Aja

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oh hell yeah this is quality over quantity and i'm grooooooooving baby

You call me a fool You say it's a crazy scheme This one's for real I already bought the dream

If we review albums by starting at a 10 and then subtracting points from it with every misstep, Aja would be the world's best album. Good thing we don't do that. Aja is good album, but it offers little beyond its "perfection" (Deacon Blues being the one outstanding exception, possibly the best among Steely Dan's catalogue).

Aja is easily Steely Dan’s best produced album - but it’s not quite as interesting as their debut and Pretzel Logic. It’s still one heck of an album and even though this might be the 4th of their albums on this list, I wouldn’t remove a single one.

Gostei, mas não amei!

I've never delved too deep into Steely Dan but this album was an absolute delight from front to back, it's super funky and catchy and has me wanting to go back for more.

Think some of the tracks maybe go a bit long but overall I really enjoyed it. Some songs on here that I already knew, some that were new to me but I liked a lot. Fav song: Peg (I already knew this one so might just like it best because it’s familiar) also liked Big Black Cow, Deacon Blues and Home At Last Least fav: Aja

Little jazzier than I'd like sometimes and definitely jazzier on average than my favourite Steely Dan songs. But still so beautifully Steely Dan-y that I was having a lovely time listening! Favourite: Peg Least: I Got The News

Was torn between a 3 or a 4. 3 because it's pretty much smooth adult contemporary music without much to separate songs. 4 because it's just so well produced and sounds amazing. Since there's no half-ratings, a 4 it is. 4/5

Enjoyed this album.

Two great samples from this Lord Tariq and Peter guns - Deja vu De la soul - eye know

Super bien produit, chouette mélange des genres, en première écoute y'a quand même que 3 morceaux vraiment marquants nonobstant

Très variés, du funk, du rock, du jazz, et c’est stylé !

Ça groove bien. Petit côté Alan Parson sympa

Damn this has me in like 5 seconds. Really really a banger… a strong strong 4 here.

i’ve always known of this album but never listened to it, it’s really good, some songs i recognised form samples like Peg being sampled by De La Soul for Eye Know, some really good tracks tho, very good, different to some of the other Steely Dan tracks i’ve heard

Really chill, smooth jazzy 70s rock that had great production. Could be good for revising in the future. Solid 4

Smooth listen

Without the cheesy saxophone this is an easy 5 stars because everything else is pretty fantastic. 4.0/5.0: Great

well produced jazz rock album with some incredibly well done instrumentals. the songs themselves are little boring which keeps it from getting a 5

Nice, pleasant, simple.

A nice listen for a chill afternoon or morning.

“Aja” is Steely Dan’s jazziest fever dream—lush, cryptic, and immaculately produced. It’s like a Rhodes scholar fell into a groove with session gods and never came back. Sophisticated yet sly, it seduces with polish, then blindsides you with existential dread in seven impeccably smooth movements.

One of my friends loves this album and ngl when I heard some songs from this it didnt click. But when I heard the full album I was pretty surprised at how much of a vibe this soft rock album has. Pretty good with its instrumentation and its ability to move away from “conventional stuff”.

One of my favourite albums. If you want to test out sound quality Black Cow is a go to

Pleasant jazz rock

Came to appreciate Steely Dan late and glad I finally did. Even saw them live before Becker passed away. Strong lyrics and music I missed the first time and now no more.

It’s Steely Dan!

Enjoyed it!

8.25/10. The standard for jazz rock. I can tell how specifically orchestrated every arrangement is here. Such a relaxing album. Deacon Blues is one of my favourite discoveries of the year.

Inoffensive, without sharp edges or any real payoff. That said; it's impeccably performed, the songs breeze by, a very easy listen. I ended up enjoying this listen, when 30 years ago I wouldn't have wasted a second on their yachtrock/popfusion. Progress I guess, but I will never truly love this one. 4/5

Maybe one of the best recorded albums I’ve ever heard.

This album being served up by the generator was timely as I recently watched, Yacht Rock A Documentary. The documentary definitely gave me a new appreciation for the genre and Steely Dan by association. This album perfectly encapsulates what the documentary was trying to convey, it focussed heavily on what makes a Yacht Rock band great and that’s how absolutely professional the band is and how fucking tight they are. That is absolutely on display here on Aja. The vocals and vibes are great but the band is breathing as one and that was fantastic. Hilarious how much Fagan hates the term Yacht Rock considering how chill the genre is. 4 stars

