The Nightfly

Great listening!

Was all like, ‘who the hell is Donald Fagen’ then the first track plays and I’m all like. Okay, I’ve heard this before.

Just made me want to listen to Steely Dan honestly

Introduction: Released in 1982, Donald Fagen's "The Nightfly" marked a turning point. Following the dissolution of Steely Dan, the album showcased Fagen's distinct voice while retaining the duo's penchant for sonic brilliance and intricate arrangements. This review delves into the lyrical themes, musical tapestry, production mastery, and lasting influence of this critically acclaimed work. Lyrical Exploration: A departure from Steely Dan's often cryptic narratives, "The Nightfly" adopts a more personal approach. Fagen paints vivid pictures of a bygone era, drawing inspiration from his teenage years in the late 50s and early 60s. Tracks like "I.G.Y. (What a Beauty)" capture the youthful optimism and fascination with the Space Age, while "The New Frontier" reflects on Cold War anxieties and the ever-present threat of nuclear fallout. However, Fagen doesn't shy away from darker undercurrents. "Ruby Baby" hints at the allure and danger of forbidden love, while "Counterfeit" explores themes of deception and the fleeting nature of fame. This blend of nostalgia, introspection, and subtle societal commentary elevates the album beyond mere reminiscence. Musical Nuance: Fagen's signature songwriting shines through. Intricate melodies intertwine with sophisticated chord progressions, evident in tracks like "Gaucho" (a Steely Dan leftover) and "The Nightfly." The album leans heavily on jazz influences, with prominent use of horns, piano, and dynamic percussion sections. Tracks like "Walk Between the Raindrops" showcase Fagen's playful piano work, while the soulful ballad "Maxine" features a captivating saxophone solo. Production Prowess: The production on "The Nightfly" is nothing short of masterful. Longtime collaborator Gary Katz meticulously crafted a soundscape that is both pristine and warm. Lush layers of instrumentation blend seamlessly, creating a sonic world that perfectly complements the lyrical themes. Every note feels meticulously placed, a testament to Fagen and Katz's shared vision. Enduring Themes and Influence: "The Nightfly" transcends mere nostalgia. It explores universal themes of youthful dreams, societal anxieties, and the complexities of human relationships. The album's influence on various artists is undeniable. Acts like Beck, Radiohead, and even contemporary pop acts like Maroon 5 have cited Fagen's work as a source of inspiration. Strengths: Sophisticated songwriting: Fagen's masterful blend of melody, harmony, and intricate chord progressions creates a unique and engaging listening experience. Vivid lyrical imagery: The album paints a picture of a specific era while exploring timeless themes that resonate with listeners. Production excellence: The meticulous attention to detail in the sonic tapestry elevates the music to a whole new level. Weaknesses: Limited sonic palette: Compared to Steely Dan's broader soundscapes, "The Nightfly" leans more heavily on jazz influences, which might limit the appeal for some listeners. Lyrically opaque moments: While the album offers a glimpse into Fagen's personal world, some listeners might find certain lyrical passages cryptic. Conclusion: "The Nightfly" stands as a testament to Donald Fagen's exceptional songwriting and musical prowess. It seamlessly merges elements of jazz, pop, and rock, resulting in a timeless masterpiece. While minor criticisms exist regarding the sonic scope and occasional lyrical obscurity, the album's strengths far outweigh these aspects. "The Nightfly" continues to captivate listeners with its intricate musicianship, evocative lyrics, and production brilliance. It remains a landmark achievement in Fagen's solo career and a significant influence on the music landscape.

Not my thing really. Undoubted skills on the keys, but I'm not a fan of his voice, and it's all a bit pleasant. I did remember the singles, from the time, but found it dull overall.

Nice enough.

It’s albums like this that remind me I’m nowhere near as cool as I think I am. Give me blancmange-soft rock any day of the week. Those twiddly Wurlitzer keyboards. Those swing beats. Loved it when I first heard it and, yep, still love it now. “Walk between raindrops” indeed

someone else on here described this as yacht rock. I can't bettter that description.

Agradable.

If you weren't really into music in the 80's, this is the story of thing you would listen to. And I hope that sentence is taken as the insult it's meant to be.

Still a great album after all these years.

Listening to a member of a once famous duo’s solo music can be hit or miss. It would be like if you took one of the members of Daft Punk, and expected their music to be on the same level of quality as what they did with their partner. For some reason the name Donald Fagen didn’t immediately stand out to me. I knew I recognized it, but I had to look it up to realize he was one half of Steely Dan. At this point in time, they had been broken up for a little while. And I was interested to see how the music would sound with only 50% of the powerhouse that is Steely Dan. Fagen is pretty much the lead vocalist of the duo, so this is not lacking in the vocal department. And this sort of gives in to the synth heavy glitz of the early 80’s. But make no mistake, this still has most of the jazzy yacht rock goodness that their main stuff has. But I don’t know. Something about this feels like it’s lacking a lot of the creativity that Steely Dan has. It’s just more traditional and less engaging than their stuff together. Like much of their later work, this is still refined to the highest point an album can be, and has excellent production. They were perfectionists, and it shows. But I just don’t vibe with this as much as I do with their other records. Rating: 6/10

Always like his sound, Steely Dan or solo.

This is a surprisingly easy-flowing, pleasing listening experience. I'm not much of a Jazz fan, but this album is really enjoyable. 4/5

Clean production and his voice makes it sound like Steeley Dan still. Not a bad thing.

This was alright. I recognized the singer's voice from Steely Dan, and many of the songs were certainly Steely Dan adjacent, with a hint of something that also kind of reminded me of Randy Newman for some reason.

yet another Steely Dan album that didn't do much for me. It's not bad, by any means, but also I don't get it. 2.5/5

I prefer Fagen’s more sarcastic work with Steely Dan to his more crushing lyrics here, but it’s hard to deny how good this sounds. Incredible, timeless production and leaning into jazz was a good call. B+

Just meh. Not terrible but there wasn’t much to it.

Big 3

Lille 4'er

7 Igy

Hm, begint in elk geval lekker met I.G.Y! Super vrolijk, beetje jazzy, beetje poppy nummer. Donald, ik hoop ten zeerste dat dit de toon zet voor het hele album ouwes! De nummers zijn echt een beetje jazzy en poppy. Ik vind dit album eigenlijk veel leuker dan ik had verwacht! Misschien komt het door de ontzettend slechte albumweek die ik had, maar ik vind dit echt vermakelijk! Het album en de muziek voelt een beetje alsof ik het al ken. De melodiën enzo komen me super bekend voor en doen me af en toe een beetje denken aan Sting bijvoorbeeld. Ik vind mooi! FAVO: I.G.Y., New Frontier, The Nightfly

Donald Fagen and Steely Dan will always get 5 stars from me. Their music is timeless and brilliant. Jazz, pop, rock all rolled into one.

