Reviews (page 10 of 14)
3/5
Didn’t really grab me. Had some cool sounds but not really my flavour
Funky. I like it!
not sure about the hype. nothing special some great saxophone, but not the legend of steely dan I have heard about.
Steely Dan ain’t bad
A fun listen. Cool prog rock, jam band energy.
It was fun, simple jazzy rock. Good example of yacht rock and fun to have on for a Sunday afternoon drive. Nothing overwhelmingly good though, and they all start to sound similar. Not in a bad way, just in a similar way.
The jazz-groove vibes of Steely Dan. Great musicians playing great riffs with complex song crafting in a jazzy jam sort of way. I can appreciate it for it's musicianship but the poetry of the lyrics doesn't really grab me. Peg was the only song I recognized and I didn't even know that was the name of the song. I still have no idea what he's singing about "It's your favorite foreign movie?" what? It doesn't matter cuz it's so groovy. My only criticism is that it gets kinda samesy. They don't really "break the mold" very often. But I think that's because the creativity goes into the riff writing more than raw expression.
This was very Sunday vibes—groovy 70s easy listening. Beacon Blues is a classic and my fave track on here. A song with a saxophone that talks about a saxophone! The rest was kind of forgettable, but in a pleasant way.
Just ok
Honestly a little dissapointing. Just figured there would be more tasty grooves and banging choruses. Just not quite exactly what I want out of the dan.
Enjoyed this but not especially memorable.
Fun. 3.5 pls give me .5 stars
2.5 — would never put it on for fun but the musicianship is strong throughout. Feels like some uncle’s garage jams
Steely Dan are sometimes described as jazz rock. That's reasonable, but I prefer jazz disco. That's the vibe this record gives off. And that's not a great thing. Disco is a bit cheesy, but it's fun. This also has that cheesy disco sound, but with the more mellow jazz vibe, there's less fun.
Sehr cute soft-rock-funk-pop-blues wo au sehr demit punktet dass es wider e netti abwechslig vo anderne Rock Bands isch. Ich denke s widerlosigs-potential isch jetzt ned so so so riisig aber jedes lied hani sehr gnosse. Für mich denn aber doch bizli zu Soft für es Album woni mi richtig chönt inesteigere und inegeh. Viel ih mir usglööst ussert es chliises, inners lächle passiert ned. Daher machemers eus wider eifach mit drü stäälernde Hansruedis!
de stählerni dan und sini stahlharte buchmuskle sind mir hüt nacht im traum erschine ich han mit mim krass scharfe japanische messer uf sine krass harte, mer möchtis scho fast stählern nenne, buchmuskle mis mise en place vorbereitet - zerst mal mini soffritto juliennisiert es paar chnoblizeche zerstosse und denn no mis hackfleisch selber chlighackt - und kein mucks vom Daniel D. Kruppstahl, was füren typ hey während ich mis messer umegschwunge han isch natürlich au sini mukke im hintergrund gloffe - mit de dynamische melodie hett sich mis messer scho fast vo eleige gschwunge aber woni den ufgwachet bin ischmer leider nöd viel im chopf blibe nume wos album fertig gsi isch, hettsmer en tolle thundercat track inegfätz, das mues scho was heisse mues hüt leider aber au hert blibe - so hert wie mini morgelatte nach dem schöne traum (sorry wege dene bilder fründe, chan nüt defür) drum gits für de Daniel Dani D. Steely Dan eh sterne soffritto
This is a fine album, but if you can only choose a 1001 albums to listen to before you die out of all music that has ever existed, you don't have to pick like five steely fucking Dan albums.
Kind of a jazzy/rocky album. Aja the song has a nice sax solo and bluesy section after. Deacon Blues is good. Home At Last is good too.
A soundtrack to doing lines of coke with Ryan O'Neal and David Carradine in a boat off the coast of Santa Barbara in 1979.
No thanks 2.5 / 5
Не нравятся инструменты, но сама музыка очень интересная, экзотическая, сложнее чем поп, уходит больше в джаз, но не привычный для меня, понравилась одна песня 4/10
a lot funkier than i expected-- perfect vibe for slightly hungover grocery run. top song: black cow
Steely Dan is another one these bands where I can get they're very good, I understand they're very influential, I just don't like it. The musicianship is obviously of a very high caliber, jazzy rock. The lyrics are comically bad with corny rhymes, but who cares. It just doesn't grab my interest. Maybe I'm the problem, dunno. This is a three star, I agree that it's good and definitely belongs on this list, I just don't like listening to it.
More experimental than I expected. Or maybe I just had Big Ears on the brain. Def felt like a time capsule from a bygone era.
Unique voice and good vibes, but the songs felt a bit too long
Didn't realize how many rap samples got ripped off this album. Still a little too 80s for my taste
Unsagbar klare und gelungene Produktion. Perfekt. Die Musik ist nicht immer mein Geschmack, zu unterschiedlich die Kompositionen. Deacon Blues ist super. Mega.
This is one I really wanted to like but it just didn't do it for me. There were some interesting musical phrases but as a whole a but disjointed for me. Would like to go back and relisten though. I think the first track was most interesting.
I liked this album a lot, but I think the songs I liked and the songs I disliked were on far ends of their respective spectrums. Peg was my favorite song on here.
Not bad, kinda jazzy. Not really sure what I think of it, though. Kind of cool, kind of lame 3-4
Some nice songs and an easy listen. But there were not a lot of standouts here and I expected more. A 3.5 but on the 3 side.
