Reviews (page 6 of 14)
Rikki>Night By Night>Any Major Dude is an amazing opening run of songs, it drops off slightly but it's still great.
I wasn’t expecting this album to be as funky as it was! The dynamics seemed to vary a lot, but the funk was the general running theme. Everything here sounded interesting. I love the music more than I loved the vocals, but do not take that to mean the vocals were bad. The music is just far more interesting. This isn’t my first Steely Dan album, and I’m pretty sure I was impressed the first time round too. I guess I’m a Steely Dan fan now!
Liked it.
something ive been looking forward 2 in this project is catching random snapshots of bands i have little to no familiarity with , with far less logical throughline or context then i usually provide myself when trying out an artist. i have heard aja before, but just hearing aja makes this a lil more jarring if anything...four tracks longer and six minutes shorter! this is rly rly delightful...a lot of density, a lot of economy, both aided a lot by the use of jazz vocab esp in the wonderful harmonic stuff goin on here. im not sure how much of a capital b Band they were at this point but obviously the performances r something 2 behold as well. i could prob like this band a lot! deserves some more time on my own time
I liked it! Beautifully recorded with some really nice guitar playing. Nice to-the-point 34 minute album. Jazzy. Doesn't have any of the songs that I knew from Steely Dan but I can dig it.
American rock and roll. Put him in there with Springsteen and Petty. This is better, though.
Very good album and I liked it's blend of genres , mainly rock and jazz .
a good album, but not steely dan’s best
Mir hat das Album von der Grundstimmung sehr gut gefallen: melodisch, jazzig und nicht unbedingt Mainstream.
"Rikki Don't Lose That Number" is the well-known opener of this high-quality pop-rock-jazz-blues-album. Not a weak song but also not a single banger for me. 3,5
Hilarious that I’m about to start this review in the same way that I started the two previous Steely Dan reviews. I didn’t even realize it until I went back and looked at them. I think the only thing that has changed is my actual writing abilities. They are only slightly better though. I love Steely Dan. Point blank. A Steely Dan kind of day is bound to be a great one. I’ll never understand people’s problem with this band. Like, I guess I could see why some of the fans could make it annoying. Yes, they do in fact sound really good when there isn’t a middle-aged dad telling you how much better they are than everything else. But what is there to not like about the actual music itself? Put on Reelin' in the Years and tell me that isn’t the fucking best thing ever. They get a lot of hate, and I don’t really care. I haven’t found another group that does this pop and jazz-rock fusion as well as they do. So far, I’ve actually managed to go in release order. Pretzel Logic is their third, and the last they recorded as a full band together before Fagen and Becker became less like band mates and more like band leaders. Even if this does feature the whole band, there are still contributions from studio musicians. I obviously can’t exactly differentiate who wrote what, but the instrumentals on this are still great. They straight up kicked their drummer off the kit and turned him into a background singer. Instead, they got the drummers from Derek and The Dominos and Toto. The sound of this isn’t that different from their first two records. Fagen’s lyricism is still as strange and mystical as ever. But it does feel like they were trying some new ideas, and attempting to make more pop-centered radio friendly music. Which did help them find more of a presence on the radio after their sophomore album. But what they created on those previous albums just appeals to me a little bit more. This falls a little bit short of what I expect from them. But still a solid work from a band that I’ll never really get enough of. Rating: 7/10
Not my favorite Steely Dan album, but you can always count on them for good jazz pop.
Great album!! I liked Steely Dan but not listened to all of their albums. This one is great. I’m giving it a four almost just because Rikki Don’t Lose my Number is on it!
Not the Dan's best but a solid showing. First four tracks are legendary, while it takes a step down it stays consistent for the rest of it. Production and vibes are stellar as always
I love the Dan. Incredible instrumentation, great lyrics, and some of best sound mixing ever. Was the title track the first appearance of the “What are those!” Vine? Favorite songs were Rikki Don’t Lose That Number, Barrytown, Pretzel Logic, and With A Gun.
Some Dan classics on this one.
Very old white man music, but it's good! They're very talented musicians and I like how they showed that you don't need to noodle to make good songs.
Well this album was over before I knew it. A fun listen with some interesting styles, and nicely produced. A few tracks seemed like they would be quite at home as a TV theme tune, or background music for a comedy sit-com. I'm looking at you, "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo"!
