Reviews (page 6 of 13)
I had no idea what they sounded like before today. It was good! 4.
I had no idea how intricate their music is.
That was an easy listen
rigtig hyggeligt album! Jeg kan egentlig godt lide Crosby Stills & Nash og den slags, det er bare ikke altid det jeg får sat på. Kunne lide alle numrene
Har aldrig hørt en Steely Dan plade før, nød det en del mere end jeg havde regnet med. Meget groovy, pissegod lyd.
Fun jammy album
I don't know much Steely Dan but this album covers so much ground across genres, from classic rock, to jam bands a la doobie brothers. East St-Louis Toodle Oo is the weirdest song and yet I am drawn to it.
Disfruté de escuchar el album y seguro investigue un poco más sobre la banda y sus otros discos.
It's giving cosy, Supertramp energy. I loved it!
not terrible I can see why people like it. early rock and roll turned electric vibes
It’s ok I guess, nothing inspiring but quality boomer music.
I only know of Steely Dan from John Mulaney stand up specials. I'm glad to have finally listened to it, really good stuff! need to listen more. Gave me some CKNY vibes 1st listen 3.5
A couple classics that of course I've listened to, a few new ones I hadn't heard, and even some Steely Dan with strings as well. This is a fantastic album.
Overall upbeat experience where almost all tracks feel like perfect easy-listening road trip songs. The instrumentation was pretty robust, with a light piano cabaret-type jazzy feel at times and some nice layered harmonies. Didn't do much for me lyrically, but I enjoyed the positive happy vibes of the album.
Soo good. This is why I wanted to do this challenge. Never heard of Steely Dan, but it was very good. It sounded like some of the songs were from different decades, the 1950's especially. A good variety of styles. Awesome solos, good instruments, good vocals. Proper chill out vibes. Hope there's another on of their albums in this list.
The safe and familiar piano and guitar found on "Can't Buy A Thrill" interwoven with jazz brass yields an absolute hoot of an album. Strongest songs: Rikki don't lose that number, Night by Night, Barrytown, Parker Band Weakest songs: Monkey in your soul
Good record, not my style, but pleasantly surprised.
Really enjoyed it! The music is something that I would choose to listen to on my own. I felt that the album as a whole was cohesive but blended together into a blur aside from a few standouts(Rikki, With a Gun, Charlie Freak) 3.5
Good album as all Steely Dan albums are. Rikki is probably my favorite of all their songs, and I really, really like the East St Louis Toodle-oo for a change of pace. That said, not my favorite of their albums, but still a very likeable one that I had not listened to in quite a while.
Loved it
Great album, lol
Second Steely Dan album - another classic. They remain a leader in album rock history. Enjoy!
Loved the variety and great to re- listen to it.
I reckon Can’t by a Thrill is a better album, but Rilki Don’t Lose That Number the better song.
Abwechslungreicher folk country rock, viel nettes dabei.
This album shows enough range and experimentation. I enjoyed it enough to listen again. The production is phantastic and I have no complaints with any of the instrumentation. The only thing keeping it from a perfect score is that it doesn’t quite excite or inspire. More of a thinker, which isn’t a problem unless it’s for the whole album. Also, Donald Fagen sings like he’s doing an impression of someone who is really straining to hit the notes, but Donald makes the strain sound easy if any of that makes sense. 4/5
It always comes back to Steely Dan. Not my favorite one of their, but it's still good. Who doesn't appreciate Steely Dan?
Fun album, Rikki don’t lose that number, East St Louis toddle doo, monkey in your soul are all quite playful. Despite this the jazz and melodic lines still stand out.
Didn't like this one quite as much as Aja, but still a solid album
Schon
Solid album.
Good album. Intend to listen more
Listened Before? No I'm sold on the album cover and title alone. Also this album opens with Rikki Don't Lose That Number; fucking banger. Night By Night is a jam with some luscious guitar. At once funky, with prog elements. Can really sink into this one. I've definitely heard Any Major Dude Will Tell You before. Love the guitar hook; such a dreamy atmosphere it creates. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo is an unexpected Americana polka stomp. Weird, but honestly delightful little instrumental diddy. Backgrounded for most of the remainder. I really enjoyed this one. 4/5 Added to Library? Yes Songs Added to Playlists: - Rikki Don't Lose That Number (Driving) - Any Major Dude Will Tell You (Sunny-vibes)
This album I had chilling in the background, but I really enjoyed it. It was an especially nice reprieve from Spy vs Spy. Short and sweet which is nice when you are trying to catch up. I should throw Steely Dan on more often.
Steely Dan is awesome Everytime I listen to them. The funky guitar sounds and the two singers are a great combo.
Воспоминания этого альбома для меня - везде рождественская суета, всё светится, много людей, ярмарка, а я сваливаю на безопасное расстояние от этого всего, в парк, чтобы только со стороны наблюдать за этим всем безумием. И музыка прям вот легла в такое настроение
Not my favorite Steely Dan album, but I love their sound.
Groovy
very solid jazz rock album
cool sounds hear a lot of other bands that are clearly influenced by them.
3.5
This is a fun album with the typical music I expect from Steely Dan and the song straight from the 1920’s (east St. Louis toodle-oo). This album was funky in all the right ways
Solid album. Not the best of Steely Dan.
Always listen to Steely Dan w the highest quality file and headphones. So much detail!
A high level of quality from front to back. Didn't hear many classic moments though.
Steely Dan has some of the best lyrics in R&R. This isn't their best album, but it's good and easy to listen to.
One of my partners favourite albums so I listen to it alot in the car when we're driving.
*First time hearing* Fantastic production and musicianship. Walter Becker was a wonderful guitarist, his playing is super precise and satisfying. Don't know what to make of the majority of the lyrics, but I was usually too caught up in the groove to care too much. You can hear the influence it might have had on a whole bunch of bands (Phish, Ween etc ). I quite enjoyed most tracks individually, but it didn't click for me as a whole on the first listen (like Aja), however that very well could change upon repeated listening.