As I wrote back in 2018 when I did 1 album a day and Kveim suggested this: An album that fits vorspiel, nachspiel and kleinspiel, but should’ve been used for the Mafia-part of GTA III. Deacon Blues (drunk driving galore) Josie
1. Peg 2. Josie 3. Black cow Mer fan av Can't Buy a Thrill albumet
If you like steely dan, it's steely dan. My criticisms are the same as most since its a jazz fusion album, its pacing is slow and monotonous at times. But if your down for a classic slower monotonous jazz rock fusion you would probably enjoy this album.
I enjoyed the heavy r&b and soul inspiration going on with this album, especially because it caught me off guard I was expecting another Credence Clearwater band (not a bad thing), but despite that nice suprise it did not particularly blow me away by any means, that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it because I did, it just wasn’t anything special to me. My favorite track was Deacon Blues, it was very well paced for a 7 minute song and I enjoyed the lyrics, specifically the stretch surrounding “I cried when I wrote this song” felt weirdly self-aware for lack of better words and I enjoyed it.
Groovy. Funky. Jazzy. Souly.
Growing up in the UK, as a teen I landed a job in a small computer store where the owner was an ex employee of an HMV record store. Why is this important? Well said owner turned me onto so much music that I’d definitely never heard, and probably would’ve avoided if it wasn’t for Eric’s goal of broadening my musical tastes. And so entered Steely Dan and ‘the day of the expanding man..’
Gusta su feeling, y creo que se tienen bien merecido mi nota
Alright
Rudy's mentioned in the first song. Sounds fine but kind of boring. Jazz with some singing. High 3.
First of 1001. Absolutely not my taste, but I can appreciate the instrumentation and vocal harmonies.
Not for me.
Yes, people say it is great. Not my jams but I appreciate it.
Great background music, nothing stands out as spectacular but it's very clear these guys know how to play music.
Not bad! But after a while, it starts feeling repetitive. Problem with the 70's bands on this list is that while they were unique for their time, they're nothing new by now. But for what it's worth, the smooth jazz made it chill to listen to.
It was ok. Competently played, but a bit too layd back to make a lot of lasting impact beyond the occasional moment wherein you recognize that melody.
Still don’t get Steely Dan. I like it for all the technical aspects but as a whole doesn’t move me.
Steely Dan is always kind of hit or miss for me. There great songs are really great, but they can be kind of boring sometimes. “Black Cow” and “Peg” do a lot of the work on this album. 3.5/5 Probably will listen again
Lots of good competent jazz-tinged pop rock. No real excitement
Nicht so meins, aber ganz in Ordnung.
Didn’t grow up with this, has always been something I knew of but didn’t really know. Knew about the production, the sound, etc and put on good headphones and listened carefully; it definitely sounds great. They got the best session players and it’s immaculately arranged, produced, recorded. I just don’t really like the songs. Some great moments, have had Deacon Blues stuck in my head and love the song Peg. the most important element of any music that’s new to me, though, is how it hits me, viscerally - this just didn’t do shit.
After the other two Steely Dan albums I was curious to see where this one fits. It's pretty bland really, nothing really stands out, there's one moment on Peg where I think it's going to improve but then it just returns to blandness. Overall it's a nice enough vibe so not quite a 2.
Hmmmm, this felt the most yachty of all the Steely Dan albums on the list, but all the others had one or two stand out tunes that got stuck in my head, and this one doesn't seem to. Comes across as highly polished blandness. Fave track - Eh, "Peg" maybe? That came closest.
I've always had mixed feelings about this album, so for the sake of this list I had a really good listen of the album in its entirety, A to Z. I have now made up my mind. First, the good. Yes, as many will argue, this album is extremely well produced - the sound quality is superb. The musicians show great virtuosity. Technical perfection. Then, the bad. However technically good music is, for me it is ultimately about the intrinsic quality of the songs, the authenticity of the artist, the creativity, and more than anything else, the emotional appeal. And that's where it is totally lacking for me. Oh my, is it boring and non-engaging. It's soooo smoooooth. It's anti-punk. It's excellent for outros of cheap romcoms. It is an extremely skilfully polished turd (OK maybe I'm exaggerating a wee bit). It is mineral water served in a $1000 designer glass - I'd rather have a characterful single malt in a charity shop glass. I'll give it a generous 3 though, because I can see how, IF this is your thing, it shines "in its genre" and there are some nice jazzy chops and it is rhythmically very enjoyably tight (I enjoyed the first 20" of Josie). I just wish the album wasn't so boring. Oh is it boring.
I can see how in 1977 this album was very experimental and challenged some musical concepts from the time. Overall I think it's a good album, with 3 songs that were the focus for me: The break in the Aja track with that guitar solo is espetacular! Beacon blues has solid saxophone phrasings. Peg has great bass lines and solid drums.
The production is truly spotless and the sound crispy clear. I can tell a lot of the budget was spent here. I, also, get the part of it making “blunt” music sound better, although I wouldn’t call the album blunt or boring. This is music I would put to spice up my routine. To uplift my moud just enough so I can get through the day. I have, definately, played Facebook games in the past that had this in the background. This is November music. Far from the summer heat but not too far to reach December warmth. Something in between. I have to say that I am a huge fan of the sound of jazz so I am the furthest I can be from objectivity. My eyes have recently been opened for the importance of simplicity in music. The album does not try to do too much. Again, not “blunt” level of not too much but rather paints a picture of daily life, of getting by just fine, of having everything in order and moving on. Putting music behind the necessary evil of growing up. Spicing things up just enough! It is not a 3 but not a 4 either…
I don't mind it. Got some bop and jazzy funk, I don't hate saxs so digging those solos. Sounds standard late 70s, liked the mid tracks the most. I'd almost rather just hear the band jam for 40 mins.