Shiiiit, word ik dan toch een soort van fan van Steely Dan? Na Aja is dit album voor mij, eindelijk, weer eens een echt tof album! Het gaat redelijk alle kanten op, progrock is een beetje het overheersende genre, maar er zitten ook blues elementen, jazz elementen en dare I say een klein beetje country in! Alles bij elkaar is een meer dan vermakelijk album en EIN-DE-LIJK iets met een hogere rating dan 3 sterren. Het is wel nipt, ik zou het 3,5 sterren geven als het kon, maar dan hebben ze mazzel dat ik zo veel middelmatige schijt heb gehad, dan vind ik dit toch echt een stuk vermakelijker. Ik kan vooral de combi van stijlen waarderen, met jazz en rock als boventoon. FAVO: Rikki don;t lose that number, Any major dude will tell you, East St Louis Toodle-oo, Pretzel Logic, Monkey in your soul
It's no Aja, but it's still amazing
Good album but prefer Aja
Fusion of a variety of genres pop/rock/jazz/r&b to produce a good sounding album. Favourite tracks: East St.Louse Toodle-Oo, Pretzel Logic, Rikki Don't Lose That Number
Smooth, snarky songs aplenty here. The genius about this band are the little dashes of genius sprinkled all throughout. Listen with headphones. Like eating a hot pretzel with a razor blade smuggled inside. Best Tracks: Rikki Don't Lose That Number; Any Major Dude Will Tell You; Barrytown
Fun vibes, way exceeded my expectations. Will revisit for sure
Pop rock. Steely Dan is always mixed really well and this is no exception. A solid collection of catchy songs, great songwriting. I just tend to like some other Steely Dan just a bit more. Should revisit. 4/5
Good overall feeling but no standout tracks
Steely Dan are always a solid shout for me. It’s not there best album though plus it doesn’t have Kid Charlemagne which is an absolute banger. That being said would happily listen again, Steely Dan are my sort of vibe
8/10.
Really enjoyed the funk in this one!
Excellent, but what else would you expect from Steely Dan? 1st song is the only one I recognize but the rest of the album is worth listening to... repeatedly.
3/5
Not as good as Aja that came here some weeks ago
Any Major Dude Will Tell You this is a solid album. I was especially partial to Charlie Freak.
chillig
Good album! I like Steely Dan a lot and there's a lot of fun stuff on this one. I don't think it has the same excessive bliss of the jams on Aja, but there's so many great tunes and playful melodies to keep me happy. It's a short and sweet album too. Best Track: Any Major Dude Will Tell You Worst Track: Monkey in Your Soul
Best Song: Rikki Don't Lose that Number Worst Song: Monkey in your Soul
Very familiar with this one. The deep cuts are tolerable. It’s like visiting an old friend.
Liked it, but no scene stealers for me
Very good jazz.
4.5 stars. This is really good, no filler and flows well as an album. Great production without feeling contrived. Singing complements the instrumentals well without being generic. Standout is "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" with it's memorable post-chorus hook.
Super catchy and funky - I like the creativity
Very good. I always thought Steely Dan was a single person…
cool
Musically interesting 70's soft rock. A few really great songs.
Don't remember what I thought of this but usually like Steely Dan, let's call it a 4
Not quite as good as cant buy a thrill but many classics on here
I always like Steely Dan, I grew up with the songs on the radio, and Steely Dan were playing a lot! 4 Stars
A classic folk legend. Brilliant album.
6 / 10 Rock Setentero. Buena calidad pero nada especial para mí.