Nah, this ain't it.

Uninspiring Steely Dan. Lacks the jazz element but retains cool factor and melodic devices used in Steely.

I listened to this on my morning bike ride, cloudy over the Williamsburg Bridge, and it really hit. Short and sweet and had never heard any of the songs.

First listen Saved 2/8

Very nice easy listening music. The album-title describes then content verry well.

Such a clear voice, great rhythm and appealing instruments. Sadly, it is getting repetitive after a few songs.

Pleasant, jazzy, nice vocal harmonies throughout. I read about the connection to Steely Dan but this feels like a fairly run-of-the-mill album to me. The blog does note there are some interesting tidbits of music theory applied here, I'll take their word for it.

Light

Started listening to this song and immediately thought, "Why does this sound like Steely Dan?" I'm sure others already knew that he was a member but I was just impressed that I recognized his voice immediately since I never knew his name. Turns out I also vaguely know I.G.Y. from childhood.

His songs are so long. Why? The intros go on forever. The music is kinda cool. There’s some jazzy piano riffs throughout that are fun to listen to. Can’t say any song really stood out for me.

made me feel like i was cruising through a fictional city at 1 pm, a little drunk with no cars around and no chance of hurting anybody

Not a fan

2/10

Pretty cool

The Nightfly is an album I unashamedly adore. Where do I start with it? It’s full of layers. It’s shiny, (dad) pop perfection with immaculate playing and lush production, steeped in 50’s nostalgia. It’s warm in tone, but there’s also with a coldness to it, and underneath its bright, shiny, seemingly optimistic veneer, it’s a commentary on post-war middle-class America, with lyrics and stories full of irony, sarcasm and cynicism but wrapped up in a perfect, gleaming, catchy pop album. It’s a subversive masterpiece. Did you expect anything less from one half of Steely Dan?

Nostalgic

Love it. Synth-art-pop goodness. It's amazing and fun

Steely Dan vibes, but not good

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

Glad to know where some of these classics came from.

Ick yacht rock

3.3

Sounds like a bunch of songs that didn’t make earlier albums. I love Steely Dan, so it gets another star. Two stars

I read a lot of good things about this album, and even though I'm not a fan of Steely Dan repertoire, I was still hoping for a strong, or interesting, performance. Unfortunately, it seems that "The Nightfly" might have been released by the full band, it just wasn't too far off their style, which once again, isn't to my liking. I just don't find that jazzy rock style appealing. Donald's vocal is pretty good, but his style just grinds my gears for some reason. Very good quality of the album, but I'm not going to enjoy it.

1/5. And I thought AC/DC deserved the award for having every song sound exactly the same. Donald FAGen I think has them beat!!

- this is super groovy I honestly wasn't expecting this - "we got provisions and lots of beer" guy is a genius

- woah it’s the dude from Steely Dan - cool vibes, enjoyable listen

4/5

BL: Only knowledge of Fagen is that he was one of the members of Steely Dan, who are a group I've tried to get into a few times, and I haven't ever disliked them but still found them a little bit of a struggle to get into. I'll see how a solo venture fairs. AL: This was an incredibly good album, mixtures of city pop and traditional rock and singer/songwriter chops. A pleasure to listen to, will definitely be listening to again. FT: "I.G.Y", "Ruby Baby", "New Frontier", "The Nightfly", "Walk Between Raindrops" 5/5

Sounds just like Steely Dan but somehow isn't Steely Dan... except for that one song about the radio station.

Easy listening is not my thing but this was benign enough.

I've always loved this album

It’s alright, and has some good songs. The first two or three are pretty good, but it tapers off pretty quickly, and soon everything sounds the same. The songs are also quite long.

Das war ein schönes Album mit vielen Musikstilen, tollen Arrangements, angenehmer Stimme und angenehmer Atmosphäre. Ein sehr anspruchsvolles Album , sehr melodisch und harmonisch. Eine für mich großartige Entdeckung. Danke, Donald Fagen

Love. My first compact disc experience was this album.

I dunno. If you’re into the history and universe of Steely Dan you might find this interesting. I personally didn’t.

I love Steely Dan, and obviously Donald Fagan can write some incredible songs. I sometimes have trouble with solo records though, and I can miss the contributions of the other band members instead of appreciating the individual ability of the solo artist. This album has a bit of both, where I am appreciating Fagan's songs half the time and missing Walter Becker the other half. There's some incredible parts here, but I don't think it reaches the heights of Steely Dan as a whole.

The production is great and the quality of the recording is superb.... But, it's just so bland..... If this record had colour, it would be grey.

jazzy and somewhat interesting but didn't keep my attention throughout

Typical 80s

More Dan! Not as good as the main sequence albums though. Seems to incorporate a little bit more jazz? Enjoyable

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

Steely Dan lite lite lite.

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

i‘ve listened to this one like 100+ times. a classic, i love Donald Fagen

Big fan of Steely Dan over the years, and this album did not disappoint... Sort of like Steely Dan-lite, so a pleasant album - but nothing particularly different from the Steely Dan sound... I see a lot of comments about the album being "overproduced" - but that high-degree of production is a Steely Dan hallmark, so it just is what it is... Best track in my opinion is "New Frontier", and while there is not a bad track on the album, nothing of exceptional goodness really jumped out at me either... Bought this album back in the day, and hadn't listened to it since the 80's - and glad that I did today...

I enjoyed this more than Steeley Dan Pretzel Logic but in the same vein it's beautifully produced and impeccable musicianship but lacking something.

In the person the made the full house theme song also made an album inspired by the full house theme song. Wait, did this man write the full house theme song?

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

I think my favorite part of this album is how weird it is while being so technically well executed. It's like a steely dan rock opera where Fagen talks through streams of consciousness at different times in his life, which are sometimes dark and haunting (nuclear war). "The Nightfly", "I.G.Y." and "The New Frontier" are the standouts for me. "Maxine" is an exemplar of the cerebral / complex nature of the songs in Fagen's album which feel like they'll give you more with each subsequent listen. Great engineering leaves all of the tracks sharp / well mixed.