3.5
Very funky. Black Cow is a banger. Found a lot of the songs kind of meandering and the lyrics a bit cheesy, but it's a great vibe.
I really tried to appreciate Steely Dan, I've listened to several of their albums at this stage and I don't get it? It's not bad much but either I'm missing something or it's a little overrated
I shoulda known this was going downhill when the first song was about a cow
I still think Fagen sucks, and I don't get the "Peg" or "Deacon Blues" love, but despite all of that, there's some obviously good stuff here. I would die to hear the title track without any vocals. 3.5/5
I wanted to connect to this more than I eventually managed to- I put it on a few times and it just seemed to white noise my brain for the most part. Aja and Deacon Blues felt a bit like music made for a 70s or 80s sitcom (Home at Last is a slightly more successful version of this), but I did enjoy the silliness of Black Cow and Josie was fun and sexy in a rollerskating down the boardwalk kind of way. Would happily play this in the background at a summer barbecue but it felt essentially sort of empty. I can’t pick out a single lyric, really, since they’re sort of halfway between non sensical and cliché- not really sure why these guys are considered to be so cool?
Oof I'm really not a jazz person and I wanted to like this but it just wasn't for meee and I'm feeling quite annoyed with myself for saying that. I did like Peg and Aja (the first 5 minutes anyway) and Josie but apart from that... meh. I'M SORRY. Maybe another Steely Dan album will do better with me but this one meh.
244/1001 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
I've always felt like Steely Dan is OK. This album reaffirmed this feeling. They seem to be good at what they do, but I don't love what they do.
It's a fine album, but nothing really stood out to me. I guess Peg is good.
It was ok, but not my thing mostly.
7.5 great jazz
Had this for a while. Pleasant enough. Little excitement, though. 3/5
Didn't leave much an impact.
What a weird story Steely Dan had. A band that eventually just became a duo, with a boatload of session musicians. After a lot of painstaking work, they ended up with this, thus subjecting the world (and especially jam night musicians) to Deacon Blues. Ok, I'm being purposefully mean there. There is a lot to like. It reminds me a lot of Toto's debut album, but with an infusion of jazz. I don't think anything sounded like this at the time, and if you are a keys player I think you'll glean something from it. The latter two tracks on the album drag though, and while I tend to get what they're going for with the lyrics, there's a feeling of forced esotericism that could've been avoided with a bit more heart. That's what's weird about it. I can't say it has no heart, because it's right there in the music. But just the music. Tangent: I don't think anyone could've made the line 'Drink your big black cow and get out of here' work, but especially not Steely Dan. Fave: Peg Least Fave: I Got the News Strong Bad Demerit Rating: 0
1001 Steely Dan albums to listen to before you die. Maybe the best of the mediocre lot we’ve had on the list? Highlights for me were hearing the original songs that were sampled in rap songs (peg and black cow)
2.6 Enough with the steely dan. Seriously
Good stuff
I feel very lukewarm about Steely Dan. This album didn't particularly wow me.
I liked it - clean production, beautiful harmonic language. It definitely is a timepiece for the 70s.
Classy and funky, not a bad pick !
Steely Dan, perennial favorite of music critics and assholes. The start of Black Cow is the sample used for Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz’s Deja Vu (Uptown Baby). That’s a better use of the music. This might be the first yacht rock album. Which band is more responsible for “adult contemporary” music, The Eagles or Steely Dan? Either way, they both suck. That’s unfair, they are definitely better than The Eagles. Aja sounds like Rikki Don’t Lose That Number in parts, I guess that’s just the “Steely Dan sound”. Deacon Blues is more of the same, but I definitely have a soft spot for it. Maybe it’s what I always assumed was a college football reference but probably wasn’t. This might be the most 70s album of all time. There are a lot of “hits” on this album. Peg is another one. If you took the lyrics away from these songs, they’d all be gold music. Is that Michael McDonald in the background of Peg? It is! That guy is good. Home At Last is the best song on the album. Donald Fagan’s voice exactly matches his appearance. Another Michael McDonald guest spot, instant improvement. I liked this album more than I thought I would which is not a very high bar to cross, but a pleasant surprise.
black cow- 6 aja- 4. why do they make the most boring songs 8 minutes deacon blues- 5 peg- a yo? 5 home at last- 5 i got the news- 5 josie- 5
It's an enjoyable album, and I liked some previous albums from Steely Dan on the list. Still, the allegedly "more sophisticated compositions and arrangements" (from the Wikipedia page) make it a bit less good than the others. I prefer something rawer for them, and I even enjoy some sophistication sometimes.
Already a fan of their debut '72 album, so let's see if they still impress 😌. Aja long ass instrumental- somehow sounds like the Beatles or The Kinks? Whole album was okay - quite soft and easy listening.
Favourite track: Deacon Blues.
Pretty good! Easy to listen to at work
Steely Dan are a bit elevator music for me. It's pleasant, I can appreciate it, but not something I feel drawn to. If I want jazz rock I'd listen to Vulfpeck who you can hear we're heavily influenced by SD. It's alright.
the pinnacle of steely dan's career: recording Peg so that De La Soul could sample it in Eye Know
Nice.