I did like this album more than I was expecting

Learn To Work The Saxophone 1001 Albums Generator 33 (05/19/2025) Steely Dan was on a fucking tear in the 1970's. Between 1972 and 1980, they released 7 albums, all of which have seen critical acclaim, and they were (and still are) the most recognizable figures of the so-called yacht rock movement that they helped lay the groundwork for in the early 70's. Steely Dan's brand of yacht rock, while sticking to the West Coast, soft rock vibe that defines the genre, is undeniably jazzy, which is both due to the general composition techniques used here as well as the prominence of the saxophone, jazziest of all instruments. Aja, pronounced Ay-czah but mispronounced by me for years as ah-jah, is the most highly acclaimed of the seven acclaimed albums by Steely Dan, but it surprisingly does not feature any of their three most popular songs (all of which appear instead on Steely Dan's debut Can't Buy A Thrill). This is because Aja is a stylistically tight piece of work that is made to be listened to as a whole rather than in parts. When someone thinks of yacht rock, this is likely the first album to come to mind. The title track is perhaps my favorite song here. It has some of the finest soloing on the whole project, with clavinet and guitar solos and the legendary fusion saxophonist Wayne Shorter doing what he does best. Steve Gadd's drums in the last minute with the pad synths in the background is an all-time moment in music history. Following this song is Deacon Blues, which is one of the jazziest compositions here, with Donald Fagen's voice sounding strangely similar to Dave Lawson's from Greenslade. The sound, especially with its synth-heavy layering and smooth sax solos, often reminds me of some chill Japanese jazz fusion that I've heard, namely Masayoshi Takanaka's Seychelles and Himiko Kikuchi's Flying Beagle. Black Cow and Josie, the opener and closer respectively, are both extremely funky. This is one aspect of this album that I don't associate with it nearly as much as I should. These boys can really groove. Deriders of this band often state that the production is too pristine and that resulting tunes sound like elevator music. D Riders say "that's like the point man". I tend to align with the D riders, at least in this case, as I think this album's status as an audiophile's wet dream is not overstated. That is to say, the production is fantastic, and yeah, that is the point. I will say when it comes to Peg, there's something about this song that I just don't love. It's not bad, but if there is any song here that lends some credence to the "Steely Dan is elevator music" crowd, it's this one. Penultimate track I Got The News, out of all songs here, sounds the most empty in production in contrast, and I am not a huge fan of the verses. Aja (which I am still saying wrong in my head as I type it out) is one of the albums on here that is a classic for a reason. It is every bit as smooth, jazzy, pristine, and perfectly played as its haters claim it to be, and that's why I love it. 4.5/5 that I will round down to a 4 since there are a few slight problems here and there. Favs: Aja Deacon Blues Josie Least Fav: I Got The News

Forgot how jazzy they can be. A treat of an album in the morning. It's odd because the music is almost made to just be played in the background of a party or something. I really liked this and each artist is amazing on it. 3-4

Excellent

Funny this was back to back with Sade’s Diamond Life. Two different takes on smooth jazz. But I like this! Maybe more of a 3.5 but I’ll round up

I've heard of Steely Dan but never actually listened to anything so I have no clue what to expect. Let's goooooo. oh okkkkkk. oh this is lovely. yeah i don't have much to say about that first track, i just really enjoyed it. quite a mood-setter. title track was maybe not as captivating, but this is still damn good. i definitely see deacon blues growing on me with more listens. right now i like it, but i see potential there. why do i like it more the longer it goes. this is lovely. Peg kind of came and went. still good and fun, just not that exciting. ooohhhh home at last is such a jam, definitely one of my favourites. i got the news was nice too, a lovely tune. i do like the way the album kind of changes moods halfway through. still the same base, but the first half seems more, I don't know, melancolic? i fucking love josie, i did not expect the most danceable song to be the last one, but what a way to go out. overall, this was a great experience. one of the most enjoyable so far. i didn't dislike any tracks, and the ones that i didn't outright love i can see myself getting there with time. i'd say it's like an 8 out of 10, which translates to a very secure 4. yeyy. bye

If you’re in the mood for Steely Dan, it’s awesome. If not it’s a tough listen. Sometimes I absolutely love Steely Dan.

Jätte fint album men blir o sakna lite mera umfff

How perfect! I've been in a Steely Dan mood recently and have been wanting to relisten to Aja. Once again this is a classic for a reason. Hard to say if this is my favorite Steely album but I can see why it is their most popular. Very jazzy. Favorite track: Peg

Rich creamery butter

Crazy production quality for a 50 year old album. Such a smooth sound but can get a lil boring at times.

I dont think its *their* best album, but another fantastic album from them

Nice and groovy tunes 4/5

I'm still a Steely Fan, but I prefer their Can't Buy a Thrill era stuff.

Nice album. I really connect with some Steely Dan songs. Also, "Peg" was sampled for De La Soul's song "Eye Know" from the album "Three Feet High and Rising".

++: Black Cow, Aja, Peg, Home at Last, I Got the News, Josie +: Deacon Blues 9,0/10

ANTOHER JOJO REFERENCE ? Ecouté sur le vélo donc peut-être biaisé ?

Personally I prefer Can't Buy A Thrill but I like all of Steely Dan's work. A super fine album!

This is one of those that always comes up on lists like "best produced album ever" or "best one to listen to when testing out new speakers/headphones" and it is in fact impressively produced and performed. I've never gotten super into Steely Dan, something about their music never connected with me on a personal level, but I can respect the skill on display here.

Enjoyed the album broadly. Need to listen with headphones. Music and instrumentation was pretty remarkable. Singing left me a bit lacking. Will relisten and did enjoy

I liked it a lot! I grew up listening to stuff with this vibe (my parents both love yacht rock) so even though I’ve never listened to this album before it had a nostalgic feel to it. Overall really enjoyed.

UMM hello?? i did not know that mr. steely dan was this jazzy 🙏 i am such a fan now and will continue to listen to this wonderful album! i do think my favorite song was the first one: “Black Cow”, the funky and diverse instrumentation was entertaining and fun to listen to. it is definitely a good album to walk around the city to 🕺🏿

Good funk

Great jam overall, fantastic instrumentals and composition from Steely Dan as usual. Pretty relaxing and easy going album. All the tracks were on par quality wise, Deacon blues, Peg and Josie stood out a bit as favourites

Albums that are mediocre by Steely Dan standards are still greatest of all time listens by the standards of any other band.

It's a Dan album so of course it is great. I think I might like the others a tad bit better, but that might just be because we've had 3 Steely Dan pulls very close together.

