The Nightfly

Over produced, yacht rock that appeals to a very generic, "beige" set of people

I'm not sure how to describe this album. Like there's nothing technically wrong with it, but it still sucks and I hate it. The combination of smooth jazz and standard pop music just grates on me in the weirdest way. Like it's made to be as inoffensive as possible, and that fact just offends me deeply.

Occasionally, I am reminded of how much a product of my environment I am; that teenage years really are more formative than you realize. You can try to distance yourself from them, but that seed is always there, lying dormant and ready for the right glimpse of sunlight in order to bloom again. I was a teenager in the early 90’s. Alternative rock was at peak popularity. Our guitars were fuzzy, aggressive and screaming out the arrival of a new way forward. There was a new world order and what had been the status quo a few years earlier had become painfully uncool. High atop the Mountain of Uncool was soft rock, the kind of stuff you’d hear at JC Penny while shopping with your mom. Intolerable blandness, so inoffensive that you could play it almost anywhere, with the exception of maybe a convent, and not get the side-eye from anyone. As kids, we used to laugh at the Time-Life infomercials schilling 2 and 3 CD collections of “Soft Rock Super Hits of the 70’s”: These collections typically featured bands like Air Supply, The Doobie Brothers, Bread, Steely Dan…and many more! All yours for the low price of $19.99! I always thought Steely Dan was lame. 30 years on, that hasn’t changed. They’ve never been for me and god help me if they ever are. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve tried: I know plenty of people who love them, I’ve got younger friends and co-workers who extol their virtues. My own brother is a fan. But the second a Steely Dan track comes on, I’m transported back to 1993 and the aforementioned seed begins to sprout: this is everything that was wrong with music; perfection for the sake of perfection, emotionless music masquerading as having soul. Even though the Alternative-era of the early 90’s soon gave way to a similar by-the-numbers alt-rock soullessness and awful nu-metal, there were at least a few years where the sky was the limit. The formula had been broken and it didn’t matter how weird you were, you could get radio play and/or a major label deal: bands like sonic youth, pavement, the butthole surfers and ween had radio and MTV playing their songs. These bands would be less likely to find “mainstream” success today, but for a brief window of time, the rules no longer applied. Maybe I’ve been looking at the music of Steely Dan (and their ilk) from the wrong perspective this whole time. If wasn’t for their rigid, schlocky compositions, there wouldn’t have been a backlash towards authenticity and uniqueness that lead me to the music that I love… Newton’s third law and all that.

Very middle of the road for me. A nice morning listen. The cover is definitely better than the album.

May induce a face-palming epidemic among first-timers in the present day. I get that. It incorporates most of the "oh, that's so 80s" sounds received wisdom says we should avoid: a faux fur bed of cool swing, shamelessly smoothed-out jazz, criminally toothsome hooks, synthesisers, conga(!) But I say this face-palmers: seriously, are those bad things? Especially when they accompany satire so arch you can walk under it without noticing (consider Fagen's sincerity on the opener - "The future looks bright" - or how the line "Ruby Baby, how I want you / Like a ghost I'm gonna haunt you" flips that one into an artlessly creepy song that ends oddly with a super fun coda and fake jazz-club applause). And technical virtuosity that's not only impressive for what it does (like play every modulation known to man) but how accessibly it does it. And the crystalline rhythms that playfully evolve from start to finish without letting a speck of dust settle. And stories about lonely disc jockeys, using your dad's nuclear bunker as a sex den and being ominously stuck in Cuba in guessing). And also remember that received wisdom calls Meatloaf a camp hack but Springsteen a butch genius, immortalises Radiohead and Pink Floyd and celebrates everything that's "oh, so 80s" about Prince.

