Aja

I guess it's kinda good

Curiós que es reivindiqui habitualment aquest disc com estendard de Steely Dan quan és el més dur de sentir, el més complicat, i no el millor. Sí potser el més ambiciós, amb un jazz rock d'alta volada i uns temes tan ben construïts que un no pot fer res més que treure's el barret. 'Deacon Blues' és un dels seus grans temes

Solid Steely Dan album with lots of the hits. I found myself bopping along to it.

The production on this album is absolutely amazing. AMAZING; nevertheless the overall vibe reminds me too much of what elevator music wishes to be. Ultimately, with such good musicians the album should be more interesting than it ends up being but it's very clean lounge music. Best song: Home At Last. Most helpful song: Aja – I would've pronounced it Adshcha and sounded like a fool so thanks I guess.

Ze schieten lekker uit de startblokken met een warme, vrolijke jaren zeventig-sound. Zo worden ze tegenwoordig niet meer gemaakt, denk je dan. Maar gaandeweg krijgt een soort jengelmuziek de overhand, die ook nog eens gigantisch in herhaling valt. Zo komen we ergens in het midden uit.

Very soft rock. It’s fine to have on.

This was a nice little rock album, always a fan of the longer songs on shorter albums. Steely is an up and comer on my like list and glad to have another album of theirs on here.

I didn't love this, wouldn't listen to it again. Not my cup of tea musically.

While not particularly exciting, it was enjoyable easy listening

Pretty middle of the road but I do enjoy the laid-back feel of Steely Dan. Great for a nice sunny day with a cocktail on the patio

Steely Dan isn’t the most exciting band ever but I generally like their light rock sound. This album is not their best, personally. It’s a bit drab.

3.5 Melodiøst og cool. Gennemført chill

Still great grooves but not as good as can't buy a thrill or pretzel logic. Not enough bangers

Good

Elevator music. Good elevator music, mind you, but still elevator music.

Felt like one step above elevator music, but at least I know more about Steely Dan now.

This kind of music doesn't really do it for me. But I've never really listened to steely Dan despite their reputation, so glad to have finally checked out an album of theirs

Nothing special.

Cool and catchy, but maybe a bit to jazzy/over my head at times

Good album with good instrumentation. I just didn't like it as much as Pretzel Logic or Fagen's solo album The Nightfly. I liked the album, but I do not see myself returning to it later.

Always pleasant, but not often exciting. 3/5

I’m so proud of myself for spotting Michael McDonald on backing vocals on some of these tracks! Nothing more to say.

I vibe with this record. First Listen?: Y Fav. Track(s): Black Cow, Home At Last Rating: 3.5/5

Favorite song: Josie Groovy.

A little too lax for me. Can definitely see that Dan Bejar listened to his fair share of Steely Dan, at least when recording Kaputt. They're good musicians, but there isn't enough going on to keep me interested. Standouts: Peg, I Got The News, Josie

I see why people find steely Dan insufferable, but I dug it.

bit repetitive but cool !

- Sehr Seventees - gute 3 würde ich sagen

C'était bon, mais je m'attendais à plus

I'd heard this before and I know some people love it. I didn't, but I didn't hate it either. My wife did, however. I thought it was decent, but nothing special. 3/5

Achei legal, ok, nada muito marcante, Melhor música: Josie

Pretty good. Sounds like a regular bowie

Overall a great album. Depending on my mood, attention to the lyrics, music or personal taste, this might affect an album over others. I am a Steely Dan fan, and the album met expectations of that.

The music sounds great but I had a hard time paying attention to any of the songs. There just wasn’t any feeling there. It’s almost like it’s a bunch of incredibly talented musicians that don’t know each other but have each played these songs a million times and are just punching the clock to get their paycheck.

Never sat and listened to jazz before but this is pretty fire ngl. Reminds me of something I would hear in Cowboy Bebop or smth.

Extremely okay

Prefs: Aja, Deacon Blues, Peg Moins pref: Black Cow

bueno

Meh

Its okej.

leicht funky mit harmonien. produktion ist fucking clean. nicht so meine musik. eher easy listening...

Nice and chill album

Taustamusakamaa ilman erikoisempia huippuja tai pohjia

Positiivisesti yllätti ku edellinen Steely listalta jätti vähän kylmäks. Hauskaa, mukanajammailtavaa

2.5/5 pleasant jazz rock, but boring and repetitive sounding

I do appreciate the talent here and the production sounds great, I just don't feel any significant connection with the music overall. Perhaps it will grow on me over time. I definitely liked it, though.

SOUNDS GREAT! Thats it. 3.5/5

It wasn’t bad. Maybe a little slow for my mood at the time. I could see it being good live.

