Reviews (page 7 of 8)
This is the first time I've listened to a full album from Steely Dan. I've heard several songs from Steely Dan, but I was never sure if I liked the band or not. I'm still not sure. I have heard two songs from this album before ("Bodhisattva", "My Old School"). "Your Gold Teeth" got me tapping along as the music played. "Show Biz Kids" was the track that had me saying 'no, thanks'. I'm still not sure about Steely Dan. This album gets an "it's okay... I guess".
Instrumental aspect is really groovy and chill. However the vocals have a cool sound to them, they aren't particularly interesting but neat. Each song has a similar groovy feel. Some parts during a song start sounding a bit repetitive such as in the song Show Biz Kids.
This album was a bit repetitive, but I liked the first few songs. There were some cool guitar solos and guitar parts as well.
Album cover: 5/5 Grooviness: 5/5 Singing: 2/5 (I wasn't a huge fan of his voice and lyrics weren't that interesting to me) Had some nice jazzy solos and electric organ. Your Gold Teeth was my favorite song. I didn't like the second half of the album as much though.
Nothing special, but perfectly listenable
I liked listening to this one, some of the songs gave me an elevator music vibe. only reason I'm giving it 3 stars is it didn't stand out to me a lot
Hanging out by the pool vibe. I like SD and this album is just ok.
Expected to like it more than I did
Hmmm. I don't know. I listened to it a lot today and it's OK. I can't see myself loving it, but it was quite good fun.
Kinda just sounded like a worse version of yesterday's Steely Dan. More interestingly, what are the chances of there being two consecutive albums with the same artist? Sounds like a good probability problem
Love the album cover art. I think that's the gateway to this album - the skeleton key to see through the perfect arrangements, pristine sound. These watercolor people in chairs are the target of the Dan's sharp satire. The "enlightened" (Bodhisattva), the complacent (Razor Boy?), the privileged (Show Biz Kids). The songs are catchy and complex. The solos don't waste a single note. The drums are air tight. After finally listening closely to the Dan (thanks 1001, and Josh) I think I've figured out the element that's always turned me off about them. They're so far above it all. They're not invested. Their lyrics drive a spear into imperfect people, but their music is perfected beyond criticism. They refuse to show their flaws while deconstructing the flaws of everyone else. It make sense in a pop-psychology sense. The most outwardly critical people are secretly the most self-critical. I asked myself, "well what about Father John MIsty, he criticizes absolutely everything that's ever existed (Pure Comedy), and you love his schtick". I answered myself, "well, good question, but he also is willing to risk his own pride and burn himself down with the terrible world" and then I stared at the middle distance for a 30 second count. I enjoyed the hell outta this record, especially King of the World. B+
Interesting
I mean... I hate to say it but this album was not very entertaining, which has always been an important part of Steely Dan's first album in my mind. Not that the music isn't popularly entertaining, but that the music itself has little interesting instrumental parts. the lyrics seemed pretty straightforward. there was a bit to chew on here and there. I especially liked the line 'my baby's a pearl in the quarter' in 'Pearl of the Quarter.' But in general, kinda lackluster. kinda like they formulated the sound of their first album. 3/5 for being decent, but more like a 5/10.
solid psych rock, but feels very loose
Not really for me, but very technical album
I liked The Boston Rag and Show Biz Kids
Bisschen groovier, hab ich mir gedacht, aber auch bisschen viel more of the same. Noch nicht so geschliffen wie auf Aja, natürlich. Aber das Rhodes-Solo in Your Gold Teeth ist schon geil, King of the World fand ich auch super.
Very skilled, good sound and vocals. Wild ride.
Rockband classic
It's Steely "polarizing" Dan. I still love Aja better than this one, but c'mon, it's Steely fucking Dan.
i liked it but nothing too special for me
Steely Dan. It’s good.
Pretty good not my style tho
I do love me some Steely Dan, and this record's sound reminds me a lot of CSN&Y. Not as many hits as other Steely Dan albums though.
This album was good. Nothing too noteworthy for me but nothing that stuck out as being bad either. A good listen for some classic rock.
Pretty pretty solid
I'm noticing a lot of these albums start out kinda weak but then get a lot better with each song. This is one of those albums.
Another solid 70s rock album.
old pop . ok 3.5
not my fave steely dan, but still nice
Ensimmäisellä soitolla alkuun vähän tökki, mutta meni niin paljon biisejä ohi, että kuuntelin uudelleen. Toinen ja kolmas soittokerta häiriintyi ikävästi töiden takia. Neljäs ja viimeinen soittokerta kotosalla tuotti tuloksen. Tykkäsin kyllä levystä, mutta ei tuo nyt kuitenkaan mikään masterpiece ollut.
Some great songs here.
Classic dad rock. Not their best work but there’s still some tasty riffs in there
Ah, the dildo band. Good musicians - great even, but the material is boring - jazz without soul.