Fun and interesting. Not exciting, but not an album I would skip, but also would not search.

Not sure if this is a so bad it's good, or just good with a lot of bad, but then it's good. Gonna settle with OK.

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

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

How did this make the list?

With jazz and conversation From the foot of Mt. Belzoni !!!

Very fake canned sounding. But some of the songs are catchy.

After 1980's Gaucho, Donald Becker started a period of solo work with The Nightfly. This has a similar polished sound to the how the Steely Dan sound evolved over the years, with many of the same elements, horns, electric piano with chorus, slightly jazzy with a tinge of R&B, but moving more to a decidedly soft rock feel. It's still got a sophisticated sound, but it's, more... light, almost vacous. I dig this sound-for me this brings to mind a New York/Manhattan feel from the early 80s, but I could see this being viewed as slightly more glittery elevator music by most who are speeding through these albums and declaring it lame. New Frontier remains my favorite song on the album, but I also like Green Flower Street and Walk Between Raindrops.

What the hell is going on with this? For the first track, it did not start out well. It's kind as if Fagen had taken Rafferty's Baker Street, taken out the sax and replaced it with replaced with the cheapest of cheapo Casio synths. Added to this, a bit of a UB40 lilting drum and late ELO type vocals. It is genuinely pretty terrible. However, the very next track starts with some godawful I don't even know - and then some really interesting funk happens. The whole rest of the album is like this. It does musically interesting things, but manages to always fail at being interesting, ruined by the pervasive early 80s soft rockiness, which vascilates between unspeakable twee and irredeemably obnoxious. If only a producer had stepped in and told him "no", this could have been a genuinely interesting musical experience. Unfortunately, as it stands, it isn't - and has rightly been consigned to the obscurity of being forgotten and unregsrded. .

Decent elevator music

Sehr gut, etwas steril. Drei Sterne

Relentlessly boring. I just don't understand how anyone willingly listens to this music.

Nice to hear with very dynamic sound

No quite Dan

Sounded to me like a more whimsical / lighthearted Steely Dan. Really dug it. On Spotify the loudness of the tracks vary so much you have to really adjust your volume. Re-mastering or mastering mistake?

Very mellow

Dull as dishwater. Doesn't deserve to be played in even the shittest hotels. Fave track: I.G.Y.

While I still enjoy this album, it’s so obviously missing some extra parts that make Steely Dan one of my favourite groups to listen to. There are some highlights in regards to Fagen’s narrative storytelling and, as usual, polished production, but the songs don’t necessarily come together to create something bigger than its parts. Will still put this on occasionally, and honestly this is one of my favourite album artworks ever. Three stars. Fave track: IGY

family-friendly sitcom soundtrack that is so dated, it is actually just annoying to listen to maxene had some interesting jazzy modulations on the vocals but then came back to shlockcom. Significant 30/90 Liked 14/90 Added 4/90 NNN

Smooth operator. Geggjað sound. Steely Dan soundið mjög sterkt en skemmtileg tilraunastarfsemi með. 3.5/5

Un excelente trabajo por parte de una de las mentes maestras de Steely Dan. Su estilo es sumamente claro a lo largo de todo el LP, el cual cuenta con un toque un tanto más suave que los trabajos de la legendaria agrupación en los '70s. Las letras, sin embargo, cuentan con un toque más autobiográfico y no tanto de revista. Sumamente interesante y recomendado.

Slick, smooth jazz-influenced rock I like his interesting chord changes Not really as good as the best Steely Dan albums but still nice I can see that many would see this as too 80s/cheesy but I think it’s some of the most quality of that type I’ve heard

"fun album, but i felt like some songs dragged a bit and got repetitive - 3 adds"

They have gotten away with murder here. Unbelievable! Total rip off of Steely Dan. Even the vocals are almost identical. Ed Sheeran gets pulled up for one chord - where’s the law suit? Madness! 4.4

nice, electronic, a lot of streams but mostly unknown to me.

very distinct sound, a good step outside my usual listening, pleasant

Jazzy 🎵

Agradable.

Favorite Songs: I.G.Y. (Wax Mustang - Powerball beat) Walk Between Raindrops Quite a funky and interesting album. Gives me some Sting and the police in more jazzy vibes. Very enjoyable!

Not quite sure about this one :/

Hall and Oates meet Joe Jackson in an Edward Hopper painting of a Disco.

Holy moly! Smoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooth. Probably too smooth for me. Is this smooth jazz? Cocktail jazz? Yacht rock? It's not something I would choose to listen to. But at least I know where this sort of music resides should I want to listen to it ironically. About half way though now, on "New Frontier," and it sort of reminds me of some of the 80s Frank Zappa stuff. Is this what he was taking the piss out of?!

Like when Frank Poncherello lounges at the titty bar

Strong start, feels a bit jazzy and a bit cool, I'm enjoying the range of instruments used. Definitely the kind of thing my dad would play which is a good sign. After a quick google I noted this guy was in Steely Dan, so definitely music I was exposed to growing up!

Notable Songs: IGY

Listened this so often back when it came out. I haven't listened to it in decades though. Nice to get back to it.

4/5

Nice, but a little aged.

Like Steely Dan, very hit and miss, but here with wayyyy more misses. Only the first track worth saving. Disappointing

Super cheesy 80s

One of the first to meld jazz, blues and rock together. Not a fan but recognize his genius.

Ganske digg ligner på ride like the wind

A 'lost' jazzy Steely Dan album. This is the release after Gaucho before a long break. Short, but Fagen quality. Not sure how long these notes need to be. This service is interesting, but the delivery is kluge.

1 star. Unlistenable.

Felt very generic, in less than 24 hours I’d forgotten that I had listened to it. Slightly jazzy, but nothing special. 2/5.

alkoi todella hyvin. sitten aloin vihaamaan äärettömästi donaldin , herran ääntä. hyi vittu. hyi saatana. ei millään tavalla subjektiivinen tai vastaa oman päiväni kokemuksia. täysi paskaa musiikkia haista vittu steely dan ehkö huonoin bändin nimi koskaan ja donald fagen aivan kurainen nimi ihmiselle, ja vielä kurkusta tulee pelkkää paskaa i.g.y

It's a steely dan album without the charm of a steely dan album. Very middle of the road for me. Just feels a bit off without Walter Becker.

Just overly slick jazz noodling and crooner-y lyrics. No standouts.

気持ち悪い。聴いていて悪寒が走る

Reminds me of my club penguin days. It's pretty chill.