I’m going to have to call them “Steely Dan chord changes” - these interesting chord progressions that then morph into some smooth jazz-y and wholly unsatisfying. Audio quality can’t be beat, though, save by other Steely Dan records.

From a production and engineering standpoint, Aja is very solid. The sound quality throughout gives the songs a bit of an extra edge. It also doesn't feel like there's nearly 40 musicians on here and instead like a cohesive unit. Have to say I didn't find the singles as great as Can't Buy A Thrill, or even the batch of songs strong or even interesting as Countdown to Ecstasy. It's a solid album with good songs like the title track, Deacon Blues and Peg, but it does swift in the background of the mind where it could be playing something more captivating.

My second time listening to 'aja' by Steely Dan. The first time I wasn't very impressed, especially after having had it hyped up for me. In the end, I think the hype did more damage that good. I still don't think I completely get it, but I can appreciate the technical stuff more. It's generally a good listen. Not the most amazing thing you'll ever hear, but solid enough that it didn't feel like a slog to me. Maybe I should be giving it two stars, but it's a solid three for me. The lyrics make no fucking sense though.

A perfectly ok album that straddles the bridge between jazz and more of a pop rock focus, I believe the term is yacht rock (whatever that is). It is quite a smooth and chilled out album, which is an ok listen for a background music playlist IMO. Best: Peg Worst: I Got The News

Okay

Never been into Steely Dan, but this is their best work.

There are quite a few Steely Dan songs I enjoy, but many I find just a bit too soft-rock-jazz - which was the majority of this album for me.

Very chill; wouldn't mind if it was playing in the background somewhere

It’s Steely Dan, you know what to expect- ultra slick production, smooth instrumentation and those cool Dad vocals. Some tracks are cool- Peg is an obvious classic thanks to De La Soul- other tracks just pass you by, like you’re on the freeway with the top down… and maybe that’s the point.

For a band that named itself after a fictional steam powered dildo, this is some pretty inoffensive music. I can't fault the playing of the songs, I just don't find them that interesting

Ihan ok biisejä, mutta ei kyllä painunut juuri mikään mieleen. 3/5 kuitenkin kun oli sen verran kuuntelukelpoinen.

Nimikkoraita todella tiukka! Muutenkin varsin letkeää jazz-rockailua, mutta muuten ei ihan niin paljoa säväyttänyt. 3/5

Another weirdo high-five from Steely Dan.

Egentlig helt ok. Men bare litt kjedelig?

Best Song: Aja. It almost doesn't feel like a song, more like a showcase of each band member's soloing abilities, but they're damn talented. Worst Song: Deacon Blues. This just felt a bit dull. Ho-hum, without the blistering musical prowess from the previous track. Overall: This was my first (that I know of) foray into Steely Dan. For some reason, maybe based on the name, I assumed they were boring dad rock. Turns out I was half right, because this is actually some pretty compelling dad rock. The musicality is top-notch here, but like many bands of this era, there is a sense of bloat as each song takes far longer than it needs. Still, a relaxed and groovy album that was fun to listen to.

Feels like rock elevator music. Doesn’t really stand out to me.

Yea this was pretty nice actually

Amiable audio wallpaper.

it's the mocktail hour again

Música racial melódica. No es nada nuevo, pero es interesante

1 note into the song and I'm recognize the song. Not from Steely Dan, but from a sample from the late 90s rap song "Deja Vu" by Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz. A few songs later, I hear "Peg" which was sampled by De La Soul on 3 Feet High and Rising I listen to this and I'm constantly reminded that older music seems way more musical than most modern music. Overall, pretty good album

A pleasure to discover more from the "ricky don't lose that number" people

Apart from 'Reelin' in the Years' Steely Dan were never on my radar. I didn't mind listening to this album, and like another person, enjoyed hearing some De La Soul samples etc.

nice bit of jazz rock

Bem gostosinho, nunca tinha ouvido. Músicas prediletas: Josie Black cow

Lots of wank. Peg will be an all-time fave however. A few other good tracks, but pretty self-indulgent on the whole

I understand why some people thinks this album is a masterpiece but it just doesn't work for me. It sounds a bit dated and there are other records by Steely Dan that I enjoy more.

not their best, but still good

Mysigt!

Bra göbb rock

alveg ok

A worthy effort by the Dan, and one I'm assured opens up into realms of audiophile delight under a close listen. But however well-arranged it is, the jazz influence is of a pretty lifeless variety. At least in the beginning: Thankfully, the sound loosens up as the record progresses. But the second half is not enough to convince me that Aja deserves acclaim within the band's discography.

it was fine, just that yacht rock sound to me

6/10 - not bad, easy listening

Smooth and jazzy

Enjoyed Peg. Didn’t like Aja.