Pretty boring stuff, I don't understand why Steely Dan are such critical favourites.
i tried, i really did. ive had so much prog and nonsense recently i just cant stomach it anymore. the high point was the super furry animals sample, the low point was everything else
Still counting... This isn't offensive or anything, but it definitely still makes me feel like I'm getting dental work. I'm less patient than I was for Steely Dans #1-2. Stop noodling and let me get out of here!
It's fine, nothing to write home about. Easy listening. King of the World is solid.
i tried, i really did, but i just fucking hate steely dan
I do not enjoy Steely Dan. I didn't like Aja, and I don't like this record much either. To me, they are at their worst at their jazziest. I just hate the stupid, corny chord changes that sound like showtunes. I also hate their approach to recording, which seems to be technical perfection over warmth or feeling. I hate it. This record starts out pretty jazzy, and then mercifully backs off the jazz gradually until eventually, by the end, I was almost enjoying myself! I particuarly liked the guitar work on "Pearl of the Quarter." That was good stuff. But the only two things I really enjoyed were that song and "My Old School." Otherwise - no thanks, Steely Dan, you weirdos. TWO STARS
Steely Dan is named after a dildo machine from a book, Naked Lunch, I believe. Don't quote me on that. Now Limp Bizkit is also named after a gross sexual thing. A Frat house game about ejaculating on a biscuit. I know Steely Dan are infamous for perfectionist & clean. The Bizkit is well Limp Bizkit. This is an album that is good musically, inside & out. It just does little to absolutely nothing for me. I just don't like it. Seems needlessly polished, like a slight flaw would actually add to it. 2
Second Steely Dan album so far. I remember thinking I should check them out due to the SFA sampling Show Biz Kids for their "The Man Don't Give A Fuck" track, but never got round to it. Having finally listened 30 years on, I'm genuinely disappointed in everything I've heard so far. Just generic 70's easy listening, which appears from this list to be a genre that by body outright rejects. Show Biz Kids is pretty good though.
I’m extremely unhappy I had to listen to this.
Something about this record made me feel a little uncomfortable. Favorite track: Boston Rag
I can't believe the entire internet has spent the past 5+ years trying to tell me that *this* is an all-time great band. I like Gaucho, though, wish that were here instead of this album in particular.
Cons: it’s Steely Dan Pros: it’s not available in Spotify
I’m not big on Steely Dan. But Old School is a great tune. I suppose compared to a lot of the records I’ve gotten lately this is at listenable.
Si pero no...
Flew right over my head
Not great, not even good. Doesn't make a case for itself. Wandering, lame, gentrified, goofy, unrefined. Can't believe this is the same duo that went on to make Aja. Yet another wasted slot that could have gone to something worthy.
i'm not really familiar with Steely Dan beyond "dirty work" after that record, im not sure i'll be exploring more. Not a steely dan guy, i guess
Fast but not least
There were some interesting parts to the music but I didn’t enjoy the music overall
Not again.
Meh.
The problem isn’t that Steely Dan is clever, it’s that they need the listener to know how clever they are and that’s fucking tedious.
God I dislike this band. So bland, so lacking a soul. Bonus star because that song about Boston was fine.
Nah bros
too much of this reminded me of weird al and once i made that association i could not unhear it anymore
More steely Dan. If course. It's just like a very talented group with no heart at all. The best bits: One of the early tracks sounded like a wings track if you took away all the charm that McCartney employs with no effort at all. Part way through there was a nice guitar solo. There were other not nice ones though. The one about the school sounded a bit like 10cc, but without the cleverly put together funny lyrics, you know, the best but about 10cc. That's about it.theyre obviously very talented but they are not enjoyable. There is also that other track that reminds me of the top gear theme. I don't really like being reminded of top gear. Is this the last steely Dan? I flipping hope so.
Sometimes I wonder whether perhaps my distaste for Steely Dan is based on some irrational animus and a lack of exposure to the band's music. Then, I listen to a song or an album, and I think, "Nope, they just suck." And, that's what this listen through provided; further confirmation that Steely Dan sucks. It also made me realize that Megadeth (another band that sucks) must have, in some kind of sick homage of suckitude, titled Countdown to Extinction after this album.
My Old School is a good song, but the rest of this didn't move me. I have just a nodding acquaintance with SD, but as an album this seems inferior to the other one we listened to, and also not as good as Aja, which should be on this list somewhere.
Quatrième album de Steely Dan généré, le premier étant le très jazzy 'Aja' (plus récent) que j'avais plutôt apprécié (3/5); puis les 2 autres, les plus pop/rock 'Can't Buy A Thrill' et 'Pretzel Logic' qui m'avaient moins intéressés (notés 2/5 - trop pop). Ce nouvel album commence bien, avec un morceau très dynamique (plutôt bluesy) avec des chorus de guitare sympas. Malheureusement l'album ne reste pas sur cette voie, le rythme ralentit, le style devient plutôt pop/rock et surtout moins inspiré, même si certains chorus restent intéressants. Malheureusement il n'y en a pas assez pour une seconde écoute. =>2/5
A meaningful experience of this project is learning who sings all of the classic rock songs you changed the station on as a youth. "My Old School" fits that category.
