The Nightfly

Well…. I really tried on this one. There’s only a few songs on the album and I literally listened to it 3 times today. I’ll try and give it another listen tomorrow but I just can’t seem to gel with this album. I know this is good music but I can't see me heading back to this album in a hurry.

Standards para audição única.

tämä on aight

So. Very. 80's. The fact that this came out in 82 and is so full of the sounds that defined the decade suggests a sense of prescience. The saxophone alone locks this record in time. The jazzy vocals and drums, aligned with the pop rock rhythms scream "easy listening" and "background music" in 2021. Nothing here really feels especially interesting in a modern context. I.G.Y. may be the only song that has had a broader appeal in a way that I've heard it out in the wild. However, the sound has become cliche enough for the decade that I don't know that this is a record of extreme importance. The Nightfly is where it feels like this album actually opens up. The rest of the songs are soft, subtle, and easy to hear. While The Nightly is certainly all that as well, it takes a rounder dimension and seems to fill out a bit more.

On first listen - music to be heard in elevators and whilst on hold. After listening again I am beginning to see the appeal. Still, it's too smooth and overproduced for me.

Of its time

3.8 not bad but also not quite there yet

Oh, el bass line, qué maravilla.

Had some hits and misses, decent album for the most part with some songs rating higher than others.

War bestimmt in den 80er Jahren wahnsinnig cool. Musikalische Ansätze Vorhanden

The Nightfly is lush and shimmering, produced with cinematic flair by Gary Katz; romanticized but never sentimental, the songs are slices of suburbanite soap opera, tales of space-age hopes (the hit "I.G.Y.") and Cold War fears (the wonderful "The New Frontier," a memoir of fallout-shelter love) crafted with impeccable style and sophistication.

Me sonó un poco cñores románticos. Ok el sax

It's hard not to compare this to Steely Dan which isn't fair. Good luck if your first LP has to look good compared to Aja. For the first solo album to really be a home run it should validate why you needed to leave. The music fan should see something really different in the sound (like Sting's first solo album added many instruments and a completely different sound) or should understand that you wanted to write songs that would have been out of the old band's capabilities / comfort zone (I can't imagine Roger Daltrey singing songs about Ecclesiastes in Empty Glass or I am an Animal). This album sounds like SD w/o Becker. To be sure, it's quite good but imo Fagen missed an opportunity to tap his potential in a ground breaking way - like he did with SD when they fused jazz and R&R . (Perhaps he did this lyrically and I missed it.) I'm stuck comparing this to Aja.

Silky smooth and easy on the ear (eye) if a bit saccharine and meh at times. Kai Havertz.

Vähän rennompaa menoa vaihteeksi. Ei ehkä ihan lounge musaa, mutta jotain siihen suuntaan. Ruby Baby jäi mieleen. Ihan okei, mutta ei aiheuttanut suurempia riemunkiljahduksia.

Måtte google Donald Fagen. Ikke rart siden jeg ikke akkurat er noen Steely Dan-fan heller. Skikkelige 80 tallsvibes. Kan jo være artig det, men ble litt slitsomt i lengden.

Bon jazz pop. On reconnait steely dan 3*

some great sounds by Donal Fagen here. jazz vibes and interesting lyrics. 3.4/5 for me

This was pretty cool actually

its alright

bem anos 80 the police tendo um filho com phil collins

Kind of jazzy 80's music

La música de este disco está agradable: rock-pop de los 80's con toques de Jazz, lo cual es notable en algunas canciones más que en otras. No soy particularmente fan del rock-pop de los 80's, y tampoco del jazz, pero lo volvería a escuchar sin problema y guardé la canción de "Green Flower Street", por eso es que dejo la calificación en tres. Dejando de lado la parte musical, la historia este disco me pareció muy interesante. Para aquellos que no hayan leído la historia, este fue de los primeros discos en tener un master 100% digital, utilizando algo llamado '1978 3M digital audio mastering system', es decir, una grabadora multitrack digital del tamaño de un congelador. Si hay algo por lo que este disco merezca ser recordado, sin duda es eso.