.Preety cool music to cook while listening to it
Cool guys.
good
I love steely Dan
A surprise hit for me! Not that I was expecting to dislike it but it certainly grew on me more than I thought. Perhaps I should review albums on the day they get released to me because I had this and "Can't Buy A Thrill" very close together and I think I formed my opinion on both of them simultaneously. I like the sweet melancholy that they've created and the stories they're telling with each track. Very close standout track was Charlie Freak. Standout Tracks: Barrytown
Forventet Steely Dan. Soft Rock, bitvis jazz og hint av americana era The Grateful Dead harmonier på feks "With a Gun" Solid album, men foretrekker mer funky Steely Dan.
now that was some smoooooth rock, very nice listen! While I might not return, know that I didn't hate you.
loved it
I forgot how good this album from 1974 is. I especially like Ricky don't lose that number
Im biased. It’s Steely Dan, come on
its a 3.5! I really enjoy steely dans music. its great effortless and catchy
Good
Nice
Fun album, liked most of the songs on here, despite only being familiar with Rikki Don't Lose That Number. Nice short and sweet album
I LOVE Steely Dan! This isn’t their best album but there’s a lot of great stuff on there. Any major dude would tell you that!
What a cruisy fun album
Really really good album. Very groovy, cool guitar bits, and some interesting political themes.
Best song - Barrytown
Fun Album. Skunk Baxters (Guitar) last album with SD before he left to join the Doobie Brothers. Also some tasty studio work by Jeff Porcaro on drums.
Solid album. Enjoyed it
pretty slick
Tasty all the way through.
Rikki is a Pretty standard 70s rock album. Just what I’m into in terms of older music. Nothing special, but it’s all pretty good. I’d consider listening to this album again sometime. 8/10 Top 5: 1. Rikki Don’t Lose That Number 2. Any Major Dude Will Tell You 3. Pretzel Logic 4. With A Gun 5. Monkey In Your Soul
Nothing like a Steely Dan mix
super! rikki is always a hit.
Decent album.
Cool blend of genres, lots of jazz & blues elements. Loved the use of breaks and accents. Feels like a fun album to dissect, definitely need to listen again. The lyrics didn't stand out to me and the vocals weren't super melodic but the delivery was unique and contrasting. Lucía & I listened together over a chicken soup dinner.
70s funk pop. Very nice. May listen again. 3.5/5
Rikki don’t lose that number definitely defines this record. Very tight instrumentation, focusing on lifting the song in their own idiosyncratic manner. Not as heavy in the soft jazz as other records, this really hits the right balance between rock energy, pop hooks, and cerebral jazzy structures.
Damn this was a nice listen. Maybe it was walking in the rain at night that did it, but it seemed the perfect balance of melancholy and uplifting. I love how they take rock and fortify it with bits of jazz, blues, folk, without (in my opinion) looking down their noses at the fun or energy of rock. It doesn't quite reach the grandiose splendour of Aja, but there isn't a dull moment here. 4*
I dig it. Funky guitar jams
A bit slower than I expected
Typical Steely Dan. Enjoyable to listen to
Steely Danの中でもピアノにフォーカスがあたってて、ゆったり聴ける！ やっぱりAny Major Dude Will Tell Youが一番好き〜！
Excellent
Do people only make fun of Steely Dan because it sounds funny? This is some DAMN good music.
For some reason I never gave Steely Dan much of a listen, my loss! This album has so much stuff I like - complex but uptempo compositions, dense jazzy arrangements with all sorts of instruments making quick cameos, close harmonies and memorable melodies, virtuoso musicianship and a bit of a sense of humor. The guitar work is great - a range of cool tones from bright clean and compressed to scuzzy and fuzzy playing tight punchy solos with inventive phrasing. The only knock is that it's so polished, rehearsed, and cleanly produced it ends up a bit plastic - it's like smooth Zappa. It seems like their legacy in rock is mostly in jambands.
HL: “Rikki”, “Barrytown”, “East St Louis Toodle-Oo”, title track, “Charlie Freak” Idk what’s more shocking, the fact that this is the 3rd Steely Dan I’ve seen on this website or that they’ve all been pretty great? Whether I like this more or their debut (Pretzel Man is my favourite album cover of theirs tho), there’s a lot of fun directions taken; the highlight might be two contrasting songs side-by-side, the Byrds-y “Barrytown” leading straight into an odd Duke Ellington cover, “East St Louis”. October 9, 2023 🦃
This was fun! Loved listening to it while walking through London
Fantastic production, great song writing and damn near flawless musicianship. The only thing really holding them back is a lack of imagination, but I guess that's not really the point. Not something that I'd listen to in my spare time, but I cannot deny the perfectionism at show on this record.
Pretty good reminded me of Toto a bit 4/5
4/5 would groove again
It’s like an ogre. Layers I couldn’t hear thru speakers were great in the headphones.
Steely storytelling and charmingly borrowed musical phrasing. Wild west With A Gun. Horace Silver and Duke Ellington, but unfortunately packed into a short pop friendly radio format. Traded in longer jam breaks for creative instrumental use. I want to say its a friendlier way to get into Steely Dan, but the shorter format somewhat mutes the Aja glimmer they're known for. Blends jazz influence in effortlessly, for better or worse. Any Major Dude Will Tell You Night By Night Pretzel Logic Monkey In Your Soul (oddly enough none of the jazz loaners!)
First half had some funky, groovy instrumentals that i loved. Their bass shined throughout most of the album. Always caught my ear. Fun listen
4.5/5 GREAT ALBUM-everything about it is what you’re looking for in oldies funk. Will definitely come back to this and other albums.
Not my favorite of the original Steely Dan run, but still pretty great.
Honestly pretty solid album! The album has a consistent mood and the tracks are fun and groovy. They don't overdo the songs resulting in an album length that can easily be listened to in one sitting. One of the reviews that gave this a 1 said, "This is the sound of a suburban dad in socks and sandals" and I think that is the best part of the album. The global review is probably correct in giving this a 3.42 I don't know if the songs are particularly meaningful for me, but if they are for someone else then awesome!
funky, jazzy album. has a theatrical feel. slick cool feel to the album. really worth a good listening imo.
Good stuff.
steely dan always slaps. this one feels incredibly smooth. I had heard several of the tracks, but hadn't heard others. smooth in the sense that you can play it while doing something other than actively listening, and not really be perceiving it, and still be deeply grooving.