This has been one of my favorite albums since it was new and I.G.Y. was on the radio and the video for "New Frontier" was on MTV. Although I was a young teen at the time, I still really connected with the nostalgic themes and optimism for the future. This is an album that shines best as the whole album, as each song is a vignette that continues the theme. This is one of the few in this project that I've listened to so many times over the past 40 years that I can play it in my head (well, the line, "Won't you pour me a Cuban breeze, Gretchen?" is one that I hadn't remembered but love love love.) This is smooth and jazzy and wonderful. One of the best.

Smooth and jazzy - like being on a monorail to the future.

A well crafted album with lots of Donald Fagan charms, with his dry, witty, intelligent lyrics and expressive voice. Some nostalgic value for me too - this album slowly became a family favorite starting sometime in my teenage years.

It's music

It was initially nice to hear the light rock 80s sound of Steely Dan's Fagen because just about any music from that era takes me back to fuzzy places. However, I quickly realized that the only thing I like about The Nightfly was the album cover.

Fell in love with this album when I got it back in 1982. I loved the sound of the song, IGY and quickly the rest of this album became a classic to me. I am grateful that the extended version contains True Companion from Heavy Metal (Soundtrack) and Century's End from the Bright Lights, Big City Soundtrack were included. I really think these two songs complete the album quite well. This is a rare 5/5 from me.

I can’t stand music like this. The harmony and arrangements are so convoluted just for the sake of dick-swinging and maybe to mask the shitty songwriting. It tries to be “funky” but without an ounce of soul or feeling. The vocals and lyrics are horrible. Every song was worse than the last. I hope I never have to hear this again.

A masterpiece fusion of pop, R&B, jazz, and rock, this album is smooth ride through the threat of nuclear Armageddon. Each instrument is a masterclass in taste, pushing out of the mix for ad-libs and solos, then pulling back to blend seamlessly with the track. Fagen’s lyrics and melodies inspire visions of mid-century optimism and Cold War nihilism, all backed by an absolutely airtight band. This album can be enjoyed by a casual listen or hyper-analyzed by the nerdiest music freak. Stand out tracks include “I.G.Y.”, “Green Flower Street”, “The Nightfly”, and “The Goodbye Look”.

I really dug this, it sounds amazing and the songs have just the right amount of cheese to balance out how smooth they are

I love Steely Dan, but had never listened to any of Donald Fagen's solo work without Walter Becker. Can I describe it as "too smooth" or "too upbeat"? I must miss the more biting aspect to the lyrics and music that were Beckers influence. Maybe 3.4/5? Then I listened to it some more, and its really growing on me due to the jazzy music. Solid 4.

If this was 1001 albums to listen to drinking champagne on a yacht and checking your stock portfolio then this would be 5 stars all the way. It's slick, well played, tightly produced but I'm left cold by it. Chilled even.

You can listen to this endless times and it never gets boring

This is one of those rare albums, where the music is so bland that I would rather eat the CD than listen to it again. I'm sure the plastic crunching between my teeth will sound better too. I give this the only possible score it can get, one slice of plain white bread out of 5. 🍞

Can you imagine going to a dinner party hosted by Donald Fagen? “ I remember a line of women all in white The laughter and the steel bands at night” “Christ Donald, we’ve heard this one before, move on munch munch munch glug glug.” This is clearly exactly what it wants to be, a digitally-recorded Faberge egg, curiosity flat and toy-like in sound, curious but of debatable utility. “Maxine” is music for rich people with horrific taste to make out to.

I like some Steely Dan songs, but this is Steely Dan but worse. It's got no bite, it's too yacht rock.

This album gave me both diabetes and high blood pressure.

One of my favorites. 5/5 I love every song. The extended version has a couple of extras that were included on soundtrack albums (Heavy Metal and Bright Lights Big City).

Oh yeah. Funky, smooth, slick...great rhythm, great piano. This is my jam.

Opening notes - I knew it was going to be great. Smooth, melodic, lyrically wonderful from end-to-end.

Like listening to paint dry. So full. 80s Soft jazz rock? I’m alright thanks. 2/5 as it’s inoffensive to listen to but so, so boring.