I may be all Danned out at this point. Once again the record sounds amazing and there’s some great highlights here like Deacon Blues, Josie, Peg. Liked the groove on Home at Last a lot too. If we got this one first it would’ve been a 5, but I’m tired now. Immaculate 4/5

I can't really verbalise it but this just feels more tight and focused than Pretzel Logic. It's very immaculate and sleek feeling, not a single note feels out of place and the production is sleek. They create several layers and textures with organs and horns, but it never feels too busy. Those little flourishes remind me of city pop or Japanese jazz fusion like Casiopea, that helped endear the album to me It does maybe get a little bit samey after a while but I think that would be my only real complaint, it's not that bad 4.5 Highlights: Aja, Black Cow

Many very familiar songs. Squarely in my wheelhouse and age demographic.

Perhaps the best Steely Dan album of their catalog. Well constructed, jazzy, funky feel. The personnel alone make this worth a listen and timeless.

Funky and smooth

This being described as "jazz rock" kind of surprised me, but I don't know a whole lot about Steely Dan. Good grooves. Short. Accessible. I understand how this album was the most commercially successful album by the group. Decent!

De meest populaire reviews van dit album zijn mensen die Steelt Dan niet 'getten'. Grappig, want deze plaat klikte bij mij juist meteen toen ik het voor het eerst hoorde. Was daarom ook één van de eerste LP's die ik kocht. Ook ook na deze vinyl luisterbeurt ben ik gewoon weer blij en enthousiast. Aja (spreek je blijkbaar uit als Asia) is natuurlijk Smoother en meer jazzy dan Steely Dan eerder maakte. En ik vind dat is echt een geslaagde combinatie. Het wordt helemaal niet te soft, maar dat kan ook komen omdat de teksten niet ijzersterk zijn. Is bij Steely Dan niet nodig, daar zijn de ritmes en funky tunes (met name in Josie) meer dan voldoende voor 4 sterren. 8/10 Highlights Deacon Blues Josie

Just solid

Original, tight, funny and funky as fuck. Nobody sounds quite like Steely Dan. Absolutely love their music.

Never really listened to Steely Dan. Lot more smooth jazz than I was expecting.

Not my type of music but it is interesting

It’s simply really good music

More perfect production from Steely Dan. As goes their catalog, Aja showcases jazz rock jams that don’t always hook you in, but damn, do they sound impeccable. If the songs on here were better, it would definitely be competitive with Dark Side of the Moon for one of the best albums in Rock history.

Very enjoyable, chilled and jazzy. Good for cooking to.

Funk and funk combine into chill funk

It's no Gaucho or Katy Lied, but it's Steely fucking Dan

Love this album very much...

I’ve listened to Can’t Buy A Thrill before today. I don’t remember much from it, but I think it was a fun album. Today’s album is a different one by Steely Dan, although the above description fits fine for here too. “Fun” seems to be a the overarching feeling generated by Steely Dan. Sure, the music can get a bit interesting at times, and it can be a bit genre defying here and there, but if we whittle it down to one word, it’s simply fun! There wasn’t anything that would particular make me want to come back for more, but I still enjoyed this.

Super mellow and fun. Groovy instrumentals. Def didn’t have enough blow at work for the vibe

Ultimate 70s cheese and I am here for it. It's stupid, but it works.

My office lobby plays steely dan a lot, specifically Peg- and I do have this album on my iPod so i'm pretty familiar with the group. I think I might like Pretzel logic more as an album, but there is something weirdly comforting about Steely Dan's music. It's kinda samey but in a way I enjoy. Perhaps it is more background music for me than a show stopping group, but I am hard pressed to produce something I don't like about the album/group

Pretty cool jazzy rock kinda vibe. Not sure if I am a big fan of his lyrics/singing yet, but I enjoyed it. Not sure if I'd return to many of the songs, but I'd probably let it play if it came on. It works as cool background music and the production is excellent. I think a 4/5 is necessary.

Ajaaaaa you jazz mr steely Gmüetlichi vibes chömed vum Don Dan, na nie vo dem ghört, aber has gfühl trotz sim name ischer gar nöd so e herte Siech sondern eher es ifühlsams Pfänzli. Wür gern im ne Saloon mis Bei go verrencke. Vlt dun ich mich au mol uf e Prognose risikiere und zwar chönti das s erste gmeinsame 4er album geh. Also wirded mir 4 es 4i geh? ganz zu ehre vo de offroad trucks.

püh jetzt packeds au no steely dan us vor öppe eme jahr grosse fan vo villne lieder vo ihne gsi und ab und zue slippt de eint oder ander immer wieder ih mini rotation das album trotzdem nonie in voller längi glost, leider nöd allzu fescht im mood gsi hüt defür aber musikalisch brilliant drum wiedermal en kompromisslösig will es sich für mich definitiv falsch ahfühlt am stahlige daniel weniger als 4 stern z'gäh

Not my favourite Steely Dan but still undeniably groovy

7.5/10 Am a big fan of their style here, it's something a bit different a certainly very fun and interesting. I don't there are any particular heavy hitters on this album but it was enjoyable all the way through and what more can you ask. I like the way you are kept guessing as to the direction the tracks will take but that doesn't come at the expense of the ease of listening factor

Kolejna po prostu prosta i przyjemna płyta. Nie męczy, ale nie zachodzi w pamięć. Kilka utworów, czysty głos, lekka nostalgia, ale nawet nie ma się zbytnio co rozpisywać. 7/10

Much more fun than the other Steely Dan album on the list so far. Just very smooth, it also helps that I already knew all of the hits on the album. It was also nice to listen to it in album form, because then at least you're mentally prepared for a lot of Steely Dan, something that is never the case for me when just shuffling music normally.

