1001 Albums Generator
The Nightfly by Donald Fagen

The Nightfly

Donald Fagen

1982
3.01
Rating
23284
Votes
1
8%
2
23%
3
37%
4
23%
5
9%
Distribution
Genres: Rock, Jazz, Pop Styles: Fusion, Pop Rock, AOR

Reviews (page 4 of 9)

Fine to have on in the background but this one didn’t grab me in any way

Incredible vibes

Damn smooth

Pretty cheesy soft rock. Banal. A frankly generous 2 stars.

maybe an album you need to hear before you die if you’ve never heard yacht rock?

Toll produziertes Album, welches mir nach anfänglicher Skepsis recht gut gefällt.

Pretty good, completely new to me.

Tämä oli aivan liian hissuttelua ja jatsahtavaa AOR:ää 80-luvulta. Ei jäänyt mitään mieleen.

idk who did it first, donald or steely dan, but i don’t care

Feels like Steely Dan is missing a little something.

****A good, easy listening album. Most tracks sounded familiar

Not good, not bad

I'd rather eat styrofoam peanuts than listen to this. There should be a zero star option.

Not keen not my taste

From the first notes of this album it was easy to recognize that this guy is part of Steely Dan. This is harmless pop music, that don't raise too much feelings to any direction. I'm tempted to give this album 2 stars instead of one, because at times the overproduction and slickness of It feels like it’s from a comedy show and it makes me laugh

This sounds like a poor man's version of a 80's Sting. So, not good.

Easy listening elevator music. The fact that it is one of the first fully digitally recorded things doesn't mean much to me. Exceptional studio musicians can make beautiful sounding exceptionally mediocre music.

A good one that I don't listen to enough.

Would enjoy more on a summers day!

Really nice. Enjoyed. Sounds great

Not bad but not my thing.

I think an argument can be made that The Nightfly is a better album than any Steely Dan record, and I’ve developed a taste for the Dan. It’s one of those records that you can have playing in the background or obsess over every detail with high quality headphones. It also has one of the coolest album art covers ever. There are several highlights here: I.G.Y., Maxine (“try to hang on, Maxine” is such a killer moment in this song), New Frontier, and the title track are outstanding tunes surrounded by solid tracks that provide a very cohesive listening experience.

Thoughts before listening: The dude from Steely Dan's solo album. I know that fans of the Dan like this album, but I've never thought of it as something that would land on an album like this. I have to assume this will be 70s soft/yacht rock with strong instrumentation and probably some subversive lyrics. Review: Yep...this album is full of Steely Dan's jazzy pop rock sound and sly social commentary lyrics. I like Steely Dan in doses and this album is no different. Outside of a couple songs ("I.G.Y." and "New Frontier") it all kind of comes off as background music, but from time to time something perks my ears up, usually a guitar solo. I'm sure this is one that would grow on me over time if I had the time to really dig in. That being said, this is 3-stars.

Wow, this is very Steely Dan easy listening isn’t it. I was surprised that I actually knew some of them.

Noodling along

Really cool record. Donald Fagen is a genius and I dig his work with Steely Dan and I enjoyed this too.

one of the worst parts of growing up is watching your friends become steely dan fans

I'm all for trying something different, but this was really boring for me.

There’s something about this era/style that just is so hokey to me. The keyboards and synths just make it hard to take it seriously.

Steely Dan

Not my vibe. Lots of soft rock, synth piano, and sax sounds. Oh. It's the Steely Dan guy - no wonder I didn't like it.

Chad Fagen

This was interesting, very 80s, really liked one track. Late 2s.

I do like me some Steely Dan, but I'm not too familiar with Donald Fagen's solo work. You still hear tinges of Steely Dan in this album's production, but the content is more nostalgic and somewhat autobiographical. Fagen definitely leans into the mindset of his younger self, full of hopes and dreams. A great showcase of audio recording as well, as the production is crisp here. I wouldn't call Fagen the greatest vocalist, but jazz/rock always scratches an itch for me and this was a nice & smooth solo effort from Mr. Fagen. "I.G.Y." was the standout highlight.

This grew on me like a tumor. I started feeling nothing, but over time I really hated it. Close to a 1. I see this is the singer from Steely Dan, who I usually don't mind, but man I didn't enjoy this

You can really see who contributed 'that' Steely Dan sound. However, unlike Steely Dan, there's really no spark to any of these songs. No magic. Kinda forgettable.

Dainininkas iš Steely Dan?????? Aš galvoju, iš kur toks girdėtas. Woww

Funk it upppp funkeros!! Widermal e gueti Ladig inegfunket de Donald Fagen. Gstarted miteme riese Funk Banger, het er immer abgewechselt zwischen biz ruhigere Hintergrund Musik zu wider chli meh gefunke. Wunderbar geeignet zum schaffe, aber doch gnueg guet das mer au gern aktiv herelost. Da ich aber hohi Funk-Ahsprüch han gits doch nur 3 Chlapfer mit em Flügetätscher.

Öpis wo im 2025i gar nüm relevant isch, du musch de donald fragen. Aber he, isch scho es recht smooths album gsi. Kann man losen. Han aber kei track seeehr guet gfunde, und darum fragi mich, langed das für 4 nachtschwärmer? Ja chum maybe scho, na nie vu dem ghört aber chönt mer scho mal ablah

++: Green Flower Street, Ruby Baby, New Frontier, The Nightfly, Walk Between Raindrops +: I.G.Y., Maxine +-: The Goodbye Look 8,8/10

meh, not my vibe

Very easy listening, inoffensive album. Not much really to note though and not any reason to listen to again. Briefly delves into some blues-esque riffs at points but never at length. Nothing to hate but nothing to love. Can definitely hear the Steely Dan in here. 4.75/10 (2.375/5)

Liked it in the beginning but then it turned into a Dad fest

It’s nice he could make this passion project, but sadly I don’t share his passion for mediocre jazz easy listening

These songs all sound the same. Technically good, but meh.

interesting synth infused 80's pop, never heard of Donald Fagen and through this exercise of listening to 1001 album was able to discover him.