Good old Donald Fagen. Some good stuff here, sounds a lot like Steely Dan of course

Real smooth, solid listen

This was a pleasant listen. Not what I expected but I still enjoyed it - 3.5

Mweh

flaccid

My God I hated this at the start. It started to grow on me after a few tracks but it’s not one I’ll rush to revisit. Top Track - The Goodbye Look

Album 100, and I'm treated to B grade Steely Dan leftovers (and sadly it's the best thing the generators fed me today). I have heard this album probably dozens of times, but it's been a while, so I'll give it one more fair spin. The title track takes a chorus that feels like a station tag from an old radio station: “WJAZ, with jazz and conversation from the foot of Mt. Belzoni”. To some degree this is a framework in which the whole album fits. In others it's a framework in which Donald Fagen's entire oeuvre fits. There may not be a better way to explain Steely Dan, and especially this album, than that it sounds like the station tag for some independent smooth jazz radio from the 80s. How you feel about an entire album or catalog of songs that sound like the interstitials where you learn the call letters of your local station is obviously gonna be your feeling about Fagen's output. Donny has never felt smarmier to me than on the Nightfly. You can almost smell the ashtrays and the hair oil. If you didn't know this is technically what all of his work sounds like, you'd be tempted to think it was a parody. What the title track does for radio, IGY does for sitcom intros. It's the sort of music that makes people think they hate jazz, and without Becker there to tear a proper solo here and there, that smooth banality is something the tracks really lean into. The slickness is almost all there is. Empty though that leaves the songs, it is simply too composed to be rated too poorly. It continues to leave me cold, but there's no blatant misstep, except for not liking Fagen's songwriting, his vibe, his everything. So do I rate from an unbiased place, or do I give this a 2 and move on? I think it gets the 2*. I can be more generous with the more nimble and diversified Steely Dan stuff, but this just feels like citypop without the charm and then the sludgy sleepy chord changes of Maxine. The least generous I'm apt to be is with albums that don't deserve their place here.

I’ve never really liked Steely Dan, but some of it’s not bad. This however is. It’s cheesy easy-listening jazz hands stuff. Fagen’s vocals aren’t bad. But I just think this annoying as hell. Sorry.

Yawn rock.

This cover art is so cool. This album is anything but…it’s Yacht rock at its worst.

A bit more Jazz than Steely Dan. Pleasant enough but a bit meh.

Couldn't get into this. It was soft, but felt like elevator music to me.

I could never get into Steely Dan, regardless of talent. Looks like the same goes for part of Steely Dan. I think I just really don’t like yacht rock.

Man wow not that good. I don't really understand how this could have made it on the list. I tried to have my partner end the album early and she was like 'it's only 8 songs' and for me, that is 8 songs too many.

It reminds me of the music I would skip when I was a rebelling teenager. But I’m a responsible man in the middle of my fourties now, so it’s kind of nice to listen to. Buuuut I am not able to listen throughout without the need to listen to something with an edge. This really does not have any edges

I tried. I'm not sure why I tried so hard, but I just don't get it.

This album is so corny. Disco and Funk influence mixed with 80's jazz is not my thing.

Listening too easy. Far too easy. Not what I want when I want energy. Not what I want when I want mellow.

A solid 3 I guess. Some Songs I knew so that helped. Not really my thing but wouldn't walk out of a restaurant if this was what was playing!!

Tried to get into this but ultimately found it boring. Just not my thing. Didn’t hate it though. 2/5

Rough listen for me. So goddamn boring. Like Steely Dan without the hooks and great instrumentals that make the Dan good. Just hits me as soulless and too smooth. Music for comatose suburbanites.

I forgot to wrote a review and when I came back to write it I forgot what the album sounded like.

Musically this lacks diversity.