A good album to promote constant yawning. 3 stars or C-.
I do like Steely Dan. This album is playful but doesn't have much substance
Easy going listen, very inoffensive. Feel on relisten could improve however didn’t blow me away
Innocuous.
TBH I always thought of Steely Dan as more Southern/ Country rock but this was pretty groovy
eh i thought it was okay
3.5
Peg is cool, Josie is pretty good. Deacon Blues and Black Cow are okay, but this is sort of the beginning of the yacht rock era of Steely Dan that I don't really like that much. 3.5 stars.
The vibe and songs are nice, just a bit boring to me.
Epitome of 1970s grown up party music.
Kinda jazzy, little too silly though
Never been a big steely Dan fan. But I really only know reeling in the years. I recognize this song. Had no idea it was steely Dan. This is 70s easy listening. It’s great, but not my cup of tea
Made me want to listen to more Steely Dan. I like the vibe.
Not my jam, but not bad for what it was. 2.7
This would be a 5 out of 5 without the vocals. Instrumentally it is perfection and would prefer an instrumental version.
Awesome drums Nice vibe Alright album
bit weird how much he loved chinese music ??? aja = asia?
I don't get the hype for this album. It's not offensive, but it doesn't really do it for me. The best song is easily Peg, and it's a catchy tune. The rest is pretty forgettable IMO.
Classic
The first couple of times I was convinced I was listening to a masterpiece. I know that Steely Dan is a love it or hate it band but I’ve never delved into them that much. There was a lot I liked but then found it was diminishing returns the longer it went. 3.5/5
Opens up with a Soul track Black Cow which was cool. Overall solid not much filler but quite long tracks in places. Stand out tracks: - Black Cow - Decon Blues - Peg - Home at last
Good sax !
Maybe I wasn't in as much of a Steely Dan mood as I was for their last one we got, but I found this all too smooth. I liked Peg more when it was sampled by De La Soul. Low 3.
Surprisingly fun, first steely Dan album
Easy listening, good background, too genre mixed to get into. Bizarre references? Complex musical arrangements. Borders on cheesy but never quite gets there. Would def listen to while studying or working but not otherwise.
i think to appreciate more than 3/5 steely dan you had to grow up with it. its good, but feels... generic?
Did this list need two Steely Dan albums?
2,5
I still don’t get steely dan. It’s too polished.
Road, middle of.
Favourite song - deacon blues
Love me some yacht rock. Before this, if you had asked me to name a Steely Dan song I would fail. I have definitely heard most of these songs before but never knew who made them.
Nerds. I don't love the album, but I like it. I'm glad Steely Dan exists. For their songs and De La Soul too. Thank you, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen!
Best elevator music I've ever heard, bar none.
Not as good as Pretzel Logic. More soft-rock. But some good jazz vibe’s too
They are clearly good musicians. 'Peg' is a decent single. But I just cannot see the appeal of Steely Dan and I am trying. Robert Dimery clearly thinks that I need to, as there are 4 Steely Dan albums on this list. I'm really trying to approach with an open mind and listen multiple times. I got 'Pretzel Logic' a few months ago and thought "maybe if I get a more famous album, it will stand out more." The music does get a bit better after repeat exposure, but it just really doesn't blow me away. I'll give it a three because I can see that it's ambitious and well produced. I don't know hate this album, but would just rather be listening to something else. I'm clearly missing something with this band but I'm unsure how much I care.
Real quick, I was just telling the guys in the back about this piece of vinyl. It still holds up. A definite noine out of ten. Definitely on my top ten desert island albums, boff.
Too much like yacht rock for me. Deacon Blues is ok but too long. Peg is better but in general all are too long. Some great musicianship but just not my type of music.
Pretty good fusion album.Really enjoyed enjoyed deacon blues,home at last,got the news
Nothing stood out
3.5/5
Alright
jazz rock
Groupe inconnu. Intéressant. J'apprécie bien les divers chorus guitare/clavier/sax, et certaines parties de batterie (Aja) ou lignes de basse (Peg). Mais je me passerais bien du chant qui n'apporte pas grand chose et donne des morceaux bien trop sages. A la même époque Weather Report (par exemple) proposait un Jazz Rock bien plus créatif, et ... instrumental. =>3/5
Peg is definitely a standout track. As for the rest of the album, it’s nice and laid-back, with a very chill vibe. It’s the kind of music that wouldn’t be out of place while you’re waiting for your name to be called at the dentist’s office.
Solid dad rock I guess.
Goes alright, but they definitely have better albums.
I kind of like Peg, I Got the News; I almost like Josie
maybe it's because my yoga instructor regularly plays Steely Dan, but I found this a very relaxing, chill listen. 3.5 stars
I don’t think I was or ever am in the mood for this.
Pretty good, great recording.
Steely Dan - you get what you pay for. It's OK. 3/5
I don't know what genre I thought Steely Dan were, but Jazz/yacht rock was not it.
haha every time i hear steely dan specifically, im like “oh no here comes some prog-rock nonsense.” but then i kinda enjoy some of it. i cannot say that about other bands like this.