Soooooooft

pretty into this easy listening. not sure i’d go back to seek specific songs out but generally really enjoyed the tunes 6.5/10

"Dit is alsof Steely Dan in de jaren 80 is beland" zegt iemand die er verstand van heeft. Steely Dan gaf ik hier wel redelijk hoog (één keer een 5 zelfs), de 80's geef ik hier meestal vrij laag. Dit is niet echt een album waar ik van zit te smullen. Het is geen ramp om een keer aan te hebben staan maar ik vind het allemaal toch wat nietszeggend. Veel nunmmers lijken wel heel erg op elkaar. Achtergrondmuziek voor in een bepaald type kroeg. Een soort nietszeggende jazz. Lelijke 80's, maar wel vroege eighties, wat weer net wat minder lelijk is dan midden tot late 80's. Dit houdt voor mij echt het midden tussen een 2 en 3. Welke van die twee ik hier morgen ook voor uitdeel, ik zal het idee hebben dat ik fout zit.

Appreciate the effort, the music less so

Not my thing

Good yacht rock music

Cheesy, as expected

Pleasant enough, a tad too MOR for me.

I've struggled to find words to properly describe my feelings about Steely Dan in three album reviews. But I think I kind of understand now. It's not just dad rock. For reasons I don't understand, it's like hearing rock from *your* dad. It's particularly embarrassing to listen to. And somehow it's actually more embarrassing when the music is kind of good. You want to try to enjoy it and be sort of proud but you wouldn't dare risk your friends catching you listen to it. What if your dad gets a fanbase and some radio play? Oh god, your friends will find out about this, won't they? Oh what now? Your dad is making a *solo* album?? Please let it not be too awful. But also, please don't let it be good either. Oh no, "The New Frontier" is actually pretty catchy but the rest is cringeworthy. Maybe he'll get bored soon and move on to some other mid-life crisis project... That about sums up my reaction to Steely Dan and Donald Fagen. It's sort of good and I'm tempted to enjoy it a little. But it's there's just something too embarrassing about liking it.

it was fucked up what you did to those black neighbourhoods

Why does this sound like if Bill Wurst made an album?

Not my jam.

I don't like this.

Too much Steely, not enough Dan. There’s just none of the lyrical punch and energy that came from Steely Dan’s work, and instead it just drifts into nondescript soft jazz territory. Fahey can’t turn the same phrases that hit so hard on their classic songs. Even if you see this as a follow-up to Gaucho, it still can’t get anywhere close to some of the skewering wit of that album’s work. A flawed, tired effort from an otherwise great songwriter.

relajado

Sounds so chill just really nice

Нот бэд

Chilled out, immaculate vibes. This is going into regular rotation.

Not offensive in anyway which I can respect. Unfortunately there's nothing that stands out

There was a funky vibe to this. I liked the storytelling style used in the lyrics, very vivid and takes you through the writer’s mind and rhythm

Every song on this sounded comfortably familiar, and yet, I’ve never heard of Donald Fagen. A delightful blend of 70s and 80s styles.

It's okay, but not really my thing. 80's smooth jazz.

Vabbè bello niente da dire, è praticamente un album degli steely dan. Next frontier è la base di un jingle di radio capital (fyi)

Beautifully mixed album. Light low end, but so crisp and clear. Not my usual listening, but an interesting experience non the less.

I recognized the groove on the first song as the intro to the cult classic and utterly hilarious YouTube series “yacht rock”. Donald Fagen is a card carrying member of the smooth music creators that create the genre. I applaud the creativity and songwriting of the album. I’m not sure I followed the story telling much but I still feel like I entered the world of Fagen. It was a good listen. I might even give it a relisten just because I did find it interesting.

I wanted to like this. It starts strong with “I.G.Y.” An interesting story concept and a great song, if it all caught me like that track it would be a 3-4. But, I didn’t like any other song.

It's odd to me.  It's Donald Fagen trying to do pop and it sometimes works and sometimes doesn't.  In the end, I do like it. The vocal harmonies are really nice.  Also, I enjoyed the bass throughout the album.  Of course the production is stellar. Liked Songs Added I.G.Y. New Frontier

Pre-Steely Dan

kept thinking damn this really sounds like steely dan, and then it was. great album

Really shows off how good Steely Dan is because this just feels like a half formed album

Really great

Love this album. Loved Steely Dan. I remember when the Nightfly first came out. I thought IGY was OK but didn't pay much attention to the rest. Now that my tastes have matured, this is one of my favourite albums and an absolute classic.

I'm in a lift

At first I thought I didn’t know who this was and then he started singing and I knew it was the Steely Dan guy. This sounds like a steely Dan album. Maybe a little more synth heavy but it’s got that Steely Dan sound. I’m not a huge Steely Dan guy so this was just ok to me.

Sounds like Steely Dan in all the best ways. Unsurprisingly.

There wasn’t anything “wrong” with it, per se. it’s just that as soon as a song ended, I forgot it. Nothing about it stuck in my head.

7/10…jazzy pop

Who is this even for it sucks

Хороший джаз-поп альбом з парою р'н'б композицій. Звук дуже прикольний та вгадується, що альбом з 80х, бо цю джазову/ф'южн основу щось постійно розбиває: чи якийсь синт цікавий чи луп з драм машини. Я б поставив йому 4.5, якщо б тут можна було половинити зірочки.

Я дуже люблю стілі ден і багато їх слухав, але чомусь сольне Фагена пройшло повз мене взагалі. Стилістично це схоже на стілі ден переіода gaucho, мабуть. Дуже класний джаз-поп, як вміють тільки вони (але у цьому випадку він один). Пишуть що до всієї позитивної атмосфери тут ще додається концепт і певна автобіографічність текстів. Коротше клас, що тут сказати.