Sometimes when an artist goes solo, it’s to pursue a sound different from what they were doing with their band. Such is the case with the likes of John Lennon and Peter Gabriel, for example. Then there’s this guy. More Steely Dan. Maybe his bandmates were tired of his direction?

It was ok. Nothing bad, but nothing that really interested me Standout song New Frontier

"What if we did Steely Dan without anything that makes Steely Dan good" - Donald Fagen probably. Fagen commits the cardinal sin of many bad albums on this list, he is incredibly boring. Getting through this album was a slog, which is extra surprising considering its 39 minute runtime. 2/5

Flauwe koffie op een nuchtere maag.

1,6/5

So smooth nothing stuck to the brain

Pound shop Stevie Wonder.

2 stars Competent lounge music I’d never listen to on my own.

Didn't get it, kinda boring.

Rating: 3/10 Feels inoffensive and also mildly insufferable at the same time to me. Technically well made but I will never remember I listened to this

Best Song: Ruby Baby "You know what is missing in this world, 1980s smooth jazz and pop music," said no one ever. This is over produced and obnoxious. I only gave it a 2/5 because it isn't musically bad, just the concept and production are terrible. 2/5.

Ah, I thought it sounded familiar but didn’t realise Don was part of Steely Dan until I read his bio. Not terrible for its time but not going to be added to my regular rotation

Прослушал и забыл. Это было похоже на рок?

It's over produced and bland throughout. It sounds pleasant enough, but there's nothing which really speaks to me on any level. The last track did actually annoy me though, on a fundamental level.

Bland

Dynamic 80s American pop that appeals primarily to psychopaths I think. The bouncy inoffensive sound just feels a bit fake and sinister. Really wants to be known as jazz pop but there aren't any interesting ideas here. Does sound like the sort of thing the guy from Steely Dan would think is a bold solo record.

This is fine I suppose, plods along, nothing outright bad about it, just really not very exciting. Shan't remember it. 2.5

Boring. People who like this probably think mayo is spicy.

Not for me.

I respect donald fagan but I cannot stand this hyperglossy and overproduced type of 70s and 80s whatever it is. Ive already had 3 other steely dan records. Whats the point of this. We get it.

I think I just gave this album the Goodbye Look!

Tylsää, mutta harmittoman kevyttä hissimusiikkia. Ei tämä varsinaisesti huono ollut, mutta en minä saanut tästä yhtään mitään irti.

I am not quite as scruffy as I used to be, but this sound is still too squeaky clean for me

Another questionable 80s album that sounds like the flurry of 80s albums

Also very generic 80s sounding.

Man I really hated this album. It had brief moments where I didn't absolutely hate it, but man, they were few and far between.

..

Not for me.

There are some nice melodies on the album, but because of the dominant 80s sound, the music doesn't really grab me. I'd much rather listen to the old Steely Dan albums.

Meh. This Jazz-pop album from 50% of the brains behind Steely Dan sounds just as I’d expect. In a vacuum, it could pass for Dan because of Fagen’s distinctive vocals (sound, phrasing, and writing) and overall musical tone - but it’s all around just not quite as good. The highs aren’t as stunning (though there are some good melodies and musical moments), and the rest just kinda fades into the background.

Not bad, but kinda grating

Kinda torn with this album. I like jazz a lot, but The Nightfly is kinda missing like… some sauce. Some parts really hit. Most of it is just kinda.. milk toast. *Coming back to this review as I make my rating in the evening* I've learned that this is genre is called Yacht Rock. It feels like it's missing something. I'm not into it.

I like Steely Dan, and I also like some of his solo stuff. This, however, seemed to be the same song on repeat.

I had not listen to his solo career and I must admin the album sounds very good but despite that, I would rather have most of Steely Dan's discography before this. 7/10 [DROP]

This was painful

Boring soft rock that can be played in the background at a store or restaurant but not actually enjoyed.