I absolutely LOVE this album. It's Steely Dan-esque with a kinda Frank Zappa vibe?

Five Stars Standouts: IGY, The Nightfly, New Frontier, Maxine, Green Flower Street

Real gem this one. Never listened to any Steely Dan, but this solo album was smooth, catchy, full of jazzy tunes and beautiful Rhodes sounds. Really loved it.

Beautiful sound. Upbeat yet mellow jazzy sound.

The style...the musicianship...the vocals...immaculate. Wondering why this is not on my iPod already.

Amazing album, love the vibes

The Nightfly and I go a long way together! I remember it from when it was first introduced in Ad Pop by Ehud Manor as a new album. Love it, and regularly listen to it.

Love this!

So chill! Great lyrics! 9/10 for the vibes, would want to relisten for a better appreciation

10. Considered a 9, because Donald Fagen really is only half the man Steely Dan is

What did you expect? 10

10

I don't like Steely Dan, therefore I don't like The Nightfly. It does nothing for me, it isn't horrible and we've had considerably worse, we've just had many, many, many better. A quick and forgettable 2, although I will say Ruby Baby was decent enough until he started singing.

So cool so fresh so unnötig - 2

music for vampires to bore other vampires with. despised. (⌐■_■)

Well, this is one of the best Steely Dan solo albums the first that Donald Fagan did, and it is a classic. So similar but totally different from the work he did with Walter. A treat! Based upon his early years as a DJ and such in the early 60's, the songs offer a variety of musical styles. Hits you will know, and some hidden gems; like the samba-esque stylings in " The Good Bye Look" and "Walk Between the Raindrops". played this 100 times, will play another 100 more. Thank me later

Really good choice! This is an excellent recording, especially for Steely Dan fans.

Music for white guys who ask "who's ready to rock and roll" when they want to leave somewhere. It's me. i'm that guy. 5 Stars

Good stuff. Easy listening but layered with interesting stuff.

Perfect mood, can always listen to this.

Una locura este disco. LOCURA.

5/5 - Reminds me of a pre-Sting/The Police

Great little jam

Me ha encantado!!

this is a really great album, theres a couple tracks i don't like as much that make it 9/10

Had me from the hop! Jazzy, poppy, post steely dan yacht rocky. Good vibes all around.

Brilliant, love this album. Better without Becker IMO. Such a cool retro/futuristic vibe to it

First time I’ve listened to a solo from either one of the Dan’s. Solid stuff

its a little cheesy but i like. fagen is a very unfortunate last name i know he had a rough time growing up

Just straight up a Steely Dan album. You can't even tell that only one of the guys is on here. Maybe the rumors are true and the titular "Steely Dan" (Daniel of Steel) truly is a secret third guy that they keep under the floorboards and steal all their material from. It's good. I like it. I like Steely Dan. Dogshit font choice on the album cover though, my guy.

I'm in a lift

Another artist to add to the pile of gazillions I don’t know a damn about. Guess there’s no way to introduce my review, so I’m gonna jump right into the music. Oh, wait. It’s the Steely Dan guy. Surprised I didn’t notice earlier. Can’t Buy a Thrill was pretty alright, though I haven’t revisited it in the time since my first listen. In any case, I’m keen to explore more of the Steely Dan discography. This is a good in-between before I clear out the second half of their included albums. A competent album, but one that blends together. The sound is polished almost to a fault. It’s good for some background listening, but whenever I lean in with a more discerning ear I can’t help but feel that there’s little going on. In any case, I can’t complain. The album has a pretty strong second half. I like the cowbell on New Frontier. Title track is my favourite of the album. The radio concept is neat and the funky instrumental gets me bobbing in all directions. The Goodbye Look has a unique and pleasing sound, whatever the lead percussive instrument may be. Donald Fagen is prolific and acclaimed, but is this album distinct enough to warrant a spot on the list? I’m unsure. The book says this album is built around an idealised 60s California and is heavily influenced by Fagen’s childhood. It also says that this album is more “modern” than any of Steely Dan’s output and was the first mainstream album to be recorded entirely with digital equipment. Eh, I’m willing to trim this one. Steely Dan are already well-represented, and I don’t think this album does enough to differentiate itself from the rest of their inclusions. In place of this album, I humbly submit Emergency & I by The Dismemberment Plan for inclusion on the list.