Goddamn why do I love this so much? I just cannot tell with Fagen if he’s satirical or sincere. Surely a spoof on the bourgeoisie? Production so crisp so clear. Just catchy and entertaining.

Just an average sounding album.

I hated the Steely Dan album we had to listen to, and this is only slightly more endurable.

I can't help but love it. And thanks to the album generator I've finally listened to Brubeck.

Not bad, prefer his stuff with Steely Dan though.

Loved it

Basically a bonus Steely Dan album

Mellowly good.

I like Steely Dan, I like half of Steely Dan.

Elevator music. Don't know why the album cover is so serious.

Most 80s thing ever

This album is one of those albums that although it was nice to listen to and fits to whatever you're doing whilst listening, it wasn't anything special or exciting. It felt like it took the 80s electronic hype and ran with it, the lyrics were almost hard to hear over the constant electronic noise. It just felt like a bit of a mess, but did get better as the songs went on.

I hate yacht Rock. I hate Steely Dan. I hate the music of Steely Dan's individual members. I hate most popular music from the USA in the 80s. I hate this album.

It might be the tracklist to a guy singing live in a restaurant, it might follow a good melody for a casual 8-bit game, you may also be dancing by snapping your fingers. I can not exactly define it, but Donald Fagen definitely sets the vibes right. Clear and concise, this album is a relaxed listen and will lift you up. There are no great exciting tracks on it, but it is a good wrap in general.

M'ha agradat bastant l'estil. És un tipus de música al que no estic acostumat però he gaudit molt escoltant-lo

Very chill... basically Steely Dan part 2.

at first i thought, this sounds just like steely dan! lol. i think this is like 4.5/5 but i am feeling generous. there were a couple songs that felt very "peppy-artificial-80s-beat" but still pretty good.

Meh. Love Steely Dan but this is kind of boring

Now, this is the 80s music that I don’t like. 2/10

From the first song I new this album was going to be a jam. Makes me want to go for a pleasant jog and wave at every single stranger I see like I’m in the happiest mood of my life. I don’t even care if my over the top enthusiasm freaks them out. This is my kind of music I listen to if I want to ensure my day is going to be a good one. Some of the other songs were a bit too sappy for me like you are sitting down at a fancy dinner about to propose with a ring at the bottom of a champagne glass. I didn’t have as much enthusiasm towards the end of the Album but it was still good. 7/10

For those who don't know Donald Fagen he's the lead singer of Steely Dan in case you thought he sounds familiar. Yeah this is what is also called Yacht Rock and I have this genre as my main Playlist. I love how funky and jazzy it can be while still being upbeat and the lyrics come through well with the choruses being the best part. The lead track I.G.Y is by far the best thing on here but that's not to say the other tracks are lacking, just that IGY is fantastic. Almost all of these songs are songs already on my Playlist. 8/10

I had to look at the wiki to find out what genre of music this is considered, jazz pop. This music sounds like what would play at the end of an 80s young adult comedy movie to get people out of the theatre but like happily. ‘Green Flower Street’ was almost a banger, at times Fagen tried to hit notes that were a little above his pay grade. Ruby Baby went on way to long and I was waiting for it to end after the first couple minutes. I enjoyed the instrumentals a lot more than the singing. It’s not that his singing is bad in anyway, I just can imagine a different singer really elevating the sound. Why isn’t ‘The Goodbye Look’ the last song on the album?! It’s not that I didn’t like it, it’s that I didn’t like it that much. 5/10

And I need to listen to this why exactly?

3,5 cool

Very smooth. There is a slight difference between this and Gaucho in its feel, but, and with huge respect to the late great Walter Becker, it does sound like a classic 70s era Steely Dan record. Later Fagen and Dan albums sound less organic and much more synthesized and processed. Still absolutely amazing. Lush, jazzy with light funk. Fun.

Sick, classic Fagan with a bit more to it.

Not familiar with any Steely Dan albums, but front-man Donald here has some smooth, catchy tunes.

I had basically no reaction to this. I like Steely Dan, but this just seemed to have no point. Musicianship was good though.

Just okay. No stand out tracks, felt like a very mid 80's jazz record. Fagen is not as strong here as he is with Steely Dan

Possibly the jeweish album of all time.

Favorite tracks were Green Flower Street and New Frontier

Donald Fagen’s first solo effort after the end of his band Steely Dan, “The Nightfly” is oh-so-clean, oh-so-clever, and oh-so-dull. The 80’s had arrived, and with them, Steely Dan had burned and dried out in the sun. Reduced to its core duo of Fagen and Walter Becker, recruiting a roster of session musicians and functioning as studio-only, a parting of the ways was inevitable between two relentless perfectionists. Perhaps it meant Fagen had lost his sense of humour, his willingness to have fun, or a sense of clarity in favour of technical perfection… because unfortunately, these issues seem to plague “The Nightfly”. The best thing to say about “The Nightfly” is that it’s always listenable. Fagen’s vocals are crystal-clear and perfectly suit the songs he’s performing. Even if his voice lacks much character, his trademark multi-tracked harmonies are the main selling point and mean there’s usually something worth listening for. The band’s performances, too, are meticulous, no doubt about it. It’s just… dull. Opener “I.G.Y” is a snoozy jazz shuffle, relaxed and confident but hardly inspired. From here, we end up with a similarly paced track in “Ruby Baby”, an exhausting ballad “Maxine”, and various clinical exercises in harmonic structure or soft-jazz-pop. When the tempo shifts up a notch, in the limp-footed strut of “New Frontier” or the ending “Walk Between Raindrops”, it should be a shot in the arm but feels more like a tickle from a dead fish. My main issue with “The Nightfly”, then, is that it portrays Fagen as a jazz keyboard player first and a songwriter second. There’s all sorts of showing off going on: unconventional and complex chord sequences; augmentations, suspensions, sevenths, ninths, elevenths mixed together in an over-facing cocktail. The arrangements are decent, but production feels a little flat to me with overly harsh drums, lack of warmth, limited dynamic range. This album was one of the first to be recorded entirely digitally, giving Fagen even more reason to chase for perfection and less reason to focus on the actual songs. Various jazz enthusiasts, engineering boffins, or rich men who own yachts may love this record… but sadly, it isn’t for me until I become one of those people.

Sounds like steely Dan, but I do like steely Dan. The lyrics are kinda silly, the most soft rock imaginable

This album felt a bit sanitized, likely due to the time it was written and recorded. But it really grew on me by the end. The musicianship was phenomenal, and the use of jazz motifs, chords, and rhythm changes speaks to a deep understanding of how music works. Then album had a great sense of groove and reminded me of some contemporary bands like Vulfpeck that toe that jazz funk rhythm section line.