було би краще без слів

Somehow, somewhere in a child's mind, "I.G.Y." is lodged in memory. Or rather, it was until today's 1001 Albums generator dropped. It has to be from some hazy radio airplay or maybe a dentist's office or a supermarket, as this album was never in the house. What a time to be alive. I was too young to clock that this was the man from The Dan, despite the immediately recognizable voice and an album so slickly produced the rest of it can slide right by if you're not careful. On a single listen, I'd say that'd be okay by today's standards. Maybe we should let this record recede into the past and give up a slot in the next edition of the book — or maybe it should stick around as a signpost in time, a guy remembering the optimism of his own youth before the disappointments of his later years. Time, like an LP, is a flat circle after all.

Is it must listen? I like it a lot. The live album is incredible at least in terms of its production. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGr1IYuG8Wwu6v46lPvquWKv8bQkCOxvD&si=XEIUupnKcRyh0CyJ But you need to hear the studio album to appreciate the live one. Fagen is a top songwriter and the musicians including personal favourites like Marcus Miller and Larry Carlton are phenomenal. Jeff Porcaro, the Breckers are Just amazing. It’s a 4 star as Walter Becker gave him a balance this doesn’t quite have. Still a great album. But a must listen? Aja is. Maybe can’t buy a thrill. But this, great as it is … maybe. Maybe. 4 stars. Really a 3 for essentially. 4 for it being an excellent album.

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.

This didn't make me angry, my requirement to give a one, but it was very dull.

I recognise the cover art here. What have I heard before? It's been on my "to listen" list for years, but I hadn't got very far because I didn't like this. So thanks again to this project for getting me to take action and listen all the way through. Unfortauntely I still think this sucks. Overly clean, artificial synthesised tunes that don't really go anywhere. The title track is the best of a bad bunch by quite some margin, and it's not even good.

Smooth and jazzy

Did not recognize this album or artist right away, which is always fun because I have no pre-conceived notions going into it. I read that this is one of the dudes from Steely Dan, which I've never gotten into, but I know he is highly regarded. The first few seconds of IGY are very nice, and then........it just goes downhill from there. I have two major gripes with this thing and they are 1) the sound and 2) the songs. While I'm sure this record appeals to all the poor souls who can't stand an iota of noise in their music, it is way too clean for me. The sound of this record is so sterile you can eat off it. Donald Fagen must have the kind of OCD where you have to wash your hands 17 times before you know you're clean. There is not a dust mote living within 10 miles of this dude's house. I'm assuming every instrument on this record is electronic, which makes it sound like a well programmed preset on a Yamaha. And while that may work for Wesley Willis it does not work for Donald Fagen. Some songs (like dare I say it, those penned by WW) are so bad they're good. These songs are just bad, and it's because there is not an authentic note in The Nightfly's entire 39 minutes. And while I don't hate it, it is the antithesis of every strongly held musical opinion I've had since I could push a cassette into a tape deck. TWO STARS

This is soft yacht rock but it also isn't the worst thing I've ever heard. The production is impeccable. The album is not really my thing buy I dug Maxine. The Goodbye Look = yacht rock Sting

I don't know....I don't hate yacht rock, it has its place and it is nice for a simple day to just listen and chill too. He also has some interesting lyrics and it is nice to hear about his future and where he is headed. But where it sort of falls away for me is that I don't think the yacht rock tune really always meshes with the lyrics. I have never really thought of the genre overall and how melodies and tunes fit with the lyrics. Everything is so mellow and chill, and I don't think I want someone to write me a mellow chill love song. I want a little fire and a little emotion. Maybe I will just go back and forget the lyric and music connection and say, this is fine, chill for a chill day (as long as you don't think about it)

Donald Fagan solo still sounds exactly like Steely Dan. The songs are cool and relaxed in a jazz lounge way, and the production sounds so very of its early 80’s time. All in all it’s good, but unless you’re a Steely Dan Stan, there’s nothing extraordinary here.

I dig how groovy this is. He has a distinct, recognizable sound that feels very of its time, but also weirdly timeless. This is another album where I wasn't in love with individual songs (except maybe I.G.Y), but it's great vibe music, and very tightly produced. Love the jazzy instrumentation, and I'm a fan of his soothing vocals too. The last few songs dragged a bit. I'm more at a 3.5 with this.

Unashamed amalgamation of all that the 80s had to offer. Felt like the median song of the GTA Vice City soundtrack

Familiar from FM radio

Just when I thought the torture of Steely Dan albums was over…I get served a freaking solo album. This is worse than the band albums. Wuss rock at it’s finest.

Had hem een 3,5 gegeven als het kon, erg leuk. Krijg een erg positieve vibe ervan en hou ervan hoe hij veel verschillende instrumenten gebruikt die goed op elkaar aansluiten

Nice for yacht rock/easy listening. solid solo after Steely Dan and interesting that it was all digital!

Good jazzy vibe. Nice vocal. But nothing really surprises me. Also some pop element (the drums argh, simple chords etc) does weaken the jazzy power. Maxine is my favourite track. It is very tasteful and it’s both jazzy and poppy, 6/8 among all the 4/4 songs is also very refreshing. Overall a pleasant listen, I enjoyed it.

this album was surprisingly solid. i was expecting something a bit slower, but i ended up really jamming to it. even listened to it a second time. not sure i could give this a full four, but i would give it a 3.5. solid album for sure, so middle of the road for me.

Love some yacht rock vibes, I’ll never complain about that. Not too many standout tracks but all of them were above average in quality. Gonna go listen to some Steely Dan now.

Smooth and easy to listen to. About what you expect to hear when you see the words jazz Rock together.

For me, it was Steely Dan but not as enjoyable. Groovy and funky at times, but parts of the first half didn’t really get me as much. I liked second half a bit better. Overall a bit too on the nose.