Back in 1915, Malevich painted something called Black Square. Which is a highly respected piece of art that had deep meaning, but visually was literally just a black square. This is so polished and intending to have meaning, but it is as musically interesting to look at as Black Square. Which I suppose is high cultural praise, but still is bland to observe.

Soft rock, gross

Dated. And too much “talking” singing. Not for me

You can't fool me! This is just more Steely Dan!!

Begins and I thought it’s got a nice smooth sound. By the end the absence of sharp edges meant I barely noticed it was on. I guess it has succeeded on its own terms.

Not bad, but boring and forgettable

Stereo flop

I liked this, enjoyable jazzy pop vibes. Just somewhat forgettable? Wont necessarily listen more than twice

Immaculate, dead inside

This is Wii Sports music. Favorite track was The Nightfly. I almost like it but it’s just short.

This guy's name is offensive, it should be censored! In all seriousness, this album is so sterile you could bring it into a heart surgery. Dull.

Debut solo album. Rock / Pop. Whilst there isn't really much wrong with this album in many ways it's still as middle of the road and safe as can be. There's no edge and not much depth with some pretty standard tropes and themes.

Pretty bland overall. I enjoyed the opening track but the rest seemed to all blend into one big ball of 'meh'.

Easy listening instantly forgettable 80s-by-numbers. A bit of brass, smooth vocals, falsetto harmony backing vocals, some oohs, some ahs, plinky keyboard, funky bass lines, cheesy lyrics. Winebar muzak. Manhattan Transfer but even less interesting.

2/5 for sounding like it came from the early 80s, because it does. I really don't enjoy stuff like this.

For some reason I had assumed from the cover that this was like Donald Fagen going post-punk or something? Unfortunately, it's literally just more Steely Dan, and that's not something I really need in my life.

This is not a top anything it was just another album on its era. Nothing really pops out sounds like all the groups from those years.

Boring lowk but the album cover got aura

Ihan ok. En tainnut kyllä huomata kun levy loppui ja satunnaissoitto meni päälle. 2,25/5.

Kinda meh

This was pretty soulless lounge swing music. Not awful but did absolutely nothing for me.

Another agreeable enough listen, but one that leaves next to no lasting impression. A slightly jazzy soft rock type of album, there were occasional bouts of instrumentation that did pique my interest, owing to the crystal clear production allowing them to pop. Otherwise, I'm struggling to note down much else.

Never heard of the guy , soft non descriptive pop to me and leaves me a little cold unfortunately,

It's alright. Nothing groundbreaking, standard yacht rock. I didn't hate it.

Fagan on his solo career here ain't bad but The Nightfly is lacking something...probably Walter Becker. "New Frontier" is top track although a little long. "I.G.Y." is pretty good too. Not sure the song holds up though with the current world status and future outlook. I'll stick to the Steely Dan years...2.17 stars.

Way too smooth. This is background music in a shopping mall.

Boring

Started strong with I.G.Y and then turned into elevator music Fav song: I.G.Y

This was pretty bad I think. Excellently performed, mixed, and mastered, but it's really just Steely Dan without any of the really impressive instrumental bits and songwriting. I think maybe the most "innovative" part of it is the chord progression in "New Frontier", but even that is fundamentally simple, just gussied up with suspended chords and a couple of off beat jumps. It'd be sort of embarrassing being caught listening to this because it's fundamentally really cheesy stuff. I'm too young (wow!) to have been around when this was pop music and it all sounds like an 80s cocaine binge before that was really out in the open. Like some wall street criminals just hitting their first big score and partying on the yacht one of them just bought.

Never heard any of these songs before. Pretty corny sounding style of yacht rock/jazz rock but interesting lyrics and subjects. It was fine background music and catchy at times, not hard to listen to but easy to tune out of, for me. Nothing made it onto the playlist and I wouldn’t revisit it.

Just tremendously boring. It's tightly played and well-produced, but that's like saying someone expertly cooked plain chicken and rice with no seasoning. I wouldn't think to turn it off in the background, but if I wanted to actually listen to music, I would never leave it on.

