit Sicherheit wieder anhören.
Jetzt wo ich weiß was ich von der Band zu erwarten habe überrascht der Sound nicht mehr so ganz, aber das macht trotzdem richtig viel Spaß. Tolles Album, leider mMn zu kurz geraten
Jazzy parts were 4 stars, rocky parts were 2. Splitting the difference
I liked this a lot…
Any major dude will tell you
Actually more interesting than I initially thought it would be.
classic
Nja
REALLY Short, added a couple of songs to my mega playlist as a part of the project but some of these are really good. Some of them are limited to the fact they are like 1 minute long.
Great album very good albums very calming what can i say more
It's just so desperate. I don't know if the 70's just wanted to be so uncool that they were in fact cool? It just comes off a sleezy. I will never understand steely Dan.
According to this site, Steely Dan has four albums on the list. I only knew one Steely Dan song prior to this: Do It Again. And to be honest, I think four albums might be too much. This one is my first and it’s not bad, but it’s really just your standard dad rock. There’s a couple of nice songs, though nothing that really stands out. Expect East St. Louis Toodle-oo, which just felt weird and out of place. We’ll see if my Steely Dan apathy can be cured from this list, but Pretzel Logic is not the breakthrough. Favorite track: Rikki Don’t Lose That Number Other hits: Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Night by Night, Pretzel Logic, Monkey In Your Soul, Parker’s Band
Steely Dan é uma grande banda, que ajudou a definir o som do rock anos 70. Esse álbum é um clássico. Apesar de ser curto, com apenas 33 minutos, é uma obra densa, com muita qualidade e dinâmica. Não é perfeito, mas a maioria das músicas são muito interessantes, principalmente as que contam com linhas de baixo mais presentes. Melhor do álbum: "Night by Night". Pior do álbum: "Barrytown".
It's BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORING! 2/5
Really enjoyed this.
vei não adianta eu já tentei escutar steely dan sei lá quantas vezes e nunca funciona é mto cansativo
ROCK PARA PAPAIS QUE TENTARAM SER LEGAIS NA JUVENTUDE E NÃO CONSEGUIRAM, AGORA SE CONTENTAM COM AS MÚSICAS QUE DESCOBRIU NAQUELA ÉPOCA!!!!! meia boca! dá um pouco de sono, mas as duas primeiras são até legais.
Pleasant but non-essential
Not quite as consistently excellent as Can't Buy a Thrill but still a great album with that classic Steely Dan sound. Favorites: Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Night by Night, Pretzel Logic
This came up in my pique steely Dan listening phase
Don’t know much about Steely Dan, but this album started off incredibly strong. A gentle song, followed by a funky track, then moving into soft rock, it impressed me right from the beginning. I just love groovy songs. It’s a smooth blend of jazz and rock with a laid back style. It feels warm, groovy, and classy all at once. The first half stood out the most for me, those opening tracks really set the bar. The instrumental sections with guitar and the voice box solos were a really cool touch. Lyrically and stylistically, it’s smooth and quirky, which is exactly why people love Steely Dan. The production is also seriously impressive for a record made in the 1970s. And at just around 30 minutes long, it’s an easy, enjoyable listen. My favourite tracks are Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Night By Night, Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Easy St. Louis Toodle-Oo, Parker's Band, Through With Buzz, Pretzel Logic, With A Gun, Charlie Freak
??? 70’s “soft rock” c
A good album, I liked Night By Night and Any Major Dude Will Tell You the most.
Some tunes are unfamiliar to me, but it's Steely Dan.
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...
This is very solid, lots of interesting hooks. I also like that it is not just one thing, and still coherent. But I think I see flaws in it too, some songs feel a bit dated and I don't think the writing is my favorite. It's really good, I get why some people love it, but it's not exactly to my taste.
2.5. Not bad by any means but nothing I ever have to hear again.
Not the worst
Always liked Barry town from hearing Ben folds five covering it
Night by Night, wow. Brilliant Rikki, Major Dude. Wow. Solo in Rikki is superb. Have we found the second best Dan album?? I think we have While Aja is a beast that would be impossible to beat, this is very very top.