Pop,, Jazzrock, 1982 -> 3

Yacht rock (or jazz) at its finest : annoyingly clean, bland, derivative, and as exciting as gossiping about the neighbor’s latest affair while sipping on a watered-down Margarita. This is music for people who have no musical preferences, and will just listen to anything that’s playing in the background – as long as it’s polite and inoffensive enough to be immediately forgotten. I was sooo not surprised to see that Donald Fagen is one of the guys from Steely Dan... Because of course he is. These guys apparently come from an alternate reality where the quality of music is judged by its ability to lull people to sleep. And Donald is the best there is : with the musical personality of a paperclip, he can take any instrument, any musical style, and turn them into something so boring and emotionless that you’ll think Brian Eno’s "Music For Airports" is a punk album. I’m sorry, I just can’t. Soft rock needs to stay buried. 0/10

Not my jazz

It’s a pretty generic 80s jazz-pop album. Some solos, some little tunes, nothing Jonasz would be jealous of. The jazzy stuff might be fine, but the rest is just okay. The sound is too slick overproduced, no warmth, no bass rumble, no real drum depth.

Funk-rock oriented jazz. Layered vocals. Distinctly 80's. Not quite my style.

Steely Dan co-founder and vocalist Donald Fagen's first solo album is a stellar blend of sharp and witty songwriting, crisp production and excellent (but not showy) musicianship. The songs on this album often mix upbeat rhythms with harmonically complex chord progressions which keep the music moving forward in interesting directions. In addition, in contrast with the sometime sunny surfaces of these songs, Fagen often ventures into dark and ironic lyrical territory, such as on "New Frontier" (about a party in a bomb shelter) and "The Goodbye Look" (about an expat who was wandered into a perilous situation in some foreign location). Fagen put out numerous other solo albums of varying quality but this is the crown jewel in his discography.

Overall: 8/10 I don't care how cheesy it is, I love Donald and the music he creates. It's like having an extra Steely Dan album to listen to, and I'll be honest...I LOVE STEELY DAN! WOOHOO YEAH STEELY DAN HELL YEAH WOOHOO YEAH Fav Song: Maxine

Didn’t hate it. Slick sound verging on sterile. Tracks blend into one another with little variation. Fagen’s voice is pretty weak and irritatingly nasal. Anodyne background music that never really engages on a deeper level. Music that arrives dressed in shoulder pads and a pair of aviator shades.

Genuinely horrific. I was concerned when it showed that some of the tracks appeared on the playlist ‘yacht rock essentials’ but what followed exceeded this concern. It was like the Pina Colada song stretched out for an album. When it said 1001 albums to listen to before you die, I don’t think the intention was for the list to push you towards your demise but the inclusion of this album is making me question that. At least it was mercifully short.

Lift music for an aging corporate bank that’s seen better days. Uses a lot of sounds that have aged poorly and haven’t retained their nostalgia factor. I don’t suspect it was particularly innovative at the time either. I’m only happy I listened to this as I was able to finally identify ‘I.G.Y’ as the track used at the beginning of Wardown’s isolated mix 119 (would recommend!) which has been bugging me for ages.

Top-shelf yacht jazz/rock. Not exactly my style but he's good at what he does. 3.7

Like Steely Dan, it’s not just the artist but the stellar musicians he brings in.

I definitely like Steely Dan, but this is my first time listening to a Donald Fagen solo album in its entirety. It's not bad, just a little slick. He definitely leans into a modern pop jazz sound on this record. 3/5 #181

I had previously heard this album once or twice. It sounds very much like Steely Dan, of which Fagen was a member before it split, but it also sounds like a product of the 80s. The production is top notch. I did not really mind listening to it but it is a little bit too slick for my taste. I may listen again at some point, but won't be in any rush to do so.

Elevator music in its purest form.

Yeah, this tootles along kind of jauntily but in the end it’s all pretty dull and unmemorable. 2.5

I liked the opening track, but the rest was too smooth for me, though I appreciate the musicianship. A high two.

Temu Steely Dan.

70s rock

Alternative

Enjoyable and light. Nothing like it so far on this list which it really needed

Hay una razón por la que no me gusta el Yacht Rock y toda esa onda suave que mezcla rock, jazz y pop. Hay otros artistas que logran esa mezcla sin hacerla aburrida. Pieso en, por ejemplo, The Sea an Cake y su disco Oui. ¿Saben qué? Mejor me voy a escuchar eso.

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

Radio Test 1 star: I’m on the wrong station - change it quickly. 2 stars: Not my thing. No no no. Keep scanning. 3 stars: Listen for half the song until it bores me. Search. 4 stars: Oh yeah! Interesting. This is good stuff. Hold steady. 5 stars: Blast it until the neighbors complain. Then play it again. Fagen does something I’ve never heard. It’s a clean recording. I like some jazzy sax. I’ll give it a 2.5 and round up because one of my boys liked it because it reminded him of his favorite pizza joint.

Boring. Lot of repetitive synth work from an era that should be forgotten.

It’s got great musicianship and performances. But it really doesn’t move me much at all. With the exception of the title track- I loved the little jazzy radio jingle section of that song.

I liked this considerably less than some other Steely Dan albums I’ve listened to. I understand it would not be the same, you could hear SD echoes here but overall just too light-rock for me today. 2.5/5

It feels like the kind of music that'd play in the waiting room of a therapist's office or a cheesy 80s movie intro. It's polished almost to the point of feeling sterile and there's something off about the vocals that hardly makes them sound human. The #1 word that comes to mind is "Inoffensive," and that's just not where good music comes from.

As expected the production is high on this one, a mix of soft-rock, jazz and pop. But unlike some of the Steely Dan albums this one just didn't excite me, felt very sophisticated but also just a bit too boring.