I wish every song on here was as good as I.G.Y., but the whole album has an awesome atmosphere and was a fun time to listen to. Not as many standouts as I would have liked, but a few tracks I will definitely revisit

2.5 ganz nett

3 so cheesy

Day 123 I didn't know anything about Donald Fagen and I learned he was in Steely Dan, another band I know nothing about. I also read that this was the first album completely recorded in digital technology, which probably explains the smooth, slick texture. But jazz-pop or whatever you might call it is not a genre I might be interested in. Not to say it's bad, and it's not that I disliked it either, it's just that I don't really care about it as much; I guess this is one of those that might grow on me given the time and work, but do I need to? Who knows!

??

Best Song: New Frontier. I think I just liked the bass the best here. Worst Song: Ruby Baby. The instrumentals were fine, but the doo-wop-y vocals killed it for me. Overall: Is it possible for music to be too smooth? Everything in this album feels so polished it's frictionless. Slips one ear and out the other. Music by and for sexy robots.

Really good album.

Pretty much seems like rejected Steely Dan songs. The songs have a good beat/instrumentation but then he sings and it's like "alright buddy". Nothing is awful but it's definitely not 1001 albums type stuff.

sounds like steely dan to me. 3.0

Unsurprisingly similar to the Steely Dan mothership, but best judged on its own merit. And merited it is.

Wow, not at all my style of music! I am stunned that this horrible album is on ANY list. How did this album warrant a spot?!?

I.G.Y isn’t good enough to rescue this album for me. Hard pass on this one.

pass

It's so much 80s that I almost typed this comment on my electric typewriter.

smug and greasy just like steely dan

1,5/5 Es könnte ja fun sein wenn sie sich nicht so ernst nehmen würden. Was bleibt ist entkernter Jazzypop

Boring

i mean, really.

Smoooooth

Great album. Awesome smooth sound!

Nice album

Nice, smooth album.

Does the same for me as all other Steely Dan stuff

Attack of the smooth jazz

Smooth 80s yacht rock, or something like that. It did sound a lot like Steely Dan to me, for better or for worse. Not bad, didn’t mind it, but probably wouldn’t listen again.

Different to a lot of other stuff that has come on this list. Definitely enjoyed it.

Album 166 of 1001 Donald Fagen - The Nightfly Rating : 5 / 5 Favorite Tracks : I.G.Y. I look at other reviews for this and wonder what they had against Fagen and/or Steely Dan before they even listened. Seems to be the cool thing to diss them. I couldn't disagree more. This is an awesome album. Even without having those undeniable "hits", I find each song very enjoyable. I could listen to this on repeat for a few hours before I'd notice. Nice songs...nice production...nice vibe.

Smooth as.

Really catchy, really consistent and a good instrumental with controlled vocals and lyrics. Nice (81%)

I know this well. Its kinda a big warm hug but listening objectively it is a bit bland. It doesn't match the best Dan and they are a 4.

quite groovy. got me moving in bed and all

Joyfully jazzy

I feel like I need to preface this by saying, I really love Steely Dan! I really do! But it's really clear that Walter Becker was the key to what made them so good. Donald Fagen on his own is so boring. Every song drones on for too long and sounds the same, and I'm someone who loves Yacht Rock and similar genres. I don't know what it is, but I just can't stand Donald Fagen by himself. I would have given this a 1, but I actually enjoyed "The Goodbye Look" so it gets an extra star.

Pretty bad. Would be good in a lift. Proper muzak

Steely Dan’s production was always so meticulous and their songs so acerbic, sometimes they lacked the feeling and the heart to truly be an enjoyable listen. Fagen’s solo effort, raises the bar on meticulous by adding in the new capabilities of digital recording, but dials back on the cynical flavor of Dan in exchange for sweet nostalgia. What initially came across on first listen as a more 80s sounding Dan actually revealed itself on a second listen as a modern (at that time “modern”) take on 50s jazz and pop. The second half in particular grooves along, with New Frontier as a joyous take on a party in a fallout shelter. Overall I enjoyed this more than most Dan albums.

Jumalauta nordnet pitää rahoja saatana ei tilille tule.. 2 päivää vähintään.. pankkipäiviä odottaa rahoja.. 3. Moos. 19:13.. neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning. Aamulla pitäis rahat olla.. ei ole.. Musiikista.. ensimmäinen biisi sen verran pop paskaa ei armoa..

Solid

The epitome of everything that was wrong with the 80s. About as much substance as a balloon.

The first minute of the the first song instantly says to me that it is a good album. And I was not wrong. Brilliant stuff. Funky. 4.5/5.

This album is sterile. There is much for character or soul but it is incredibly clean and engineered to sound appealing. I’ve grown up on metal so this really doesn’t sound “fun” it’s something I could put on and no one would have an aversion to it. I wish I hated it, but I can’t.

BEST SONGS: - I.G.Y. - The Nightfly

i had no idea this was the lead singer of steely dan. needless to say I was pleasantly surprised

Lapped up on release due to absence of new Steely Dan material. Thought it was good at the time but listening again nigh on 40 years later there aren't enough strong tracks. Strong musicianship and well produced as to be expected but lacking an additional critical ear to make it great.

Very middle of the road, generic, bland, non-offensive. Starter pack music. I envision myself casually shopping in JCPenney circa 1991 while music from the weather channel plays in the background over the radio. Not too bad, not too good. Adequate.

Very lovely album. Short. Sweet. And really catchy bass lines. Loved every 39 minutes. 4. Would be 5 if the vocals were a tad better.

Probably deserves 2 stars because it's inoffensive and I didn't HATE it... but I did feel lied to by the album cover, so I'm docking it a point for that. Also, the heart sinking feeling when I opened it up on Spotify and saw that the similar playlists were "Yacht Rock" and "Soft Rock"

Quite calming and chill with IGY as a very nice, somewhat popular, opener

I like some Steely Dan. This sounded like some of their smooth, easy listening stuff, which I don't care as much for. Upon first listen, the only song that stood out much was Ruby, and that's only because it's a cover of a song I know well. It's fine for what it is, but I must be missing something considering it's on this list.

Cheesy but fun, lounge lizard jazz kind of thing. I wasn't aware Donald Fagen was of Steely Dan, but it makes perfect sense - the sound of the record firmly brought to mind Steely Dan, and I guess now it make sense. Not my favourite genre, and it's not special enough to make it for regular rotation, but it gets an easy three-star rating.