Pretty good, I do really like Steely Dan but sometimes feels a bit samey

Kolko sam uspio čut solidno

I fucked a 73 year old great grandfather for Christmas. That's a true white Christmas. Steely Dan was the name I used to go by when I was starring in low budget porn in the 90s. I gave gonorrhoea to so many people. So many.

Not really my cup of tea. We tried to listen to it on the way back from clamming with Harry and Leigh Anne, and there was just nothing there for us.

This is the second album by Steely Dan suggested to me from this list, and the second album from the band that I've listened to as a whole. I liked this album more than the previous. It was good to listen to the album and hear a full set of songs rather than individual tracks, which has been most of my experience with the band. Even though I enjoyed listening to the album, I just don't see myself coming back. I'm not sure why Steely Dan doesn't resonate with me. "Josie" is a potential track to replay, followed by "Aja" and "Peg".

Jazz rock. Bastante agradables.

Estremamente jazzy. Sofisticato, un po' faticoso, ma interessante. Peg mi piace (anche se non ho ancora notato sto assolo che dice wikipedia).

Cool album classic 70s sound. Nothing too exciting but solid album

Great sounds

starts off strong then slowly loses steam. dentist's office jazz funk rock, but in a good way

Not usually my thing but was pretty enjoyable

Ni buenísimo ni malísimo sino todo lo contrario

Bueno pues al final si me latió

I’m a big fan of yacht rock and quite a lot of steely dans material but this album was one I struggled to get into, and I really wanted to like it as well. I love the production quality, considering it was ‘77, the clarity of the instruments and vocals is very impressive even by todays standards

Loved Deacon Blues and Home At Last, but quite hit or miss overall for me

I like it a bit more than the other album 3.5

Jazz is not my thing i guess

Not going to lie, I fuck with Steely Dan lol

Listened twice now, wasn't what I was expecting. Some of it sounds like smokey lounge bar music - a bit dated, and some of the songs are longer than they need to be. Really enjoyed "Peg" never knew that was where the sample was taken from.

Скучный альбом. Понимаю, что тут присутствуют вполне яркие и запоминающиеся мелодии. Выдержана единая расслабляющая атмосфера, особая эстетика. Подбор инструментов приятен, сами партии построены грамотно. Но всё это очень скучно, не находит внутри отклика, слышится лишь отзвуком прошлого. Вероятно, субъективный негатив в довольно приятные композиции для меня тут вносят фанковые нотки. В жанровом позиционировании альбома более весом скорее джаз, супротив которого в целом я ничего не имею. Но тут это не тот притягательный яркий, искренний джаз для народа, вроде свинга, а скорее претенциозный блеклый джаз для снобов. Вопросов нет разве что к вокальным партиям. По итогу вышел неплохой фоновый альбом, который лично мне даже фоном слушать не хочется.

I liked the first Steely Dan album we had better but this wasn’t bad

3.5

2.9

Some great songs.

Hard to imagine this came out in 1977, dated in parts obviously but not what I was expecting when I saw Steely Dan. "So outrageous" Track 2 is a journey. The rest is good but not my cup of tea but good to listen to but i don't have much to say on it. Probably a 3.5 but based on rating @enjoyed it, will listen again" it is a solid 3.

When I saw Steely Dan I got a little excited. Admittedly, my knowledge of their back catalogue is vicarious via Shorty and Vulfpeck but I know enough of their bangers to have anticipated a decent album here. Unfortunately, the bangers I know are spread across their discography and there is no great concentration of them on this record. Out of 7 tracks here, if I had 3 of the bangers this would have got 4 stars and possibly a 5 if the balance of tracks impressed me. “Peg” is the only one so I’ll have to give this album a 3. Credit where credit is due, Walter Becker and Donald Fagan have a hugely distinctive sound and are ground breaking artists in many many ways. There are some savage harmonies and musical rhythms here but nothing is luring me in like some of their bigger hits. “Reelin in the years” “hey nineteen” “do it again” “Rikki don’t lose that number” and “dirty work”. Definitely can see their influence on Vulfpeck and particularly on the Katzman heavy tracks. I anticipate another Steely Dan album on this 1001 so hoping I can start dropping some 4’s and 5’s.

Meh

nice

Still can’t get into steely dan

This was an alright album. Can't Buy A Thrill was better

kinda funky. too many sax solos. not for me.

Bueno, pero olvidable

h

Was good. Chilled with great instrumental pieces and guitars.

meh

Nice background chill music.

Not the genre I was expecting from the album cover. I really enjoyed a couple of songs, the rest weren’t bad, just not my cup of tea.