Only familiar with I.G.Y., overall it's smooth and a nice listen, not necessarily doing amazing stuff but it's a nice suave listen for a rainy city stroll

Gechillt, sehr hochwertiger Sound

nothing wrong with it just didn’t do much for me

Doesn’t have the texture I look for in a Fagen project but still really good. Seems to be an homage to late night radio which is cool

Pretty good record. Still sounds like a Steely Dan record. I think I'd like to spend some more time with it.

Donald Fagen's 1982 debut solo album, "The Nightfly", is a concept album set in the late 1950s and early 1960s, a period of optimism and futuristic vision, with Fagen assuming the persona of a late-night DJ broadcasting from a fallout shelter. "The Nightfly" is certainly a well crafted and executed album, but there's nothing here that grabbed my interest, excited me or thrilled me beyond the concept itself. I found it too mellow, laid-back and low key for my taste, showing it's 'smooth' Jazz influences. All said, it was a tad dull. I rate this at 2 stars. Would I listen to this album again? No. Would I buy this album? No. Side one 1- "I.G.Y."- 3 2- "Green Flower Street"- 2 3- "Ruby Baby"- 2 4- "Maxine"- 2 Side two 1- "New Frontier"- 3 2- "The Nightfly"- 2 3- "The Goodbye Look"- 2 4- "Walk Between Raindrops"- 3 Total - 19 Average - 2.4 83/1001

Pouco interessante, um bocadinho sem cor. Não achei grande piada.

its good but it's so Smooth and Hip Jazz coded that there's no real memorability or hooks and is probably only really super enjoyable after 5 listens

not bad, not good, bland

I listened to it twice, back to back, and then went on to his next solo album. I knew two of the songs from growing up in the 80s but I'm not sure I'd thought about them since. This album is in my permanent list, now.

I'm so confused by this album. Production is good, some songs are pretty catchy. But I just can't muster up any feelings about it. 3/5

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

Enjoyed listening to the album. Interesting to learn that it is an early completely digitally recorded album.

Sophisticated, beautifully crafted, elegant and swinging

This is #day377 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I've seen this album cover before, and it always kind of resonated with me. Though smoke and vinyl should never go together. Otherwise, I liked the music: tight, funky late '70s-early '80s sound mixed with jazz pop/rock, or whatever you'd call it. I can't say the same about vocals/delivery/lyrics, though. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day378.

If Steely Dan continued into the ‘80’s, it would have probably sounded like this.

Cheesy 80s stuff.

Fine. Listening to this album is like trying to sleep on a full length mirror.

Eh, I recognize that there is talent here, but it’s just a little too polished, and honestly a bit boring. Eh.

You can definitely tell this album has one guy from Steely Dan in it and is missing the other guy.

Pretty hit or miss, some songs I liked a lot, others not so much. Solid 3/5.

love his vibe but this did not need to be on this list

Steely Dan by any other name is still Steely Dan.

2/5 - All songs felt long and samey. Nothing stood out. Same melody throughout.

First time hearing this album. His voice took me straight back to my teens when we were into Steely Dan. Love it!

It was fun and groovy

It was ok

Gostei do disco, principalmente da parte instrumental. Celest Phoenixcall.

Steely Dan was mid, but at least it was that. This sounds like a 1970s Rocker trying to be hip in the 1980s... because that's exactly what it is. It had two enjoyable songs(to some extent), but this was just...bleh. Favorite Track: "Ruby Baby".

its like how the coen bros movies are more interesting than any of the individual coen movies

Donald Fagen’s voice floats above a sumptuous blend of jazz, pop, and pristine digital production. Don’t know them but Larry Carlton on guitar, Jeff Porcaro on drums, not particularly standout instrumentals. For its time the sound is amazing though. Final Ranking: Lyrics: 6/10 Instrumentals: 5/10 Vocals: 6/10 Album Flow: 7/10 Originality: 5/10 Overall for a debut album it’s really standout. Matter of fact with such good sound production it’s one of the better debuts of the time. Overall okay not overly enjoyable

Easy on the ears. Good production. Gifted musicians. Anyway it don't really hooks me. Maybe too blend or quiet? favourite: "New Frontier" just because of the harmonica 2,5

sounded strangely like elton john, i need to know the songs to like it i think

I enjoy some vanilla but this is aggressive

This is just another Steely Dan Record.

This is a fantastic record. Incredibly well produced, many styles, very tongue in cheek here and there, earnest in others. I loved this album so much that my friends and I named our company after the track "New Frontier".

I have never heard of this guy. Nice, groovy album. Sort of Beach Boys meets the easy jazz lounge meets the cookout.

Came into this knowing nothing about Donald Fagen or Steely Dan except for some pop culture references relating to a steam powered dildo. Not exactly sure what I was expecting. I.G.Y is very boppy. Love the castrato chorus and the keening synth in the second half. Green Flower Street is like Stevie Wonder at the disco. Ruby Baby is a bit lame and definitely not as challenging as the previous track. New Frontier is better with more kind of retrofuturist lyrics about makeout sessions in a fallout shelter. The Nightfly is cool for somehow being able to turn radio jingles into a song. The Goodbye Look has a super-fun little digital vibraphone intro and then some beautiful chords. Apparently this was written as instrumentals and I reckon it might have been a little more credible if it had stayed that way. It all sounds very futuristic which is cool. The digital recording process doesn't take too much of an edge off the music. Not something I'd listen to again but kind of interesting.

Digital soft rock from the 80-s. Wellknown Sound.

The Steely Dan heads were eating with this one

This is technically a debut album, but it’s really a continuation of Steely Dan minus Walter Becker (sorry Walt). Apparently this album was an early example of digital recording, but that doesn’t affect my listening other than I noted that the sound quality is clear and crisp. The tracks are generally jazzy and upbeat.