My Old School
I find Steely Dan endlessly annoying in a harmless, soft rock sort of way.
Really can't stand this guy's voice
I don’t really get this one, always hear of steely Dan but never listened to him. And well, not for me, don’t find it too catchy and didn’t love the style of music.
Meh. Kind of forgettable. Nothing jumped out at me.
That’s enough out of you Mr Dan
This is just not the sound for me. I'm sure their lyrics deserve a closer look, but the sound is just very uncool yet unoffensive. A 2 because it's notably worse than the Ramones
How can a bunch of obviously talented musicians collectively possess zero soul? Like none. Nada.
Inoffensive Dad rock
Unfortunately, though King of the World is a pretty good closer, the rest of the album is pretty lackluster and uninteresting. Palatable l, but definitely doesn't need to be here. 2.4/5 -> 2/5
Por el momento bastante meh.
Not how I wanted to start my come back, or my Friday morning!
Pretty meh for me.
so boring i forgot it was playing and took my headphones off to speak to my friends, album ended and i didnt even bother trying to listen again
Too much Jazz of a kind Idon't liek much.
There’s some dad rock I can vibe with but some, like this, aren’t my cup of tea sad to say
Do Steely Dan take themselves very seriously? They sound like they do.
147/1001 First listen. Simply put, I just don’t like the sound of this. I will not be playing this again. 3/10
Starts off pretty cheesy for my liking--the first track is pretty jangly. A real 50s rock vibe. Some of the tracks, especially past the middle of the album, are decent. The guy's voice is kind of annoying though, gives me Elvis Costello vibes, which I hate. 2/5
Of it's time ...I suppose. Not enough for me to listen to more.
Like bad 70s soft-rock lounge music that would play in an old men's cigar bar. The lyrics are incredibly problematic. Not at all like the Steely Dan I remember, they must have really revamped their sound in their later albums.
I didn't really like this all too much. The instrumentals are fine but the soft rock sound is too safe. 5/10
No one would accuse these folks of being chintzy with their selection of notes. They use them all.
Very that age, but nothing major stood out to me.
Decent but most of the songs kinda dragged
5/10 the shi you play when you're tired of fleetwood mac listen to when feeling like a 70s stoner definitely not their best work tho
More perfect boredom. Ridiculous to have four albums by these guys on here...
Boring. Cheesy. Wouldn’t be bad chilling on a yacht blitzed on cheap beer.
PTA is going to have to make a lot more masterpieces to change my mind about Steely Dan. King of the World and My Old School were decent tracks but I just find their voices annoying for the most part, and the majority of the songs are too slow for me.
This is like wandering around in the forest; it's not bad, but you feel kinda lost, and you don't exactly know where it's going. It's a slow, walking tempo, with trees obscuring the view.
History aside - I was taken by the opening of Bodhisattva with its Allman Brothers like harmonized guitars. The beat's fun too. And epitomizes the whole album where they seem to be making a play to make an actual rock and roll album. And then - it just drifts into the mid tempo and in the end is less interesting than the Steely Dan albums I actively dislike. This one hits a far more passive - but familiar - nerve.
I like harmonies, but the Steely kind of harmonies do nothing for me. Too slick and soulless. Much like the music. Not for me
this opens with a middling rock track with repetitive racist lyrics, and it really does not get much better from there. repetition is one thing, though i'd prefer it not be racist, but the repetition here isn't meritful. repetition is one thing, but the repetition here is basic and uninteresting without vocal delivery that makes it feel impactful. the instrumentation itself is Fine but there's little here that inspired any excitement from me. i bet my dad probably loved this before he killed himself.
Don't care for this. Not sonically interesting, and very repetitive. Feels like we're trying a lot of styles, but creating less inspired versions of all of them.
Much like Can't Buy a Thrill, this earlier stuff is almost tolerable. Still nothing I'd ever put on by choice. It's just so milquetoast.
Previously unknown. It was...fine.
Som søvnig Toto uden de fængende melodier.
eh, it was okay.
There a couple of good grooves in this album, but that's as much as I feel like I can say for it. Got bored, DNF'd. 2 stars because it's not actively grating.
Its good... but it's not great A lot of the songs are too long and just blur into eachother, which isn't always a bad thing but not this time I like the vocals and the jazz elements
Slightly elevated elevator music
I was unfamiliar with this Steely Dan album - and I’m not sure it lives up to any of the ones that I am familiar with. It was fine. I didn’t hate anything, but nothing stood out. I’d probably not search it out to listen to again. It’s another example of a 2.5* album, but it’s not a 3* one.