Great album. Classic Steely Dan album
Album #24 I worked retail for over 10 years, so I had plenty of exposure to Steely Dan via Muzak. I never paid attention, and never had the desire to listen to them. I dreaded seeing this album because of my retail PTSD, but was relieved to see the 34 minute length. It started with “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number”, which I recognized. What I didn’t recognize was the groove established by the band. That continued throughout the next half-hour. I was astonished by how much I enjoyed listening to it, as well as the sarcastic lyrical content. My opinion has completely changed. 4*
Limber and light. Also, if I'm 'listening' to this, it does nothing... except borderline irritate me, but if I'm working and it's on in the background, I've found myself tapping my foot subconsciously. Not sure what that does to an album rating but I'll err on the side of caution.
Steely Dan continued their cracking start to their catalogue on Pretzel Logic. Now that we have listened to all of their albums on the 1001 list, I’ve realized how much I appreciate Walter Beaker’s lead guitar. He is by no means near the most talented players. However, his lead lines always seem to accentuate and lift Steely Dan’s songs. Pretzel Logic (song) is on of my favorite Steely Dan songs, right up there with Dirty Work and Reelin’ In The Years. On this album I also like Rikki Don’t Lose That Number and East St. Louis Toodle-Oo, on which I still am amazed how Becker got his guitar to sound like that. There are quite a few other enjoyable songs here too. But also one too many misses with Barrytown and Through With Buzz. While I like this album a bunch, it’s not at the top of Steely Dan’s game.
Good album
I want some hot pretzels.
Another great SD album, not as good as Thrill but better than Aja. EZ 4.5
One likes that SD seemed simultaneously always to be having a good time and trying to expand musically. Nearly all of their experiments pay off for the listener in some form or another. This might be the most jazz inflected record – with the Ellingtoninan justification for the extended wah-wah solo, the avian content, and the string-laden "Through With Buzz," which doesn't quite come off, much as one enjoys the effort. Ditto on the bluesy funk of "Monkey In Your Soul." First four cuts are extraordinarily strong, but back side meanders or droops a touch, though with many interesting flourishes and no bad songs.
Never listened to any Steely Dan before as always thought they’d be insufferably noodly and indulgent. But this was actually really good A jazzy influence but not to the detriment of some great tunes
This is so close to being a perfect album on first listen which is so rare for me. This album could very well become a perfect one on more listens but for now I just really like it. Never listened to Steely Dan but I hear major similarities to Billy Joel who I do quite like, I wonder if he was inspired by Steely Dan at all. Great project Favorite Tracks: Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Night By Night, Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Parker's Band, Pretzel Logic, With A Gun
Lovely Album. Not as much as Can't Buy a Thrill from the same band, so it's a 4 for me
Beautiful Dan tunes with some skippers.
Really enjoyed this one - dylanesque musically and good 70s chill vibes
Had all the weight and flavor of an excellent Steely Dan album, was only missing a few really standout tracks.
Steely Dan's 3rd best album. Still solid, smooth, and tight.
This album was just an all round good time. I found a lot of new songs and found it pretty soothing. Easy to listen to. Love the style of pretzel vendor in black and white. My mum heard some songs and showed me how her favourite Steely Dan song 'Hey Nineteen'. This album was super funky and groovy.
11 songs in 34 minutes. they don't make em like that any more.
From this album, I had only heard "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," which happens to be my favorite Steely Dan song. As for the rest of the album, I think I liked "With A Gun" best. "Barrytown" reminded me a lot of the Beatles' "Tell Me What You See." All in all, pretty good album.
I've always had dueling thoughts when it came to Steely Dan, as my father would always say the music made by the group was awful, but my partner thought it was pretty alright. I'm gonna have to lean with my partner with this one, probably even more so, as I wnjoyed this one pretty consistently. I'd say each song has something I like about it, and the shorter length for each track makes it so nothing takes up too much time if you are disliking something about it. Perhaps had I not just listened to all of America's discography in the last year, which is very similar, then I wouldn't care about this, but I've got more of an ear for yacht rock now, and that definitely helps this album out.
This was a really great album and a lot of fun to listen to. Nothing in specific really stuck out, just a lot of great grooves and awesome guitar work. I think this squeaks out a 4 star rating - if the vocal performances had been better it would have been an easy call, but as it is I think it still meets that mark for me.
Funky, my first intro to his music so I didn't know what to expect. But a good mix of folk and 70s funk
fun album
i like steely dan a lot 😊👍👍
Smooth
Me and my brother recently got into Steely Dan but I never really listened to this album because it didn't have any of their really big hits so I just assumed it was a dud of an album but I couldn't have been more wrong. I think this is just as good as the rest of the albums they released around this time like "Katy Lied" and "Countdown To Ecstacy". Really solid throughout and I would say it doesn't really have a bad track. Easy 9/10.
This was pretty good, an album of Steely Dan is plenty by the end. I like the funk and the horn arrangements. It's very polished and has a great sound.
Creative chord structures and instrumental parts. I know that I could find something new and surprising to hear with each new listen.
I’ve been on a Steely Dan high, so I might be overrating this… but fuck it, it’s good shit. A couple of fluffy tracks too many to achieve true greatness- Aja wins every day- but full of enough great performances and songwriting to look into for classic rock/fusion/music nerds. B+
Great musicianship. I only know ‘Jenny’ but a good solid album.
Great feel to this full album. Enjoyable and relaxing. Roll me a joint, put this on and I'll be in a great place.
I love a great yacht rock album. Steely Dan is fun and I love their instrumentation and harmonies on their songs.
Nice easy listening.
Another fantastic record from Steely Dan. Sonically it’s just so pristine. But the music is so great, and just top shelf musicians.
Between a 3 and a 4. Couple of the songs stayed with me so maybe more of a 4.
Maybe not quite as good as Aja (my favorite Steely Dan album) but still a very good album with great insturmentation, jazz and pop hooks, and a few songs that are quite catchy!