To quote Richard Brautigan: "I don’t care how God-damn smart these guys are: I’m bored."
Psychedelic: really intriguing
Pretty good. I liked the arrangements and the playing on the album. All the songs are good, even something with as stupid a title as “Any Major Dude Will Tell You”. I love the grooviness. The vocal harmonies have this unique sound to them that I really like. 4/5
I generally enjoy Steely Dan's jazzy vibes and vocal harmonies, but I'm not a fan of this one.
The blandest of bland bands
191121 17:30 3.5
Sounds like the soundtrack to a hip 70s New York City crime show. Solid musicians.
"Any Major Dude" sounds like the poster child for 70s mellow ballads, and I'm all here for it.
6/10 This is my second dive into the work of Steely Dan, having been impressed but not blown away by Can’t Buy A Thrill. Let’s see what's changed two years and two albums down the line, shall we? As the album first washed over me, it felt very much like that. A wash. It was a pleasant, even moderately enjoyable listening experience, but one that had little to no temperature variation, just coasting along at a set, lukewarm temperature. But Steely Dan are, if nothing else, a tight and talented group of musicians, and sometimes a first listen doesn’t really expose the nuances and quality of a group like this. Unfortunately, the second and third run throughs just kind of plodded along in the same vein. The musicianship is excellent, the band is super tight and they can write some engaging enough music in moments, but it’s all incredibly one-note. There is little dynamic variation within each track, and even from track to track, and apart from the odd moment here and there, there was also very little in the way of rhythmic dynamism either. With their debut album, I felt there were a few more moments that stood out and grabbed hold of the ear, but here, more or less the whole album seemed to just start, exist, and then end with nothing particularly noteworthy happening in between. It was, as may be revealed by my track notes, a very ‘nice’ experience, but a largely forgettable one. Perhaps it’s the perfect kind of music to stick on at a dinner party where it gives you a stable bed of music with a bit of groove and a nice ambience, but nothing vastly more exciting than that. But I guess I enjoyed myself enough that it just creeps its way the high side of average. Rikki Don't Lose That Number - This is a pleasant little song. There’s some quality playing, particularly from the piano, which has some nice bits of flair but isn’t overplayed. The transitions between the different sections of the song are really nice and it’s got some solid harmonies and quality hooks. The guitar solo is great too. It’s all quite understated, but pretty effective. Night By Night - This has got a nice groove and feels super fluid. It’s lacking a bit in bottom end, which would have helped it to have a bit more weight to it. The horn parts are really nice, with the variety between staccato in the verses and the swells in the choruses. The playing is deep in the pocket and it all pulses and flows nicely. Any Major Dude Will Tell You - This is another nice but not really spectacular song. The playing continues to be excellent, and it’s such an easy and smooth listen, but it’s never going to grab you by the balls or change your life. The electric piano is a particular highlight for me and I it was a solid and enjoyable listen, but still fairly unspectacular. Barrytown - Another entirely pleasant experience. It sort of meanders around without ever landing on anything particularly memorable, but the journey is pretty nice. So farm the album has been pretty one-note. It’s a nice note, but it does start to wash over you a little after a while. East St. Louis Toodle-oo - And now we’re served up a Duke Ellington cover that’s a little bit different at least, but it sounds more like it was written to be the soundtrack to some kind of slapstick comedy silent movie. It’s a complete tonal departure from everything we’ve had up to this point, and it’s all just a little odd. Quite a funny way to end side A though, I suppose. Parker's Band - I think part of what has not helped my enjoyment of this album is that everything’s very dynamically flat. There aren’t any particularly raucous or subtle bits, it's all just... there. It starts, it flows along nicely, and then it ends, not ever really deviating from its path. This is another of the same ilk. It’s more niceness with nothing