Reviews (page 12 of 14)
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
нет комментариев, не впечатлил
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?
This falls under, "good but not for me".
Æ mér fannst hún bara ekki skemmtileg
Very plain and boring. Not bad but boring.
1. Cow - 2 2. Aja - 1.5 3. Deacon - 1.5 4. Peg -2 5. Home - 1.5 6. News- 1 7. Josie - 1.5
The high production standards mentioned in the wiki article are noticeable. The music. . . Is not my style.
This music does nothing for me. It's jazzy, but none of the jazz is satisfying... more like 'jazz-ish'. The recording and musicians are great but it's so polished and unchallenging that it truly does sound like easy-listening background music to me.
Smooth sound and top notch mixing, but the music itself is not doing it for me at all. I listened to the whole album, couldn't tell one song from the next, and had a distinct feeling that if I don't hear it ever again I won't be missing out on anything. I'm awarding it 1 additional start for craftsmanship, I might cue this album up as a reference track when I'm making my own music. But for an entertainment product, this isn't going above 2 stars.
Jazzy interludes that occasionally break out into song. Fairly lukewarm stuff 2*
YAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCHHHHHHTTTTTTT ROCK!
Smooth, forgettable stuff.
This doesn't do anything for me. It's very well made but lacks any emotion.
Not bad
Lots of people really rate Steely Dan. I don't.
Dentist rock
Some cool tracks, but I couldn't find it much compelling.
Oh, this is so bland and smooth.
Fun, funky, but - in a first listen - feels relatively light. Accessible, but would be a lot more interesting if there was some room for experimentation. It's listenable, but maybe so listenable that it doesn't really leave any impression at all.
I tried to keep an open mind with this one, but... it's not for me. I know it was only 39 minutes, but it felt like a lifetime. To me, the whole thing seemed bland, lifeless and very sanitized.
I don't care at all wow.
chill snooze fest
Confirmed my belief that the only reason to listen to the Dan is to test your new expensive sound system for 5 minutes before putting on literally anything else. The worst middle of the road nonsense I've heard in a long time.
I know they balk at the term yacht rock, but listening to it makes me sea sick.
Short album, but the songs are all long and pretty much every one overstays its welcome
Not my vibe but it was also cool to discover two of these tracks (at least) have been sampled, most notably by De La Soul in Eye Know and also Deja Vu (Uptown Baby) by Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz
I don't mind the general style but this execution was bit too playful with the runs.
My 2nd Steely Dan album and I still do not get it. Too sterile , too much sax, too noodly and lacking in spontaneity. Only highlight was Peg - although the De La Soul version is so much better.
This album is the sort of music that, when you're 14, you think Mums and Dads make love to. Ultra-slick studio jazz-lounge-yacht-pop. Guess I've got a bumpy relationship with Steely, having very much enjoyed Can't Buy a Thrill, loved Countdown to Ecstacy and crashed at Pretzel Logic. Fagan and Becker were striving for studio perfection with Aja, and by most accounts they got it. There's a reason this won the Grammy for best engineering. But it's polished to within an inch of its life, so much so that any grit, (the type you can find all over Countdown to Ecstacy), is completely buffed away. Avoids a one rating solely down to the truly magnificent 'Peg'. I'm not sure who the lady on the cover is, but it looks like she's crying and I completely sympathise.
Ja okay. Kedeligt nok til at Frida faldt i søvn til det. Lidt jazzet med kedelig og tør vokal.
Det er godt nok lækkert produceret. Men hold nu op hvor er det kedeligt. Yatch Rock når det er værst
Unmistakenly Steely Dan. That’s neither good nor bad, but the only standout here is Peg. And even then, I prefer the Nerina Pallot cover.
Okay. Maybe I'll be surprised. Wow! You know how some bands have a gift for grabbing you with a first track? This is the absolute opposite. Possibly too insipid to put me to sleep. Truly dire with a piano solo that truly sucks. The rest of the album isn't as bad but it still has all the life of a custard. Elevator music with lyrics.
What am I missing? This is so boring. These guys are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This is a hugely popular album and I just don’t get it at all. It doesn't even have the decency to be cheesy and fun. (Also, second album with a Chevy Chase connection so far!)
It's not really my thing
מוזיקת רקע משעממת
My speaker test album. Still not one I'd listen to regular.
I dont wanna write my opinion of this album because i dont wanna be mean. Some ok grooves. too creepy for me. TWO.
Easy listening but no stand out songs. Hasn’t aged well.