This is a good record. Steely Dan in general is a little weird, but this album is heralded as one of the most immaculately produced albums. It sounds great.

The album sounds amazing, the songs were not that memorable to me though

Rounded up for Steve Gadd's drum solo/interlude on the title track. Obviously immaculately produced, expertly composed, arranged and performed. But I tend to like my jazz, my rock, and my pop a little rawer and a little less polished. Also, and this is obviously a matter of taste, but I'm not sure the tunes are really there.

Amazing. But got boring at times

Can’t remember but like the rest

A really solid, jazz-infused, pleasure

Great Steely Dan album. Peg is an all time favorite

Jazz rock, nice listen but a much bigger fan of Can't Buy A Thrill. At times, this seems like it's not going anywhere. 75/100, so low 4*

Funky. Did not expect to enjoy it a lot. Ran it 3-4 times. An 8

Albumi #158, 25.02.2025 Steely Danin klassikkoalbumi vuodelta 1977. Hieno levy. Erityismaininta nimikkobiisin saksofonisoololle, joka oli Wayne Shorterin käsialaa.

THINKIN: Smooth sounds by some slick ricks. PERSONALLY: Deacon Blue is an all-timer for me. On this listen, it hit me that I have no idea why these songs are grouped together. Obviously, it's not a concept album or in need of any great unifying theory, but it still made me ponder. ALT TITLE: Chinese Music

This is pretty good. Overproduced, but still excellent.

Really quite enjoyed this 3.5-4

Chill and overall, very good jazz rock album.

Feels like waiting room music. Not the type of jazz I would opt to listen to but works well for background music.

Steely Dan has always been an enigma to me. So many people I know (namely stoners) rave about them. But I’d never heard anything of them until I had “Pretzel Logic” a while back, which I really enjoyed. I think I might’ve liked this album better. The different approach to this album is evident. Where “Pretzel Logic” felt more like a rock-funk-jazz fusion album, sometimes focusing on just one of those genres, “Aja” feels more like a straight funk album that sometimes ventures elsewhere for a minute. And I loved it. The grooves just never ended. And still present are the great harmonies, the excellent guitar work, and killer drums. Seriously, the drums kick ass on this album. Please give me more Steely Dan. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Black Cow, I Got the News, Josie

Really cool fusion of jazz and rock that I haven't really been exposed to before. I love the horns, the saxophone sounds so good. The harmonization of the voices is super smooth. Like the jazz riff in Aja Favorite: Peg - groovy catchy melody and lyrics - solo guitar so good Saw something that said it was the creation of yacht rock which I really like and feel like encapsulates the sound.

I have a MUCH higher tolerance for music from the 70s than I did in the 70s. This used to make me feel a little ill, but now I kind of like it. I guess I could say that about numerous things.

Not really my vibe, but it was good

Steely Dan is one of my dad's favorite bands, but even though I do like a lot of music that my dad does, SD never really did it for me. This album changed my tune. I'm willing to say I probably enjoy these songs more now that I'm older. I really enjoyed the smooth jazz instrumentals throughout the album. I felt like I was in the back of a 70s jazz club just vibing to these guys. Great background music. I'm not sure I can quite give it 5 stars, but maybe like 4.5? Strong 4.

Solid Steely Dan album. 4.5 stars. Deacon Blues is a classic. Smooth and easy listening. Great while working.

This is a super enjoyable album that just stays in that 4 territory. Doesn't do enough to bump it up to a 5 for me but can't deny some of the silky smooth jams on here. Feel like I never really seek out yacht rock but I'm perfectly happy when it plays especially during the summer.

Lengthy songs but all danceable and very very talented. Enjoy very much

Super sick. I gotta hear some more of this guy!!

Jazzy! Funky!

Love me some Steely Dan

virheetön albumi.. tuotu 800 maailman parasta soittajaa, produktioon ja parhaat huumeet + huorat varmaan myös.. kaikki niin täydellistä... ja huoh... niin tylsää... seitsemän tarkkaan huolellisesti valmistettua biisinpätkää jossa tarinankerrontaa lyyrisesti ja musiikillisesti. kaikki toimii. vai toimiiko.. luovuutta löytyy myös, mutta onko vain sen verran luovuutta että kriitikot voivat sanoa että on luova, vai onko oikeasti luovuutta... en tiedä... en tiedä vastausta tuohon. industry plant possible? teollisuuskasvi mahdollinen? on tämä nautinnollista pakko sanoa mutta onko ruiskutettu päähän hormooneja? vai onko luonnollinen limbinen reaktio.. deacon

Lucked out with the first album having "Josie" on it! Ironically, probably my least favorite from the album. "Peg" is such a classic!

Its aja

So many great tracks that I hadn't realised were by Steely Dan! I really enjoyed this album. An oldie but a goodie.

Peg is a banger, men resten synes jeg er litt så som så. Forstår hvorfor det er et «must listen» album though - bare ikke helt min kopp te.

Really catchy songs and good instrumentals

Absolutely loved the title track. Overall a pretty decent album 👌

Previously rated: Pretzel Logic (4/5) Can't Buy a Thrill (5/5) ***************************** I'm liking this smooth adult contemporary Steely Dan sound more as I get older. Peg is the standout here. Deacon Blues is also good. The title track has some good drumming.

michael mcdonald human keyboard moment

Enjoyed this a lot. Sax makes everything way better. Very groovy/funky.