Technically it sounds good I just didn’t vibe with it as much as I thought I would after the first song

Audio nerds will tell you it's amazing

This is the kind of music for people who want others to think they like music, but really they don't.

I could see myself liking this album one day. It has a fun groove to it, but as of listening to it today it isn’t an album I see myself intentionally putting back on to listen to. The track Nightfly is a pretty fun song that is emblematic of the album as a whole.

Surely, there’s got to be better music out there? It just exists, nothing sticks out in any way

dude come on

2 cheesy 4 me

This brings me no joy

Why is it I always think of Oliver Twist when I hear this name? Can’t get ‘Gotta pick a pocket or two’ out of my head now thanks to this selection. Thing is I prefer that than most of what’s served up on this album. 2/5 20/11/25

This sounds like a Sting impersonator singing b side Huey Lewis and the News songs. With this, I just can’t. What is this? Why is it here with the likes of Dark Side of the Moon and the White Album? I’m glad it’s only 8 songs. What’s not a glad moment is moving onto the next song before the previous one is over. It’s that bad. Like, ok, as an album separate from great albums it’s not horribly produced. It’s musically inclined. The vocals are just ok The lyrics are weak but probably suitable for an 80’s album. You could have sex to this music as long as the lady you are talking it doesn’t pay much attention to it. If she does, that’s on you Mr. Boring Pants.

[rupaul voice] WHO CARES???

Damn that kinda sucked. Just shmaltzy and stupid sounding.

Man I realized I was barely four songs in and i needed another 4 to go. I guess this isn’t for me because man it felt like a chore and a drag getting through 4 songs

I used to like this. I used to like Steely Dan, too. Now, not so much. With Steely it may be over exposure on all the radio stations. This one just didn't age well.

Starting from song #1: oh, that’s where half those songs came from when I was working at Rite Aid!

Not really my thing. How did this get on the list? Pretty forgettable.

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

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?

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

Naja

Would enjoy more on a summers day!

Noodling along

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

meh...

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Soooooooft

"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.

Good yacht rock music

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

Boring

Elevator music in its purest form.

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

Alternative

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.

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.

Meh

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

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.

not bad, not good, bland

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

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

No edge

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".

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

A little too smooth jazzy for me.

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.

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.

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 🤷

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

Bbbboooorrrriiinnngggg

Steely dan, but more boring and less fun.

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

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

Sucked! 2/5

Good beats ruined by shit lyrics

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!

#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.

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.

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.

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

Meh

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?

No thanks!

2 - Just did nothing for me

Very boring but not actively bad. At least it was short ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Makes me wish I was listening to Steely Dan.

First impression: bit of a joe Walsh vibe Second thought: definitely a j geils band typa thing going on Third thought: wait this sounds like steely dan. I think this is steely dan guy. And it was steely dan guy

This feels like a watered-down, overly polished version of Steely Dan — all the slick production, none of the edge. If you’re a Steely Dan fan and thought, “What if this sounded cheesier and less interesting?” — well, this is the album for you. The whole thing is soaked in that unmistakable early ’80s gloss: synthetic drums, clean-as-a-whistle horns, and a general vibe that sounds like the background music in a corporate training video. The musicianship is solid — it is Donald Fagen, after all — but the soul just isn't there. That said, the title track is legitimately great. It's the one moment where the smooth production actually works in the album's favor — nostalgic, well-written, and atmospheric in all the right ways. But aside from that, most of the album blurs together in a sea of sterile grooves and elevator-funk. If you're here for Steely Dan’s sharp wit and gritty cool, The Nightfly will leave you wanting. Two stars for effort and one standout track

Started off liking this album, but the longer it went on, the more often I checked the time. The songs are too long, which is impressive on a 38min album, made it feel twice as long.

Music for the waiting room between purgatory and hell. Boring, smooth, dumb lyrics…it’s got it all! Technically competent, like all of this man’s output.