Low 3. This just felt like the off-brand cereal of early 80s music, where it mainly reminded me of better things I could be enjoying.

This sounds like every other song playing at Walgreens.

Another one from my Dad's record collection with a memorable front cover - this time redolent of a Twilight Zone episode. Who knew, it sounds just like Steely Dan?! I like it quite a bit better than Aja, although it's still over-polished yacht silliness, perhaps taking itself less seriously here - like a self-aware Barry Manilow record. The more I listened to it, the more I liked it but 4* is too much, so..

Ok so I think this album is kind of mediocre, but a consistent theme is how he hated living in the suburbs and was desperate to move to New York. Respect honestly, I can get behind that. Fagen's Wikipedia page says this: "When he was ten years old, he moved with his parents and younger sister to Kendall Park, a newly constructed suburban section of South Brunswick, New Jersey. The transition upset him. He detested living in the suburbs. He later recalled that it "was like a prison. I think I lost faith in [my parents'] judgment... It was probably the first time I realized I had my own view of life." His life in Kendall Park, including his teenage love of late-night radio, inspired his later album The Nightfly. "New Frontier" has the line "Well I can't wait till I move to the city". He isn't beating around the bush here. While I respect that part, I really was kind of meh on this overall. This was Fagen's first solo album after he split with Walter Becker in Steely Dan, but it's more of the same vibe. If you're into jazz-rock the Steely Dan crew are your guys. I can see the appeal, but it just always ends up sounding a bit boring to me (though nice enough overall). Beyond the subtle urbanism, the lyrics are ok. It's autobiographical in nature, so lots of general nostalgia about 50s and 60s suburbia, unimportant romances and whatnot. A love for late night radio. Again, fine but a little uninspiring. This is just ok. I had a brief moment where I was tempted to give it a 2, but it's not bad, just fine enough to slide in at a 3. Falls below Can't Buy a Thrill and Aja for me in the broader Steely Dan discography though. I also learned that "wingding" means "a lively event or party". That was a new one for me. Favorite song: I.G.V. Other: Maxine, New Frontier, The Nightfly 7/6/24

It’s still very Steely Dan sounding. Pretty good background music but no one track was particularly ear-catching to me. Deserving of its place slightly above centre score.

I like how the top review refers to this as over produced beige yacht rock, like that’s a bad thing!

Two Steely Dan records in the last two weeks, and now Donald Fagen…which is like listening to skillfully done elevator music. It’s not the worst thing presented on this list, but it’s a chore to get through. 5/10

In the case I’m building called “Donald Fagen (and the rest of Steely Dan except Michael McDonald) Has Never Been Laid," this album is Exhibit A. This is what the opposite of sex appeal sounds like.

Donald Fagen is not half as cool as the album cover would have you believe. He evidently spent his teenage years as a dorky kid, stuck in his room listening to fusty old jazz stations instead of that scary rock n roll and pining after unattainable girls. After a spell with yacht rockers and steam powered dildo enthusiasts Steely Dan, he put out this album that can charitably be described as easy listening. It was recorded and produced entirely digitally, and hence has that bland and soulless feel of the early 80s. Purely for this reason it was popular with audiophiles and cd bores who wanted to show off the quality of their hi-fi setups without caring much about the actual music.