Odlican jazz rock s puno instrumenata, solidnim vokalima i s kul solo dionicama. Produkcija na ovom albumu je izvrsna i definitivno je highlight ovog albuma (bubnjevi na aja). Fav tracks: Aja, Deacon Blues, Home At Last, I Got The News 8/10 = 4+

I just like how this sounds it’s so nice

Yeah still not crazy about steely dan but this album was good

I like the sound but some of the songs went on for too long. I prefer their other albums

Favorite Track: Deacon Blues

What a tasty delight

Già ascoltato, di questo album ricordo Peg come un pezzo splendido ed iconico. La cura che gli Steely Dan metteno nella produzione musicale è incomparabile. Grande classico.

Great musicians

7/10

Liked this album

Halfway through, I haven't stopped nodding my head for a minute. Very groovy. Great harmonies throughout. Solid album from start to finish. 3/5.

4.7/5

This is my second Steely Dan album over the course of a week and I have to say the difference is pretty stark between this one and Countdown to Ecstasy. There is still the unique instrumentation and insanely talented playing - but there also feels to be some energy missing on this one. The last one feels like they were shot out of a cannon, I get the more subdued vibe on this one but it's missing that intensity and tenacity for me. Still a very enjoyable listen.

4.0

I’m a sucker for steely dan

Liker det!

pretty decent fun

well, nice. has good and calm vibes. 4 stars lol

This album is a great yacht rock album. If you like other Steely Dan albums, you will probably love this album. I really like this album and my favorite thing about this album was its length, it’s fairly short so it doesn’t overstay it’s welcome. If someone hadn’t heard of steely dan before and they could not find a best of album, I would recommend this one cause it is very chill.

Nice! An actual standard studio album to review! And it's a fairly good one! Despite some unnecessary meanderings and questionable noise (particularly within the title track), I enjoyed most of this. I'm still not willing to venture forth into the swamp of jazz, but I thank Steely Dan for showing me that there are some fringe elements that don't completely suck.

I’m quite high on this. Nothing was gripping or exciting to listen to. But the album alone was very pleasant and easy to listen through. Background music done well.

super

Caramba, é um álbum bem bom. Nem parece que é do final dos anos 70. Tem uma boa mistura de rock e jazz. Gostei de Black Cow, Deacon Blues e I Got The News.

I definitely understand why this is still being played as much as it is.

College party flashbacks with this one. Damn, I was young.

Sounds great

I've had a few Steely Dan albums since I started using this generator and it's made me realise something. Even if Steely Dan got a bunch of musos from the heaviest metal sub-genres and told them to go nuts, the resulting album would just sound like Steely Dan with down-tuned guitars. The blandness is all-encompassing and no amount of exceptional jazz bass or piano playing can escape it. I can't hate it, but I'll never love it.

me re copó carajooo 8.5/10

Solid Jazzrock Album

B-side is the dominant side, upping the tempt a bit. Cool jazz is not my thing, but their creativity and vocal work makes it click.

I'm as surprised as you are that I am giving this a 4. A little ways into the first track I was unsure I'd even be able to listen to the whole album. Things started turning around with Deacon Blues and Peg and then I Got the News kind of blew me away. Couldn't resist the groove of Josie that called to mind Phish for me.

Saved Prior: Peg Off Rip: Black Cow, Aja, Deacon Blues, Home At Last Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: Some of the best hanging out music in the game, I was listening to Deacon Blues while laying under the beach stars and my life changed. 4.5 rounded down

Love the chill vibes of Steely Dan, nothing is out of place. Deacon Blues is my favourite track for capturing the feeling of ma before or after a party or night out.

Vibes. Great music to cook to!

- really nice vibe to the album, can tell alot of music I like is inspired by this sound - nice to have longer songs that take its time to establish it's vibe/atmosphere - I like the sort of jazzy feel some of the songs have with the instrumentation, not sure if it's saxophones or not but there's something there that makes it sound more than a rock song

Chill vibes and lovely bass lines

Liam gives it a 3

Good mix of rock and jazz playing makes this a good album to pop on and groove to.

Good jazzy/funky album. I thought it would be different than it was, but I’ve never really listened to Steely Dan much. This was good though.

An very harmonic album an a real nice listen although there is no specific hit on this and it´s way too popish for my taste. Furthermore I don´t like the vocals. I´m not enought the music- nerd to rate the album only just because of the virtuosity of the serveral musicians. Therefore weak four stars for this album. 3,5

Easy listening. Some nice Solos. Really liked the song Pam

Prog rock. Not even once. This is what happens when you add jazz to your rock music. Do I like it? No. Are there some legitimate bangers on here? Sure. Is this the platonic ideal of Steely Dan? You betcha.

I can totally get down with this. What a fun album with great musical talent. I just kept thinking, this is so listenable. What fun and talented artists.

When I showed this to my father, he said he really liked it and thought it was really good. To say the least this is certainly Dad Rock, haha. That doesn’t mean it’s not good though. It sounds really good! The production here is REALLY good. I really love the bass here. Good performances and instrumentation all around. I really do love the extended instrumental segment on the title track. Very good songwriting and lyricism all throughout. This album just has a certain vibe with it that I really like. You can really feel and hear the Jazz influence. I really liked this one, despite how small this review is. This is a classic and I can see why it’s regarded that way, it’s in the Library of Congress! This is a very neat album, i’d recommend it.