Aja is a shining example of jazz-rock at its finest.

never hit my radar and not an immediate win wither. the sounds is fine but not quite sure where it fits in

Very technically gifted, jammy yacht rock. Not sure that it's all hitting very strong but there are some fun feel good tracks here.

Really enjoyed this. Can’t decide if it’s 3* or 4 ? ***

Nothing really stood out. Decent background.

Quite liked most of it without ever really loving any of it.

"When all my dime dancin' is through I run to you" (Aja) "They got a name for the winners in the world I want a name when I lose" (Deacon Blues) Entiendo que es por el género pero qué cuesta arriba escuchar canciones tan largas. Me gustan mucho a ratos pero en seguida pierdo el hilo.

Mezcla de spandau ballet con música de ascensor sin tanta música. Sin más. Como vacaciones en el mar, pero menos alegre.

Jazz rock. Interesante.

Classic yacht rock.

i was not expecting this to be so funky and energetic, so i was pleasantly surprised, but they didn't seem to diversify the funk

All very similar. Enjoyable for a first listen. Good to play in a group as it serves as good background music.

Somewhat forgetful but funky without a doubt.

A new one for me

Nothing mind blowing, pleasant, enjoyed it, but ok

It took me back to the 70’s, that cruise, that piano bar, a pina colada! I kinda liked it.

good sound but maybe a little too chill, feels like I'm in a Panera

Funky and jazzy. Definitely enjoyable.

rock with yacht vibes 3/5

It was something!

Not a huge fan of the music, but max points for musicianship and production values. Immaculately produced record. 3+

Gefällt mir super gut und ich will sie in meine Library aufnehmen, aber gleichzeitig weiß ich nicht, wann ich sie hören würde. Ich glaub, dass war beim letzten Album schon ähnlich...

Nice.

Spotify. Fave song "Deacon Blues”. 3.5

Melodisk 70’er pop/rock, kor, instrumentalt, behageligt

I have no idea what to expect here, I've only heard their one big hit and it's not on this... It's a bit more disco/funky then expected, but still just rock. Like softer but similar to early Toto maybe? Gets pretty jazzy here and there but without actually being jazz, which is a good thing. 3/5 - 1 for not being a genre I've been beaten over the head with already in this list, 1 for being good musos and 1 for apparently being a couple of real weirdos haha

Aja is the german passive aggressive way to tell someone that what the person just said didn't interest you at all how fitting

at least it's short

Steely Dan never sounds like I think they're going to. I always immediately forget what type of music they play as soon as I stop listening to them. It's all perfectly fine music, but bland. I want them to be more interesting than they actually are. This was only 40 minutes long, but it felt interminable.

I can appreciate the musicianship, but it's way to soft for me.

awful

Tried, just can’t deal

would not listen again not my style thought it was going to be very different from what the album cover looked like

My God, I was bored to tears listening to this album! Gone are the country flavours and slick harmonies from the two previous albums I got from them, in comes funky beats and jazz overtones. And it’s even worse. Great production, though!

Stilly not a fan of steely Dan

Meticulously recorded, performed, and produced, but the songs just don't do it for me. These guys seem like douchebags.

I do not like Steely Dan, Sam I Am. I do not like them with green eggs and ham. I do not understand how they got 4 albums.

Es buena música pero no me dice nada

It's a little too easy listening for me.

Try as I might. Steely Dan will just never do it for me.

Immaculately composed and performed, but what do you get for all of that undeniable effort? An album that sounds like background music in a restaurant. I get why this is probably interesting if you’re a total theory nerd who wants to obsess over chord progressions and production techniques but that’s not what music is about for me.

“A jazz-rock album which fuses cool jazz, blues, and pop into a masterpiece of an album “ ? Sounds like it should be brilliant , pity it is not. I can like slow soulful jams and like jazz infusions normally but there is something in the high harmonies and keyboard here that leaves me cold. But then “eye know” by de la soul saves the album. Peg is actually great song in a sea of mediocrity . Saving it from a 1

Boring

Not my thing. Didn't finish

All good songs ... I just can't listen to them anymore. Not sure what it is, overplayed, over hyped ... it's just over for me. They come on the radio - I change the station.

enjoyable but idk can't say I would ever listen to it again

Smooth but the album is not engagingnor memorable. It would have benefited from a few highlights

I am not a jazz person. This album was listenable but also forgettable.

Album muito bom, tipo eu entendo porque o Ed Motta é obcecado em Steely Dan. No entanto, não sou a maior fã de jazz, então não darei 5 estrelas.

This was all a bit too pristine and unaffecting for me. Very little I can recall about it following the one (and only) listen I'll be giving it.