AWESOME
Was wondering how long until a Steely Dan record would grace this generator. Probably my favourite band and a damn fine album from the group here. A snappy collection of genre-fusing pop that displays some of the best playing and mixing, cynical lyrics, and odes to some of the band's musical (mainly jazz) heroes; through the borrowed bassline on Rikki Don't Lose That Number, tribute to Charlie Parker on Parker's band, or cover of Ellington's East St Louis Toodle-Oo. Solos on these tracks are cool and restrained, and operate as part of the songs rather than ostentatious flourishes. All tracks slap pretty hard and all together come in at just under 35 minutes - the only gripe I'd have here are Fagen's vocals that are a little less polished and slightly wobblier than other records. Four and a half. Fave track: Rikki Don't Lose That Number
This is a good one 4
Man, I gotta say, I was expecting to give this one a 3/5. Aja is the Steely Dan album that really appeals to me, and for some reason I'd always expected their other albums would be a bit lesser, as I expected them to be less captivating instrumentally and with inferior production. Happy to say that wasn't the case, this is an awesome record and it passed by so quickly since I enjoyed it so much. Easy 4/5, makes me want to go through their whole discog!
Well, here I am, listening to another Steely Dan record and going down the rabbit hole of the jazz-rock / yacht-rock. Pretzel Logic is a complacent album. It comes, spreads its happy vibes, and leaves without any notice. A good bunch of short songs compiled for making all the dads happy
Steely Dan rules
first time listening
Love this.
Surprisingly good. Hooked after the first two songs. Rikki is a banger that I'll have in my normal soft-rock rotation. I saved about 5 out of the 11 songs. Got lost in it at the gym.
Some classic soft rock that has a similar sound throughout, fortunately I think that sound is good.
Yes it's dad rock. But I enjoy dad rock so.
Good, funky, timeless.
Call me a 50 year old man but damn that was good
Another solid steely Dan album. Rikki don’t lose that number is a classic and one of their best songs. Pretzel Logic is a cover to cover enjoyable album with nice jazz and classic rocks components with a poppy lyricism that makes each song special. Overall it’s probably number 2 or 3 for me of steely Dan albums. Looking at past ratings I definitely would put this right there with them as a definite 4 with lots of replay value. 8.4/10
I have never listened to a Steely Dan album and I feel I have made a mistake....I really enjoyed this one. I dunno what it was but it gave me the head bops throughout. Saved this one and will be an album I return to.
Increíble. Las melodías están super acertadas, y no podría pedir más, en principio tenía pensado darle 3, pero qué bueno que me esperé, dándole una segunda pasada estoy dudoso en si darle hasta las 5, al momento de escribir esta reseña, sigo dudoso, por lo que le daré 4, que tampoco está tan mal, con la esperanza de que el gusto no se vaya.
I went from hating Steely Dan as a kid, to developing an appreciation for them in my 20's. By the time I hit 40, they'll probably be a favorite of mine, but I'm not quite there yet. Instrumentally, they're virtuosic. Their arrangements are extremely creative, and on this album, pretty tight lengthwise too. But their music can leave me cold in some way -- it's not as heartfelt as what I'm typically drawn to. But who needs heart with music this brainy?
Not bangers from end to end, but lots of bangers throughout. I only knew track 1 and the rest stacks up!
Highlights: "Pretzel Logic," "Night by Night," "Parker's Band," "Through With Buzz" If we take it as a given that Steely Dan consistently set very high standards in the 70s, from production to performance to lyricism, without ever really having claim to a groundbreaking album, the best way to evaluate their albums is against each other. This is probably one of their best, because it seems to respond to earlier criticism without compromise. Countdown to Ecstasy hadn't done as well as Can't Buy A Thrill, and some of the main criticisms were of the inscrutably personal lyrics and the long jam-based runtimes. Pretzel Logic gives us clear subjects with the same clever lyrical development, detailed and intelligent but playful and catchy, and packing tons of movement for harmonics, groove, and arrangement into two-to-four minute songs. The result holds attention from start to finish on every level of the craft. Exceptional.
didn't hate it!
Excellent Steely Dan album! Standouts: ---------------- Rikki Don't Lose That Number Pretzel Logic Others: --------------------- Charlie Freak Barrytown East St. Louis Toodle-oo With a Gun Any Major Dude Will Tell You Through With Buzz Parker's Band Night by Night Rating: 4/5
Jazz-rock animado. Está bien. Un 4.
Solid and smooth, so listenable as usually is the case for Steely Dan. Really starting to enjoy this band after having heard Aja and absolutely loving it. 4/5 with a promise to listen to it again in the future!
This is the only Steely Dan album on the list that I haven't listened to before. And what a shame that is. Pretzel Logic truly is pushing the boundary for what can be called pop. All songs are trimmed in length but definitely not in complexity. This hit turned out to be the incredibly catchy 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number', but my personal favorite is 'Barrytown' with an incredible melody reminiscent of Dylan. As always with the Steely D, the production is stellar. Every instrument has its own space to operate in, and does so in sublime fashion. The drumming on 'Parker's Band' is otherworldly.
Much more interesting than Can't buy a thrill because the record feels much more cohesive yet bold, often stitching together disperate genres to fully fledged collage of sounds. One minor drawback is that the record's finest hour is right at the beginning, with nothing else quite comparing. A great record.
zalige openingstrack, I like steely dan
o que mais gostei até agora, apesar de não saber pontuar exatamente o que me fez gostar. curti a vibe meio jazzy mas não totalmente jazz do álbum. vocais legais também. não vou ouvir extra mas foi uma experiência legal.
Solid music! I like Steely Dan!
This is the best Steely Dan. It's fun, funky, and really well produced. My 10-year-old was like, "Dad, what genre IS this? Is it rock or funk?" And, you know, I thought that was a really good question. It's both. And it's pretty damn good.
I love dad music and I'm here to say, this album will get played on another day!
Good background music
Accessible jazzy pop songs, perhaps slightly missing the intensity to award full marks.
Steely Dan!!! album die op ieder moment wel aan gezet zou kunnen worden.
Stalen Daniel stelt nooit teleur. Heerlijk album, zin in de volgende van onze grote vriend
I'm a dad and I rock.
Some great songs and excellent performances. Production is as clean and tight as it gets.
A short pleasant listen that starts off great. A chill album with varied sound, really liked it Saved tracks: Rikki Don't Lose That Number, East St. Louis Toodle-Oo, Parker's Band, With Gun, Monkey In Your Soul
Lush production, jazz influences, solid songs. There is an amazing crispness to this one too, doesn’t sound dated. Would give it a 3.5, but I’ll round up this time as I feel like this gets better with age.
This album sounds and feels timeless - for the first time I see the Steely Dan draw. It’s a fun game to expect the Steely Dan chord change and hear it, but not be able to predict which direction it goes. Like a bouncy rubber ball.