Never listened to Steely Dan before but enjoyed this one. Nice Jazz influences throughout the album. Good album lenght no messing about

Funky and cheesy at the same time!

I've never listened to Steely Dan before, but I absolutely loved this album. Rock meets Jazz in the perfect ratio. The title song is my favourite and I don't think 8 minutes of it is enough. What a beautiful discovery

I’ve listened to this album before and wanted to like it more than I did. This time round I actually enjoyed it more knowing what to expect. It’s kind of lift music but that’s ok, lifts deserve good music. I still don’t understand the hype but I did enjoy the listen so it scrapes a 4 star 3.75/5

i already have this record slated for a revisitation project where it will enter my actual rotation and ill actually chew on it and form hopefully better thoughts then i manage with these little blurbs lol. but maybe not! not for lack of things to talk about, its a famously intricate record, but the formula for its popularity has always been intricacy + hyper-clarity...in sound engineering, in the way musical information is dished out, in aesthetic. i tbh might push back on the lack of rough edges harder if that didnt in and of itself Become the colors and the texture, esp because for as approachable as this is it never quite feels Friendly...feels like u could slip and fall down it and it would just be a perfectly smooth bottomless pit. cool music!

I like this album. It’s nothing groundbreaking or innovative but it’s enjoyable and relaxing. Deacon Blues is my favorite track. Also really liked Peg and Josie. 4

Steely Dan <3

Had no idea what to expect from this, it was great! Some amazing drumming too, a good way to while away a Saturday morning.

Steely Dan you dirty dog

Steely Dan is too smoth for my liking in general, but I can't argue against this being a good album and that the songs are quality.

4.5/5 EASILY. Such a funky, rhythmic album. A must listen.

Really nice album 7/10

This album has grown on me. Definitely my favorite from Steely Dan so far.

It looks like this album gets a lot of hate on here. This was my first time listening and I really enjoyed it. The production is crisp. I love steely Dan’s mix of rock and jazz elements. Also Paul humphreys grooves are incredible. As a drummer, I can’t help but notice his playing in the pocket. The title track or Home at Last are tied for my favorite track.

Very much enjoyed, even if it’s not the sort of music I’d typically listen to.

Enjoyed the funky jazzified Caribbean experimental 70s/80s vibe. Weren't like life changing songs, but they were enjoyable.

Yacht rock, for sure. But I kinda fuck with it. 4/5 Highlights: Aja I Got the News

3.5

A yacht-rock favorite. The whole thing oozes mellow coolness.

nice jojo

Dásamlega smooth sound og gegnumgandi góð grúv. Elska þessar dempuðu trommur, rafmagnspíanó, ljúfan bassa og hófstillt brass- og gítar. Ég er svaklega mikill sucker fyrir svona. Eru lögin í sjálfu sér eftirminnileg eða Fagen merkilegur söngvari? Nei í raun ekki, en ég mæli samt með.

4/5 - really good album, a genre that I wouldnt usually listen to

Infusing post disco funk with jazz for a set of deceptively smooth, incredibly intricate compositions performed expertly and dark sardonic stuff going on lyrically. Aging is liking this more and more...

Very listenable but repetitive after a while. Lyrically a little tedious or little ingenious depending on your perspective.

Interesting to get their first album first, followed by their last. Definitely a bit of a different vibe, but still a good vibe. I prefer the first album more so I am looking forward to seeing what the other albums are like. This is definitely jazzier, which is less my speed generally, but this is still good. "Deacon Blues" is my favorite for sure.

I love Steely Dan. Great rock/jazz fusion on this album. Tons of great sax.

I always had a mental block with cat Stevens and steely Dan. This album is awesome. Yacht rock at its finest. Apart from that it just sounds awesome. The production is top notch I can hear every instrument so clearly. Easy 4 stars for me. It should be noted I am a 50 year old male lol.

Great Steely Dan record. This and Can't Buy A Thrill are easily my favorites.

So fun

i listened to parts of this i think either way i'm a little bit familiar with steely dan, i'm pretty sure i liked gaucho *** super eclectic, hearing all kinds of familiar styles of jazz music in here mixed with good ol' dad rock vocals kind of crazy how this is a '77 album; if you added some louder synths and more digital reverb it would be an incredibly 80s sound LOVING the ranty second half of the title track drummer goes pretty hard the bass sound really rubs me the right way still want to marry the electric piano sound tbh weirdly enough, Deacon Blues made me feel like this music could be way catchier; i really wonder if there's something with the same sound but poppier in their discography goes down pretty well, surprisingly short in a good way kinda sleepy tho

I was pleasantly surprised by this one, I like some of the hits by Steely Dan but didn't think I'd like a whole album straight through. I don't think I'd go out of my way to listen to it but for quiet listening it's pretty good

Good

Gotta admire this album from a technical perspective. It has such a slick production for 1977. Maybe a little too slick. “Peg” and “Josie” are fun. In the end, I prefer other SD albums more.

I wasn't really in the mood for this, but then it made me get into it.

Didnt finish but what i yeard was great

Excellent

8/10

Bernard Purdie AND Steve Gadd on the same album, fuck yeah. I will note that the production quality can feel a bit too polished at times, but the musicianship is so good I have to look past that.

Steely Dan are Ws This album is a banger

I quite enjoyed this one. It was really good, but short.

Great album, great songs.