If a hangover had a sound, it would be Steely Dan. The farting bass at the kick off is the first indication.

me dormi

relaxing for work hours with coworkers, but not sure if I would listen elsewhere

Des musiques d’écran principal de jeu vidéo, insipide Je vois qu’il est très bien noté sur rym et ça me choque, j’y suis pas du tout Sur Aja à la fin il y a des bonnes percussions mais un peu étouffées Les paroles sont un peu drôles Bon en fait c’est pas si mal on s’y fait Josie finit pas mal 2/5 malgré tout déso

Very very vanilla feels like mediocre holiday resort music but the production on this album is absolutely outstanding for this genre, crisp cymbals and really good flute production aswell as a refined guitar sound. Shame the music was basic

Didn't really vibe with it

Somehow, despite all the effort put into the production, all the talented musicians, and all the interesting bits sprinkled throughout, it never really comes together.

nudy w chuj nw czemu ktos chcialby tego sluchac ale nie nest asluchalne

It's well done and all, but I didn't really enjoy it. Too jazzy, not yacht enough for me. Much like when I got the Donald Fagen one, it baffles me when every detail has obviously been obsessed about, then this weak voice sings over it. When Michael McDonald shows up with backing vocals three quarters of the way through, it's like "YES this is more like it". But that's only one track. I liked the De La Soul one, too.

Boring as fuck. No me interesó para nada y siendo que dura solo 38 minutos se me hizo eterno.

I put this in whilst changing the cartridges in my kitchen mixer tap. It wasn’t a taxing job at all, but I can’t really pick out anything from this album I noticed. Says it all really. The top review at the time of writing this suggests this is dinner music for an all inclusive holiday dinner. Bang on. Inoffensive background musak.

Oh man this was disappointing. Really middle-of-the-road. I was looking forward to it too, Steely Dan were one of my highlights from this list, 13 songs so far on my favourites. Just a really boring, dull, forgettable album. More like Dan of Lead.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed the last steely Dan album we had, so thought this might be good too..... I was wrong, this was nothing like the last one and so dull and soft in comparison. Disappointed Just checked and this is actually the 4th steely Dan album we've had! Obviously, "can't buy a thrill" aside, they are pretty forgettable. This was the worse of the lot. Recognised "Peg" I think, but even that isn't anywhere near as good as most of the last album. 2

Well played and tuneful but far too smooth. AOR at it's finest?

Boomer dinner party music

Kedeligt

Steely Dan is exactly what I remember Steely Dan to be. I forgot about Josie.

I am not sure what it was about this album but it was just so boring. Technically very well done, well produced music, but I couldn't wait for each song to be over.

sure my mum would love it

Not for me. Grunge adjacent but no.

Jamais écouté avant. À quoi bon ? À quoi bon mobiliser 40 musiciens talentueux, voire géniaux pour certains, pour leur faire jouer de la musique d'ascenseur parfaitement inoffensive ? À quoi bon gâcher une production aussi propre, peut-être trop, sur des morceaux qui n'ont rien a dire, lisses et calibrés au millimètre ? À quoi bon une pochette aussi belle pour un contenu aussi insignifiant ? Un album qui justifie à lui tout seul la déferlante punk... Top : Black Cow Flop : I Got the News

Mid 2/5

Heard Before? My dad, who was sadly born without a personality, calls this one of the greatest albums. Notes: - love these drum sounds, and how the horns are recorded. - as I say with every one of their albums, the keyboard solos are far more tolerable than the guitar solos. - by this point they gave up any pretense of rock and fully embraced, hmmm... "schmaltz-core"? it suits them much better. - grateful for the long, complex instrumental passages. at the very least it keeps the smarmy vocals and embarrassing lyrics at bay for a while. - "Peg" is satanically catchy. Yikes. Verdict: In places, this raises the Steely Dan bar from "utter loathing" to "grudging admiration". Like the best possible version of being on hold with the insurance company for 40 minutes. Listen Again? Not by choice.

Eh

Elevator music, but you want the cables to snap.

Per Gemini: Crosswordese is a niche vocabulary of short, vowel-heavy, or archaic words frequently used by puzzle constructors to fill difficult grid intersections. These terms appear often in crosswords but are rarely used in daily conversation. 'Aja' is not a crossword legend, it is crosswordese. Which - to cruciverbalists - is a massive par.

Aja

Fun opening track with a super groovy base.

buen álbum

einmal mehr solide catchy liftmusik.

Very average

Easy listening at its peak. I can't rate this any higher than a 2 as it kind of washed past me without me really noticing. On the other hand I can't rate it lower than a 2 because there really isn't enough here to dislike. It's very biege, bland, it's pretty much generic brand 'Music'.

Corto pero canciones muy largas, muy similares entre sí. No me convenció, descargué solo 3 temas

Background Yacht Rock. I felt like I was in a shop or an elevator. Boring AF.