My parents listened to a lot of Steely Dan during my childhood, yet it had somehow left zero impression on me. The first track included all the bits I hate about Prog Rock and a lots of extra stuff I hate from Soft Jazz. Bodhisattva is all noodley guitar solos and a part that sounded like the needle had stuck on the record because they repeated Bodhisattva so frequently. I started to enjoy some bits of it after then though. I liked The Boston Rag (I think because of the layered vocals) until the interminable guitar solo kicked in and then we went back to repeating a small number of lyrics until fade out. I actually do think I might have liked this album, had the band limited their ceaseless soloing. You can all play your instruments, I get it, I don't need you to stop the song for a minute to all prove it to me. Should be a 2.5, but alas... 2/5
Maybe the best Steely Dan so far, but that is a very low bar to clear for me. The music just bores, but at least this time it idn't make me angry. Small victories.
Too much easy listening muzak for my taste, but I get the laid back appeal. Pleasantly surprised in moments, but generally skippable in my opinion. Top tracks: Your Gold Teeth, My Old School
Feels sort of proto-Yacht Rock, if that's a thing. Not bad, and might even be fun if you were hanging out in your back yard on a sunny afternoon. But, without even looking at the list, I can predict there will be too much Steely Dan on it, so knocking this a grade since I presume there's better options and this should be here.
I feel like this is the music they play when the Trailer Park Boys get up to misadventures. Just picture Ricky stealing steaks from the grocery store or Bubbles getting sad about a missing kitty and this music is the perfect match.
traditional span album. nothing great
Once I had soup. It tasted great.
This got a little too experimental for my taste. Too jammy, jazzy, not enough smooth rock.
I just don’t get it.
Steely Dan is weird. After Aja, I don't think I needed to hear any more Steely Dan.
First time knowingly hearing a Steely Dan song - let alone album. It’s clear the band knows their instruments and how to craft songs - there are number of bright spots with enjoyable guitar riffs and solos. But something about it just doesn’t work. Boring, uninteresting, forgettable. In fact I didn’t realize it had started over. Despite the tightness and riffs, I just don’t see myself ever listening to it again. 2/5
Jazzy, poppy, uptempo rock n roll. Like that it takes the piss out of hippies trying to find themselves in India. But doubt I'm gonna come back to it.
Sorry - doesn't belong. Sounds like a quintessential sophomore slump. They spent 7 or so years working up the songs that became Can't Buy a Thrill. Then they had, what? 12 months to write another album's worth of material? Couldn't do it. Show Biz Kids is decent and My Old School is OK. Everything else just flows by unremarkably like tree branches in a river. And without great songs, their sound comes across as pretentious and self-indulgent. Two songs - two stars.
I couldn’t even with this one. I’ll take it over Kid Rock I suppose, so I’ll round up to 2.
70’s
There are a couple decent songs and over all the music is pleasant enough. It just doesn't do much that I find very interesting.
such agonizing ecstasy
I could remember not liking the previous Steely Dan album I listened to, but couldn't remember the style of music. And that's the problem I have with them; what is it? It's like they dip a toe into jazz, a toe into prog, a toe into swing, and throw in some nods to the Beatles without doing any of those things justice. The result sounds like show tunes from a show I don't want to see. Don't give me this watered down, commercialized shit - give me the full fat albums that inspired it.
Steve Albini was right.
Some great musicianship, but it's all so utterly pointless. I can't fathom anyone being moved or excited by these songs.
bit boring
5/10 Who is this for? No urgency, just background music.
Don't bother counting down, ecstasy is NOT happening!
Slow generic rock album.
At this point, I am resigned to the fact that I will never 'get' what the deal with Steely Dan is. They just sound like a slightly jazzier version of the average 70's rock band. It's not like their songs are that original or complex. It's not terrible, but... really? Key tracks: Bodhisattva
In a nutshell: dad (or granddad) soft rock. I consider Steely Dan to be more of a "Best Of" band. Many of their singles are excellent, the rest of the tracks are just... blah. Layered vocals and harmonies in the chorus, again? A strong riff to open up. Ugh. The mundane format derails my attention from the lyrics, which are usually satirical. It feels like an inside joke I don't get. Good to hear a slide guitar on this album (Razor Boy). Skip this and go straight to Aja. Overall: 3/10
I’ve always been unenthused by Steely Dan, and this album didn’t change that
Bland.
How do you make a sophomore album that's more musically proficient and well produced than your landmark debut and still make it so much more boring. This so graded on a curve. Man do I dislike bands that decide they're too good for their own material.
60
I like some of Steely Dans songs but never get all of the hype.
It's not my favorite of their albums but not bad. Distinctly Steely Dan, you know it when you hear it. Just not as deep of an album a lot of the songs are really similar which is maybe not bad for everyone. I guess I am spoiled by their other work. Not bad, just not my favorite.
ugh
Clearly excellent musicians but it lacks any great numbers - all countdown no ecstasy for me!! Would make nice lift music..
Pretty good - for elevator music.
Just too bland for me.