particularly special about it. Through With Buzz - Contrary to my comments on the last track, there are some slight moments of tempo and dynamic variation here that give things an interesting edge. They’re fleeting, but at least make for a change of pace. But it’s all over in a minute and a half. Pretzel Logic - There’s some nice swagger in here. It’s still fairly one-paced, but it’s got a decent groove. There’s the odd breakdown that moves things around a bit, and some of the vocal harmonisations are pretty good. It’s perhaps a little too laid back for my taste and could do with a bit more get up and go, but again, it’s solid if unspectacular. With A Gun - We get a bit more zip with this one. It has its moments, but it’s another that very much picks a lane and chugs along enjoying itself with no deviation at all. Sometimes, with an album like this, I start to struggle to find fresh ways to say that a song is pleasant but just a little bit boring. And here we are. Charlie Freak - This is a bit more instrumentally sparse, but it’s so dynamically one-note that the piano in particularly almost feels robotic in its delivery. If you told me it was a sampled piano playing a MIDI score at 100 velocity for every note, I’d 100% percent believe you. And now we've got some sleigh bells. Is this their Christmas single? It’s very, very rhythmically stilted and I think I’m getting ready for this album to end. Monkey In Your Soul - There’s a bit more grit and space here, which is nice. It’s more bluesy and it’s got a slightly quirky, cheeky edge to it. The groove is decent and it strides along nicely. I feel like this could have been used to break up some of the more samey tracks earlier in the album, but it’s nice to finish off with something a little bit different.
Great voice, Steely Dan has such a distinctive sound. Those 70s layered harmonies are glorious. The first half is strong and reminds me of what my parents listen to. Great lyricism. The latter half is a bit forgettable. I'm hopeful that some of their other works will hit a little bit harder. 2.9/5.
Enjoyed!!!!
It’s so technically perfect that it almost feels weird to me. I love it, but it also is like scarily well made if that makes sense. Highly enjoyed it nonetheless LOL
Classic Steely 5/5
Interesting rock album. Mainly listened to as background during projects, and it went by quickly
not my favorite steely dan but still fun
Harmless fun.
It's fine.
High 3? Not a huge steely dan fan but a couple solid tracks
Bit slow and dull. Couple of alright tracks, but really not my cup of tea
The instrumentals are lush, funky, and burst with life. Steely Dan’s music may be labeled “soft rock,” but their finesse cuts through. There is a coolness to this record that I can’t get enough of. From the punchy piano playing to the often cryptic lyrics, this album won me over.
Yes
I've listened to Countdown to Ecstasy and so far my feeling has not changed at all about them: Great musicians that can produce great music, but it also just feels dull and uninteresting. I'm just stuck between hating it by default for some reason and also acknowledging that the music itself is very polished and sounds great. It just firmly in the "good musicians, nothing special" category.
Highlights: - Night by Night - East St. Louis Toodle-Oo - Pretzel Logic Liebe das Cover, sehr charmant, aber leider etwas langweilig
Steely Fan is fine. Never really moved me though. This album is no exception.
In this house we love the dan
7/10 Solid smooth rock. A bit too polished - could do with a few rough edges.
Love it
aged surprisingly well. 3.5
they're smooth i guess
I liked the first song its good.
Just GOOD music. Love the flawless infusion of jazz, pop, and rock!! This was a great vibe that made me love music more. I need more Steely Dan in my life.
Pretty good, but it got old and repetitive pretty fast. I liked "Night by Night" a lot.
Yeah, I just don't get Steely Dan.
Contrary to what pre-40s me might've said, Steely Dan is good. Again this app makes a "not their most popular album" choice. Any major dude will tell you.
I’m not willing to reopen the Steely Dan Debate, but I enjoyed this.
oh fuck yes
Classic SD, nothing crazy.
Rock bem legal
Dad on a roadtrip music
To my ears this is mostly uncompelling. Good album cover though.
Rikki don't lose that number is easily ther best track on this album but the rest is mostly quite enjoyable too. maybe i'll listen to it a 2nd time
I have become such a steely dan fan!