This album gave me both diabetes and high blood pressure.

Yeah, samey, but ever so smooooooth

Oef, zoet

Lekker met lage cijfers aan het strooien vandaag; dit is er ook weer zo een die ik totaal niet ken en helemaal niks aan mis.

Donald heeft iets teveel met zijn grijpgrage vingertjes in de strooppot gezeten denk ik. Hoe krijg je het voor elkaar om een heel album vol met dit soort mierzoete muzak te produceren. Bijna knap.

Als ik me ongeïnspireerd voel, voel ik me als deze muziek.

This one was not for me. It’s a pop record with no real edge to it. I wonder why it was so popular…

I got bored

meh. didn't really do any thing for me

The best Donald Fagen album in my memory. It could be qualified as some Steely Dan light version, but I like it just as much (apart from Ruby Baby).

Pretty good album with that very clear Donald Fagen style we know so well from Steely Dan. The songs are all solid, but to me they are not as impressive as most SD songs are, and I really don't like the Ruby Baby cover.

Similar but overall a bit less exciting than Steely Dan.

Could take it or leave it. I respect it more than I actually like to listen to it.

boring jazz

Chill

Nice

Steely Dan light. I was never a big Steely Dan fan, although I liked some of their stuff. This album does nothing for me apart from make me drowsy.

this one after for me similar music, a funky, boring Stevie Wonder album. Donald Fagan sounds fresher, and two killer songs on the album. But again, too perfect for me, no emotion.

Very pleasant listen. Not one bad track on this bad boy

Was very surprised at how much I liked this. Kind of slaps and I'll be a little generous from 4.5

first listen definitely the worst steely dan record

With apologies to David O'Doherty, I'm not at all keen on Steely Dan, nor the solo careers of their former members. This album was released on 1 October 1982 and has not aged well. It's overproduced and soulless, and the cheap synth sound is almost comically cheesy in places. Rating: 1.5/5 Playlist track: I.G.Y Date listened: 27/06/23

Ég elska þetta afskaplega mjúka grúv. Þessi tónlist ætti eiginilega að kallast smúðingur!

Listened Before? No Never knew that any members of Steely Dan had solo work. Starts out with all the trappings of early 80s cheese: smooth sax, crappy synthline, artificially clean bass... Not my favorite era of music. That said, this song does have an undeniable swing to it and I find it hard not to bob along. I almost expected to see Byrne credited on Green Flower Street. The bassline is something straight out of the Talking Heads. Early standout, though I wish they did a bit more with the guitar solo around the 3:20 mark; this groove is ripe for riffing over. Ruby Baby is very jazzy in composition. Opens up through the midsection to allow for an extensive piano solo, followed by some synth / guitar work. Early vocals and the overall progression of Maxine remind me a lot of a slowed-down Thundercat song. Song has a certain groove about it with some pretty guitar licks interspersed. New Frontier is another high quality jazzy jam. And the title track that follows has a sweet bass groove to it. I was suspect at first synth stroke on this album, but it is fire. I can see where Umphs would have pulled Booth Love influence from something like this album. Not my idea of a "perfect" album, but a damned enjoyable listen. Steely Dan rips, but this rips in a very different, more jazzy way. The instrumentals are largely groovy, and the vocals + harmonization are far better than they need to be. This is a solid 4 / 5 for me. Added to Library? Yes Songs Added to Playlists: - New Frontier (Driving)

Steely Dan works for me on about every level and so this does, too. It's hard to separate Fagen from Dan and vice versa. I like the 70s soft rock vibe that let's these dark little songs float by you. There's something about it and I like it.

I own this album, and if there's a way to corrode a CD through over-playing I must be close with this one. As expected, it's as smooth and jazzy as Steely Dan; perhaps even schmoover. The production is light, crisp and, although very much of it's time, sounds like brushed silk on a good set of speakers. What sets this aside as truly remarkable is that Fagen has conjured up something like a quasi-concept album centred around the themes and events of his youth - the techno-utopianism of the 1950s, the Cuban Revolution, anxieties around the A-bomb - and it's all done with wit and panache. Less elliptical than the Dan, as a consequence this feels like it is more human and has more heart than anything else Fagen had heretofore. A triumph.

I’m trying, guys, but I ain’t winning. I’ll keep putting quarters in the machine the next time there’s a record from the Dan-iverse on this list, but much like Donkey Kong I don’t like the odds of it going well.

Donald Fagen steps out from Steely Dan and reflects on his early life. Cool and contemplative.

Donald Fagen (of Steely Dan fame) brings us a record that is more poppy than his usual stuff. This came about after contributing some solo efforts to the eccentric animated film Heavy Metal in 1980-81. Fagen brings much of the smooth sounds of Steely Dan to his solo stuff, but eases up on the guitar to give a more well-rounded sound with a variety of keys. This album cements Fagen is a simply phenomenal songwriter. He's so dialed into how every element of his songs work with one another. The result is lush, sophisticated music that is light and easily enjoyable. This is true for the whole album.

Grew up hearinf a couple of these songs via parents, reminds me of party times. So I am biased in this review.

2/3

So back to back with steely Dan, This solo album explorers the lesser instincts in the band. There's no bite, and the instrumentation is a bit to AM jazzy for me.

sure was some steely dan

Maybe im a Steely Dan fan afterall

Great album cover

This was great, simple and enjoyable

Not my cup of tea. Did not like. Will not listen again.

This is just such a cool album. Lots of unique, jaunty sounds in here. Listened to this one twice. It feels like a 3.5, but I think it has just enough uniqueness and chutzpah to push it into the 4 star realm.

That jaunt groovy as hell. Makes me want to throw on a leather jacket and 2step down Main street. Really like the unique noises that were used to keep the rhythm going. New frontier is a jam

Mmmmm jazzy. Initially didn't think I'd like this but it's pretty comforting. Really liked New Frontier

Pretty solid throughout, good energy throughout doesn't live up to I.G.Y afterwards but no huge misses either

Just fine. It's Steely Daniel but Jazzier. Falls into their same victories and defeats. Some jams, some duds... not much to say or stick with me honestly.

What in the Yacht Rock is this mess.

Not terrible, but not for me.

There are a couple of promising tracks here but it's mostly bad.

Perfectly crafted, and not for me anyway. Found this terminally dull.