Did not like, instrumental wasgood but the lyrics were nott

From the opening keyboard riff of leadoff track “I.G.Y.” I immediately thought of marshmallows — soft, white, squishy, uniformly without blemish and ultraprocessed as hell. Totally not my thing but I recognize its qualities. Not surprisingly it has been sampled extensively.

I like this even less than Steely Dan. I didn't know that was possible.

thank god, i had just been thinking that the 4 steely dan albums on the list weren't enough representation for Donald fagen, but luckily they made sure to include this inoffensive and bland masterpiece. I'm sure the introduction to fagen's solo work is a big day for any steely dan fan, who can then amaze and astound all of their yawning friends with the bombshell that they aren't actually hearing "The Dan" but rather donald fagen all on his lonesome, with all of the verve and charisma that we've all come to expect from an expert steely dan fan

The Nightfly sounds a bit (A LOT in places!) like an ultra-slick jazzier version of Steely Dan minus one member not to imply it's anywhere as good as any of Steeley Dan's 9 studio albums but it very much has that vibe. Nothing really grabbed me about the album (the electric piano playing is a highlight) but nothing made want to stop listening (even if I hate smooth jazz shit) in fact at times it seemed to just become one with the background, faceless & just always there. It's an exceptionally well recorded album too bad the material is as MOR as it gets. Painfully inoffensive, bachelor pad/party music for yuppies circa early 1980s. Listen to it or don't you decide- I don't care -neither decision will have much impact on anything. Who wants a line? _______________________________________ Don't like my grade? Fair enough. You grade it. 5/5 If you subscribed to The Wall Street Journal in 1983 and "The Dan" was your favorite band in college. 4/5 If you're from Passaic, New Jersey. 3/5 Only because it's so annoyingly well recorded. 2/5 If really well recorded records don't mean all that much too you. 1/5 If you were really hoping to get a Pantera album but the generator has a warped sense of humor.

Well made. Great attention to detail. Perfection is boring. In one ear and out the other. Steely Dan already has 4 albums on the list, which is already too much. This doesn't need to be there as well. Same issue I have as with Steely Dan is, I don't understand the purpose of this music. On what occasion would you want to play this? I can't think of any. Favorite song: new frontier.

Surprised how yacht rock this is. Professionalism, check. Skills, check. Mix, check. Boring, check. Nuclear armageddon and he just wants to bang a chick he's eyeing? Please.

Still a little too Steely Dan for me, but it's aight.

2 stars. I thought I'd like it more considering the guy is part of Steely Dan.

It is fine, but not really my thing.

Ruby doesn’t like you Don, just let it go man. I’m not convinced, Maxine likes you either, she’s not holding out til grad, she’s just doesn’t want you bc you make weird Muzak. Green Flower Street was good everything else gear was a tough listen. 2 stars

2.5/5

I really like the music. You can hear that the musicianship and production in every song. The problem is the lyrics. It's just a lot of yuppie melancholy and that's not for me. I'd love to have a version that had no lyrics as is this is not for me. 1.75/5.

Polished, overproduced pop jazz. Meh. Not really noteworthy at all.

Não gostei muito não, me deu vontade de escutar Steely Dan e não Donald Fagen. Não tenho nem faixas para destacar por que é um album bem sem graça, na grande parte da minha escuta eu prefiria 1000 vezes que tivesse somente o instrumental sem o vocal, a banda tem seu talento mas é ofuscado pelo cara que tem a voz que não acompanha a melodia, deixando esse blues esquisito e bem cafona (deixar o blues mais cafona ainda parabéns zé). Recomendo para ninguém que tenha paciencia ou o minimo de respeito ao seus ouvidos, é foda como um album desses pode ser colocado tão alto assim pelos criticos, americanos no caso, onde o jazz concerteza tem mais espaço do que um samba. Passarei longe de quaisquer outro album solo do meu mano Fagen, que fique somente no Steely Dan e nunca mais invente de fazer outro album murcho como esse.