If steely dan tried to be more bland
No no no. Repetetive rubbish.
Second Steely Dan album I encounter on this list, and I’m starting to develop a violent allergy to this band. I truly don’t get the hype. It’s bland, generic and boring. It’s not even dad rock, it’s the musical equivalent of dining on a glass of water and a slice of white bread. People seem to praise their special blend of rock and jazz, but I love rock and jazz, and I only found residual traces of them in this album. Even more than the music, I find the affected, upbeat singing absolutely excruciating. I felt like I was trapped in an endless mall where every shop was exactly the same, full of automatons with painted smiles trying to sell me canned happyness. If that’s "ecstasy", please give me torture. Ok, I’ll admit the album as a whole wasn’t as terrible as Aja. "Boston Rag" was kind of ok, and "Show Biz Kids" had an almost psychedelic vibe for a minute or two. But it was really not enough for me to suffer through so much triteness. I’ll give it 2* because it’s probably objectively a bit better than I make it sound. It’s just too far removed from what I consider exciting music. I find it terribly depressing that there are no less than FOUR (4 !) Steely Dan albums on this list, while a lot of amazing artists don’t even get one.
Technical but lacks any grip into my emotions.
I’m continually learning that Steely Dan is just not for me. It’s something to put on in the background of a bar but not something I’d choose to listen to of my own accord. 2/5
cansadão hein galera claramente tava numa vibe meio jazz mas não sabia aplicar isso direito
Certainly not my favourite 'Dan album, but still goes okay. Mid 2s.
Soft rock that you would hear in the background of erectile disfunction commercials. Both things seem to go together.
2/5
4/10 - this steely Dan album was fine. It didn’t have anything crazy. One of the synths sounded like the one in Peking o
Countdown to disapointment.
I'm sure that this is perfectly suited to any number of situations and occasions that I hope I never find myself in
Steely Dan are not my thing. Everyone else loves them, but I don't like his voice, and the style of it.
Good, but not my vibe. 1970s progressive, rock and roll, jazz, latin. I think a bit psychedelic as well. As i say, not my vibe. I dont heard before. Remember me a little neil young as well.
Very groovy rock
Meh it was alright. Not a big fan
Bland, anonymous and says nothing.
Meaahhhh
Got too airy
Too slick for me
Easy listening but neither good or memorable.
Dad rock, probably grandad rock at this point
Mindst yndlings Steely Dan vi har haft. Meget smooth produktion men lidt kedelige sange
I tried to see if I could get it to three and I like Steely Dan, but it's like a 2.75 so it'll be two stars.
Wasn't ever a fan. It's 'No' from me.
Pretentious, busy, empty. These guys have no heart and no loins. Nothing passionate or sexy or gritty or real, just noodly nonsense. As usual, the mixing is fantastic, with every instrument clearly audible. If only they had just mixed other people's records and never made their own, we would all be happier.
J - 2/5 Best Track - "Show Biz Kids" F - 2/5 Best Track - "Pearl Of The Quarter"
Other than Bodhisattava didn’t recognize a single song. Actually never knew what they were saying in that song until today! Album had a definite 70s vibe to it, but even as a youth of the 70s, I grew board pretty fast. I know that Steely Dan had many more hits through the years, they’re just not here.
I just don't really like SD
Boring jazzy country rock from the 70s. No, I don’t like it. Rating: 2
I liked this less than the previous Steely Dan I've gotten. I get this was kind of a transition album for them but it felt a bit disconnected and bland.
2- Stars (4/15)
its aight
# 456 : 11/04/2025 : It was Ok, Nothing stood out, probably won't go back to this.
Steely Dan is mostly just not going to be for me. I find that 70s harmonics style grating. But maybe more than any other band that is not for me I can easily see why this is the absolute jam of dads and dads at heart all around the world
well it certainly sounds like Steely Dan
Just can't remember what I listened yesterday. Forgettable.
Only know the band by their song « do it again ». Cool music to start the workday—light, upbeat, and easy on the ears, maybe too easy as it seems quite forgettable at the end. Kinda gives me Chicago (the band) vibes because of voices harmonizing. Could use a bit more intensity and atmosphere, but there’s some good technical work and a nice jazzy, groovy touch.
They really faded here.
Never listened to Steely Dan before and hopefully never win again. Low 2.
Listening to Steely Dan makes me feel like I'm placidly wasted careening around somewhere like Palm Springs with wiley perma-partying boomers I just met. Which is, as they say, a great vibe but unfortunately this album doesn't have any of my favorite songs by them which makes this sound like a big glob of Steely without any remarkable standouts. Not surprising this didn't have any single, still a fun listen though.
I’m getting over my Dan dislike, but this record didn’t do much for me. Talented musicians, but not much in the way of killer songs.