Pre listen: how the heck do you have a 40 minute album with 7 tracks. Also, for 1001 albums, why am I getting steely Dan twice in so many days? Post listen: I don’t know, man. This is probably good, but I just wasn’t feeling it.
Man I really just don’t like Steely Dan. 2 stars for the musicianship
Finding this a really difficult listen. First day on holiday so listening from sunny Crete, but even in these surroundings, this is quite dull. Really not for me, feels like lounge music.
Meh. Not my stule
2.5 - if i kept listening im sure it would grow on me but idk
Their sixth album. The production here is so good. Crispy drums, clear bass, clean guitar. A superb job, its just a shame it's done on such a boringly beige album of songs. I was expecting much more from such a revered band. Lyrically boring too. This gets a two out of five purely for the producer. Albums like this are partly why punk happened.
Like an obscure Guinness record - if THIS is what you do with all your talent, who cares?
it was okay to listen to while doing stuff but wouldn’t listen to it again
Weird band, never know what I’m gonna get but it’s neve mr great with the exception of a few songs
Pliisu.
Like the jazzy style but otherwise not really my type
Bored me. Wished for it to be over
First song was sampled by Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz so it gets a 2 for showing up
I actually love some of their albums from earlier in the decade, but I never liked this one.
Ugh. The fact that this nonsense carries with it memories of 7th grade is just icing on the cake.
Boring after dinner Pop Rock.
Not for me, was pretty slow. I considered it alright despite that, but the long the album the went the more I wanted it to be over
Too mellow for me, too easy listening. Im sure in 25 years when I’m an old man I’ll love this album but right now it’s not my thing.
70s glossy mellow crap. This album should come with a gold chain, some hair spray and a gram.
yeah solid album but i heard better ones
Not really my type of music. Quite jazzy and I'm not into that. Apart from that, solid.
On Aja, (pronounced “Asia” btw) Steely Dan boldly answers the question: how great can something boring sound? The most interesting thing here is how CRISP everything sounds. Instrumentation is on point, and yet nothing stands out as remarkable. What a funny problem to have.
The instrumentation was fine, but the vocals were a bit lacking. None of the songs felt like they were going anywhere and just ended when they decided they had gone on long enough.
There were moments where I found myself tapping my foot because there was a groove going, but mostly this album felt like meaningless background music.
I get it, it’s well-engineered. Still sounds very Anchorman-y.
Didn’t love this album. I’ve tried it before because it’s acclaimed but I just don’t get it. It’s not poppy enough to get in to easily, too complicated to enjoy the listen. Maybe I need to give it more time
👌
It’s hard to listen to this album without thinking of how every other white, Millennial dad out there decided to get together (without me) and decide that we all like Steely Dan now. I’ve tried. It’s obviously high effort, but it just isn’t interesting.
This is not a terrible album, and I can see how some would enjoy it, but that's not me. I am not a big fan of jazz and I find a lot of this kind of pretentious. I prefer more mainstream rock Steely Dan.
I like Steely Dan but I have to be in the right mood to listen to more than one track at a time. This was a good test. I might have to listen to this album a few times before I give a rating.
A couple of tracks, the title track and I think Home at Last were pretty good. The rest was either tedious pseudo jazz or embarrassing (Deacon Blues) to incredibly irritating (I Got the News) pseudo jazz. Not sure I get it.
It's hard to put.my finger on what I wasn't keen on here. I'm certain all the musician are top notch and are playing at their best... but it was boring, there was nothing to grab my attention or trigger my intrigue. It started, it went on, it ended. I couldn't tell you much about it beyond that. It just very wet, like those bits of sponge cake or whatever that you get in a trifle that have gone all floppy and have the consistency of mush and the flavour of not much and you can't wait to get back to the cream and strawberries. It did not spark joy.
I feel like I should like this as a Musical IntellectualTM, but I don't LOL peg and josie were aight
Good news: I didn't skip through any songs. Bad news: still didn't care for it. Aja(song) is too long and plodding. Deacon blues is weird. Is it about football or losers? After reading about it there is a connection but geez, you'd never know just by listening to the song. The Peg intro is cheesy, dee-dee-deeee. "White kids trying to make jazz in suburbia", is how they describe themselves. Yep exactly what I expect that to sound like. Most of this album sounds like they threw together words that rhyme to fit the music with a faint connection if you dig deep enough. This album is constantly considered one of the greatest, I just don't get it. It's not jazz, it's not pop, its not rock what is it? Fusion? Fusion of the worst parts of those three genres, IMO.