Can't Buy A Thrill me introduziu ao Steely Dan e, por uma coincidência enorme, foi o ultino álbum que ouvi antes do Aja. Diferentemente do álbum de estreia, esse não me pegou tanto. O Aja tem um ar mais "jazzy", com frases mais elaboradas em todos os instrumentos e pequenas inserções de solos, o que seria um ponto positivo para mim já que a elaboração traz um movimento pra música e quebra da monotonia, mas em comparação com o primeiro, achei as músicas menos empolgantes e menos marcantes.
I normally love steely dan but this album was so boring I didn’t even realize I had already finished it and it was halfway through the second loop before I noticed. Just so light as to basically not exist.
Growing up with AM radio, I know the 3 hits like the back of my hand. The rest of the album was more of the same, just more boring but inoffensive.
3+
great vibes overall (i just know myself and that i won't always have the patience for lengthy songs like that but still enjoyed them) faves: home at last, i got the news, josie
Just okay for me. 3/5
Może być, ale nic szczegolnego. Takie do posiadówki wieczorem przy winku lub whisky z drugą połówką. 3/5
Reminds me of DMB
Nice and short too, not much else to say.
...
Classic
I liked it, but it didn’t make me feel deeply and the guitar was a little more funk than I usually go for
Hyggeligt og meget samplet hehe 3-4/5
Hmm. Mixed feelings on this one. It’s not as good as Can’t Buy a Thrill, too many cornball songs. But Deacon Blues and Peg are unbelievably good songs. Like Deacon Blues might be one of the greatest songs ever written holy shit. But the cornball songs…….
good just not exceptional
just a good album
For the first time in I don't know how many listens the album finally resonated for me. The intention of the notes is spot on, the production is clean / crisp, and the talent is top notch. With that said, it still feels like lounge music to me.
This is the opposite of yesterday's album, I really wanted to like this one more than I did, but was just struggling to get into it that much. It's definitely not bad, they've moved onto a much more jazz-influenced sound in the five years since Can't Buy a Thrill, with longer songs and more jamming. It's perfectly enjoyable and they're clearly all very talented musicians, but honestly I just found it a bit boring. It's like a little too smooth for my liking, everything just kind of has this easy-going pace that forces it to the background a bit. I guess it's kind of the general criticism of the "yacht rock" sound, a bit overly polished and light. "Peg" is by far the best song on the album, and I enjoyed "Josie" too, but then there was a few fine songs and a few that didn't do as much for me. Maybe I'll change my mind on Steely Dan at some point, but this was just fine for me. Favorite song: Peg Other: Black Cow, Deacon Blues, Home At Last, Josie 6/24/24
Pretty chill.
70/100 After three songs it does all start to sound really similar... Still a very good Jazz-Rock album!
This is an album when it was released in 1977 I wouldn’t have given any attention to at all, let alone buy it. But over the years I have become aware of its critical value and the fact that nowerdays it is considered a classic. For that reason I have tried once or twice for it to resonate with me and appreciate what all the fuss is about. The best thing about the album is that it is very typical of the music which was around in the mid 70’s. Before I checked it reminded me very much of the UK’s long hot summer of 1976 but then realised it was released a year later. Nevertheless the jazzy soft rock feel of this and other albums reminds me of many memories of happy summer moments. It is a nice album to listen to and relax. It doesn’t get my juices flowing but to read or gently snooze outside in a warm breeze then it is just the ticket. Production wise it is also often cited as an album to test high end audio equipment on. This is true even on my modest middle of the road gear. Instrument separation and a wide soundstage is very apparent and adds to the overall enjoyment. I still haven’t bought the album but agree is probably one I should own at some time. 3/5 21/6/24
Nice music, easy listening
The last minute of the song Aja is pretty sweet, but for me it's not really worth sitting through the previous 6 and half minutes of, admittedly opulent, yacht rock.
Ok. Music for musicians
Someone said that merge of jazz and funk is called junk. That is a merge of said two genres, but it's certainly not junk. 3.5/5.
Fine but pretty boring. 2.5
Jazz rock/white soul album from the late 1970s. It's the kind of music I'd like to listen to in a bar in the background, while I sip my coctail. And this is also the disadvantage of this music: it's good, smooth and really well produced, but not interesting enough to listen to it voluntarily, because it's mostly background music.
I like all the songs that sample this album, but not this album
I liked it, specifically how the instruments have so much space between them. It feels airy and light, even though a lot is going on. According to Wiki, "The jazz-influenced Aja, was released in September 1977. Aja reached the Top Five in the U.S. charts within three weeks, winning the Grammy award for "Engineer—Best Engineered Recording—Non-Classical." It was also one of the first American LPs to be certified 'platinum' for sales of over 1 million albums." I can see that back in 1977. Speaking of engineering, for the New Yorkers in post production, they recorded in the Brill Building.
Not bad, but very background
chill classic rock, dadyacht vibes
Ok, but not for me
Before listening to this, the only one I knew from the album was \"Peg,\" and I like that song even if I feel it's terribly uneven. But honestly, Steely Dan always sound like yuppie jazz to me: too clean, too smooth, and the lyrics are just so smarmy. And I guess this album is also good technically and it has a lot of inspired moments, but it's working towards a sound that I personally don't vibe with. But yeah, it's a fine album, I think. Just not for me.
Pleasant. Have seen this at record stores for a decade and never listened to it.
So naar de purdie shuffle
buttery smooth but this album does nothing for me one way or the other.