It was my wife's birthday, so I didn't give this as much attention as other records on the list. It's Steely Dan, so the smooth, clean production will slide right in one ear and out the other. You've really got to be listening to catch the bitter lyric pills in the cheesy jazz. Should it be taken aurally or orally? I don't know, I wasn't paying enough attention and got my metaphors mixed up. I need to give it more time and focus. I'll come back to it some day when my wife has left me - it's lonely men who dig Steely Dan, right? Theoretically, I dig this too. I will say that, for all our recent complaints about sampling repeating snippets over music to death, hearing "You know they don't give a fuck about anybody else" just once is underwhelming. 3 A minute into the first track it occurred to me that this stuff, suitably re-recorded, would do well for Mariokart course music. Perhaps this was fatal to my attempt to listen justly to the rest of the album; I couldn’t let go of the idea. I didn’t like any of this regardless. I found this music overwrought and shallow. The lyrics aren’t bad but neither are they arresting in any way - all mere solutions to the problem of feeling obliged to have a lyric to sing when all you really wanted to do was solos and fancy turnarounds. The production is wretched - ‘smooth’ is the word I suppose and I can’t deny that that is what you get when you diligently remove all the rice pieces from rice pudding. The drums and guitar lack any edge, and even the xylophone and pedal steel guitar manage to sound castrated. The effect is pathetic. There is a moment at the very end of ‘Pearl of the Quarter’ where the piano player quietly throws in a bum note - a moment which must have had them all hooting in the studio at the daring of the transgression. In the ten thousand notes the guitar player goes through on this album he does not once allow himself the luxury of a ‘wrong’ note. And yet somehow they’re all wrong; this is rotten stuff. That nimble solo at the end of ‘My Old School’, to single one out, runs through so many technical ideas, and none of them are any good because there are absolutely no melodic ideas in the solo at all. I have spent much time recently scoffing at rap music for its mind-numbing lack of musical content, so I ought to thank Steely Dan for reminding me that an abundance of music can also be crushingly dull. 1.5/5
Meh.
Play but please don't sing!
Mäßiges Album der 70er im Gibsy Stil. Zwar hat das Album einige passable Momente in „Pear of the Wuarter“ und „The Boston Rag“ , doch alles im allem ist unterdurchschnittlich.
I didn’t get It
Oh, it's finished!
Boring.
About 30 seconds of each track of this is enough
This is like a really cheesy version of lots of things I actually like. I’m not sure how to articulate why this fails for me, but it feels so formulaic and structured for music that is meant to be fun and loose. I dunno. This was a miss.
2.75
Etwas unschlüssig, aber wirkte auf mich sehr gewöhnlich ohne in Erinnerung zu bleiben.
Meh. 2/5
Didn't care for it too much. 2.4 stars
Cool, harmonies and great musicians I can see why people like this. I’m just not one of them.
Super mid
The only emotion that this album evoked was a constant and nagging desire to listen to something, anything, else
Early 70’s acid vibe.
2.5/5
It was okay. Wouldn't bother with again
What are lyrics, didn't understand them.
After a couple of albums of Steely Dan and a solo project from Donald Fagen I can now safely say that Steely Dan is just not for me.
Je réalise que je ne suis vraiment pas un grand fan de Steely Dan. Bien que j'aille aimé Can't Buy A Thrill, tous leurs autres albums sont tellement corrects. Celui-ci l'était à un niveau qui m'a fait réalisé comment leur style de musique super flashy reste assez fade. 4/10
1001 хочет сделать меня зе си и о СТИЛИ ДЭН дискографии. Дебют был лучше, по-моему. Лучшая песня - King of the World.
Steely Dan is just way to jazzy for me. It's so sleazy 70's, smoky club style music.
Nothing special. It wasn't bad but too generic.
No thank you. Not looking forward to the other Steely Dan on this list.
I had higher expectations
Too middle of the road for me
Nothing outstanding about this.
Gubbmusik.
But no really, do these smartypants only come in beige?
Didn’t really enjoy it
Classic but feels a little too mellow today.
I counted down. There was no ecstasy.
On the one hand, it was cool to hear SD songs I'd never heard before. OTOH, I didn't really get much out of those songs. It's just a personal thing. There are a handful of SD songs I genuinely do lie but I think this one of those bands who I like more in theory than in practice.
naja, kann man sich anhören, ist aber nix herausragendes
Why is Steely Dan
Half the tracks made me think I was in a motoring show, the other half made me thing "oh, I have heard something similar but better"
Not really my taste. It's OK, just not one I'd come back to. Pretty noticeable drop-off in quality from their first album.
guys pls i don’t care for steely dan, can they leave me alone ?!
STANDOUTS: Razor Boy OVERALL: 2.5/5
I don't hate but I wouldn't listen to hit again.
could i write poetry to this? n
did we really need another steely dan album on here
Fine, not lifechanging
I'mma go and be a dick, but this album and this band has always been the epitome of bland competence: skilled enough to appreciate, yet devoid of personality or song-writing chops to actually impress. I am obviously in the monirity on this, but that's where I sit. (the only songs worth the note are "The Boston Rag" and "Pearl of the Quarter")
Underwhelming middle of the road dad rock.