Should I know who this is? His wiki is pretty long-- oh, he was in STEELY DAN. The Wilco of the 80s. More dentist office music. Maybe a little too peppy for a surgery, though. Better than Steely Dan, and I don't think I would have connected them on my own, but I still don't love it. The "International Geophysical Year" concept is pleasant to learn about, so kudos to this album for introducing me to that. I appreciate that this is an 8 track album. I bet people nowadays think that's what an "8-track" was (not me though! I looked it up long ago!). This is more of an I-didn't-dislike-it 3. A snoozer but not quite a loser. Highlight: 'The Goodbye Look' (if it were in Japanese, maybe it could be in a Persona soundtrack. Man, I'm really invested in video game music apparently!)

I didn’t realize the first song wasn’t Steely Dan, even after hearing it a zillion times over the years. I like Steely Dan, and this sounds a lot like another solid Steely Dan album to me. But I don’t need a lot of Steely Dan, and a little bit once in a while lasts me a long time. Like it, but don’t love it. A very stolid three stars.

I have a nagging feeling that this must be what Steely Dan sounds like to people who don’t like Steely Dan. It’s a bit too slick for its own good.

Not much of a Donald Fagen fan. This album only reinforces that premise.

"its boring and basic" I HAD FUN and I like this a lot. Of course I.G.Y just had me boogying but the rest were the same vibe. I had no complaints abt any songs. I just sadly do agree its a tiny basic and cant give a 5 for that.

A little too smooth jazzy for me.

Haven’t heard any steely Dan yet, so no idea how this compares in both quality and musically. This is quite good - parts definitely haven’t aged so well, this whole style arguable also hasn’t as well. Instrumentally it’s very detailed and well produced, which I guess is both good and bad, and from what I know about Steely Dan and them being perfectionists, I think that carries over to here. The synth stuff is ok. Favourite songs: I.G.Y, green flower street, new frontier, the nightfly. Overall around 6/10

This is nice. Nice and dull. I fiound that I can appreciate almost any one of Fagan's songs, but as the album went on, the groove became irritating.

Known best as the vocalist from Steely Dan, this first solo album shows an optimistic musicality, with a jazzy vibe.

I feel like im meant to like it but I really didnt.

So this is Yacht Rock? If so, I like it. I just can't figure out why I enjoyed this so much when I really didn't like the Steely Dan album that I got from the project a few months ago.

Not quite the same without Becker but it still has a lot of what makes Steely Dan great and that decadent late night vibe.

What a vanilla jazzy pop album - yuck! Or perhaps it’s because it came right after black sabbath? Lol

If you’d like a 80's pop jazzy version of The Beach Boys - then this album is for you! But sadly its not for me.

Jazz rock starting the 80s and career off with a bang.

Not as good as any Steely Dan album from '72 to '80. Which, I think, would mean all of them.

There are a couple of beauts, and I just rewatched the video for “New Frontier,” which is sublime. I can’t believe the assortment of music that I watched on MTV in those early days. But most of the album did not impress me.

Not a cohesive set. Song relationship did not flow.

Didn't realize why this sounded so familiar until I read the album description, honestly. Although it's interesting to learn about early digital recordings, this doesn't strike me as a successful experiment. It's weird, which I appreciate in general, but this particular weird doesn't feel like it goes well with mine 🤷

Truly lovely album, even if this is not your thing can't see how you cannot like it

This is my first time hearing of Donald Fagen, who was part of Steely Dan. Overall, I liked this album, but it definitely fits the yacht rock stereotype. That being said, if I ever found myself on a yacht and this was playing, I wouldn’t complain. I’m still getting more familiar with Steely Dan’s music, but this album seems to have some of the same characteristics, except it feels more lounge like and laid back, like something you’d put on while relaxing. I don’t know if Sophisti-Pop had fully developed as a genre when this came out, but the smooth jazz rock sound definitely reminds me of it.

I don't think that this is any better than any of my favourite Steely Dan albums, but it still has the funk and groove that I would expect from a Donald Fagen project, as well as super smooth and polished production.

Slapped, but honestly, I don't know if I would listen to it again...

This album is firmly of an era, and unfortunately it’s a horrible era. Terrible sounds, awful mix, boring yacht rock grooves.

Feel like I should like this more. Might be too much in the pop realm. Instrumentals were fantastic. But overall felt like something was missing.

Fine. Sounds like something my parents would listen to that doesn’t quite do it for me.

Bbbboooorrrriiinnngggg

Steely dan, but more boring and less fun.

Steely Dan solo not bad but nothing incredible

I like some Steely Dan but this was a bit 80s dad jazz rock. (40 known/87 new)

This was actually pretty good. It has the familiar Steely Dan sound: intelligent, modern, tight, soulful, groovy, jazz, pop. I could picture some of these songs sounding REALLY nice live. "New Frontiers" for example, which is my initial favorite. "Green Flower Street" would be another. Both songs have a nice groove, with percussion I'd love to see set free from the machine. I honestly thought this was going to be a 3/5 for me but the more I sit with it, the more deserving it feels... and sounds... so I'm edging it up to 4/5, and interested to hear more. (Some 1993 tracks the Algorithm sent my way sounded great.) Sit with it and see what you think!

Listening to this album is liking going through a museum for something you're not quite interested in. Everything that you see and learn is curiously intriguing, but you wonder at times whether it matters to you. I enjoy Fagen's lyrical playfulness and distinct vocals, but the real strength of the album is the music. It's way more jazz that rock and roll, which hurts it for me in the long run. Beyond the familiar singles, I am happy to return to good ol Steely Dan.

Lots of steely dan this week. Still not my thing.

Eu acho incrível como essas coisas "easy listening" e "soft rock" me ofendem profundamente. Acho que nada é mais doloroso do que algo seguro demais e por isso eu não tenha gostado desse disco nem tudo aquilo que já ouvi de Steely Dan. É tão preocupado em ser agradável que parece que não tem corpo.

Sucked! 2/5

Pleasant and well produced, Donald has a good ear for production

This still really feels like a Steely Dan album, despite being a solo work. I like this album, there are some fun hits here and no track is unpleasant to listen to. The album plays it a bit safe at times though, the divide between campy soft rock and Steely Dan is a bit thin.