Great album

Nice try assholes

Great album, fits nicely right alongside the Steely Dan discography. 7/10

6/10

Það er alveg eitthvað þarna, skemmtilegt sound oft og áheyrileg lög. Ég hef ekkert á móti þessari tónlist, en hún talar svo sem ekki mikið til mín heldur.

This is excellent jazzy pop music. Standout: New Frontier. 5/5.

Listened Before? N Smooth, jazzy, relaxed... very 80's. And the sound quality is amazing from this early digital recording. May revisit this one. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: New Frontier

Light and Fluffy version of Steely Dan.

Hmmmm. Less said about this soft jazz “rock” the better. I’m sure this floats some peoples boats, but I thought it was guff.

Donald s'est pris pour Stevie Wonder sur tout l'album et ça a très bien marché sur moi. Coup dur pour Stevie qui après avoir été enfermé dans la cave de Robert pendant des années est aujourd'hui enfermé dans son studio dont la seule issue est bloquée par les griffes d'Eddie Mitchell.

Je suis en train de préparer une attaque informatique de très haut niveau afin de pousser les serveurs du générateur au crash. Je suis prêt à tout pour me débarasser de ces 1001 albums qui me pourrissent la vie.

If that album had to be summarized into one little thing, it would be the chorus of the title-track, a parody of the sort of jingle you often hear in soft-rock / lounge pop radio stations. The effect of such a trick is unmistakably evocative for the listener. Yet at the same time, the line between earnestness and postmodernist irony is somewhat blurred: it all comes from the *pitch-perfect* manner the recreation of that sort of jingle sounds, as if Fagen was here patenting the template of all the other cheesy jingles of soft-rock radio stations that would grace the airwaves for many years to come. The thing is, where is the line between "functional" and sincere music when you do something like that? Donald Fagen, having just decided with Walter Becker to call it quits regarding Steely Dan, was in a decidedly strange place in 1982. The neurotic perfectionism that had mired the sessions for *Gaucho* had taken its toll on him, and yet here he was, being *even more* perfectionist for his first solo LP (see that Wikipedia article about how complex those sessions recorded through nascent digital technology were). The end result of this neurosis would be a long-lasting depression that would see Fagen sit out the rest of the eighties. Quite ironical given how Steely Dan had anticipated some of that decade's most striking musical aesthetics, for better or for worse. Likewise, the intent behind the songs' themes and lyrics on *The Nightfly* is rather ambiguous. Fagen said he used as little irony as he could for the lyrics of this record. But the former Steely Dan just can't help blurring that other line, it's a second nature for him. When the lonesome protagonist of the title-track, so aptly represented through the record's wonderful cover, takes calls from lunatics in the middle of the night, the irony of the situation quickly catches up with him: "Thanks for calling / I wait all night for calls like this". Tell me that's not *irony* about the modern means of communication, Donald, even if said irony is not used for cynicism's sake, and only to depict a very personal take on the looniest examples of the "American" mindset, which actually hearkens back as far as to the singer-songwriter's childhood, when he felt as isolated as that grown-up, titular "Nightfly". Those themes may be loosely considered as "autobiographical", it's true (Donald listened to those sorts of radio shows as a teenager). Yet the way they're handled here does not suggest the mood of a *confessional* record. It's first and foremost "biting", to use the effect that Fagen wanted to avoid when writing those songs. Speaking of that thin line between confession and the irony that might prevent it from happening, the true heart of the title-track is not its chorus, by the way: it's its bridge, where Fagen enters the mind of the titular "nightfly" the tune is about, delving into that late night radio host's dejected thoughts about how lonely and depressed he feels. A lot of the album is actually about that: loneliness and feelings of alienation. At first glance, the opener "I.G.Y." may sound like an optimistic prediction of what the future would look like from the fifties' vantage point, but the fact that this dreamland future filled with space stations and express shuttles under the Atlantic never came to pass brings another layer to those lyrics. The song references '76 as the year all those things should have happened happen--but by 1982 you knew there was no way that future could occur in the short-term run. As a result of this discrepancy between dream and reality, it's the alienation and self-delusion of the song's narrator, here feeling way too optimistic, that ends up striking the listener. And just as other reviewers pointed out, such discrepancy is cruelly underlined by how crisp and glossy the digitally-recorded music sounds. That track, just like the rest of the album, sounds nothing like the fifties. And as a consequence, the nostalgia that is diplayed here sounds like a simulacrum of sorts. Rarely elevator music has been so "weighted" by so many contradictory affects. Except in a Steely Dan record, of course. Alienation is also a theme that runs throughout "New Frontier", whose protagonist attempts to seduce a girl in a fallout shelter, of all places. See also "The Goodbye Look", about an American expatriate living in a foreign seaside resort who realizes he's not relevant there anymore. And irony is strong in "Walk Between Raindrops", Fagen's version of "We'll Meet Again". When you're done listening to the album, the conflation of those picturesque vignettes is nothing short of bitter. This would not neccesarily be a problem had it been Fagen's original plan. But when you read that said plan was to record an album that would be both more "innocent" and straightforward than the LPs Steely Dan had released so far, one wonders if Fagen didn't botch the whole thing somehow. And if this is the reason why "The Nightfly" sounds so unsure in its overall intentions... What about the music, then? Well, just like for most Steely Dan albums, it took me a few listens to go beyond the layers of cheese, and so appreciate how affecting some of the vocal parts, arrangements, instrumentations and jazzy chord successions can be sometimes. Not that those flourishes always work for the best, though. As a matter of fact, and apart from opener "I.G.Y.", the first side of this record still sounds like a huge borefest to me, and I don't even really have the energy to quote the names of those duds--I just know there's an inconsequential cover of a Leiber/Stoller-penned song, plus that oh-so-terribly lethargic ballad, "Maxine", whose jazzy modulations sound so forced and "calculated" that the whole thing comes up as a void and uninteresting *exercice de style* (a threat that looms over all Steely Dan's albums, to be honest--but here exacerbated to the umpteenth degree). Side two, with all those other tracks I've already mentioned in my review, fares musically better in comparison--from the New Wave-influenced (?) synth rhythm patterns of "New Frontier" to the enticing marimbas of "The Goodbye Look"-- even if the record's glossy production values and pristine multi-tracked performances have a potentially "stifling" effect as well, even on the good songs (once again, a potential drawback for all Steely Dan LPs). So here we go. I like the overall "concept" of this record, as ambiguous as it is. I love the cover. But that doesn't necessarily mean that the album works, and that everything in it is "essential", far from it. I'm not gonna echo Steve Albini's harsh words against Steely Dan. But I can understand why someone like him, with very different requisistes when it comes to musical aesthetics, can feel so much contempt for this type of music. My position towards the Dan and Fagen is far more benevolent, I imagine. But it's not because I try to keep an open mind that I'm gonna be sold on *everything* those guys ever did. Thanks for listening to me here. I know you don't necessarily "wait all night" to hear stuff like this. But I appreciate you took the time to listen, though. 😉 We're all "alienated" to some sort of degree. Yet even when you're tackling those topics, the best you can do is to say something that can feel honest, lively or interesting about it. I don't know if I succeeded here. All I know is that, *to me* Fagen only succeeded doing this in *discrete* part of this LP, and not during the whole thing. 3/5 for the purposes of this list (8/10 for more general and "objective" purposes: 5 + 3). Number of albums left to review: 567 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 209 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 102 (including this one--even though I doubt there will be any room left for it at the end). Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 126