A light-rock classic, so everyone says. Intensely crafted, every note perfect, a marvel of production and engineering. So everyone says. Smooth! You can't handle this much smooth! Overall, the sons are cool and detached, but without as much of the wit we'd heard on the other Steely Dan albums on this list (see general rant, below). Three songs in, and I'm feeling they're overlong (Black Cow is the longest 5-minute song I've ever heard). My toe tapped to Deacon Blues, but is that enough? The rhythm section kicks into high gear on Peg. Excellent song, but I admit my grooving was mostly owing to it being used by De La Soul. Then they lost me again with the album's remainder, even Josie. Too slick, too smooth. I always feel like Steely Dan is a band I should like, and 40 years later I'm still waiting for that moment. During the mid-70's Joni Mitchell was experimenting just as much with composition, arrangement, and jazz session players, with results that capture my heart and imagination. Fagen and Becker gave us a still-life. Giving a bonus star for the otherworldly sound of the drums and over precision in the production process. (rant: as usual, too many albums by the same artists. This is the third Steely Dan album I've come across during this project. Do they all need to be there? Does each one bring a unique facet of the artists' work and career? I'd have been happier if the list creator included a "you might also enjoy" footnote so that those interested could explore more of Steely Dan's catalog.)
Generally enjoyable, not mind blowing.
3 - It was fine. Musically I think there is a lot there, but just no emotion for me
Toca hoy banda que sólo ubicaba de nombre. Creo que no conozco ningún hit de ellos: por lo menos, de relacionar x canción con ésta banda. Las voces recuerdan sutilmente a Bowie, supongo que por la época de salida de éste disco y porque Bowie es eterno: también, algo de The Police. En el caso argento, canciones como "Home At Last", a Baglietto y su "Un loco en la calesita". Música muy tranquila. Buena para alguna actividad manual como cocinar.
As mentioned in my other Donald Fagen review, this genre isn't my cup of tea, but that's not to take away from the proficiency of the musicians.
Forgettable muzak played impeccably, 3
A bit jazzy, a bit funky, a bit ska, a bit MOR. My favourite Steely Dan so far. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: Peg Date listened: 09/05/24
Much better than Can't Buy a Thrill, but Jazz Rock is not my thing
El jazz-rock sofisticado tiene en este disco una de sus cumbres. Texturas sonoras impolutas y medidas, repletas de melodías y solos de jazz que se mezclan perfectamente con exuberantes fondos instrumentales con una ausencia deliberada de música rock. Destacan el pop brillante de "Peg" y los toques blusísticos de "Deacon Blues".
Cool enough
For all that effort it's fairly average
Familiar and funky – but shifts a little uncomfortably between cool 70s vibe and 80s TV theme. Favourite track: Peg (famously sampled by De La Soul on 'Eye Know')
Peg lifts this boring album to a three
Nice vibe, like funk lounge music
Funky
klart mit yndlings-"det sample kender jeg"-øjeblik vi har haft indtil videre er Peg på dette album, som er blevet samplet af De La Soul på nummeret Eye Know! Kan anbefale at lytte til de to numre lige efter hinanden! Resten var eh, fint. Kunne bedre lide Pretzel Logic. Ville nok have været en 2'er hvis det ikke var for Peg-samplet tbh
Smooooooooooooth
A really fun mix of jazz and pop/rock, not leaning too hard on either and mixing things up to keep it fresh throughout the album. It's a great album to have in the background of a chill evening.
Kinda makes me want to bust a move I didn't know MF DOOM or de la soul sampled this album I desire a complete rejection of societal obligations
was okay
extremely solid production fun, feel good type shit 7-8 outta ten
I said that I'd give something 3 stars if I thought there was something worthwhile for an album. The instrumentation and arrangement is pristine. It's too bad the lyrics are mind-numbingly boring and there's no energy to anything.
Josie was really good
first song reminded me of a nintendo game
a bit jazzy for my tastes
#193. This is beige music for middle aged moms. Like, it's not bad, but it's not anything really. 3/5: milquetoast.
3.5/5
I have a deep dislike for Steely Dan. I don't know why, it isn't rational. Corporate rock, Dentist Rock. Seems kind of soul less. The hits keep coming on this album. I would be fine if I never heard another SD song ever again. I imagine ChatGPT music will sound like SD. Only 40 minutes, thank God. The book calls it a 'landmark in Jazz Rock". One could argue it is neither jazz nor rock. The book loves Steely Dan, 4 albums?! It is in keeping with all the middle of the road synth pop the editor likes. 3* I guess.
Groovy and chill. Happy to have on in the background
My only complaint with this album is how clean it is. It’s almost too perfectly engineered and has lost all of its grit.Steely Dan was pretty great, this album just isn’t for me.
Sababa
Precis som senast är det riktig audiofilporr även denna gång, vilket jag gillar, särskilt när man lyssnar i ett par bra lurar. Tyckte dock att förra skivan var bättre med fler låtar som stod ut. Spontant tycker jag att Peg är bäst på denna, kanske för att den samplats av De la soul. I övrigt är det bra men inte fantastiskt, det saknas lite själ i all perfektion.
Nice, but nothing special
I like Steely Dan’s singles, but honestly I got kinda tired of this by the end.
3 Hadn't listened to Steely Dan before this and was pleasantly surprised about the album. Definitely an older sound but I really liked how it was put together and found the experience really enjoyable!
I didn’t really understand any of the songs, but god damn the production is SILKY
Of stílhreint og snyrtilegt fyrir minn smekk. 40 sessjón spilarar, þar af 6 mismunandi trommarar. Svakalega flottur hljóðfæraleikur samt auðvitað og fínt í kokteilpartý. Never mind the bollocks kemur út mánuði síðar, sem betur fer.