Jazz, R&B, Pop, and pitch-perfect vocal harmonies all co-exist happily together across the span of Pretzel Logic. I read about Steely Dan co-frontmen Walter Becker and Donald Fagen's strategy for this album--challenging themselves to write short-ish pop tracks--and damn, did that pay off on Pretzel Logic. It was really refreshing to listen to jazz-infused pop music from the 70s that doesn't insist upon itself. All of these tracks get in and out between 2 to 4.5 minutes. All killer, very little filler. Album opener (and Steely Dan's highest-charting single), "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," is such a brilliant pop tune that features loads of kickass harmonies, lush jazz/pop guitar and keyboards, and rich production value. My ex-stepfather played a healthy amount of Steely Dan in my presence growing up, and this is still probably my favorite Steely Dan song I have heard. I found my head a-bopping throughout all 11 tracks, and now definitely have a rekindled appreciation for Steely Dan after listening to Pretzel Logic in its entirety. It's a damn shame this group stopped touring so long ago. I'm hopeful to get served up a second Steely Dan album as I continue on my 1,001 Albums journey. Interesting Factoids from Wikipedia: *The album was Steely Dan's last to be made and released while the group was still an active touring band (1974), as well as the final album to feature the band's full quintet-lineup of Walter Becker, Donald Fagen, Denny Dias, Jim Hodder, and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter (who subsequently left to join The Doobie Brothers), though it also features significant contributions from many prominent Los Angeles-based studio musicians. *A commercial and critical success, the album's hit single, "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", helped restore Steely Dan's radio presence after the disappointing performance of their previous album. *"East St. Louis Toodle-Oo" (also "Toodle-O" and "Todolo") is a composition written by Duke Ellington and Bubber Miley and recorded several times by Ellington for various labels from 1926–1930 under various titles...For Steely Dan's 1974 cover of the song, Becker played the melody with a wah-wah pedal to imitate Miley's trumpet style, while Jeff "Skunk" Baxter used a pedal steel guitar for the trombone part. *Steely Dan FAQ author Anthony Robustelli describes "Pretzel Logic" as a bluesy shuffle about time travel. Fagen has stated that the lyrics, including anachronistic references to Napoleon and minstrel shows, are about time travel. *"Charlie Freak" recounts the tale of a vagrant drug-addict who sells his only possession—a gold ring—to the narrator so he can buy a fix, which kills him. Interesting Factoids from SongFacts.com: *"Rikki Don't Lose That Number" is Steely Dan's highest charting single, reaching #4 on the Hot 100 in 1974. *Released as the B-side to "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," ["Any Major Dude Will Tell You"] was initially a fairly obscure song that became a crowd favorite. In an interview with Rolling Stone during Steely Dan's 2009 tour, Fagen talked about this song: "When we moved out to LA, people called each other 'dude,' which we found funny. We were trying to speak their language." Standout Tracks: Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Night By Night, Any Major Dude Will Tell You, East St. Louis Toodle-Oo, Pretzel Logic, With A Gun, Charlie Freak
Quite liked this one
What a unique and interesting album! Not everything lands, but there is so much neat experimentation and instrumentation on this album, and I absolutely love the vocal harmonies and lead. Nothing overstays it's welcome. This album really makes me want to check out more Steely Dan, which I think is ultimately the point. Fav tracks: Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Charlie Freak, Pretzel Logic, East St. Louis Toodle-Oo
Good album, very steely dan like
This should be an EP -- great songs but also a lot of filler. Great either way. Favorite Track: Pretzel Logic
I love Steely Dan, but this isn’t one of my favorite albums of theirs. It’s still Dan though.
3.8 - This was just good solid music in my opinion. Any Major Dude was a great tune and has been in my playlist. I hoping Can't Buy a Thrill is on this list.
I've got into Steely Dan in a big way the last couple of years, and I've got this record on vinyl, but that being said, its not close to my favourite album of theirs. There are some catchy hooks, and to me its also the point where they are really starting to hone their polished studio sound. But there are also some rather corny moments, and the attempts to experiment with arrangements or styles outside of their typical wheelhouse mostly just fall flat to me. Though I still think its a pretty decent record I don't think its very necessary for the 1001 list. Fave Tracks: Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Night by Night, Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Pretzel Logic 3.7/5
A soft baked pretzel is a lot like Steely Dan when you think about it: both pair well with a dad beer, neither ever truly disappoints, and when done just right, they can really hit the spot.
There is not a note out of place. If you like that, then this is the album for you. I'm neutral on it. I find "Pretzel Logic" to be the most accessible Steely Dan album, even if it doesn't have most of the major hits on it. It's a very good listen and I would probably suggest a person who has not heard Steely Day give it a shot. If you hate how perfect Steely Dan is in the studio, then this won't change your mind. I do find this to be as non-grating as Steely Dan can be. They tone down their kitschy and overly-clever (at times) lyrical content and the songs are also shorter. Next is "Katy Lied," which is not a Steely Dan album I would recommend.