Grew up with Steely Dan always on in the house so associated with happy memories. These songs are basically baked into my brain and I still remember nearly every word. Bit Dad rock for most but I do fuck with Steely Dan significantly. Not my favourite album of theirs but still decent.
Now this is music!
Prijetno presenečenje!
This is the third Steely Dan album the generator has given me, allowing me to discover me that I like Steely Dan. Nonetheless, maybe we could have gotten by with one fewer of these albums, and instead given something completely different a chance? That being said, I am digging this record.
Steely Dan never disappoints. Great album.
listened to again still really great
Had only heard 3-4 of the songs but others are good too. Two in the middle are duds.
Really interesting very jazz based pop.
Solid Steely Dan, although not my favorite for sure. Still, always impressive.
This is my second Steely Dan record on this album generator. As like the first album, Steely Dan is fantasticly beige elevator rock. Typical "yacht rock or dad rock". I did enjoy this album more than the last one. It was more consistently good, with a few rockin' songs, and some heavy blues and funk influences heard throughout. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo was a weird ragtime song just thrown into the middle of the album, and it just felt like it didn't fit with the theme of the rest of the album. Overall, not a bad album. Better than I expected, and I will listen again. Favourite songs: Night By Night, Pretzel Logic, Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Barrytown, Any Major Dude Will Tell You, With A Gun Least favourite songs: East St. Louis Toodle-Oo, Through With Buzz, Charlie Freak 4/5
not bad, 3.5/5
I've always generally liked Steely Dan and there's a lot of enduring hype around them on tik tok or whatever but this is the first album of theirs I've listened to. Rikki don't lose that number is the big hit but I much prefer any major dude will tell you, east st. louis toodle-oo, as well as pretty much every other song on this album
There is no such thing as a "guilty pleasure" but SD is mine. They are a big warm hug of a band that never let you down from "Can't Buy a Thrill" to "Gaucho" 7 albums of brilliance. Everyone ranks them differently. This one is top 5 and has a couple of inessential tracks though the vibe is always there. 3.75
Good groove album. Some sounds have a trippy undertone like monkey in your soul, but some swing and miss.
I mean, it’s GOOD but the albums only get better from here!
You would be hard pressed to find a bad album in Steely Dan's discography during their initial run. From their debut in 1972 to their breakup in 1981, Steely Dan seemed to be constantly on their a-game. Pretzel Logic is no exception. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker have always had a knack for excellent songwriting. While the 70's saw many changes and evolutions to the modern rock genre, Fagan and Becker stuck to what they knew best: jazzy pop rock that soothed the soul. Sweet tones that aren't too sugary, jazzy chord progressions that don't obfuscate the pop hooks, and a variety of sounds without coming across as unfocused. There are obvious highlights on the album (side B has the excellent title track alongside songs that can only be described as b-sides), but no one song is bad or brings down the overall quality. Trust in Steely Dan.
Steely Dan is great but I still feel that I can never name any single song outside of Reelin in the Years.
Some great Steely Dan. Falls off a bit in the second half.
I love Steely Dan, and pretzel logic is a great album, I don't think it's in my top 3 for them though (that just shows how good their other stuff is) 8/10
I know this is an unhip answer to 'favorite Steely Dan album,' but I think this is the strongest collection of songs they ever put out. "Barrytown" is an underrated classic.
fun to hear
I love the instrumentation on this album a lot. I don't love Fagen's vocals on this album. Though I did really love his solo album. I think I am going to give this the bump to a 4 just because I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. I highly recommend watching Polyphonic's YouTube video "Steely Dan: More Than Just a Band" if you want to learn more about Steely Dan. My favorite songs were "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", "Any Major Dude Will Tell You, and the titular track. Overall a really good album with amazing bass and drums.
Nice one, classic rock with cool elements all around!
The way this album project has turned me in to a Steely Dan Stan (Steely Stan?) ………… unprecedented
4/5
Nowhere near the top of my favourite SD albums (Royal Scam, Aja, Gaucho). But some of the most tasteful guitar solos. Was outraged to see them described as 'Yacht Rock' and I'm not having that.
This is so sly in many levels. Usually, deciding to "go pop" is a recipe for disaster, but Steely Dan managed to make such catchy tunes without sacrificing musical complexity. Too bad their perfectionism sucked all the energy of it, but I can definitely say that it still has the colors.
Steely Dan has a special place in my heart: I worked as a lifeguard in high school. We had a regular who would swim laps in the evening. One day I asked him if he had a preference in radio station, and that turned into a long conversation about music and bands. About a week later, I see him walk in to swim laps and he hands me a 3 part CD compilation of Steely Dan greatest hits. Listened to the crap out of those CDs. I’ve always listened to Steely Dan by songs, but I’m actually never listened to a full album front to back. Hell yeah I love it just as much. The groove, the funk the beat, the HORN INSTRUMENTS. Love. They create a sort of tension in the music that just makes you want to dance. The goddamn groove in the album. I’m general: 8/10 My rating: 8/10
Very good. Add it to the list. Horrible album cover. Great music from steely Dan. Any major dude will tell you. What a classic
Love the album. Very dad/yacht rock.