OK, not great, not terrible. Pretty boring Dad rock.
Good 70s pianos and drums. Nothing outstanding but still a pleasant listen.
100%for me
I love the Dan. This isn't quite their best, but it's still better than 80% of the random, forgettable Britain-centric garbage on this list.
My 4th album of the challenge and the first one I had not previously listened to. I've always quite liked what I'd heard of from Steely Dan (classics like Reelin' in the Years etc) so was optimistic for this. A bit in two minds on first listen. Musically it's great, like jazzy and funky, and the guitar playing is outstanding. Rikki Don't Lose That Number is the only one I was familiar with from radio play. From a pure song perspective though, there wasn't a huge amount that gripped me, maybe it would take further listens.. Didn't seem to pull together as a coherent piece. Best bit: Track 5 instrumental is ace Worst bit: Can't say the title track did it for me. In fact I found it unintentionally amusing.
A couple of stand out tracks but little else emerged for me, as an album.
Really good. Uplifting.
Rikki and Any Major Dude are excellent. The rest could grow on me - it took a few listens to those two in the past. A bit naff in places.
Too 70s for me.
This was a good listen, I quite liked it as a change of pace to my norms. The production is sumptuous. I'm familiar with a couple of the tracks, but not heard a while album before today. However, I can't see myself hankering for a return. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ Surprising ★★★☆☆ (6/10)
A sneaky album but in the best intentions. Through with buzz is funny and melodic, any major dude will tell you is snidey but also has a message. As with most steely dan albums it likes itself a little too much. This is a tremendous collection though and their 2nd best album.
Lots of great songs on this album, highlights like Rikki Don’t Lose That Number and Any Major Dude Will Tell You. Didn’t think there were any weak songs or skips.
My go to Steely Dan Album is Aja and this album did nothing to sway that choice. It's.....fine.
It's fine I guess.
There were some highlight (Pretzel Logic as the title song), however the rest was rather average from my perspective.
This feels very 70s. I ended up listening to this a few times because i ended up getting distracted each time, and i think it got a little worse with each listen.
Good but I prefer Can't Buy A Thrill
very strong opening! I really liked Rikki don’t lose that number. And Barry town. It gets a bit boring for the second part of the album, but it’s still ok. Also a very short album. Production wise, amazingly fresh for a 70’s album. Can’t complain. A very low 5 for me. Enjoyable.
Decent listen, fine to have on during work but nothing super special on my book
Always love the smooth stylings of Steely Dan, even if I only knew one of their songs on this album coming into it. Still so hard to believe Chevy Chase was briefly part of this band. Probably could round up to a four but I’ll stick with a three.
A classic band with a classic sound. One big hit and the rest of the album is solid. A 3.5 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
Three stars for the William Burroughs reference. ★★★
Like a bit of Dan
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.
A steaming turd of an album. Starting with Rikki Don’t Lose That Number this may be the album that tipped the balance and inspired punk rock. This is a snooze fest from beginning to end. There are no edges or angularity in this lifeless anti-music designed to torture people in elevators. Night By Night is the them from a 70s television with a sound oft associated with cheesy detective shows it adds nothing lyrically. An’s that may be the real issue with the record. It is lifeless music by anonymous white people with no soul. This is music for ghouls. If this is the music that starts your day then you are already dead. Any Major Dude Will Tell You takes it down a notch if that is possible. Slow, with insipid lyrics it is representative of the record. I’m sure it is a sign of genius to try to make a record this terrible and lifeless with such precise playing a stellar production. It’s a nice sounding record- full, sonically balanced with each instrument mixed carefully but then you have to pay attention to the whole of the presented music and realize at that point that there is a jazz inflected “Minnie The Moocher” soundalike playing called East St.Louis Toodle-Oo and it’s bewildering coming about halfway through the record. The Temptation to turn it off at that point is strong. Somehow I made it through the record. Parker’s Band has an Elton John Philadelphia Freedom vibe to it. Just an observation. I have no idea what the song is about. Come and take a piece of Mr. Parker’s band? WTF? Through The Buzz. Nope. Getting high? Perhaps that might help but I’m not sure what drug would make it better. Thankfully that song is short. I sincerely tried to like Pretzel Logic when it came out in the 70’s. Some older kids said this was happening. I said “Have you fucking heard of Black Sabbath?” This is shit. It is just as boring as anything from that era. To think they would have a record Aja that would be much more popular than thus blew my mind. I then understood that the majority of Americans and most of Europe have really shitty taste in music. The last couple of songs on the record With A Gun, Charlie Frank and Monkey In Your Soul add nothing to the rest of the record - unremarkable and bland. Nothing could save this record. I guess really old people would have liked this record. Dangerously safe. It’s a 0 star record but the lowest option is 1. This is just not good.