Oh yeah, now we're getting into my world. A high school/college classic for me. Not the best Steely Dan album, but definitely an old favorite. 4 stars.
Super chill with a few classic songs. Still struggle a bit with steely dan's vocals but you can see the detail and precision in their songs.
That clean Steely Dan sound. Lots of unfamiliar tunes for me but enjoyed getting to hear more of the catakog
Steely Dan <3 had wel al een keer van dit album gehoord, kende ook al paar nummers maar het hele album in een keer is erg nice
some classics on there. decent
Jazz stylings over rock without ever approaching prog is a clever sound that really works for the band. 4.0/5.0: Great
very cool musical ideas
Enjoyable.
Drummer killed his mom. Listening to Steely Dan on headphones and trying to hear all the instruments is always rewarding. They fit together like a Swiss clock.
Sehr funky, man hörte sich schnell ein. Abwechslungsreiche Instrumentals, vielleicht leicht unscheinbare Vocals aber sie fügen sich gut ein.
Not my absolute favorite but good Dan nonetheless
Good, chill album. A little rocky. I added “With A Gun” to the Regulators playlist
Woot! Steely Dan!
Steely Dan is classic, and always has perfect production. This album has some great tunes but I feel Aja and Countdown To Ecstacy are stronger showings than this one
This album on 1st listen is very close to a 5 for me. Every song is great and the musicianship is always on another level with SD. I wish I had this on vinyl.
I absolutely loved this - it’s reminding me of Chicago and some Simon and Garfunkel as well. I’m a sucker for horn parts, and I seriously love their mixing techniques with minimal reverb. What a fun album! Only song I wasn’t a fan of was probably the instrumental track.
Everything I’ve listened to by Steely Dan has been a pleasure. They have some of the best mixed/mastered albums that I have listened to.
This must not have been one of the Steely Dan albums in as regular of rotation growing up because other than the first track, it wasn’t super familiar. Very enjoyable though!
Classic Dad rock.
Great, smooth, lil bit funky. Really enjoyed it
One of my all-time favorite albums, and artist. Great music.
night by night lyrics are nice.. barrytown is nice "I'm not one to look behind I know that times must change". gay-ish but also hater ass song like,,,,i guess im from barrytown then too lol. whimsical fellow... the guitar on parkers band is NICE wait omg i know Pretzel logic??? the song. omg? or at least the MELODY
one of the dan's best. close in quality to the royal scam.
Doug is wrong. Steely Dan is great.
Loving the eclectic sound.
Rock Jazz is better than expected. Barely missed out on a 5 star
Great duo with excellent words & music in various ways. Always a listening treat.
Steely Dan's jazzy and soft tones sound as good today as they did in the 70s. The group is both commercially and technically successful but I think their claim to fame is their sound is not duplicated by other bands. They are simply pleasant and easy to listen to without sounding redundant. Thank goodness for their music instead of the electronic and punk rock pretenders out there who just jam and scream making noise rather than making music.
goddam: 09,10 cool: 01, 03, 04, 06, 07, 08 good: 02, 11 meh: 05 ass: really good, kind of lowkey like a 8-9/10
There's some short and rather forgettable tracks on here, but otherwise it's a chill and enjoyable listen. Favorite tracks: Rikki Don't Lose the Number, Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Barrytown Least favorite tracks: Monkey In Your Soul
Superb production. Any Major Dude is a highlight; only a few moments where this album drags.
Gewoon cutie steely, always
4.1/5
Bangers
Steely Dan had such a great sound. Love this album.
Groovy, quick, and so easy to listen to.
Mmm pretzels
It was pretty soothing
Another one that I already own and like. This is Steely Dan's 3rd album, and the last one where they were technically a band, rather than a vehicle for Fagen and Becker. I say "technically because there were more than a dozen other players augmenting the 5 members of the band. Regardless, this is a great album, probably my 2nd favorite behind their first (Can't Buy A Thrill). It has all the things that make Steely Dan great: solid pop sensibilities over a slightly Jazzy groove. precise songwriting, solid musicianship, well produced. But it also has the things that can make Steely Dan a little irritating. They's a bit clinical, perhaps too "clean". The lyrics can trend toward obtuse. And there's just a certain feeling that these guys KNOW they're good, and that they're smarter than all us mortals who are lucky enough to listen to them. With a song about Charlie Parker, and a Duke Ellington cover, these guys let you know they understand and appreciate "real" music. With references to The Queen of Spain, Sqonk's tears and and Napoleon... well these guys are beyond the average. All that said, this remains a very good album. Most of the songs are good to great, and none stink. "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" is a prime 1974 single (#4 in US) and at least 1/2 of it got solid AOR radio play. "Any Major Dude..." "Night by Night" and "Pretzel Logic" are outstanding. All my complaining doesn't change the fact that I enjoy this album, and have for years. Easily at least a 4. But not quite good enough to round to 4. I'll save that 5 for their debut, assuming it shows up on this list.