As usual with Steely Dan, surface cheesiness is quickly redeemed by top-notch songwriting, high-class jazzy instrumentation and pristine vocal harmonies. The first two songs, namely the Horace Silver-inspired "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" and the reggae-infused "Night By Night", are catchy cuts that are propelling the whole thing like in no other album of theirs (except maybe *Can't Buy A Thrill*). And after that, the other songs are generally very good. Lush brass arrangements and epic guitar solos abound, and if Becker and Fagen' surgeon-like precision might sound a little stifling at first, it can soon become a joy to get your head into it if you give the whole thing enough time to breathe. It's not always easy, I'll grant you that, because Steely Dan's jazzy shenanigans are indeed an acquired taste. But even if you're still feeling skeptical about them, two tracks in this album may help you understand that the band had a palette that was clearly broader than the usual cliché that goes around about their craft anyway. One of these two tracks is the short but impactful "Through With Buzz", transcended by its "Eleanor Rigby"-like string section. And the other is the quite intense "Charlie Freak", with its hectic piano part and final elated vocals for the chorus. Conversely, "Barrytown" and "Monkey In Your Soul" are undeniable clunkers--but the latter is probably only a tongue-in-cheek wink to close the album. That's the other difficult thing about the Dan. You're never too sure when they're ironic and when they are acting in an earnest way. But that ambiguity is *also* part of their overall appeal. So it would be a shame not to give this particular album a chance... A quick note to end this review: without Robert Dimery, I wouldn't have given said chance to the band, so I guess I can be grateful to him (and to this app). But I also need to add that the tabs are officially closed in my own list when it comes to Steely Dan. I'll keep *Can't Buy A Thrill*, * Countdown To Ecstasy*, *Pretzel Logic* and *Aja*, but I'll say no to all the other LPs. I know the 1001 albums list is heavy on them, but you gotta draw a line somewhere. I need elevators for my own "tower of songs", sure (wink to Leonard Cohen). And if I had to choose "elevator music" for those lifts, Steely Dan is the best choice by far. But there are other types of spaces in that tower of mine that need to be properly furnished first. Hope fans of the band won't hold too much of a grudge against me when they come to visit... Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 795 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory: 108 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 50 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 47
Love the harmonies and the gentle pop lyricism. Takes me back to the mid 70
Pretty good album. Introduced me to Steely Dan, I have never heard of them before. Favorite song - Barrytown
Pretty solid, liked the steel drums and the vibe. Ngl didnt finish it bc was busy but will finish today. I like rikki don’t lose that number, any major dude will tell you, and barrytown
Enjoyed this much more than I expected I would. Doesn't sound like an album made nearly 50 years ago. 4/5
Just another day in the office for Steely Dan. A perfect album of musicianship and production.
ALBUM RATING: 3.6 ALBUM GRADE: B- TRACK RATINGS: 1. Rikki Don't Lose That Number - 3.0 2. Night by Night - 5.0 3. Any Major Dude Will Tell You - 3.0 4. Barrytown - 3.0 5. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo - 3.5 6. Parker’s Band - 3.0 7. Through With Buzz - 3.0 8. Pretzel Logic - 4.5 9. With a Gun - 4.0 10. Charlie Freak - 4.0 11. Monkey in Your Soul - 3.0
Fun music! Awesome guitar playing with great tone, pop melodies with complex jazz harmonies. Enjoyable if you like pop or jazz. Lots of deep cuts. Creative orchestration dependent on piano.
Huh, I was expecting something... proggier? Or maybe folkier? There are a couple of big names from the 60s and 70s that are fused into one big amorphous blob in my head and evidently Steely Dan is one of them. Still, getting that all straightened out is the primary reason I'm doing this project, so hurrah! So, Steely Dan (at this point in their discography, at least) are slightly yachty soft rock. Noted! Fave track - Well, "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" made me think of Trailer Park Boys, so that's a plus. "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" is quite an ear worm! "Charlie Freak" had some enjoyable strangeness, too! I was gonna score this a 3, but quite a few of the tracks made a decent impression on me, so bumping it to 4...
Liked this album a lot. Very easy to listen to, and the jazz vibes throughout the album are right down my alley. Favorite track: Night by Night
A sweet, pleasant surprise and very catchy. If it weren't for this site, I would have never given this a listen. Favourite Tracks: - Night by Night - Rikki Don't Lose That Number - Pretzel Logic - Any Major Dude Will Tell You - Parker's Band - Charlie Freak Overall Grade: 4/5
Du bon rock à papa (pas le mien)
Nice album, lots of cool jazz samples and a real range of music!
Fun and funky, not what I was expecting.
Lekker relaxed, top 1e nummer. Bevalt me wel deze ochtend.
The band enters a pop mode on Pretzel Logic, spending half their time on short melodic statements and half in characteristic, jazzier fare. I'm not a good listener of the former, but I can appreciate the attempt in light of the latter. No duds on this one.
Actually pretty cool
Last time I get to make some reference to Oh Hello
My mates dads favourite album of all time and I get why he likes it so much. I’ve only ever really listened to Steely Dans greatest hits before this so this was a better insight into them in an album format. Not a bad song throughout, quite country and bluesy at the same time
Love me some steely Dan!
Steely Dan is a band I struggle with. Maybe it's that they sound too polished, I'm not sure but this album has some history for me and the first four songs are all excellent. There's some filler after that but once the title track hits the album takes off again. All in all a fine album, maybe Ads best. 4 stars
This album was due for a relisten (I remember not being so impressed the first time I heard it). But this time, I think it grew on me! Fave tracks are the title track, "Night By Night," "Monkey In Your Soul," "Through With Buzz," "Parker's Band," "Charlie Freak," and of course, "Rikki Don't Lose That Number."
Preclowa logika czyli trzeci album w dyskografi duetu Steely Danowego i trzecie ich pojawienie sie na liscie i to dodatkowo chronologicznie sie losuja, plyta z 74 jest rozwinieciem idei tworzenia jaka duet przyjal, czyli szukania tego konkretnego muzyka do wykonania konkretnej roboty na materiale, wiec lista muzykow sesyjnych wynosi blisko 20 nazwisk, ale stylistycznie zaszla dosc znaczaca zmiana w porownaniu z countdownem, precelkowy krazek jest chyba najbardziej przystepnym sluchowiskiem zespolu, ma na to wplyw popowy format utworow, 34 minuty materialu podzielone na 11 krazkow, daje idealne radiowe czasy grania czyli trzy minuty na piosenke, jesli dodac do tego mniej sardonicznosci niz na poprzednich kompozycjach i wykorzystujac bardziej pozytywne, albo przynajmniej mniej negatywne przeslania, ale nadal jest grane zjawiskowo w tym znaczeniu, ze jest jazzowane tak dokladnie jak tylko steely dan potrafi, a nie czuc jednak w tym sztucznosci i szlifowania ktore musialo zostac wlozone w uzyskanie takiego brzmienia, na plejke dodam tylko night by night, ktory moglby robic za moj theme music ostatnimi czasy
4/5 Interesting album with great production. Favourite track is Night by Night. Great riffs and technique throughout. Pretzel Logic starts quite strong in the first quarter but definitely tapers off midway and eases out.
This band didn't sound like I thought they would. Got a bit too 'country' for me towards the end but most tracks were toe tappers. 4/5
Bello questo rock, mi prende. Molto allegro e tranquillo
Quite liked that.