Zu viel Jazz, zu wenig Rock! Soundtechnisch spitze! 3/5
Fun classic album, fun and funky beats
The sound is amazingly clear.
Pleasant and well produced but honestly a bit bland. Feels like late night supermarket muzak….kinda nice muzak just not that interesting
Appreciate steely Dan, don’t really listen to them
I was already familiar with the singles from this album, and the whole album is fine. Steely Dan always sounds so polished and highly produced that it is almost off-putting for me somehow. It's hard to explain. The album is good, but I just have to be in the mood to listen to it.
仍然對爵士不是太感冒、
It was unpleasant, but not necessarily my cup of tea. I didn't realize that Steely Dan sang Peg. I recognized that song and none of the others.
Same review as Pretzel Logic. I don't understand what emotion this music is trying to caption or evoke. The songwriting is creative, but the performance and production are about as boring as it gets. Very listenable, though. Very inoffensive. Favorite song: Peg.
Loving the Wurlitzer solos on this record. They're fun and add a lot to each song. I love the jazzy elements of this album as well. The instruments are also mixed super well. It sounds very good. I don't love Deacon Blues, the story is a little silly in my opinion. I'm starting to like this less and less the deeper I get into this album. I feel like it had a lot of potential from the first couple of songs.
The only thing that I know about Steely Dan is that they were named after a steam powered dildo from William Burroughs’ drug classic The Naked Lunch. This album feels very polished and technically accomplished but like several other classic albums on this list, it didn’t grab me. According to Wikipedia this is classed as Yacht Rock, so maybe I need to own a yacht before I can appreciate it properly?
This is the 2nd Steel Dan album I've had on this list. I loved the first one, so I had high hopes for this. I just don't get it. Nothing about this feels inspired or interesting. Fine as background music, but that's about it. Even Bernard Purdie sounds uninteresting on the 2 tracks he got - that's almost impressive.
Pretty chill throughout. Standout Songs: Deacon Blues Peg
It's not bad. I would listen again. But it's, honestly, kinda boring.
I think this is my second Steely Dan album so far in this journey, and this album was not what I expected nor what I remembered the first album to be like. This one had smooth, soft, sexy vibes. Overall it was fine.
It’s a nice-sounding, well-produced record indeed, but its sparkling yacht cleanliness comes with a sacrifice of the authentic grit that other albums of its generation were able to capture. Josie and Deacon Blue are decent tunes. Not a bad album by any means but Pretzel Logic and Can’t Buy A Thrill are both superior to Aja.
opens with very 70s lounge vibe. more easy listening than I was expecting; not rock.
sounds like Steely Dan... ? They used to play that De La Soul song that samples Peg during timeouts at Sonics games in the 90s.
Greinilega ekkert sem ég veit um Steely Dan .... ágætt stuff svona smooth listening groove .. . alls ekki rokk, allavega ekki Aja
That's not my taste in musik. But ok - relaxing
I know the band’s name and I know some of these songs but it was good to get a refresher and be able to put the band name to their sound. I recognized Peg immediately from being sampled on Three Feet High and Rising.
I liked this more as an adult than I did as a college student. I wasn't over the moon for it or anything, though. Individual songs really popped for me on this listen, but by the time you get to the end of the album each next song feels a bit too similar to the rest of them.
Listening to this in the background of my day it was good enough for a couple of play throughs. The kind of album my boomer parents would have loved.
I quite enjoyed this album. Pretty vanilla sounding 70s jazz rock. Just funny to think that the band was named after a "revolutionary" steam-powered dildo mentioned in the William S. Burroughs novel Naked Lunch. Steam powered!
Commercial jazz/rock. These guys are great players, the recording is crisp and clean but the songs bore the hell out of me
Didnt hit as hard as the first one but its a nice groovy one.
Muzak/easy listening is fine, and this is certainly better than standard yacht-rock. The jazzy feel definitely helps it stand out. Top tracks: Deacon Blues, Josie
Huge Steely Dan fan and I always found it odd that this is their "go to" album for many people, as I find the songwriting to be inconsistent and this is probably my least favorite of their various albums. Deacon Blues, Black Cow and Peg are great tunes, but some of the others are completely forgettable (I Got The News, Home At Last) and the title track sounds like a long and boring mistake.
Sounds like elevator rock music
Better jazz album than other ones. Solid 3***.
Was okay, good background classical music
So this album is a great example of how my current emotional state impacts my musical ratings. First played when what I really needed was an energy boost - said 'fuck no' after 2 songs and reverted to Green Day; would have rated a 2 or maybe even a 1. But then this afternoon, cooking and chilling, listened again and felt the right groove. Would rate a 4. I'll dollar cost average to a 3.
Technically this is amazing, from both a musicianship and recording standpoint. But it lacks any edge. There was nothing here that extracted any emotional response from me at all. As such it sounds like top quality lounge music. Just not my cup of tea I guess.
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Peg
Yacht rock vibes at it's finest
Very 70s, quite fun and smooth.
nisam ga dozivila bas :/
Ok al jazzy mi cesto bude malo dosadnjikavo.