Rikki Don’t Lose That Number was literally my first introduction to Steely Dan as a 12 year old. Listening now, it’s a pretty great album. The songs are of a piece, except for East St. Louis Toodle-oo, which sounds out of place. Otherwise, this is a great exploration of the demimonde, albeit what you get when you’re California hipsters rather than the Velvets.
Pretty good overall.
Mid 70s harmonies and songwriting, and nice grooves.
Not quite as good as their first, but still damn good. Fun from beginning to end. The only thing stopping me from giving it a 5 straight away is "multiple 5s from the same artist" for the first time being a really high bar, but I thought about it.
Still a very good album. Steely Dan just kills in their ability to write
Surprisingly fun
solid all around, would listen again. unfortunately i’m no closer to understanding the logic behind pretzels.
Good harmonies
Good tunes! I really liked all the instruments
Best album so far 💯💯💯 I've found a new love
кайфово
как же я проорал с East St. Louis Toodle-Oo алкоальбом: красное полусухое
Notable track: Through With Buzz
Very good, enjoyed very much.
Icónico
loved the harmonies
Cool vibe. Sort of CSNY combined with a little bit of the Grateful Dead/funky blues sound.
The mighty Dan of Steel's initial demographic seems to have been future Dentists and fathers who were too smart for their own good. But damn could they groove-- which is why their demographic is so small. The intellectual prog rockers weren't concerned with groove and the funk/ soul crowd wasn't concerned with intellectual lyricism that was chalk full of clever references, inside jokes, and subtle snark. Fagen/ Becker were 2 guys who unapologetically pushed their technical proficiency in the studio while capturing some real smooth grooves that, listening to this album, one just can't turn their back on. This Dan album only has 2 tracks that are overplayed (Rikki & Major Dude) and revisiting, really lets me sink my teeth into lesser known tracks like Barrytown, the tone on East St. Louis, and the visual imagery in the lyrics of With A Gun. Take East St. Louis Toodle-do for example, this should come off hokey as hell, but I just can't skip this track. Until the final second when you hear the gong strike (??) you're pulled into their bizarre nerd-universe where Duke Ellington covers live organically alongside the fusion of future dentists grooving to the obsessive music perfection of 2 men that have definitely read more books than any of us.
Liked the album a lot, but sounded a little over produced to me.
The sun came out for the first time yesterday in about 20 days. And at the same time I got to listen to this classic masterpiece.
Really liked !!
I’m a little surprised at how much I enjoyed this. It’s kinda corny - which I just panned The Beach Boys and Dire Straits for being. Cheesy, but the sense of humor in it feels more authentic. But it’s also smart and a little funky. Ricky is clearly a classic. Listening on my commute, I had a hard time not thinking of that scene in Say Anything when John Mahoney is singing along in his car. I liked it, not loved it. But didn’t expect to like anything beyond the singles. Pleasantly surprised.
- yeah this is the good stuff - I love yacht rock vibes - so fun to listen to
1- itching my brain in a good way 2- instant like 3- im confused, not in a completely bad way 4- okayy, but not my fav so far 5- i feel like the mc in a black and white movie and i love it (i love wtv happened after 2:20) 6- YES. i am def clapping my hands 7- idk the flow is just wrong in my ears 8- its okay (2 min mark is amazing) i like second half a lot better 9- i like this one too, the lyrics are intEresting and the beat just sounds so good 10- "FIVE NIGHTS WITHOUT A BITE"? evil fnaf lore, also the jingles made this feel sinister 11- the name goes hard, i cant tell if this is bass or not but it sounds so good wtf is it and w the drums its so good
Pleasant and mildly electronic
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.