Is it prog elevator music ? It is very well performed a bit bland though.
good jazz to listen to between floors. generic as a wave in the sea. Lift music
incredibly produced album. every sound, every note, every little piece is so intentional and clear, truly one of the best sounding albums of all time. that said, with the benefit of context and hindsight, this record always feels to me like Fagen and Becker got so obsessed with making a perfect-sounding record that they forgot about the part where it's supposed to make me feel anything. it comes across as so squeaky clean that it's sterile, and the lyrics are just begging me to notice how clever they are. all the talent and focus in the world, such a shame they harnessed it to make a jazz-rock muzak record that's too cute by half.
Fine background music, 2.5 stars.
2stars
Just don't get it. Elevator music.
Production values are excellent, and the musicians are clearly talented. However, Steely Dan just isn't my vibe. I don't mind the jazz elements, but it's very soft rock for me.
Not very many enjoyable songs
"Aja" by Steely Dan is a solid 2 out of 5 for me. The music is boring, the lyrics are weak, and overall, the album fails to captivate. The best thing about this album is that it's only 39 minutes long.
I appreciate the musicianship and the level of production of this album. It’s very tight and clean. However, I would prefer a talented dude and a 5-gallon bucket recorded on an iPhone over a lot of this. It’s strikes me as a fun blend of rock, jazz and soul - but I’m left unfulfilled. Maybe it’s the jazzy vocals, maybe it’s the meaningless lyrics. Whatever it is, I am not its target audience.
This is my second attempt with this album. The way I have seen people talk about it online, I was expecting to have my mind blown but it’s fallen flat on both occasions for me now. Musically good, very competent musicians and production is solid on it which scores some points, but i just really don’t “get” it. Was expecting some big hitters but everything sort of melds into one for me. I’m going to score it 2 stars which feels low (in reality its probably a solid, middle-of-the-road 2.5) but 3 stars seems a bit high for it as I was kinda wanting some of the longer songs to end. Going forward my 3 star reviews will probably be albums i’ll intend to give a second go. Maybe it will change later down the line but right now I’m okay with not hearing this album again for a while.
You could listen to this on repeat as background music and still not remember a single song the next day.
Whether it's here in North America, or Asia, Steely Dan can't buy a thrill. This album was basically one slow, boring song. At least it had some sexy saxophone play. Favorite Track: "Peg".
Lift music. Wank
Funky start then some jazzy elements creeping in. Listened to this in the car and it faded into fairly pleasant background music but nothing that I was particularly moved by.
American jazz rock. Their most successful album. Very 70s. Funk and groovy. Fairly cheesy. Technically great. Excellent studio production, a bit too manufactured.
Revered by audiophiles and musicians alike, Aja is often praised as a masterclass in studio craftsmanship. Its pristine production, jazz-inflected chord progressions, and flawless performances leave little room for error. Or for any kind of soul. The album dazzles, but rarely connects. Beneath its glossy surface lie clever, cryptic lyrics and impeccable arrangements, yet it all feels emotionally empty. It’s like the difference between a brilliant essay and a poem that wrecks you. One impresses, the other inhabits. Aja may be the former: smart, sophisticated, untouchable—but for me, completely unmoving.
Ehhhh
Good musicians, but I just don't like this style of music
Seem to be a an awful lot of big names on this album. However, it just doesn’t do it for me.
I mean it was okay
Before: Ik Steely Dan is polarizing but I don't think I know anything from this album. My mom loves Steely Dan. Excited to see how I vibe with it! Standout tracks: Peg Weakest tracks: Aja I Got The News During/after: Immediately starting out with some nasty bass on Black Cow and a woman who was "very high" is a positive sign. However it goes downhill with Aja; I am so incredibly bored. I usually say "the instrumentals are boring but they're complex and talented" but these aren't even all that complex. Deacon Blues is also kind of ass. The lyrics and vocals aren't good and the instrumentals are boring. We get it, you can play saxophone. I recognized the saxophone lick from Peg, and I think this is one of the better tracks on the record (partially because it's only 4 minutes and doesn't overstay its welcome). It's kind of fun and catchy without being as drawn out or boring. Home At Last isn't too bad either. It felt like a lot of the same stuff but there were some neat trumpet screams and interesting brass that was missing from the rest of the record. I Got The News is more boring 80's doctor's office music though but with extra annoying vocals. The final track, Josie... oh my god. I didn't even realize it was Steely Dan but my mom loves this song and is always quoting it. She says that it's interesting and fun to her because "you don't know if Josie is getting back from Ryker's or from Harvard." I mean... I don't really like it but it gives me fond Kim memories lmao Not a fan. Steely Dan has tons of albums so maybe I'll like some of their other stuff as I work through this project. Disappointing doctors office music with a slightly higher bpm. It gets a solid 2 because it's not offensive, just not enjoyable, and it's not too long. And it reminds me of my mom I guess. 2/5.