Technically impressive but kinda boring?
Surprisingly great, a cosy, happy, tuneful time. The other SD/SD-adjacent records we’ve had so far have lived up to a reputation for favouring slickness over fun, but here even the tangible self-satisfaction is a laugh. The yacht rock more than jazz rock, better for it.
They sure have a characteristic sound, don't they - not one I particularly love nor hate. Jeff "Skunk" Baxter is a legend; I much prefer his era SD albums and am quite jealous of his career and moustache.
Great jams
Any major dude will tell you that I’m a Stan for the Dan. Get out your house coats, brandy, and stogies for this one.
I was surprised by this album, was good
I didn’t hate this. Decent songs. Great recorded sounds
Ofattbart många SD-skivor. För mig känns det helt oförtjänt. Jag måste missa något. Men det är inte svinbra, långt ifrån att få in fyra album på denna lista. Nej, det här är mest irriterande (kan bero på min egen okunskap etc. Men nu dömer jag i huvudsak på känsla).
Fjärde Steely Dan-skivan nu. Denna sticker ut lite pga de många jazziga inslagen, vilket var lite kul. Som vanligt är det tekniskt oklanderligt, men denna lyfter ändå inte riktigt för mig. Samtidigt är det behaglig lyssning. Får konstatera att Can’t buy the thrill verkar vara deras bästa skiva och att denna är en genomsnittlig trea.
It's pretty good despite not being my genre exactly. It's some pretty good jazzy rock, but I don't think I can pick out a song as particularly great.
Not really a huge fan of yacht rock, but this album has a ton of good songs. Maybe it’s growing on me.
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
Enjoyed this much more than Aja
2 stars. I'm sure they've done better than this. Any major dude will tell you this album is boring.
5 stars!
Sure it's the kind of music your Dad listens to and you probably hated it growing up because everything they listened to sounded the same, but becoming an adult is recognising that you might also like Dad rock because this is pretty damn good.
Bit boring
My exploration of the 1001 Albums list is currently being guided by artists like Steely Dan, those I've somehow managed to skip over until now. The question with "Pretzel Logic" is whether it qualifies as a five-star omission from my album collection. My conclusion: no! It just earns a rating of four stars. While the opening track, "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", is a familiar radio staple from my youth, at that time it didn't resonate as strongly with me as other acts of the day such as Bowie, Elton John, or the UK Glam Rock scene. The album truly shines on two tracks: the irresistible groove of "Night by Night" and the title track, both highlighted by exceptional lead guitar. Outside of those moments, "Pretzel Logic" remains firmly in the realm of pleasant, safe soft rock, characterized by crisp production, subtle jazz influences, and capable vocals, but ultimately too reserved to leave a lasting mark. Side one 1 "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" (3/5) 2 "Night by Night" (5/5) 3 "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" (3/5) 4 "Barrytown" (4/5) 5 "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo" (3/5) Side two 6 "Parker's Band" (3/5) 7 "Through with Buzz" (3/5) 8 "Pretzel Logic" (5/5) 9 "With a Gun" (4/5) 10 "Charlie Freak" (3/5) 11 "Monkey in Your Soul" (4/5) Total - 40 Average - 3.64 151/1001 81/151 albums reviewed were new to me.