Genre: Pop Rock 4/5 An album that borrows a lot from a band that they'd lose their lead guitarist to after this album (The Doobie Brothers), Pretzel Logic is a pop/yacht rock gem that still sounds as fresh and genuine today as it probably did back then. The album has a mellow, melodic throughline, but Walter Becker and Donald Fagen's songwriting choices have the same general cheekiness and humor that one comes to expect from a Steely Dan project, and it provides a level of sonic variety that gives this album a nice, unexpected freshness. Leading off with Rikki Don't Lose That Number, a slickly produced, pop rock classic (that still receives airtime today), Steely Dan lets their listeners know that there won't be as much jazz/prog influence on this one, and a lot more pop rock flair. The manicured, detailed pop production doesn't stop with the intro. The next two tracks, Night by Night and Any Major Dude... are two wonderful yacht rock essentials, rife with neat, tidy vocal harmonies and solid arrangements. The rest of the tracklist moves along at a decent clip, about 3-4 minutes per track, not giving the listener any time to get too comfortable as sonic palettes change nearly every track. From near-Dixieland on East St. Louis..., to piano rock stylings on Charlie Freak, to nifty blues jams on the title track, this album never bores and continuously enchants. Quite an impressive listen, and casually one of the best in the book, while sounding as light and fluffy as any generic pop record may sound like. Steely Dan rules. Great shit.
classsic, not a huge Muse fan but can still respect
A complex fusion of jazz, funk and FM rock. Superb musicianship and great harmonies. Occasionally self-indulgence trumps enjoyment.
This is the second album that I've gotten of Steely Dan. I am enjoying this one more than the first one. I think that I have heard "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" before. This is some nice classic rock. I'm excited to listen to more of their discography.
One of, if not the best, album of Steely Dan.
En av mina mindre favorit steely dan album…. Ändå bangerzzzz
A Steely Dan is a Steely Dan album, but why choose this over, say, The Royal Scam? Because it has their top-charting single, duh
Im lovin it
Accessible is the word that comes to mind with this album. It's smooth easy listening and if you're just playing it in the background it will be decent inoffensive dad rock. But, it also rewards really paying attention and then you pick up on the variety in instrumentation, harmonies, and the melodies changing throughout the songs. Overall a short snappy album that does what it does well.
Listened before.
Living proof that album cover is deceiving. Adorable music!
Beautiful jazz elements. Each song offers something different. (7/10) FT: Pretzel Logic, Rikki Don't Lose That Number
As soon as I start taking the Dan too seriously my rating goes down. The secret is to listen from the perspective of a good time which makes it all so much better. Tight as fuck bunch of studio musicians having fun with the idea of perfection.
04/26/2022 Music my dad would def jam to. Very easy to listen to from start to finish. It's a great one to put on while doing work, too.
Some rockin guitar riffs goin on here. Not their best album but I can definitely see myself checking out this one again.
I’ve herd of the name but I think this is the album i’am most in the dark about (so far): The album starts with Rikki don’t lose that number. It’s a decent poppy song that I think I vaguely recognise. I also enjoy the weird little intro bit before the piano crashes in. I don’t know if this is the best way to say it but night by night sounds quite “funky” , but with a nice jazz overtone. I really enjoyed the instrumental when the electric guitar came in! Any major dude will tell you is a nice pace changer a slightly more gentle song ( at the start) while still keeping the sound of this band. A good way to show the listener that they can do lots of things and still sound cohesive ( something I think other bands struggle with). The instrumental works on barrytown are very nice especially at the start. It’s probably not my favourite but that just goes to show how enjoyable it has been so far. Est st louis toodle- doo is apparently a cover track from the 1920’s it’s only instrumental but a nice way to say goodbye to side one. Parkers band on the other hand is really how to start side two a lot more energetic then most of the other songs on the album and could be seen as a second choice for an intro if Rikki don’t lose that number wasn’t here. It does feel a bit on the short end though. Through with buzz is a bit of a step down a slow short song, I mean way too short (1:30). So it could be considered there just to fill up time. The song does kinda work as an intro type song to pretzel logic though , a very well done song I love the instrumentals to this song, slight shame this is the less popular single by the looks of things. With a gun is okay like through with buzz it kinda plays more of a filler role but it’s nice enough and I don’t hate it. Charlie freak has a great short piano intro it’s quite a short song but not the shortest on here. Yeah I like this one quite a bit! As for the song monkey in your soul (the album’s closer) slows down the album to quite a nice close, it’s a nice way to finish it but it does leave me asking for more. Overall a great album to be fair until the second half it was really hard to criticise other than things like it’s not really my sound and I can’t see myself returning to it all too often but it’s still good!
Not gonna lie: I simply enjoy Steely Dan. I wasn't familiar with most of this album but still worked for me. Lyrically, melodically it's good. Not their best but certainly worth the time addition to my collection.
Steely Dan is so samey, can go through an album without blinking. But I love that one track that they play for 35 minutes, album after album after album (actually Rikki Don't Lose That Number irritates me, but the rest of the album I didn't know is fabulously crafted).
I liked this a lot.
The older I get the more I appreciate (& love Steely Dan). I'm not a big fan of "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo" making this album not as strong in my opinion as Aja, Countdown to Ecstacy, the Royal Scam, or Can't Buy a Thrill.
Aja mi je bio wau. Ovo mi nije wau al svejedno jako dobar album. Željezni Dan, bravo.
"THESE PRETZELS ARE MAKING ME THIRSTY!" Sviđa mi se što čujem, kratak album - nisam očekivao s obzirom na Aja što je bio prije nekoliko tjedana. Lagani pop rock sa mrčkicom jazza strpan u 33 min. Ugodno slušanje, nije mi bolji od Aje, ali je takve kvalitete, a i cover mi se sviđa isto. Sve u svemu - poslušajte, dobar je i vjerujem da biti dovoljno ritmičan da vas navede na cupkanje.
god damnit steely dan it's so good
Another one of Steely Dan's greats. A little soft in places (the lyrics of Charlie Freak bordering on mawkish) but mostly solid.
Funky folk by funky folk. Reminds me of Alan Parsons.
My third favourite Steely Dan album. Their studio productions are just perfect. Also think songs are very catchy even for first time listeners.