People say you age into this shit but I still haven't. Talented and uncompromising and making the most boring music possible. At least it's only 40 minutes. I want to give it a 5 for its realization and a 1 for how much I like it, but rather than give it a coward's 3 I'm gonna dock it a point for hoping I never have to sit through it again. I'd rather listen to Nico than this.
eh, okay
Not quite for me. In a few years, maybe?
Not really my jam but you can tell the craftsmanship of the musicians. No real standout songs.
Was good but can't say I'll be revising
It was fine. Wouldn't listen again.
Did not enjoy. Some of the jamming was really good, can see why people love them. Hated these songs though, they remind me of mediocrely bland, (often white) retreading of jazz/funk/blues ideas with less emotional range. And it's not catchy enough to make up for it. I'll forgive anything for catchy pop.
Just don't fucking get the love this album gets.
4/10 smooth brain jazz idiots. fuck dude 3-27-2025
Not sure what I was expecting here, but it wasn't this. This is pretty jazzy. I thought Steely Dan was more rock, like guitar. meh, 2 stars.
Yawn
Decent 1001 album worthy: No - 51/97
My mom absolutely loves this album, by the way Best Song: Peg Rating: 3.0/10 2 Stars
tja, Steely Dan... de antithese van punk... soms goed, maar niet hier
The sort of music thats playing in the background of a bar in a nightclub in an 80s movie, probably something about friends and lovers. It’s not bad, it’s not good. When there’s only a scale of 5 in the ratings, 3 seems too much approval.
Super Furry Animals were so taken by a particular expletive-loaded line from Steely Dan's track Show Biz Kids, they crafted their own (quite brilliant) song around a sample of said obscenity. There, folks, begins and ends my extensive knowledge of Steely Dan. Oh, and they took their name from a steam-powered dildo described in William S Burroughs' Naked Lunch... but everyone knows that. Being a Furries fan, I did feel obliged to pick up a copy of to Countdown To Ecstasy - the album containing Show Biz Kids - as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Countdown To Ecstasy was also ranked fairly high (13) in Mojo magazine's Top 100 Albums Of All Time list from 1995, which would probably have been at the back of my mind when seeking out the LP back in the day and (finally getting to the point) Aja also seems to crop up on similar such lists regularly enough. When I drew this as the first of my 1,001 albums in this venture, my initial thought was "Well, I'm sure there will be worse albums waiting for me among the next 1,000..." While I am still convinced this is true, Aja, I'm afraid, is not the hidden gem I was hoping it might be. I appreciate the crisp production and I also get why champions of this LP are always keen to highlight the "excellent musicianship". It's because its a code for "there are no songs". In fact, I'll go further and suggest that, to this listener at least, is almost completely devoid of any traces of soul or emotion whatsoever. You see, playing instruments proficiently is all very well, but, just like a painter who is very proficient with a brush when it comes to whitewashing brick walls - the expertise required might be an artform but the end product isn't necessarily always art. Countdown To Ecstasy, while exploring similar jazz-prog-rock-pop territory, at least is more rough around the edges - more human, more raw. Aja is slick and soulless by comparison and, the lack of any kind of edge leaves it floundering in easy listening territory. This album's admittedly tight grooves, jazzy progressions and instrumental dexterity never threaten to coalesce into something approaching a catchy song. In turn, the seven tracks here, for all their extended soloing and musical flourishes, fail to offer much in the way of varity in terms of sound or feel, yet neither do they pull together in one direction to offer some wider concept of the long-player as a whole. Don't get me wrong, not every song has to be Love Me Do, but I guess I am ultimately in it for something a bit more immediate and memorable. The only moment my ears truly pricked up was during Peg as I realised this was where De La Soul lifted the vocal refrain and instrumental motif for their Eye Know. Look, if the likes of De La Soul and Super Furry Animals hear something inspiring in Steely Dan, then I'm not sure I'm qualified to argue. However, after several listens though from start to finish, Aja just isn't doing it for me. Sorry.
While I do like a few songs, the overall vibe is way too jazzy for me.