I can see how there's a lot to be appreciated here, but this is not for me.

To be honest I put this on in my car after an incredibly frazzling day. There was nothing that Steely Dan could have done to make it any worse. I physically can't enjoy them. I've tried several times to just understand the general appeal. This album was no different but after many listens I will say that Peg is the most listenable song of theirs I have heard

Not really my thing. I prefer the less jazzy Steely Dan stuff although I appreciated the production values.

This is the third Steely Dan album I've gotten in the last 9ish weeks. How anyone could say that any of these albums, let alone all three of them, are albums I needed to hear before I died is beyond me (big shrug). To echo my sentiment from my last SD review (for Countdown to Ecstasy), I feel like their music survives over time because it's fine and inoffensive. Those are not really good descriptors when thinking about essential listens. Is this album fine? Sure. But that's pretty much it, at best. It's like they wrote some songs, then removed almost everything that made them interesting and just left the shells to be polished up pretty. And it is, I guess (shrugging again). But nothing about it really seems like it's special. It's just generic, boring pop rock. Yacht rock, if you will. Sure, they get a little jazzy at times, but that somehow makes it worse. I may have liked this one more if it weren't the third album of theirs I've gotten in such a small window. But even so, I don't really think it's a particularly good album. I would have been fine without ever hearing it. Overall: 2.1/5

I can't. 2/5

Same thoughts I had about Nightfly, I have about this album. I love Jazz. Something about this just doesn’t… vibe right. I’m not sure if I know how to verbalize or quantify it.

OK, I suppose.

a chill time i guess but too like… tidily arranged? i can get behind peg as a fun song for the right place and time

This was fine.

Soulless jazz pop rock, softer than baby poop.

I am Not a Favoriten of Funky Music

Really not for me. Just too lite, it feels like there's nothing much there. There are occasional hints of something more before it fades back to the lightest of light rock. And the longer it goes the more annoyed I am that I have to listen to this

chinese music? huh? dying behind the wheel? jeezus man Would I listen again: nah Deserves to be on this list: probably not 2.3

Some bangers

2,4/5

Pleasant enough and really tight musically. Nothing really caught my attention though and can't see myself revisiting this.

Weirdo lounge funk that reeks of pretension.

Not a huge fan. Lacked the iconic licks and solos I expect from the band. Less groovy, too jam bandy

Maybe I don't know ball, but I didn't enjoy this album. Wasn't terrible, but still...

Dude, this sucked. Besides Peg? What have you got here other than showtunes for guys who don't have to work and dress like Steve Buscemi or whatever in that lighthouse movie? Guys with podcasts about podcasts. It wasn't Buscemi. Willem Dafoe. Same difference. Ugly actor men who are beloved because they're men. Only men can be ugly. Can you imagine an ugly ACTRESS?? Respected for her CRAFT?? Don't make me cackle maniacally. Anyway, where was I with this weird ass record? DON'T tell me. I can't keep your voices hearing your voices, hearing your voices hearing something. Josie was a respectable neighbor and the deacon, you can't forget the deacon, he was there as well, and PEG PEG PEG. Ah thank you doctor, no I haven't taken my pills today. To continue, this was stinky and overblown and had one awesome song, and like one other decent one. I've heard much much worse, but I've heard a hell of a lot better too. 2 HIGHLIGHTS: PEG

Tepid

Wait what? I listened to Steely Dan 2 days ago. Oh, this album is not as good as Can't Buy a Thrill. Guess I'm not becoming a big Steely Dan fan.

My optical nerves communicated a clear image of this picture to my brain, and my brain said "YES First Impressions of Earth!". The lyrics were unique when I checked them out, but overall this was another pretty boring album on the chopping block, 2/5

Two Steely Dan albums in a week is probably too much Steely Dan from this project. Or maybe it's by the time they reach this point in their career, they've transitioned substantially to a sound I enjoy less. I mean don't get me wrong, I enjoy yacht rock, but it very much feels like yacht rock artists are a bit more interchangeable and have less uniqueness between the groups. Plus you add in more than a dash of exoticism and references to Bama. I have an obligation to dock a star for the Roll Tide lyrics.

Pleasant but forgettable.

just mid 2,5

I’ve never been a fan of Steely Dan and this album did nothing to change that. It’s elevator music. Soft drums, light horns, and Bee Gee’s type vocals. The lyrics may be good, but I don’t care enough to follow along as there is nothing exciting to me about the music.

The name of a good Scottish band, a sample for a 90s hip-hop track and the music they played at closing time at my local pub as a teenager. The only things interesting from a band of supermarket music with lyrics.