Pimpelipom, vähän liian pirteää, melkein tekee mieli sanoa preppy. Ei herätä kauheammin tunteita, onneksi - voisi pahimmillaan olla kovin ärsyttävää.
Ei niin paha: hupsuttelu ja höpsöttely on jätetty minimiin, ja bändi jaksaa ihan rokata.
I hate Steely Dan. Their music is vapid and boring. It's too clean, clinical. I'm pretty sure it's the go to album for a psychiatrist somewhere in the world to calm their patients.
Kinda cap dad rock. Musically it feels decently creative but the songwriting and singing to me miss the mark. No saves, will probably never listen to this one again
Shitty Dan. First song was alright. Other than that was fighting the urge to fall asleep
After voting for yesterday’s album which was the 5th 1/5 in a row I was in excited anticipation about what today’s album would be. Surely after five duds I was due a classic? Well not quite but at least I knew of Steely Dan and that they were competent musicians. The sound of Steely Dan is very much rooted in the mid 70’s and listening to this album brought back memories of what was a happy time of my life. I was never a fan enough to buy their music but their MOR rock sound was everywhere during the 70’s. It was an enjoyable listen and sonically it was a well produced album with a great soundstage to pick out all the individual musicians. Not an album I will personally go back to but I’m glad Steely Dan and their music exist. Thanks for the memories! 2.9/5 4/4/24
Like the title! Not so much a fan of this sound tho
Marginally better than Aja, but that is a seriously low bar. Only saved from 1 star by "King of the World" being pretty decent.
I struggle with this band. They’ve made some genuinely good music. But then they get all weird and too 70s country prog sounding. I can appreciate the quality of the composition and ambition. There are certainly a lot of ideas and talent. But something in their sound makes me queasy. I think it’s the vocal harmonies. This record is very post-hippie 70s, from the xylophone, to the electric organ, to the cool jazz guitar. It is definitely distinctive, but distinctively early 70s liteFM. They did not skimp on the slide guitar, either. Seriously, why does this band always make me nauseous?
Listened to this while playing Imperium Classics. I lost. I've never been a big Steely Dan fan. This album didn't really change my opinion all that much. I totally will forget this album in like a week.
Such a boring band to have so many entries on this list.
Liked this one better than the last Steely Dan album, but I might just not be a Steely Dan guy. 2.4
When Steely Dan doesn't work for me, it really doesn't work. This album gets 1 star for each song I didn't skip. You can probably guess which songs. The same things that bug me about Steely Dan's first record bug me here, but this one doesn't have half the hits to cover those annoyances. I much prefer their work from the middle of the decade.
This website loves Steely Dan
It's a disservice to the songs on Countdown To Ecstasy to call it a rock recording. Rock has guts. "The Boston Rag" has a guitar solo and a driving drum beat which makes it rock adjacent but the rest of the album is... mild? "1970s mellow gold AM radio background noise" is what I would call it. Put this next to your Bread and Looking Glass records so you can put them on when your lame neighbors come over for mayonnaise sandwiches. Pearl Of The Quarter is the best song on the record.
holy shit
I’ve never really enjoyed Steely Dan. They sound to me like an amalgam of lounge act and a rock band. While I can appreciate their skill as musicians, I just can’t get behind the music.
This is honestly one of those bands that I just don't get and the fact that they're highly rated. In so many forums And websites and rating sites is befuddling to me. They didn't release one recordof any substance this one is a particularly low value
Im lukewarm about Steely Dan because a handful of their classic hits that come across classic rock stations are fine but none of those are on this album which makes me wonder how many more SD records are on this list.
There are some good songs here, but I just could never really get excited about this album
Si. Se deja escuchar. Lindo. Ameno.
Pas fou
(2,5)
Not for me. A few interesting moments but not enough to sustain my interest.
Enjoyed some of the riffs.
Okay
Not my style
Didn't enjoy this at all. sorry
I can't judge whether or not this is any good, as I really don't like the genre. Not keen.
Dad with a Hawaiian shirt rock. Didn't finish it 2
This will be the second Steely Dan song from the generation station that I shall listen to. I haven’t heard this one before, and I don’t recognise any track titles. I go in hopeful, as I quite enjoyed Can’t Buy A Thrill. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: The Boston Rag I was a little underwhelmed by this album. It didn’t live up to my expectations from the other album. This wasn’t bad by any means, but I did find it difficult to pick any favourite tracks as they all felt a little unremarkable. This felt like the kind of album that was made to be background music rather than foreground, and maybe that’s where I went wrong here. I’d say I’m quite unlikely to come rushing back to this one.
What is the point of being this good at your instrument if the music you make is this boring?
This is just not my era so I couldn’t even get through half the album.
I didn't like it as much as the last steely Dan album I had. This one has less funky guitar and more annoying keyboard.