Love some Steely Dan. This album sounded very clean. Production quality is up and lost some of the rough edges. Which had their charm for me. The album is still great, but I did not enjoy it as much as I did Pretzel Logic. Heavy jazz. Standouts: Aja, Deacon Blues, Peg, and Home At Last.

Крутой альбом

Great writing, great vocals - not really my style, but the songs are so good they overcome my usual tastes.

While nothing on this album is going to make it to my liked songs of spotify that does not mean it was a bad album. Rather this album was one of the most energized background listens I've had in awhile. I probably won't seek it out again but I enjoyed my time with it.

Heard it a lot before. It's a good easy listening album.

groovy baybay ! #billburroughs highlights: black cow, aja, deacon blues (aug 12 2024)

Great album, enjoyed the various instruments and jazz/R&B sounds on the album. Amazed to learn that outside of the two main band members, they basically auditioned players for each song on their albums.

Pretty chill, an easy listen. I think you get the point it’s calm and nice

Pretty solid. Ngl had it on while unpacking my stuff in my room so wasn’t paying it the fullest of attentions but it was enjoyable as nice background stuff. Nice vibe, would listen to again, wouldn’t mind if someone put it on.

I struggled with this record when it came out. I was a kid, and this didn't sound like Do it Again, or Reelin' in the Years. Then I grew up and realized that it was just different. Now it's a few of my absolute favourite Steely Dan songs.

Deacon Blues is such a good song, I really enjoyed that

It’s front loaded with all the cool revolutionary long songs on side A but the album as a whole is fairly enjoyable 4/5

buen album 4/5

Kind of jazzy rock music, pleasant to listen through. Stand-out: Josie

alright steely dan you win again i cannot lie i think steely dan might actually be a musical genius however i felt like this album was kinda the same vibe thru the whole thing so for that reason it gets a high 4

I don't think I had heard Aja in full before, but it sounds like an absolute classic.

i will argue until the end of time that everyone and their dog should listen to Steely Dan at least once in their life!

Classic Dan, I have this one on Vinyl and have loved it for years!

Some funky fushion stuff. Chill and groovy

Really fun stuff.

👍🏼 Least favorite was such a well known song, Aja!

I can usually take or leave Steely Dan but this was a nice surprise. Peg in particular hooked me. Gives me Shoji Meguro vibes in some places.

I will always remember this album during the pandemic transporting me elsewhere.

Can't digest it in a day, got re-listen to it many times over

This is one of my dad's favorite bands of all time. Steely Dan was jazz for white guys who don't realize they like jazz

I always kind of liked Steely Dan, but I think I'm becoming an actual fan. This album is really jazzy, kinda funky and just overall really pleasant.

Smooth baby.

Unobtrusive background music.

The reviews of this album/Steely Dan are hilarious.

Another one that I pulled out my copy on LP to listen to.

Great album by a great band

Technically very good. Good production, good performances. The songs itself I only kinda like though. It's one of those albums that just keeps showing up for me though Will I listen to again: 95%

Love steely dan! Peg is my fave here

Heard this for the first time maybe a year ago and wasn't impressed at all. I guess my ears were just malfunctioning that day, because this is damn fun. Just enough jazz to keep it interesting, and the riffs and playing are all excellent. Need to give it another spin soon.

Very solid release from steely dan. Once again, albums like theirs really demonstrate how far production can take you

Super vibey album, de zon schijnt, echt perfect weer voor deze muziek. De eerste 4 nummers vond ik echt geweldig en ik dacht dat we misschien een 5 zouden hebben. Helaas valt dit album van een klif bij nummertje 5, die is gewoon saaaaaai. 6 ook... Waardoor ik niet op 5 sterren uitkom, dan word het 4 sterren voor de eerste 4 nummers. Dusja, eerste 4 nummers zijn super vet, echt 5 sterren waard, de laatste nummers zijn zeer matig, dus dan kom je uit op 4 sterren! FAVO: Black Cow, Aja, Daecon Blues, Peg

Deacon Blues 10/10

A nice one album, I was surprised when I hear the first track and realize that MF Doom Sampled it as a genius he was at the 2000's. Very nice one

Smooth as fuck

Smooth and great music.

Jazz/rock perfectionists

I was hesitant, as I tried listening to this album once and couldn't stand listening to the singles that have been overplayed. Listening to the whole album and hearing all the instrumental elements, however, made it such an enjoyable and engaging experience. The lyrics are pretty whack, though. "Deacon Blues," what the HELL is this guy singing about? "Black Cow" and "Peg" sound really groovy. I still don't really like the singer's voice and affectation, but these are undeniably good songs. & A quick 38 minutes

Most enjoyable

Really interesting album, never heard anything like it before

pleasant

Close your eyes, and picture yourself on a yacht, where everyone there looks like either The Captain or Tennille. The soft, jazz-rock sounds of music completes this backdrop, and are the sounds of Steely Dan’s Aja.

Groovy. Bass

Steely Nan more like. Good album. Can't get enough of the band moving more into jazz fusion at this point in their career. The album is just full of juicy, sexy jams with a bountiful array of instruments and sounds to wallow in. Best Song: Peg Worst Song: Black Cow

very chill and jazzy. complements a nice dinner

Steely Dan is an undeniably great band. But for some reason, they always feel like the music is hear through the door when I was stuck in my bedroom all night while my parents had dinner parties back in the seventies. Which is weird, because my parents never had any dinner parties. While I appreciate all of the songs on this album, I wish that I could get into them more. It just isn’t my style. But that doesn’t change the fact that every song is excellent.