Meh

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Easy listening but nothing really hooked me

Not great

Ok

Not exactly workout music

I have personal beef with Steely Dan that's not anyone's fault. But seeing as this is my 3rd 70s album in 3 days, he's just not helping. Like it was fine, but I just wanted it to be over sometimes.

It slid off my brain like an eel coated in oil

good for what it is but i still dont like it sounds very same-y. not my type of thing at all

Achei muito simples, muita confusão de sons

1. I Got the News 2. Deacon Blues 3. Home at Last Not thrilling. I don’t mind Steely Dan but there are certainly better albums of theirs. I just found it quite repetitive and boring. There are some nice instrumentals at points, especially i got the news. But overall they’re quite samey.

No substance and quite boring. I’ll give it its dues with its great production especially the drum sound and funky guitar but for the most part all of the songs sounded the same. It’s basically just really mediocre songs made better by session musicians, the jazz elements were cool but why even bother when the actual structure of the songs are so dull. Some cool instrumentals but that’s really it, not enjoyable but I guess it’s ok. Favourites: none really. Overall, 4/10.

the percussion and plucky synthesizer is getting on my nerves. i feel nothing when i listen to it. the resort vacation of music

Me Decade bloat and indulgence, Exhibit A.

Just did not click with me. Found it fairly boring.

Some cool guitar riffs, bit slow, not totally my vibe

Long and sophistcated rock arrangements with partly more than 40 musicians. Released at my 9th birthday.

Nein, nichts für mich.

How are you gonna name your band after a dildo and then make music this....LIMP.

Great playing, but songs which are too smooth and a bit lacklustre for me to fully appreciate.

Ok second Steely Dan album in a row. Nothing wrong with the music, just doesn't go anywhere, I got bored.

Oh boy. Not for me.

MF DOOM type beat. Double Helix by Death Grips?!?!?! They call Alabama the Crimson Tide. Life changing stuff.

I feel like praising "production standards," as Wikipedia puts it, is really shallow. Granted, I hardly care about production in an album and never notice issues that other people talk about on "poorly produced" albums. I can only think of a small handful of albums with production decisions that were bad to the point of making the album worse, like Aretha Franklin being the quietest thing in the mix on I Never Loved A Man. This is to say that this album just isn't that good. It's very, very flat, like Smooth Jazz that's so Smoothed out that they lose the Jazz. I liked the drum solo in the opener and saxophones will never take away from an album (lots of saxophone bonus points for this one), but past that this album is a bunch of nothing.

Pretentious, boring, jazz wankery. Drunk Shimoda: Steve Gadd TWO STARS

I didn’t think the album was bad, however it definitely was not to my taste and the songs went on way too long

really liked the first song, the rest was okay. makes for good background music but nothing you'd have to LISTEN to.

A few years ago on a plane to Tokyo I got chatting to a lovely Japanese fellow who was keen to practice his English. I learned of his favorite music genre, "City Pop" and promised to listen to some. Since I was on a Japanese airline, it was easy enough to find it on the in flight entertainment system. What I heard for the next few hours was clearly steeped in this album. Aja was made by super talented musicians who influenced decades of music that followed. Here's the problem: I have an irrational dislike for this stuff. To me it's just elevator music. Sorry, Walter & Donald. It's not you, it's me.

First time actually listening to the album, I've heard so much about it (and yet only just realized there's a person on the cover, I've always thought it's just a white-red ribbon on a black background). Well, it wasn't bad but I'm afraid Steely Dan is more of a nice background music to me than something I pay attention to. I liked Pretzel Logic better 2/5

Didn’t like majority of the album I just couldn’t really get into it even though sounds and instruments are interesting

Very “yacht rock”. Listening to this makes me think of upper middle class boomers wearing white linen and Camilla dresses on a summer afternoon, frothing harder than their sparkling white wines listening to this album. Not my cup of tea but I can appreciate the musicianship. Stoked it’s only 7 songs long

Didn't finish even the first song. Generic 70s music

I'm so bored. But you can have an extra star for production value.

Favorite tracks: Peg, Black Cow Clearly these musicians are talented, but wow do they come together to make some boring songs. There were a couple tracks on here that I might revisit, but for the most part this was a step up from elevator music. Enjoyable, but not really worth listening to again.

A well produced and well arranged jazz/pop album with some great vocal harmonies. Just doesn't seem to have any soul so a bit overrated for me.

Disco/yacht rock/light jazz. Think other bands like ABBA, Hall and Oates. Not my style, I don’t really understand the Steely Dan love going on in this list. Musically it’s good, just not to my interest, but lyrically it’s as trite as can be. It’s be better served as instrumental music.