Very eh

As another reviewer so succinctly wrote: "It's music." I concur and rate it the same as that reviewer did.

Ok

Didn't leave much of an impression

Bland

High 2 but a creepy hybrid of Manilow, Hall & Oates, and ELO doesn't come off for me despite decent moments

Feels very 80s, vaguely familiar, and yet not that special.

A couple songs stand out but reissued bland steely dan record.

Elevator music

Today I found out I've gone my whole life thinking Steeleye Span and Steely Dan were the same band. This album is by Donald Fagan, who was highly connected with the latter and perhaps has never even heard of the former. This album is full of beautifully produced songs. But they are also kind of vapid and bland. I don't feel Ruby Baby is truly about a wonderful woman; this version is about saxophones, piano fills and studio tweaking. This is in huge contrast to the Drifters' original, which is full of charm and really feels like a friend telling you about their exciting new catch. This trend continues with Maxine (yes I get it, you can play the piano and sing in harmony). New Frontier skirts dangerously close to muzak. And that's kind of what this is: generic background listening for a fairly bland hotel bar. Fine.

Just seems so cheesy....!

Not a fan unfortunately it does nothing for me.

I don't mind me a bit of yacht rock but this got pretty sleepy

Cheesemonger.

fagen tedious

Well-produced jazz-pop. Impressive variety of instrumentation. The less structured bits are delightful but some tracks wear out their welcome with bland lyrical repetition. It was difficult to really connect emotionally though because of the lack of emotional in the vocals, and the mixing didn’t do any favors here either…was straining at times to discern lyrics. Listened to: on bus to Providence. Favorite track: New Frontier

of mikið easy-listening fyrir minn smekk. ábyggilega voða vel spilað og tekið upp en hálfdautt eitthvað.

Now that your kids are all grown up and off at university, it's just you and the wife at home. Things are comfortable, but dare you admit... uninspired? You're so entwined as a couple that you feel like you've lost some of your own personality. A little bit of your own spark. Time to challenge that! The wife has just taken up a new pilates class, so here's your chance to stay home and have some proper 'me' time. Pull on that sensible cardigan, break out the comfy slippers, and treat yourself to some alone time with Donald Fagen. Cup of tea to match, or pint of bitter if you're feeling a bit saucy. Go on, nod along and let that foot tap in time, be a bit extravagant. You still have a fire burning deep within you.

It doesn't feel like it's a record that stands for anything, just pleasantries that appeal to the most general audience possible.

Dry jazzy strong sounds and interesting album

New music frontier I did not need to experience

p494. 1982. 2 stars. No denying he can knock out a decent tune, and lyrically he's sharp, and technically it's flawless - but it's also soulless, and veers into hipster bar background noise far too often.

Pretty forgettable. Steely Dan is always hit or miss for me. There are some cool arrangements here and there and couple songs are almost good, but some of these songs are just bad songs. Also the synths are really bad 80s cheesy synths.

Perfect for the background Wasn't an actively unpleasant experience Don't want to listen to again

It’s all white, I guess

Move along nothing to see here just a steely Dan album under a different name

Classic Friday album: I've completely forgotten it by the time I come to review it on Monday. I don't think it was much of an anything. Weird harmonies: I bet Jacob Collier likes this album!

The kind of background music you'd have on whilst cooking a casserole. It's fine but dated, just like my Le Creuset.

This was sort of jazzy, which usually endears me to an album, but for some reason it ended up rubbing me the wrong way. Simultaneously boring and a little annoying. Maybe just not the right day for it. 2-3

This album is the most boring thing bro.

This was my first time hearing this. Based on the lovely cover I was expecting something completely different. The first track was great but the rest of it disappoints. Of course, the music is tight and production is close to perfection (which also makes it kinda boring). But I just can’t stand the vocals. This cabaret, Elvis Costello like style annoys me to no end. 2/5

I’m a big steely Dan fan but this bored meeee

Some funky af moments in this for sure, but it seemed to become increasingly unbearable as the album progressed. The title track was the worst by some way.