Went into this with a superiority complex about Steely Dan (deliberately never listened), thought it was Alright on the first listen, and now, as my second listen draws to an end, I'm forced to acknowledge that this is a really good time. Interesting and enjoyable and lyrically fun and WAYNE SHORTER SAX SOLO?? Why not! I've learned a valuable lesson about preemptive hating.

Really love this thing. The first two tracks were the highlight for me but the rest of the album was also super enjoyable. I appreciated that the songs were longer than most of their other stuff and think it worked quite well. Also the production was very good. Felt like a very clean album

Very intresting album

I get that this isn't going to be exactly everyone's thing, but how can you hate this? It's just so....pleasant. Nothing about this blew me away, but I really like it.

Irresistible rhythms and flawless playing distinguish this recording above all else. It's polished and sophisticated and a joy on many levels. Superior offering.

Digg med steely dan

My mother would turn over in her grave if I rate this under 4. Josie is one of their most underrated songs. They call Alabama the crimson tide, call me deacon blues

Love me some Steely Dan

pretty good! never listened go steely dan properly before, can see why they're so beloved

Crafted with skill, it soothes the soul.

They are top. Only heard The Royal Scam before, so know Steely Dan as having ugly album covers and great music

Exceeded expectations

There are not many albums that have contributed more to rap music while being excellent in their own right, and none of the others have the greatest athlete in a sport named after them. Really impressive influence on this one.

Mjög solid plata. Mikið pródúsuð en grúvið og þéttleikinn náði mér.

Love Steely Dan! Standouts: Josie, Peg, Deacon Blues, 4/5

Where Can't Buy A Thrill bored me, Aja with it's jazzy influences is pretty good.

pretty cool

Great album start to finish. 4.25

Peg!

"Aja" by Steely Dan is a masterpiece of jazz-rock fusion, showcasing the band's exceptional musicianship and sophisticated songwriting. Released in 1977, the album is a seamless blend of jazz, rock, and pop elements, featuring intricate arrangements and stellar performances from all musicians involved. Tracks like "Peg," "Josie," and the title track "Aja" are standout examples of the band's ability to craft sophisticated yet accessible music. The production, overseen by Gary Katz, is pristine, highlighting the intricate instrumentation and impeccable vocal harmonies. While some listeners may find the album's meticulousness a bit sterile, it's hard to deny the sheer craftsmanship and artistry on display. "Aja" remains a classic of the jazz-rock genre, showcasing Steely Dan at the peak of their creative powers.

Not a fan of jazz, but when you infuse it with rock things change. This is as smooth as a good cocktail while watching the sunset onboard a yacht. It is absolutely the definition of Sunday easy listening, but it's never boring thanks to the jazzy melodies and instrumentals giving the music a ton of flavor. Delicious stuff! Standouts are Black Cow, Deacon Blues, Home at Last, and Peg.

Fun listen! Didn’t realize how much funk-leaning Steely Dan was until I listened to this.

Mjög notalegt og skemmtilegt.

I don't think that I ever before listened to a Steely Dan album, but I liked this release from the first bar. I love the the horns section. The sound is fantastic considering the year of the recording.

9/10

Black Cow // Deacon Blues // Peg //

At first I thought this album was too jazzy for me (in an annoying satinated way) but I think I'm starting to get it (still, not even close to my love for Can't Buy a Thrill)

Incredible musicianship on display. Very chill, funky vibes. My only knock against it is that it is a bit TOO chill. There’s really only one mood that this goes with.

Funky and fun. I was definitely surprised by this one. Will need to listen more and more to get a sense of what they are doing.

It's not my favorite, but this showcases some of Steely Dan's best. The incessant perfectionism and use of scores of musicians is most apparent on an album like this. They did what they set out to do, and did it well

Good

I'm guessing this is likely to be our only Steely Dan album, which is great, although I do wish we'd gotten whatever album has Boddhisatva on it (but I appreciated the few radio songs that were on this album too). I've always enjoyed listening to Steely Dan, but I also feel like one album is more than enough to give us a sense of the style and flavor; his music is largely interchangeable, so getting another selection later on would be a bit disappointing. I'm glad we got this though!

I'm not a Steely Dan fan yet somehow I recognized nearly every song on this album, so I've got to give them credit for sneaking their way into the vernacular.

Great soft rock album, very calming to listen to. Everything feels so polished.

I've avoided Steely Dan as a I see it as a sign of an aging white male. Listening to Aja for the first time was educational. Several great tracks, some extraordinarily famous samples from hip hop. Honestly, I wonder why I've avoided it so long.... I'm getting old aren't I?

Wow - enjoyed this album immensely. What a great groove — Planning to listen again in the summer whilst cruising in my rag top with my K9)

I like this album. Some people don't, but that's okay. Not every type of music is going to appeal to everyone. Fortunately, Aja by Steely Dan is an album that appeals to me. I enjoy the sound of this album. It's got a nice blend of rock, jazz, and blues to it. The instrument work is quite nice, and the production is very high quality. The songs are good. There's only 7 of them, and they're all pretty decent. The writing is solid. There's some thought put into it. Would I call it one of the greatest albums ever made? Probably not. I get why others would, but I don't. The album is somewhat repetitive, but with the album only being 40 minutes, it's not that big of a deal. Overall, this is a good album that I don't get the hate behind. 4/5.

Second Steely Dan in a row! Good for me bonus. This is not one of my favorites, but still good - 4 stars

Smooth and funky

Enjoyable

Really nice discovery, added on the buying list