Just too clever clogs for me. I know it is not peak jazz-bo Steely Dan, but it is still pretty self-consciously clever and smooth and ultra-polished which is just not a thing for me. I don't really get the obsession with Steely Dan. I understand the inclusion of this solo album on the 1001 list even less, burdened as it is with Donald Fagan's singing. This seems like completely inessential listening. More power to ya, if this floats your boat, but I don't know why _I_ have to listen to it.

What a misdirect. The cover makes you think, 'Oh, maybe this'll be some Beat revival spoken-word type thing. Or a Leonard Cohen homage? Something like that, right?' & then every song literally sounds like the backing track to a scene in Moonlighting. WTF.

This album is like a musical sleep aid that combines the most boring aspects of jazz, weak pop, and all the dullness of rock music into one unexciting package. Whether you’re listening in lossless format or as background noise on a distorted phone line, the result is the same: you’re just wishing it would end soon while your mind begs for something, anything, more stimulating.

Id had 4 hours sleep and was in pieces when I put this on, but it just sounded like a terrible Sting tribute act. I'm sure it's not but I couldn't stomach it.

⛓️ 🍆 - 1 = 💩

When I'm criticizing music I try to keep it based on my subjective taste such as "I didn't care for that" versus "it sucks". Donald Fagen had access to some of the most talented musicians and recording technology of the time for his work on Steely Dan and I assume he did here as well. How he manages to generate a work that can illicit absolutely no feeling in me at all is astounding. This album goes by like a long semi-loose shit. Donald Fagen and Steely Dan are music for philosophical zombies. To reiterate, I cannot put into words how much this absolutely sucks shit.

Holy crap this guy thought he was cool at one point.

WTAF. Bouncy jazz pop made on a Casio keyboard with the drums supplied by the same crappy keyboard. Meanwhile the singer is reciting the weekly shopping list with a voice that sounds like he's crooning to a bunch of coffin dodgers on a geriatric cruise round the Mediterranean. Why, oh why would anyone think this is a good idea?!? And why would anyone then (quite cruelly) follow this up by suggesting it's an album I must go hear before I die. Unless it's a "hey mate, listen to this shit album and have a real good laugh at it". Honestly. The only thing worth doing with this is gathering every single last copy (CD, cassette and vinyl) in the trash, before sending it into outer space and hope that the rocket explodes en route (with a certain POTUS on board as a added bonus). Absolutely dismal, almost hilariously so. Ps sorry for this not-so-passive aggressive rant, but I'm really enraged : This morning, walking to school, saw this bloke casually drop some litter on the ground. Meanwhile his kids are chomping on their breakfast, this being a highly nutritious packet of quavers. Seriously, what is wrong with people?

Reading up on the production of this album, the 8 months of recording that were spent on getting the perfect drum sounds by using the high-hat sounds of one drummer, the kick-drum and tom sound from another on the same track, how a whole bunch of session musicians of the highest caliber are credited on this album, to create the sound that was needed for this album to be perfect. Reading on the switch between analog and digital recordings. On the songs that are stitched together from multiple takes. To make this production sound that has been revered by audiophiles across the globe. What makes me so upset about that is that the end result is an overproduced, uninspired smooth-pop-jazz album, that could've been given a bit of leeway if it also didn't include a song like Ruby Baby, which really is an atrocity to make it to an album after 8 months or recording.

Oh gosh, this album is the antithesis of all that I like about popular music. To my ears this is just horrible. I've played the album three times and it is so bland, smooth and unengaging with uninteresting autobiographical lyrics. This is music for people who don't want to listen, but to have it as background music. I hope never to listen to this again.

Just utterly pointless. If this guy wasn’t in Steely Dan no one would care about this.

Fuck me, this is shite. I mean, Steely Dan are wick but this is another level.

Shit 80s muzak.