Good beats ruined by shit lyrics

Solid. Enjoyable.

the most dad of rock to ever exist. side note i think i might have the music taste of a dad bc i fucking loved this

I can see why this won a Grammy. I can also see why I very much disliked it. Which made sense when I learnt Fagan was in Steely Dan. It sounded like Weird Al doing lounge rock if he wasn't funny. It wasn't therefore terrible to listen to but it was cringey as fuck. Maxine was really bad. Listen to Maxine, Witch Queen instead.

This guy is a successful, professional musician and this album is apparently autobiographical, so I am somewhat confused about how bloody boring this is. Has he not heard of sex, drugs and rock and roll? It started with some dismal 80s synth sounds, sequed into some dreary saxophone, it did have some nice harmony vocals bits, but lyricwise I got bored when he wouldn't shut up about someone called Ruby, and that was only song 3!

Close to perfection. And one of the best-produced albums in history.

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.

Heeft niet echt indruk gemaakt, maar was wel leuk om naar te luisteren

very jazzy, loving the synth, bro is just fucking around and i'm here for it.

Nice catchy melodies lacked depth but still a great listen

So dated and ridiculous. 1980s fluff.

Great album that fans of Steely Dan will love

Super pleasant, but if I wanted to hear Donald Fagen, there are seven Steely Dan albums I'd rather pick than this.

Funky Steely Dan. 4er for første halvdel, falt etterhvert. Litt ensformig.

Very straightforward and easy listen; reminded me of more developed muzak. Nice background music for being productive, but nothing going on thay requires a deeper engagement. Just feel-good lyrics with simple melodies. Top tracks: I.G.Y., New Frontier, The Nightfly

Really enjoyed this one! Excited for more steely dan

#624. It's Steely Dan without the steel. Aluminum Dan, if you will. 2/5: pontoon boat rock.

Sounds like Steely Dan, but with more elevator.

A very listenable album. Bit of a Sting dupe; mum would love.

Quite a long, synthy pop rock song to open the album with, but it wasn't super poppy, just a little poppy. Maxine had some great saxophone in it.

not a steely Dan album. But it might as well be. I was getting down to this one. I could listen to this all day.

Enjoyed this album a lot, felt like a steely dan album so not blowing me away for a new direction by Fagen

I was not expecting there to be something as bad as Steely Dan on this list, but this succeeded in being much worse.

Steely Danny for sure. Quite good of you like that sort if thing, and I don't mind. That's a three.

pretty decent album. definitely in the vein of steely dan, but I think i prefer fagen's output with steely dan over this. this album feels less traditional rock-y than his band's output. pretty jazzy, very "yacht rock." it's an interesting album, but it feels like it's lacking something to me. if it was an album by an unrelated artist, i maybe have less to compare it to, but as it stands, i can't help but compare it to steely dan, and this would be towards the bottom of steely dan's albums for me. that being said, i love a lot of steely dan, so despite all that, i still had a good time listening to this one.

There is never any excuse for dinner jazz. Never. The musical equivalent of beige. Pale beige, I mean. Not any of that vivid mid-beige stuff. Instantly forgettable. So desperately inoffensive that it offended me. Like Richard Cheese lost his sense of humour.

high 4, i would give it a five but i know he can do better

Pre-listening thoughts: one half of Steely Dan!!! I’ve heard mixed reviews about this so I’m a little nervous but I also don’t think any member of Steely Dan is capable of making bad music. Post/during listening thoughts: well I was right. This is smooth as butter and just fantastically made. Gawd damn I love yacht rock. It’s like a whole album of Steely Dan B sides which is better than most band’s A sides. 9/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: nah Fav tracks: no skips but IGY and New Frontier are BANGERS Least fav tracks: n/a

Nice and flowy

The album cover set a bar for coolness that the music couldn’t match. I’m not a yacht rock connoisseur, but that’s what I would call this if I just heard it. It’s decent background and didn’t make me actively angry, so I can’t downvote it too much. It’s just… fine.

Some interesting tunes, i liked the production and uniqueness of these songs. There weren’t any that particularly stood out to me, seemed like generic pop/rock, but it was enjoyable to listen to.

Yacht rock gets a bad rap in my view. This is expert musicianship, production and fun, all wrapped up with some interesting lyrics about fallout shelters, among other things.

Lyrics awkward. Overall not unpleasant

Technically, it's a brilliant album. I never was a Steely Dan fan, and I don't like Fagen's voice. Lyrics and vocalizations are... special, another thing that started to annoy me after several tracks.

That was like an elevator ride that would never end.

I think this record really showcases what an incredible musician Donald Fagen is. This was his first musical release without collaboration with Walter Becker, and I think it really proves how much of the magic of Steely Dan was from Fagen’s mind. There just isn’t a bad moment on this record, let alone a song that doesn’t blow me away entirely. The whole album is as groovy as it is precise. It’s jazzy, technical, sarcastic, and fun. There’s really no other artist that can match the magic of Steely Dan, but Donald Fagen’s solo work certainly does. I love this record, and I’ll continue to listen to it relatively regularly. IGY and Ruby Baby stand out as my favourite tracks on this one. 6*