I used to dislike Steely Dan because of the people who liked it. Then I actually listened to it, and I started liking it. Now I'm starting to go back the other way. Steely Dan is music made by people with a really strong understanding of music theory and composition, but have the mentality of 19 year old fraternity bros (who used to be marching band dorks). I have to appreciate songs like Rikki Don't Lose That Number for the musical masterpiece it is, but when I dig into the lyrics...it's just a bunch of guys who are trying to impress women with their masters in liberal arts and job in finance in an attempt to sleep with them. Plus hard liquor and cocaine. It just seems like such a waste of talent and musical aptitude. ...and that's basically yacht rock. Musically interesting and completely vapid at the same time.
A few solid hits and a bunch of less memorable stuff.
mostly smooth and groovey tracks with some unmemorable fillers inbetween. solid.
5/5 Steely Dan
Not this one. 1.7
It was fine background music
Some iconic songs, but I did not even notice the album ended, so maybe a little too much in the background
One of my all time favorites and the one that made me a Steely Dan convert.
Fantastic album. Top notch technical playing. Certainly underrated drumming and time signatures. The first three songs are undoubtedly the highlight then starts to tail off a bit after that. Love his voice. Love the lyrics. Great album. I agree should be in the top 1001.
Smooth listening. Too many sound the same. Enjoyed Night by Night most for its funk and Monkey in Your Soul for their change in style.
Excellent album but not great. I would definitely download the record but wouldn't classify it as a must have or classic. However, there are classic songs on it.
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.
3.5+
Nett. Aber musikalisch kein Meilenstein.
Flew by so quickly. Super smooth. Nearly a 5
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.
This sounds so modern, it’s incredible!
The first side (or the 1st 3 or 4 songs) were great. But I just didn't like anything after Barrytown. The best thing about Steely Dan: I was at one of Levon's Midnight Rambles with a friend (who later passed during the COVID epidemic) in which one of the guest guitarists was Donald Fagan. So many great memories with my friend during this era as we also visited "Big Pink" and the then-present owner allowed us access into the basement. For me, like getting a personal after-hours pass into Graceland for those who love Elvis. Better actually, since I could not give a shite about Elvis/Graceland.
Yes but without prog. That's pretty much 80s Yes though... Nevermind then. It sounds like if 70s Yes didn't have prog.
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
Reminds me of the kind of music I was deeply obsessed with a few years ago. Still my style, but I’m trying to expand. Interestingly, although I’ve listened to tracks here before, never the full album:
it makes me fall asleep.
Being 55, I’ve certainly heard plenty of Steely Dan songs over the years, but somehow until this pick I never bothered to listen to an entire album and give them a serious listen. I spent my formative years mostly listening to new wave & punk, then the many alternative bands and genres that branched from here. I have subsequently expanded my tastes, but it never included a serious listen of this band until today. Impressive instrumentals by obviously talented musicians. Great guitar work, some outstanding rock riffs. Also, great keys. Cool hand drums. Great horns. All great musicians playing as a cohesive unit. This is sophisticated music. I also really like the blend of different musical genres. Principally a rock album, I heard influences from jazz, blues, rag time, honky tonk, funk and pop. Many of the best bands from the 70s experimented with such genre-mashing and it is done really well on this album. It is easy to dismiss this as boring today, but albums like that combined familiar riffs and hooks in unique ways were important in creating the breadth of music we enjoy today. Yes, I can see how this would be described as dad rock, but I’m a dad and I like rock. I loved this record more than I thought I would while listening at the office and I can’t wait to give it another listen on the hi-fi system by the fire after work. I’ll definitely be checking out more of Steely Dan’s discography. It is pretty rare for the albums on this list to be completely new to me and it is weird to me that a band as lauded as Steely Dan would be among them, but here we are. Better late than never.