Das Album Aja der US-amerikanischen Band Steely Dan wurde 1977 veröffentlicht und gilt als ein Beispiel für ausgefeilte Studioproduktion. Donald Fagen und Walter Becker arbeiteten mit erfahrenen Sessionmusikern zusammen, um einen detailreichen Sound zu schaffen, der Elemente aus Jazz, Rock und Pop verbindet. Die Aufnahmen fanden in renommierten Studios wie den Village Recorder Studios und den A&R Studios statt. Musikalisch zeichnet sich das Album durch komplexe Arrangements und präzise Instrumentierung aus. Besonders hervorzuheben sind Titel wie der eröffnende Song Black Cow, der atmosphärische Titelsong Aja sowie das eingängige Peg, das sich durch markante Bläser und einen eingängigen Refrain auszeichnet. Auch Deacon Blues gehört zu den Stücken, die dem Album eine klare stilistische Identität verleihen. Aja überzeugt durch seine sorgfältige Produktion und die hohe musikalische Qualität. Die Kombination aus anspruchsvoller Komposition und professioneller Studioarbeit macht das Album zu einem wichtigen Werk in Steely Dans Diskografie.
Generic. Nothing particularly wrong with it. But it has no place on a list of albums that I must hear before I die.
It was funky, I just wish it wasn't another steely dan album
Steely Dan was known for pursuing technical perfection. In the age of digital music, I don't think that's aged well. It sounds soulless to me. I'm also not excited about the genre. I'm sad to not like this music though, because I know they worked like crazy to achieve this sound.
Sorprendido de que el anterior disco que me salió aquí de Steeley Dan me gustara tanto, y este no me gustara casi nada. Me parece un disco súper genérico, como de grupillo de variedades. Rarísimo sentir dos discos del mismo grupo tan opuestos uno del otro. Me dio mucha flojera.
Very average 70s soft rock, distinctly mid
I was hoping for this one to come up so I had high expectations. Never listened to it before but I like the concept of yacht rock. Unfortunately, this... was not for me. And I really tried to enjoy it. The famous production truly is perfect. As a drummer, I was shocked by the crisp clear sound of Gadd's drums, it's really impressive. I also enjoyed the jazz breaks scattered throughout the album (especially on title track). BUT, the songs... suck! Big time! The compositions are too complex and do not bring any enjoyment. I am really annoyed with this particular songwriting style where the melody starts to form and get some traction and then.. instead of going somewhere with it, you kill it. It just dissolves into nothingness. And it seems like it's being done on purpose, for the sake of being different/progressive, which makes it masturbatory. I do actually enjoy nice melodies in my music. And it's not either/or. You can put jazz and all that complexity while having nice tunes at the same time. Really disappointed. 2/5 (i was thinking of giving it 1, but this production truly is otherworldly and Deacon Blues has some nice moments).
disco, groovey... bit too shaggy
Classic rock, funky, meh, not my thing, 2
Was seeking more of a Reelin’ in the Years electric jolt.
I find Donald Fagen’s voice really really fucking annoying on this album in particular
Feels a bit watered down, compared to the last Steely Dan album that came up. Squarely in the realm of easy listening, which I generally find meh.
Reveal reaction: Oh no. Goddammit. Full disclosure, I'm about 4 days behind on this project because I've been ill and I desperately don't want to listen to this album. I made a commitment, though, so let's get into it. So, it's as bad as I thought. My wife informs me this is called "yacht rock." I have no idea why, but whatever. Apparently it's a genre of smooth rock jazzy shit that white people listen to on boats, I don't know. What I *do* know, however, is that it's not for me. I really try to avoid 1 star reviews, and I'm really searching for something that allows me to give this 2 stars...and I got it at the end. Home at Last had me actually tapping my toes a little, and I Got The News is strangely jaunty and fun. With a different vocalist, I think Josie could be a decent 60s-ish funk joint with a killer bass line. So there it is. That's all I got. If you're a white guy that has a predilection for white shorts rolled at the knee and boat shoes, you're probably really going to dig this album.
i am trying really hard to “get” steely dan but i just cannot. IT JUST SOUNDS SO STUPID TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! some of these songs are kinda fun and groovy (”josie”) and then they introduce some stupid fuckass cornball element (those ultra smooth vocal harmonies) and it becomes unlistenable again.