If you like Steely Dan, you're gonna love this record, cuz it feels like a long-lost Dan record that should've come after Gaucho (sorry, Walter Becker, you probably wouldn't like that take). At least, it has the jazz fusion sounds and incredibly tight production that you'd expect from a Steely Dan album, but 'The Nightfly' has some very distinguishing elements as well: it is nostalgic and hopeful and warm in a way that Steely Dan rarely was, instead veering towards cynical and sardonic. On its face, the opening track "I.G.Y." is the most hopeful track on the album by a long shot. It is named for and clearly inspired by the "International Geophysical Year", a collaborative project among scientists around the world running from 1957-1958 designed to see exactly how much we could improve the human experience through modern science. In the song are references to promises that never came to fruition--90 minutes from New York to Paris, the wheel in space, more leisure for artists everywhere--as well as things that have been realized, but hardly delivered on what we were sold. Most presciently, far more true now than at the release of the song, is "a just machine to make big decisions, programmed by fellows with 'compassion' and 'vision'". The song sounds so cheery and optimistic it fills you with a palpable sense of yearning for this vision of a future that clearly never will be, and I get the impression that the painful irony of that misguided optimism is the real "point" of the song. This irony and misguided optimist sentiment comes back in the form of "Cold War bedamned, we'll party in the bunkers if we have to" on "New Frontier". It's a strange sort of optimism, but it's optimism all the same, and it's an absolute banger. The rest of the album feels very nostalgic--the doo-wop of "Ruby Baby" and the bossa nova of "The Goodbye Look" harkens back to ~20 years prior to the album's release, and the rest of the album evokes a tale of a night shift radio DJ broadcasting jazzy lonely grooves out into the ether and reminiscing on high school sweethearts and lost loves along the way. This album is an incredible accomplishment. It feels like there are so many stories wrapped up within just 39 minutes of runtime, and it goes without saying that the music and production is second to none. True excellence.

Bland lyrics, bland music, bland voice. No redeeming features.

I had high hopes for The Nightfly. The title track has always been a favourite. The rest of the album is patchy. The production is slick, but the songs can't quite keep up. Another advert for bad drugs.

This album makes me feel physically ill and angry at the same time. It’s the musical equivalent of taking a fish to a cheese grater. There’s something inherently wrong here. I can’t put my finger on it exactly but this extra soft poop that passes for music is one of the least favorite things I’ve heard so far on this list. Music is about life, soul, passion, heartache, defeat, victory, bliss, blues, depression. This isn’t any of that. It’s music for cat videos and old folks homes. It’s like the most blandest vanilla ice cream you’ve ever tasted, and it’s so bland that it’s offensive on how inoffensive it was trying to be.

Enjoyed this, I like Fagen's vocals in Steely Dan and he sounds good here too, the self-harmonies are nice. Also interesting to read about the production, it's an early example of digital-only recording and sounds pretty great, I'd say. Maybe a bit overly clean and polished if anything, but I'm not massively into lo-fi so I quite like this. I tend to listen with headphones and it sounds good in those. Nice jazzy elements and quite catchy songs, this is quality

A little boring. The song “ruby baby” felt like a 20min song. Not my favorite album

Too smooth. Not for me

I've been around some Steely Dan more than I care to be. Didn't know Fagen had some solo work but it sounds exactly the same. You would think having your own chance to make something you would do something a bit different but most of the songs all sound relatively the same.

Jazzy sound of that particular era, probably fueled a thousand early 80s dinner parties where people schmoozed, did cocaine, shared partners, and laughed about new fangled things like how do they set the clock on the VCR?

i was lightly listening to the first few song and enjoying myself but finding it all rather familiar. so i stopped putting my clothes away and listened closer finally realizing i thought the vocals sounded super similar to Steely Dan. and as it turns out this guy is a founding member and i assume lead vocalist for Steely Dan! i honesty think i liked this album more than some of the SD stuff ive listened to from this list, felt mainly slightly LESS polished? pretty good overall

Nice upbeat and catchy album! Reminded me a bit of Billy Joel Somehow knew 2 of these songs although the name doesn't ring a bell. Pleasant surprise! 4 ⭐️

No thanks!

A just machine to make big decisions Programmed by fellas with compassion and vision We'll be clean when their work is done We'll be eternally free, yes, and eternally young I love the cheesy early digital sound and the lyrics, it's like an East Coast Pet Sounds in how it looks back at teenage delusions. I gave Pretzel Logic a 4 a while ago, I'd give it a 5 now as I've become more Danpilled since then.

2 - Just did nothing for me

This is a very Dan album. We probably don’t need it. But I quite like it. Fave Tracks: Ruby Baby, The Nightfly 3.4/5

This album started with so much potential, but then it fell into these silly sounds with cheesy vibraphone and synth lines that completely ruined the mood. If Fagen had just leaned into the more minor melodies and darker feel it would have been amazing. But, he didn't, and then he succumbed to lyrics that basically amounted an Ivy League bro chasing rich girls. So much wasted potential...

This album was OK. I didn't particularly like any song, but the sound didn't bother me. It has hints of smooth jazz / funk.

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.

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.

Not a bad album but a little too early 80s for me. I’m a fan of jazz rock, but just a little too 80s.

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

Very Steely Dan-ish. Liked New Frontier but honestly they all sounded soooo similar to each other….

Another perfectly all-right background-listening one.

I didn't recognize the name Donald Fagan but as soon as I heard the first song I knew this was the guy from Steely Dan. I like Steely Dan and I liked this record. A slightly more funky sound but almost just another Steely Dan record. Not a lot to set it apart. But that is not an awful thing, Steely Dan is good.

The Steely Dan style is certainly evident in the beginning of the album for the first 2/3 tracks. However, Donald then shifts the energy and vibes of the music elsewhere to try make it his own which personally I meshed with less. Otherwise still a good album with not too many songs you'd be encouraged to skip but not quite hitting the consistency of Steely Dan so a 3/5.

The relatively low-key but long-lived popularity of The Nightfly led Robert J. Toth of The Wall Street Journal in 2008 to dub the album "one of pop music's sneakiest masterpieces." - Wiki Masterpiece? Robert J. Toth has a favourite colour and it is beige. There is nothing technically wrong here but this is soulless music and will be the first 1 I hand out. 1/5.

Favorite song: I.G.Y. Overall score: 8,1/10

pretty okay. super relaxing but nothing special. the instrumentation is where this album shines. very jazzy. you can see how this may have influenced the development of yacht rock as a genre for sure. the one standout on this album is “maxine”. that was PEAK. everything else was meh. my dad probably would have liked this more than i did. 3/5.