Роцк энд ролл
4.5
This was really good, I enjoyed it. But Can't Buy A Thrill and Aja are definitely better.
steely dan back to back was okay
I once wore a pretzel as a cock ring to a circle jerk. In was a Oktoberfest at the Chelsea training ground. I was dressed in lederhosen and added the pretzel for extra detail, as was the fashion at the time. The circle jerk was a little more German than usual. The entire Chelsea first team and backroom staff all shouted "JA!" as they squirted their loads all over me. Glenn Hoddle came on my back. Later, we all went out for steins. I somehow spilt one all down my lederhosen and it became hard to tell what was bier and what was the jizz of the entire Chelsea first team and backroom staff. I was dripping wet.
Jazz-rock animado. Está bien. Un 4.
Enjoyed it more than I thought. I can see why Steely Dan gets props.
8/10
Great album with multiple standouts and not a single bad track.
Although one of my favorite albums is The Nightfly by Donald Fagen and I've always loved the sound of the Steely Dan hits, I've never pursued them into their deeper cuts. This was very cool, and well worthy of "Rikki Don't Lose That Number." I love the touch of jazz (more than a touch on "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo"!) with a soft rock vibe without being boring. It really just sounds like you'd want a Steely Dan album to sound. Lush. And the lyrics are just pretty fun. "I have never met Napoleon/ But I plan to find the time." "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" is a new favorite.
8/10. Not my favorite Dan but it’s got a charm all it’s own
Some funky songs here SLAPPED
Hellings Steely Dan, gott stöff!
Ooooh it's jazzy! I liked it. It was kind of whimsical and I think the writing is fun.
This album is an easy listen and I liked the funky vibes on the songs
Classic era Steely Dan, polished jazzy rock before they became ultra ultra polished and jazzy. Very good indeed. A very high 4 because it's not Aja!
I have been enjoying the Steely Dan on this list. This isn't my favourite one so far (that would be Aja) but it's still good
i actually really enjoyed this album, especially the first song! i thought it was fun and i just really liked it
As a little kid relegated to the unsafe back-of-the-station wagon (seatbelts?) I was subject to all that AM radio (and my dad's preference) had to deliver out of the rear-wheel speaker at my ear. Something about Steely Dan kind of freaked me out and I never enjoyed their smooth mysterious ways... But hot damn those smooth mysterious ways are pretty great - took me decades to appreciate them and now just hearing the simple opening riff to "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" is like a time machine - and how can a kid appreciate or understand the slightly odd jazzy *only Steely Dan* chord changes that take this pop song from simple to complex within 4 chords? Also I wouldn't have noticed how amazing this record (record. I'm listening through digital technology that couldn't have been dreamt of in the 70s) sounds - and it does sound amazing. It's at once full and clear, perfect separation of instruments, amazing musicianship. This is an album (band?) that sounds "dated" but somehow not in a negative way - more like a nostalgic slice of the 70s that celebrated creative and complex songwriting. Ironically what probably prevents me from giving this a 5 would be that some of the songs aren't as stereotypically "Steely Dan" as I'd now prefer (e.g. Barrytown doesn't seem good enough for them if that makes sense) but still overall a great listen. 8/10 4 stars.
Enjoyed this, two listens.
191121 17:30 3.5
Solid Album throughout, no standout songs though. Would happily listen to again. Like "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" and "Pretzel Logic" the most
More and more dig this band now
Groovy dad rock
Steely Dan is a solid four star band
* favorite so far
Really enjoyed this. Great melodies and very listenable.
Pretty good. Even better when I make the connection with Donald Fagen - nifty! Every song was good, although Barrytown gave me major Beatles vibes. Inspiration is inspiration, though, and I don't think that takes away from anything.
Good and short
Good album. I always dig Steely Dan. 3.5
Steely Dan is real hit-or-miss for me. First track is Rikki Don't Lose That Number, which I can't stand. The album really picks up midway though though, their harmonies are excellent.
The band MOR DJs turn to when they’re feeling a little edgy. So easy to listen to but surprisingly complex and subversive. I don’t pretend to understand Steely Dan but I was perfectly content listening to this album on repeat.
Love Steely Dan. I thought that a few of the songs were a bit short, though. That was kind of surprising to me. But still, I had always enjoyed Aja and a few of their later albums.
"Rikki Don't Lose that Number" is a great song. It's main riff comes from Horace Silver's "Song for My Father" (check it out, it is the exact same riff minus the beginning 16th note and Horace is in F while Steely Dan is in E). I love the production on the track. The acoustic guitar in the second verse always makes me smile. The rest of continues to please with a great blend of jazz and rock.
Całkiem spoko, ale miejscami nudnawe
I guess I love Steely Dan
A great album with a good mixture of styles form pop to jazz
“Rikki” sets the tone as the lead off track, being smooth with some downright creepy lyrics if you really analyze them. A great album front to back, though it loses a little steam at the very end. And a great instrumental!
Good album.
Not sure if I have ever listened to a Steeley Dan record. I liked it, it was like this classic rock dabbled with what I perceive to be a dash of blues and jazz. With a gun, Pretzel Logic, and Rikki don't lose that number really stood out to me tbh.
I had listened to it before. A definite classic so smooth.
Slaps. Blues, funk and jazz.
Very nice
Night by Night: Questa groova bella forte. Qualcuno dovrebbe imparà a fa gli assoli dal vecchio zio Steely me sa Barrytown: M'è piaciuta, mi piace come ogni pezzo c'ha qualche elemento di arrangiamento un po' fuori dal comune fino ad ora. East St.Lous Toodle-Oo: Bellissima! Charlie Freak: Anche questa mi piace molto, quando usi i campanelli natalizi al posto del tambourine a me mi conquisti sempre. In conclusione: Una piacevole sorpresa! Non conoscevo gli Steely Dan ma questo album mi ha davvero colpito, pensare che avevano delle sonorità così moderne nel '74 è abbastanza assurdo. L'ho trovato molto raffinato soprattutto nella composizione, il blend fusion è fatto davvero ad arte. Con certi pezzi, in particolare Night by Night non sono riuscito a non fare head banging. Non mi sento di dargli 5 solo perché alcuni pezzi li ho trovati un po' più sottotono rispetto agli altri (tipo Parker's band) e perché comunque non ho dato 5 manco ai Sonic Youth. Comunque me lo risentirò.