Ernsthaft? Dann lieber ne Stunde Helge Schneider Pink Panther Variationen

Comenzó bien y como al segundo 40 ya todo se fue al carajo con el jazz. Es aburrido y tal vez por lo que comenta Vic está en la lista pero fuera de ahí no me aporta nada

Let’s see… About a decade ago I decided to go all in with Steely Dan. As a popular reviewer of this album from the COVID era reminisces, I too was a teen in the 90’s that wouldn’t have been willingly caught dead breathing the air through which such sounds vibrated. But I listen to a lot of music and continue to listen to a lot of music. And podcasts about music. A person such as me is going to hit a moment of decision on the Steely Dan question. So in I went. I explored the discography. The first thing that hit me was that I was WAY more familiar with Steely Dan than I ever would have imagined. They truly are everywhere. When you buy your groceries. When you go to work. When you pay your taxes. There’s Steely Dan, easing you along your day. The next thing that hit me was WOW these guys are… clean. When I actually listened to them, their musicianship began to become evident. Their subtlety. Their f*ing name also hit me. I mean they named themselves after a dildo in Naked Lunch. Something I apparently didn’t discover. But see, Burroughs WAS cool in the 90’s, even if Steely Dan was not. The more I listened, the more layers I realized there were. What a feat! To be able to make music that on one level is so seemingly innocuous and inoffensive that it slips in EVERYWHERE but then on closer inspection is actually subversive and full of bitter irony. When I hit this album today I didn’t realize that Fagen was half of Steely Dan on his first solo venture. But… I knew a number of these songs. Had always assumed they were Steely Dan. As I listened I realized how different they were. They were optimistic. They weren’t about questionable characters in the LA scene. They were about… him! They were about his teen years. His life. And it was lovely. 5 Boolean: True

After Steely Dan effectively split up, Donald Fagen released his solo debut album, The Nightfly, in 1982. He collaborated with Gary Katz, who had produced several classic Steely Dan albums. Fagen was also supported by many of the same studio musicians he had worked with during his time with Steely Dan. Musically, Fagen maintained the same high standards of perfection that characterised Steely Dan, yet compositionally he adopted a different approach, rebalancing the elements. The Nightfly is more jazzy than any Steely Dan album, while simultaneously featuring numerous references to the early rock 'n' roll of Fagen's youth. The result is every bit as timeless as the Steely Dan catalogue and his subsequent solo albums. Unlike Steely Dan's bitterly ironic, sombre lyrics, this autobiographical album reflects the optimism and sense of new beginnings of Fagen's childhood and youth. As one would expect from Donald Fagen, the 1982 album contains no references to contemporary music, drum machines, samples or obtrusive keyboard sounds. Even in the 1970s, Fagen and Becker weren't interested in the 'sound of the moment' and always did their own thing. This is what makes the album so timeless and so good, despite its unmistakable references to the past. It is another perfect gem in Donald Fagen’s impressive discography.

Great stuff. Still prefer Steely Dan, though

Essa capa é brincadeira, e combinada com o groove da faixa inicial, I.G.Y. causam a melhor primeira impressão possível. Produção totalmente imaculada, como já era esperado do nome Fagen, da fama de Steely Dan. E por mais que esse seja um álbum solo, tudo que faz os discos de Dan serem incríveis está presente aqui, o carinho nos detalhes composicionais, as letras agridoces e irônicas, e como já disse, a produção estrelar. Ótimo gosto de um Rock limpo, polido, brilhante. Rapidamente te desloca para um centro urbano cheio de luzes radiantes e pessoas rápidas, rápidas demais, enquanto você segue seu passo lento, calculado, e natural. Cool. As harmonias vocais aqui são assustadoras. Coisa de outro mundo. Conhecimento técnico profundo, música para músicos. Tirar o sapato, deitar, fechar os olhos, e se perder nessa densa floresta de sons e emoções. Perfeição. 5/5

This is one of my favorite albums of all time. I listen to it often and never skip a track.