Some glimpses of excitement (King of the World, Show Biz Kids), but a lot of yacht rock
Prob a 2.5, but I was bored more often than I was not
Four songs into the album my thought was, "well, I haven't turned it off yet..." After all eight songs I can assuredly say that I won't turn it on again.
Neither offensive nor compelling. This is the first time I’ve (knowingly) listened to Steeley Dan despite vaguely recognising the name. Light rock (?) and nice to have on in the background but not one that I’d add to my liked songs or particularly seek out I don’t think. Another new band discovered though 😊
Familiar sound. It was good but nothing was great. Good flow and feel but all over the place.
Too soft… Technically super musicianship, but it is music without an edge, which I find rather boring after a while
I’m sure there’s someone out there who would go on and on about how this is their best album in a condescending manner, but it ain’t’ me.
Very samey throughout. Nothing memorable.
Mostly boring and bland jazz-rock. It could go 1 star to 3 stars depending on your mood. This isn't really music that sets your mood - you have to be in the right mood to listen to it.
Well I liked the first one that we had to listen but this one just passed through me without being noticed at all. A little bit too easy on the ear for my taste.
Pretty generic blend of rock that you forget as you hear it. To me, at some moments, it felt like a Wish version of Neil Young.
I don't understand the obsession critics and reviewers (and perhaps self styled aficionados) have with Steely Dan. They have a modicum of hits, but much of what they produce is too precious and esoteric for much of the audience. I suspect they are acceptable to people who style themselves "serious" music lovers just because they have some jazz overtones. This album is a great example of why Steely Dan is overrated. My Old School was a minor hit (emphasis on minor), but most of it is just unmelodic. As art rock, it's fine, but art rock is even a smaller niche than prog rock. If you love Steely Dan, then you do you. You'll love this album. If you are everyone else, move on to something less pretentious.
The album was well made and performed, but really anything that I would really want to listen to again
Major I'm getting jaded. It was another album that was just fine... I'm sure I could have lived my life without listening to it but I didn't hate it either.
really enjoyed that first track tho
i thought these generic 70s albums were supposed to have at least one killer track to go with all the filler?
I have no opinion
not for I
Not really into SD. Not my grooooove.
Doesnt really get going at any point
Steely Dan is arguably the greatest studio band of all time. Most tracks are just ear candy, where every component shines through so cleanly. While I really REALLY appreciate that fact, and can dig a lot of their music, they've just never hit that sweet spot for me. Countdown to Ecstasy might be the most typical classic rocky sounding album of theirs. I think it can easily get lost in the shuffle of most albums coming out in the early 70's. I wanted a bit more of the jazzy inspiration these guys are so good at throughout their discography. This just feels a bit too bland to really make an impact.
Obviously heard of the band but beyond that one hit that's quite catchy never dug into them. So that's a good thing to do here. But... Meh. I get that the musicianship is lovely in places, but it feels like a bit of a self-absorbed wank fest most of the time. I imagine it might have been really new and interesting at the time, but I really don't like this. It's a bit like Rumours but without the catchy tunes. I was going to say 3 stars, but it's not that good and there's no way I'm listening to this again. I'd probably skip, so it's 2.
Meh
ok. nice enough but nothing very memorable
Ehh I can't really hate on it but I'm really not too into it either. I'd rather listen to Can't Buy A Thrill if I am to listen to Steely Dan.
Not for me. That's two Dan albums i've heard now and neither have really got me
just a bit too light and fluffy for me, classifies as "easy listening" 2.4
There were some good cuts but overall too slick for me. Steely Dan have always been a bit too overproduced for my tastes.
Offensively bland. Musical porridge
Classic steely Dan. Jazzy and rock. Cohesive album, but not a lot of great tunes like its predecessor.
2/5. Steely Dan is not great. It feels like they are trying too hard to be different. They could make decent songs but they change key for no reason just to sound unique and jazzy. I appreciate the musicianship but it’s not enjoyable music. Giving it 2 because I did like their more poppier stuff.
Mais um álbum do Steely Dan, não achei tão bom quanto o anterior, me pareceu um álbum que apresenta as mesmas características do Pretzel Logic mas de forma inferior, sem nenhuma música hit, que se destaque e definitivamente não era necessário mais um álbum da banda nessa lista. Dito isso, ainda é um estilo que me agrada, porém não é o melhor trabalho da banda.
Definitely a Steely Dan album
Steely Dan are boring and Countdown To Ecstasy is more of the same 2/5 dullness.
This is the FOURTH Steely Dan album we've had, which seems whatever the next level up from excessive is. This one, like the other three (apart from 'Do It Again', on the first album we had), was entirely forgettable. Sounds a bit different to the previous ones - we've moved away from purist yacht rock to prog yacht rock - but doesn't make it any less dull, apart from a post-apocalyptic closing track that is actually kinda interesting in a proggy kind of way. If only more of the album was like that... 2/5.