god this is so boringgggg. so shmaltzy and hokey. appropriating elements of jazz in a really corny way that makes this sound like muzak
Fun
Won a Grammy for Best Engineered Album (Non-classical)! Doesn't that tell you everything you need to know? I swear to god that Steely Dan is a cult for audiophiles and other pretentious middle-aged men seeking validation for their own irrelevance and bitterness, while nursing their secret desire (unrequited) for a Japanese girlfriend. They can all give you a long lecture about the virtues of their favorite single-malt whiskey and the $2000 custom tone-arm on their turntable and why 'the solo on 'Peg' is the greatest moment of music ever recorded. But audio fidelity and ironic intellectualism are not signifiers of musical value, dude. For me, this album is the apotheosis of Steely Dan's super-polished, over intellectualized, cold-hearted, cocaine infused, studio-tanned, sneering, condescending and ultimately bloodless pseudo-jazz. I could go on, but I'm going to quote Steve Albini: "I will always be the kind of punk that shits on Steely Dan. It's music made for the sole purpose of letting the wedding band stretch out a little. They spent three weeks on the guitar solo... Three weeks of watching guitar players give it their all while doing bumps and hitting the talkback, "More Egyptian but keep it in the pocket..." Christ the amount of human effort wasted to sound like an SNL band warm up." I could not agree more. I have learned to tolerate (possibly even like) a handful of Steely Dan songs when they give the throttle a little nudge, but this album is the textbook example of why we needed punk.
Music for people who are testing their sound system for 253rd time today.
Some Steely Dan songs are good, but none of them are on this album.
I thought their album "Pretzel Logic" was quite good, so when I heard Aja I started to question my sanity. Had my music palette drastically altered or matured in a few short months? Had my eardrums suddenly ruptured? How could I like Pretzel Logic so much from a band that sounded like elevator music synths and cheesy middle schooler lyrics? I can't give any examples of the cringe lyrics because that would require listening to this album again, which I thoroughly refuse to do, but just know that my eyes rolled all the way back in my head for some of their gems. And then there were brief moments where there were vocal harmonies similar to CSNY or Fleet Foxes that were like the eye of a hurricane and I realized that Pretzel Logic was all that -- the only good bits from this band, all condensed into one album -- where Aja was a dumpster fire.
Not the album I was in the mood for today. But then again, I don’t know how often I am in the mood for this tranquil blend of smooth jazz and soft rock. It’s not you Steely Dan, it’s me.
A definition of background music.
More songs I recognize but....still Steely Dan though. Feels so cheesy
Definitely not a Steely Dan guy. This did not intrest me in the slightest. Not awful, but I would never listen to this
I have tried. Really tried. Steely Dan remain an irritant to me. The best bit on here was used and improved by De La Soul. Life is too short for this.
I just don’t get Steely Dan, it started off cool but progressively I just lost more and more interest.
this was not groovifying
Steely Dan, and this album in particular, is something I have seen being given high praise in multiple music discussion sites. However, I honestly do see what the hype is all about. Sure it's jazzy and all, but it's also so boring. I get nothing out of this and I've given it multiple chances.
Funky, aber nicht meins.
The write up makes this sound fantastic, and of course I know Peg via De La Soul. Peg is a legit banger on its own. For some of Aja, it sounds like Ozric Tentacles without the beats, and other times sounds like Nilsson on The Point. I am not sure I approve, although I like the groove at the end, I'd prefer to listen to 8 minutes of where that is threatening to go. As noted by a fellow project adventurer, yes, I would rather listen to Prog rock, or jazz. Felt vaguely similar about every Steely Dan record in this book. It's vaguely intriguing, vaguely easy listening, very accomplished, but ultimately mostly a little boring? And this, on the whole, is that.
2.28
Very different to what I normally listen to. Felt like Mario Kart music at times. Wouldn't choose to listen to again but Deacon Blues does stick in my mind.
cheeeeeeeesy
Not for me
Starts off a little funky, but not overly funky, but then transforms quickly into elevator muzak. Not on the same level as other Steely Dan albums here, and honestly sounds like the inspiration for late 70s/early 80s Chicago albums. Make of that what you will...
Never could understand how great musicians could sound so bland.
4.5/10: yacht rock meets jazz. Might be fun if you're lounging in the sun on vacation, but gets repetitive quickly
Despite multiple attempts, I just cannot get into Steely Dan
I’ve heard of Steely Dan but never listened to them before. I was pretty fed up by the end of the first song. I can see why some people are into this, but I refuse to give anymore than 2 stars when you sing that out of tune.
Rock, Jazz and Pop, good melodies and harmonies, some strong lyrics and nice Sax. I enjoyed listening and Deacon Blues was my favourite track. A great album? I'm not so sure but it's way better than some that made this list
Fine as a background music, but it's not really my thing.