Oh damn they're letting me have the good shit this week. Honestly it kinda sucks that of the albums I've rated 5s so far, I knew all of them prior to starting the list. Good news about this one though is that I had only heard the album all the way through one time years ago, keeping what I thought were the big hitters (Nightfly, Ruby Baby, IGY) on my mp3 player. But I was but a boy then, and now I am a man. I'm glad this is here for me to come back to cuz it fucks. It's got the Steely Dan shine and polish as far as writing, arranging, and mixing go. I think Walter Becker was a big part of the overly sardonic nature of Steely Dan, and I do love that, but it isn't completely absent here and therefore not missed. I can feel Donald Fagen's nostalgia jutting out of the record, and wiki says I'm right. It feel like I'm listening to the Nightfly's picks on late night radio. I guess for me it'd be comparable to the nostalgia of The Quiet Storm. Love this goddamn album.

This album is formative for me in some fashion, though I'm having a hard time putting my finger on it. It came out during my fall semester of freshman year in college. Maybe I identify with it as a transitional, transformative piece of art, with me trying to be something more sophisticated, more mature, than I had felt before the fall of 1982. I don't recall feeling strongly about it at the time, but through the friends I made and the music we listened to, I sure do feel strongly about it now, and those feelings are all good.

So good, not as good as most Steely Dan but supreme. Five stars

This is a masterpiece, with that smart retro style and the impecable groove.

This is a really awesome album. Chill, groovy, insanely easy to listen to. Donald Fagen is of course one of the masterminds behind Steely Dan and you can tell. Really lovely bass on every track. Nice production. Lots going on but it all works. Some absolute world class musicians contribute to the various tracks. "I.G.Y." is probably the biggest standout for me.

I was trying to work out why I liked it - the bloke was Steely Dan. Bops along nicely, IGY and Maxine were the standouts but I had it on repeat for a while. Inoffensive, but enjoyable. Lots of disco noises, bit of synth, but quite a lot of soul. Definitely for me this.

Best so far

Nice blues and jazzy, funky. + baller album cover

What if Steely Dan had stuck to their lush-yet-clean sound (as with the album Gaucho) instead of heading into the creepily sterile territory of Two Against Nature? The Nightfly answers that question with a flurry of jazz-rock that could probably compete with Steely Dan's greatest. What it lacks in Becker's guitarwork, it makes up for with a shimmering, hazy jungle of tight smooth brass playing, biting basslines, and some solid hits on the piano. The chords are also (arguably) more out-there than any of the Dan's prior output (though Babylon Sisters and Glamour Profession give The Nightfly a run for its money). The opener, I.G.Y., is just perfect for showing that ol' Fagen's still got it in him. "What a beautiful world this will be / What a glorious time to be free". Punctuated with chilling synth-harmonica lines. Pretty harrowing to listen to that blind optimism through a modern lens. The main problem with this album is that catchiness is sacrificed for the sake of perfection. It really is just a slightly worse Gaucho, to such an extreme extent that I can draw close parallels between individuals tracks. New Frontier is identical to Time Out Of Mind in terms of texture and mood. On that track, Fagen's wacky, overdramatic, not-quite-good vocal fluctuations combine with some close, airy backing vocals and an instrumental that mimics stimulants with the lightheadedness it provides to the listener. The title track, with its weirdly tentative melodies and choice of textures, is undeniably a direct analogue of My Rival. The Goodbye Look is essentially Babylon Sisters if it was a faster tempo and vaguely tropical. The equal keyboard-heavy mellowness of Maxine and Third World Man suggests the two could be twins. But honestly, if we're criticising albums for being "too perfect", there's something seriously wrong with our judgement. 5/5 Key tracks: I.G.Y., Green Flower Street, New Frontier

wonderful

Chill album edit: really fucking good album

Great solo album from the Steely Dan man. Continues the Yacht Rock vibe on his own. No need to skip a song, just let it play

Love it

Great album + superb recording for evaluating HiFi stereo equipment