It’s fine Asia thinks Aja is fine, I think if I were someones uncle I’d like it more
Perfect. Perfectly sterile
Pretty groovy album over all. I like steely dans top songs so it was cool to see what other stuff he had. Might listen again. 3/5
JazzRock, 1977 -> 3
Steely Daniel coming through with an extremely solid album. Thank you Steely Daniel, very cool! Best Song: Home at last Worst Song: N/A
Took me a while to get through the album because I had the first track on repeat.
Good production and musicianship
3/5. Didn’t think much of the album until I got to “Home At Last” which I really liked, but this style of music just isn’t for me. A hair too mellow.
Nice sound but nothing spectacular about the music
I like Steely Dan. Good band. Some real classics. The band made its mark at a time where music was astonishingly "good" and a tremendous amount of great music was produced. I always considered Steely Dan as "somewhere in that mix," neither at the top nor the bottom of that very talented and prolific pile. So... does this album stand out, above and beyond? It is well made, professional music and I must shout out to a few gems in the mix. Aside from those, it must have to be someones "thing" to really get into past "yeah, it is pretty good."
3.5/4 So much fun...funky you might say
I hadn't realized how many Steely Dan songs I had heard throughout the course of my life. That was quite enjoyable
Enjoyed something I hadn’t really listened to much before!
Was boring but reminded me of Jordan
It’s an okay album. I’ve never been a huge steely Dan fan and this doesn’t really change my mind. When you listen to the album, it has a jazzier feel than I remember from them….but its just okay.
How many Steely Dan’s albums do we need on this list? It’s perfectly fine but it lacks a bit more substance and excitement overall. [0125/1001]
Black Cow is solid. The rest is a little boring but not terrible
The lyrics feel very bland and dull. Nonetheless, the production is fun and great. I love jazz-rock but I'm not sure about this one, it might not be my cup of tea. The songs feel to long. Won't go back to it. 6/10
Pretty good
The smooth background vocals of Michael McDonald!
Enjoyed that more than expected to.
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Good stuff Still new to steely Dan, feels like I need to listen more to get more into it 1st 3,5
The players are clearly very good. I like the drummer. I have a lot of friends who are way into Dan. Although I liked this, I kind of just wanted to listen to Earth Wind amd Fire instead.
Game show/sitcom intro sounding music. A bit of jazz fusion thrown in the mix. Feels like it would be fun live but this just isn't the kinda stuff I can listen to a whole album of. Which is strange, since on paper, this is my kind of 70s music. The end of the title track was a definite highlight.
Kinda smoooth jazzish. Lots of horns. Would sound good in an elevator or waiting room.
* Very light, smooth, music to go to sleep to. * Definitely not my kind of music generally but maybe if I was in the right mood. I always wanted to get into jazz but maybe it's just not for me if this is one of the greatest albums ever. * The longer I listen the more I think I could be into this. Maybe I'm getting old * OK that's where that De La Soul sample comes from Every song I'm thinking "OK this is not for me" and then 2 minutes in I change to "This solo is banging" and the song gets an extra star or two but overall it's only going to hit my infrequent rotation list.
Not what I expected, in a good way!
Bored me a little bit, but I would not dare to say it is a bad one. Expected Marc rating: 3
Great jazz rock album, but can’t seem to get the sterotype out of my head that Steely Dan is Rich People Music
My first introduction to Steely Dan. The album was enjoyable as a whole but only "Peg" stood out to me as something I'd want to revisit frequently. I see this isn't generally considered the peak Steely Dan album, so I'm looking forward to getting more because this was on the cusp of being something I'd really like but not quite there. 3.5
I believe I enjoyed this
This was my first full listen of Aja. I had previously only been familiar with a few Steely Dan singles. Home At Last was a stand out track for me- excellent jazzy guitar solo and fills. The bluesy solos midway through I Got The News and Josie were really smooth too. I love the bass groove and vocal melody of Josie, but I'm not big on the actual lyrics. I didn't care much for Deacon Blues- the Crimson Tide reference was pretty cringey. Black Cow, Aja, and Peg were mid for me- technically proficient and I can appreciate the craftsmanship, but they just didn't resonate with me much. Overall I enjoyed the music throughout the album a lot, but the vocals and lyrics were VERY hit and miss for me.
pretty good, really only liked the songs i already knew. short and sweet
Easy listenig as far as eye can see
This album is filled with a bunch of AMAZING production, to the point where you start to wonder how an artist was making their music sound this good in 1970. Personally, I think that all the songs in here are not only repeatable but they all have really catchy choruses, synths that draw the listener back in, and it was such a pleasant experience listening to this album.
Not bad but not really my style. Very lounge-music type of listening, a little too soft/easy for my tastes.
A little jazzier (re: too much sax) than I'm usually up for, but I was baking cookies in my kitchen on a rainy Saturday and it was nice to listen to. If I was doing embarrassing mom-dances while mixing up batter, no one needs to know.
uhhh yeah it's steely dan. I've never really found a way to hook into steely dan and I still haven't! they're fine!
Not sure if it's me starting to get burned out to listening to new music every day, but this didn't really move me that much even though I felt like it should. Can't put my finger on why. 'Peg' is a cool song though!
I heared it long ago, back in beginning eighties. It was not so impressif.
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Sin más. Cortito y al pie, está bien.
Out of all jazz-containing albums this one is the closest to my liking. Nice and relaxing
Some great songs on here but it also lacks some of the grit I like on the earlier albums. The songs feel almost too crafted.
Very nice, liked few songs, Deacon blues was my favorite
3.5. I like the funky lounge sounds! Also, has a yacht rock feel. The lyrics of the songs are out there man!