Interesting, never listened to any SD, but liked “Peg”, quite a funky album

This is the middle of the middle of the middle of the middle of the road

I'm not really sure who this is aimed at, but it's not me. Disappointment after the last Steely Dan record I Listened to, which I confess I enjoyed. This however is dull and uninteresting, and in places massively over done. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ Dull ★★☆☆ (4/10)

Not my cup of tea at all

Not really for me this. I don't actually mind the slick and smooth - very slick and smooth - jazzfunk vibes but everything just has at least one difficult jazz chord too many and there is too much noodle-y display of expert musicianship. I don't care, man.

Ugh, I hate saxophone in songs. And this is too like light poppy sounding. Jazz pop apparently, and I don't like it.

Over-engineered 70s jazz vibes, slickly produced and I suppose it's good if you like this sort of music but it's really not my thing - edgy as a boiled potato, save it as background noise for the after-work fondue party

Música de sitcom ochentera. El sonido es realmente limpio, tan limpio que es un desperdicio. No me llena nada, es anodino y el cantante o los cantantes no pasan de aficionados callejeros.

Shorter than expected. One for the Danimals I think.

Another Steely Dan album that made me feel nothing. I just don’t remember a single thing about this album other than Peg, and that’s because I knew it previously. It’s not a bad thing to listen to, but I don’t know that multiple Steely Dan albums need to be on this list.

Generic dad rock. Not bad, but much better stuff out there.

Only 7 songs! First song is pretty funky! Like it so far kinda boring by the end and samey. Can see how this paved the way for a lot of music like this, but man did I have to start and stop so much

2.5

Naur

High skill apparent.

Can't quite get behind it

This is a band I’ve been exposed to by my parents for years but apparently I enjoy their hits more than their deep cuts. I know this album is really popular but it is a bit sleepy for me. Nothing really pulled me in. I think maybe I’m missing something and need to attempt another listen?

Didn’t like!

I thought it was A-Ha. Once, my friends covered Dirty Work, but that’s not on this record.

Never liked Steely Dan and this album didn’t do anything to change my opinion. Didn’t even have any of their good songs.

This record is at the heart of what is adult orientated rock music. The rock in it is not very rock and the jazz side is not too jazzy. Middle of the road music, with middle of the road songs, performed by middle of the road musicians. And the production of the record is also very smooth and gentle to the ear.

Nice enough. Not blown away. Doesn't make me feel anything. A few familiar tracks, but not finding myself reaching to listen to any of it again. Gives the vibe that there is a man in a fedora sitting next to me tapping his knee, closing his eyes, and bobbling his head around.

I’ve tried to get into Aja, I really have. Knowing its reputation among audiophiles and music critics, I even picked up a second-hand vinyl copy to give it a proper spin—only to find it too warped to play. Maybe that was a sign. While I quite like Can’t Buy a Thrill and appreciate Steely Dan’s musicianship in theory, Aja just leaves me cold. The pristine production and jazz-fusion polish feel more clinical than compelling. With the exception of “Home at Last,” which has a nice groove and some emotional weight, the rest of the album slips by without leaving much of an impression. It’s technically impressive, sure—but emotionally? Forgettable.

i like peg

One of the blandest records I've ever heard, I literally have nothing to say about it. Two stars as the production was good.

Bon, ça commençais bien, de la guitare électrique jazz dans un contexte rock. C’est de la musique qui me parle, habituellement. Mais là, c’est plutôt du yacht rock, un genre de rock qui vient de la Californie. Je sais pas c’est quoi le nom en français, je suggérerais "mononc’ rock", parce que ça sonne mononc’ en tabarouette, le yacht rock. Au final, c’était pas pour moi... une chance que l’album était pas trop long !

Not for me

Forgettable. Not amazing. Not terrible. Just there.

As the first notes of ¨Aja¨ come through my headphones all I can think of is the start to some kind of 70s mustachioed swingers party. This is before the AIDS epidemic, when coke was still sexy, when America was still young and innocent. Actively listening to ¨Black Cow¨ is a weird experience, not least because it seems meant to be passively listened to. ¨Aja¨ continues the theme of porn/swingers/sleaze, but maybe a little classier and set in an Old West theme. This is, te lo juro, music to be put on for a rendezvous or a tryst, something in the background. I feel like I’m a background character in ¨Boogie Nights¨ sitting here listening. Traveling through the guts of the album, one knows that one is completely in ¨dad rock¨ territory, if your dad has long sideburns, a moustache, aviators and wife swaps. Best songs: ¨Black Cow,¨ ¨Josie¨

Obviously some great players on this, particularly the rhythm section, but I just don't like the material that much. Also, why go to the trouble of finding all these hot shot studio musicians and then be like, yeah, but I'm going to do the [mediocre] vocals myself?

Sounds like Dad rock, but the boring type. Did not get the lyrics either. Should I?