Interesting sound, but kind of forgettable.

What a beautiful world this would be

Another Steely Dan-adjacent album, and it's too close to that sterile, jazzier end of their output (like Aja), for my liking. There is something endearing about this one though: lyrically it's a rose-tinted look back at an innocent childhood, and maybe that's what lends a kind of carefree swing to proceedings. It's pleasant enough background music. 2.5

One of the plenty go-to albums for audiophile geeks, The Nightfly represents something new for one-half of one of the more divisive duos in music. Using his childhood as inspiration, Donald Fagen explores new terrain whilst keeping a grip on his perfectionist tendencies and mostly succeeds in that regard. Like most of the Dan's material, whatever opinions come which way, it is streamlined and handed with a delicacy and finesse that only Fagen has and this album deserves whatever praise it can gather. Favorites: I.G.Y., Ruby Baby, New Frontier, The Goodbye Look.

Good. It has a slight taste of Steely Dan, but is definitely it's own thing. Very enjoyable.

J'ai liké la première

encore un album qui se demande ce qu’il fait la

Straight forward Fagen, not great and not horrible... 🤷

Feels like I'm just listening to more Steely Dan, which isn't necessarily a bad thing or a good thing. I guess I wanted something more than what I got. This was fine and easy enough listening, but nothing was striking about it.

There are differences in this music and that of Steely Dan, but I can't imagine they are notable enough for a casual fan who hasn't heard this album and would need to hear it may notice. Like Steely Dan albums, this is not a bad album and is perfectly constructed with nary a missed note in the studio. The lyrics are slightly less obtuse than those on Steely Dan albums yet are wry enough to make legions of money managers chuckle silently as they are reminded of how smart this music makes them feel because they get the reference. Every bit of feeling has been wrung out of the music in an effort to ensure the perfect sound has been achieved. I enjoyed the back half of this album more than the front half, as it seems like it is the less sterile side. While I do like Steely Dan, I can't seem to figure out why this album would need to be heard by music listeners. It's well done. It also doesn't feel like as much of a departure from Steely Dan's superior music as it claims to be.

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

Holy hell this shit sucks.

Now I know who Donald Fagen is!

Bland overall.

Huey Lewis called - you have his schtick

Sounds just like steely Dan!

Very good album, very similar to later Steely Dan but yet different and a bit unique. New Frontier, Nightfly and IGY are great. Maxine and Ruby Baby I tend to skip. It's a 3.5 for me but it's Fagan so I'll round to 4.

There are a couple good tunes on here, but generally feels like hollow Steely Dan.

This is as good as any of the other Steely Dan records we've listened to. I was surprised again by how many songs i recognized.

I didn't like this nearly as much as I like the Steely Dan albums I've heard and have rated here. It was fine, but I don't see a time I would choose to listen to this over one of the better options.

Not bad, but not for me.

Exactly half of Steely Dan makes an album that is exactly half Steely Dan/half Nintendo music. Opening track IGY might be the best thing dude’s done, but by the third track we’re listening to themes from 80s police procedurals and Mario games.

This album was like a bias test for me because I’m not sure if I went from “this is bland, inoffensive yacht rock” to “this is pretty mellow and fun” because the tracks started to get better or because I realized that this guy was one of the founders of steely Dan after about 3-4 tracks. Looking back though I still found it somewhat bland the same way some people (losers) critics actual steely Dan music.

Smooooooooth

Not a fan of this. It almost felt like it was some sort of spoof album of an entire genre.

It's really boring. I don't understand why it's here. I guess it earned some accolades when it was new but it's quite forgettable now. I don't know if it's really 1 star bad but it isn't very long and I still was in the "why isn't this over yet?" Mode. So a 1 it is. Seriously this is only for Steely Dan fan boys or people who don't their rock to actually rock.

Very cool Jazz, Pop album. The great musicianship is undeniable, and the record doesn't overstay it's welcome. Just a very good album with great musicians! Favorite lyrics: - There where neon bends in daylight sky. - I'd give the world just to set her heart aflame. - I wish I had a heart of ice. Favorite tracks: I.G.Y., Ruby Baby, New Frontier, The Nightfly, Walk Between Raindrops. 8 out of 10

Part of the Wikipedia article describes this as among the best-recorded albums of all time. This seems like such a backhanded compliment - like saying your ugly house is made of great materials, or that your new partner has a "fantastic personality." It all feels slightly like what Patrick Bateman would play after Huey Lewis & the News. Nothing to complain about but not much for me to sink my teeth into.

Some cool stuff (New Frontier is fun) but lots that was too meh

it’s so cool hearing the Steely Dan members’ solo stuff you can really hear what charm they can both individually put into the band that create such a perfect sound and yet they both hold up so well on their own it’s incredible - 10/10

Steely Dan singer attempts a Jazz album

Suave and sophisticated, though just slightly sub-timeless given the particularity (not to say peculiarity) of the keys. It's music for the middle aged, particularly those that like their martinis extra dry.

Nice album but not a stand out. Very smooth. Not as edgy as the cover. Dinner party music.

Jazzy, poppy, pleasant enough, and honestly a bit boring. It was like a jazz album with a dull and cheesy 80's pop beat underneath it, and I think that kinda ruined the whole thing a bit. If it had stuck to its roots and just tried to be a jazz album I might have enjoyed it a bit more. And yet in this form it manages to be overproduced and still quite dull. It's not exactly bad though, just didn't blow me away. Favourite: The Nightfly

It's cheese. Total cheese. But it's tasty, stinky, mature cheese