I'm just not a Steely Dan person. I don't hate if a song comes on every now and again but don't see myself coming back to listen
This to me sounds like the most accessible Steely Dan has ever been. A more "traditional" pop song structure. Short, Catchy and not as much time devoted to solos. The solo work is always what I appreciated about the band, so maybe this one isn't my favorite, but their skilled musicians and I'll listen to them any way I can get them.
It's a good album, but not even close to one of my favorites from the Dan.
Ihan mukavaa rokkia mutta ei tällekään ihan nelosta voi antaa. Aivan upea levyn kansi ja mukava tuttavuus, mutta tästä huokuu kyllä kovasti jenkkimarkkinat. Joissain biiseissä ehkä torvisoittimet ottaa omaan korvaan liian isoa roolia jota vokaalit ei pysty lunastamaan. Mut kyl meikä tuolta kiskalta pretzelin ostaisi. Rikki dont lose that number jäi jopa soimaan päähän mukavasti
Periaatteessa ihan ok taustamusaa, ei kyllä saanut millään tasolla viisaria värähtämään suuntaan eikä toiseen. Siitä hyvästä nakataan Dania kolkilla
Aika kädenlämpöiseksi jäi tämäkin.
Jee päästiin näiden salaisten paheitteni äärelle. Eli pehmeetä karkkia tarjolla korvakäytäviin. Tää nyt ei oo näistä höyryseksilelustanimensäsaaneen pumpun parhaita levyjä, kun vaan yhdellä biisillä rumpuja soittaa porokaran jehvi. Night by night onkin albuumin paras biisi. Yleisesti ottaen miellyttävää ja harmitonta menoa. Jos itzessä vielä henki pihisee 50v päästä niin todnäk tää ois sillon täyven vitosen setti. Nyt kuitenkin jää vähän vajaaks, joten perusvarmalla mennään.
Parasta Steely Dania mitä itse olen kuullut, mutta mihin se sitten riittää. Tosi puhdasta ja viimeisen päälle hiottua, ei paljon "Oho"-hetkiä ole levyllä. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo oli ihan hauska välipala, kun taas nimibiisin synariffista tuli tosi vahvasti Tom Robinson Band mieleen. Ollaan kyllä varmaan jossain Radio Nova -ystävällisen musan rootseilla tämän kanssa. Eikä siinä siis mitään väärää ole, itsehän olen setämiehistyttyäni uskaltanut ihan antaa luvan itselleni diggailla ihan avoimesti tämmöisestä aor-kamasta. Hyviä biisejä, virheetöntä meininkiä ja sopivan mittainen levy. Helppo nelonen.
Technically sound and probably good but it melted into the background and I forgot I was listening to it.
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...
Meh. Kinda corny elevator music
Great recording, super groovy with a lot of interesting sounds. Super consistent, every song is equally good
Very easy listening.
Etwas langweilig
Overall I would say it's pretty standard 70's soft rock, which isn't a bad thing, but this album doesn't exactly set the world on fire. There was some really nice guitar work on 'Night By Night' which I enjoyed. 'East St. Louis Toodle-Oo' is a very interesting track. It's sounds as if you're walking through a busy New York street. Very cool sound. 'Charlie Freak' has a very up and down hook which is a proper ear worm. The opener was also one of the better tracks. Technically sound and I'm sure a lot of people love it, but I kind of drifted in and out of this one. It was alright.
All very beautifully arranged and played but the songs themselves are average.
Le premier morceau était excellent mais sinon, le restant de l'album n'était pas mémorable. 2.5/5
It was alright
Laadukasta ja toisaalta aika mitäänsanomatonta aikuisrokkia
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Erittäin onnistunut! Sanat, sovitukset, stemmat kaikki kohdillaan. Tätä tulee kuunneltua jatkossakin!
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
ehh nothing notable, just an album
It wasn't new 50 years ago, now its dull and trite. I prefer a lot of lift music to this.
Standout Tracks: Rikki Don't Lose That Number Any Major Dude Will Tell You Barrytown But it's all good.
Lyrically good, but dated. Think, Inspector Morse drinking tea on a porch with his dressing gown flapping.