This is so beige I forgot I was listening to it. How is this in any sort of 'top' list? If you took all the albums ever released and sorted them by any criteria you can possibly think of, this album will miraculously always be exactly in the middle.

Average at best

UGH. I will start by saying I LOVE LOVE LOVE New Frontier and like IGY alright. The rest of this half assed Steely Dan nonsense is terrible.

Rubbish

Over many years, the appeal of Fagen's vocal style faded for me although at one time I was a solid fan of his work with Steely Dan. On balance, I see the appeal of this album and how it fit in so nicely with the era when it was made, but I generally find the jazzy little riffs to be a little to clever, and the vocals with just a little too much easy cheese.

Steely Don? With no Walter to be heard, I actually don’t know what that does to Steely Dan’s signature sound. Donald Fagan sounds pretty similar I guess - horn-heavy jazz pop all too ubiquitous in the early 80s.

why

Somewhat uncharitably, I assumed this might be about half as good as a Steely Dan record. Turns out that assessment might be about right. On a good day 😬

Listen, I like Steely Dan, but there’s no need to push your luck. This is fine, but doesn’t need to be on the list.

An alright album.

Mids yacht rock, kinda boring

Fan fav from days if youth

Boring, cheesy, yacht rock. This album is only 38 minutes long, but it makes that time feel like 5 hours. The fact that people will give this 4 or 5 stars but then dump on Kollaps is proof there is no justice in this universe.

Not really my type of music

Немного безликий музон с претензией и хорошим вокалом. Лучшая песня - I.G.Y..

If you like Steely Dan, then you will like this. I don’t really like Steely Dan

I found this really boring and bland.

yacht rock is like irish folk - best handled 30 minutes at a time

Voice was good, sound was good. Just no clear cut really great song on here.

There is a time and place where only this vibe will do. But it is not now.

I keep turning it up and it keeps getting quieter.

Very generic. It sounded like any movie intro/outro.

“We have steely Dan at home” Something about a turtle neck tucked into light wash jeans at a coffee shop in New York City during autumn

I don't understand how someone writes songs like this with such seemingly random melodies. His music is all vibe/no songs imo.

There's some Steely Dan I dig, but none of it sounds like this. How something can be so competently and articulately arranged and still so insipid is beyond me. I just don't get this type of music, and Fagen is one of the least convincing vocalists I've ever heard. 2/5

Don't you just love it when a member of a well-known band strikes out on their own to stretch their creative wings, free of the constraints imposed by former partners and able to flourish as a solo Artist on an entirely new musical path? Neither does Donald Fagen. It's a Steely Dan record without Walter Becker or cocaine.

Office music

I like Steely Dan a lot, and I'm into the whole vibe of this record. But it's a bit too schmoozy in places. Don't get me wrong, it sounds great on a car stereo at night, and the production is fantastic. I see why it's on the list for sure, being a very early digital recording it was significant. But is it Steely Dan good? I don't think so, but maybe it will grow on me more. Not sure of it adds much to the list that the SD albums don't already.

A big “meh” for me. It’s funny: Steely Dan is often disparaged as being quintessentially “Yacht Rock” but I find their discography for the most part anything but. To me, their music is entirely engaging and complex in all the right ways. Here with Donald’s solo album? Pretty forgettable “Yacht Rock”.

This is smooooth mall music. I'm pretty anti mall.

Llamativo

It's so inoffensive that it's offensive. It's not a bad album; the opener was pretty good, but besides one song, the whole album felt so stagnant. Top 2 Fav: I.G.Y. and The Nightfly Top 3 Worst: most if not all the songs are mid 2.5-2.55/5

Not good

Eh, just sounds like the worst parts of Steely Dan to me.

I am not a big fan of Steely Dan and this is about half as good. 2 stars or D+.

Really wimpy yacht rock that makes Boz Skaggs sound like Black Sabbath. 2 stars.

First listen. Meh.