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[littlefallsmets]

"Aja" is definitely the album to start on... the most "Steely Dan" of the Steely Dan albums, we'll say.

Every song they write is either about NYC or LA, on some level, and they're not afraid to admit it, that's one of the things I've liked about their stuff.

Though "Can't Buy A Thrill" is really good classic rock and a great listen, it's kind of more this good mainstream rock album that got made by Steely Dan than a jazz-rock fusion album sorta dealy as they did for the middle of their careers.

But "Everything Must Go" is a great concept for an album and as a concept album for the... whatever the nows are... it's pretty tight. It's kind of a bunch of stories about people who are middleaged and comfortable, facing down the idea that just as they've gotten middleaged and comfortable, gotten the nice car and the summer place and the fancy liquor collection and the young mistress who the wife is fine with... just as they have all that, the world's coming to an end.

And how do you deal with that?

It's all good stuff though, I just think the thematics of EMG are currently pretty important.

[theinevitable]

man, the young mistress who the wife is just fine with?
that's the kicker.

I'd be worried if I was cheating on my wife and she didn't' care. Seriously worried.
so maybe that isn't all it's cracked up to be.

then again, maybe I'll feel differently when I'm 50 and fantasizing about getting my bone on with some hot young lady.

[robot_god]

I have all of their albums (after a raid on AllOfMP3 before they doubled their prices last year) and I gotta say, I just don't "get" them.  I can appreciate how they're good musicians, and some of their stuff is interesting, but it just doesn't move me.  At all.  I hear more feeling from the rattle in my clothes dryer.

What am I missing?

Steely Dan lean very heavily towards the 'musician music' end of the spectrum as opposed to 'non-musician music.'  I dunno, Jough, do you play any instruments?

I'm not really sure exactly what makes something musiciany, but I think it has something to do with the overall mix of the production, maybe the song structure, too.  A bit of whether the mix sounds sort of instrumental or not, regardless if there are vocals.  I dunno, some stuff is just musiciany and some stuff just ain't, and it has nothing to do with how complex it is.

[theinevitable]

I may be "pulling this out of my ass" (am I using it right? did I use this phrase correctly?) but I think Television are another band like this. No matter how much music critics and interested guitar players love them, the vast majority of people find them not at all worth listening to.

[AugustWest]

Yeah, except Steely Dan sold millions and millions of albums and you hear them on the radio all the time. 

[wombat]

But "Everything Must Go" is a great concept for an album and as a concept album for the... whatever the nows are... it's pretty tight. It's kind of a bunch of stories about people who are middleaged and comfortable, facing down the idea that just as they've gotten middleaged and comfortable, gotten the nice car and the summer place and the fancy liquor collection and the young mistress who the wife is fine with...

WTF?

Songs written by middle aged men, I guess?

[FlipConstantine]

I may be "pulling this out of my ass" (am I using it right? did I use this phrase correctly?) but I think Television are another band like this. No matter how much music critics and interested guitar players love them, the vast majority of people find them not at all worth listening to.

Now see, even if you don't like Television (whaaaa?) you at least have to appreciate their historic significance.  I mean, the dudes practically invented punk rock.  I mean I can see how some of their songs are alienating (i.e. marquee moon, ten minutes, come on) but I think overall they've got enough down to earth musical sensibility to make good songs.  But we all know The Voidoids were much better anyway.

[theinevitable]

yeah, see, that's the thing. I love Television. But most people just don't seem to get them at all.

Plus, come on, The Stooges! Punk rock? The Stooges!

now I am just wondering what Steely Dan songs I would have heard. i know that I have heard them. but none come to mind.

[robot_god]

now I am just wondering what Steely Dan songs I would have heard. i know that I have heard them. but none come to mind.

This one, definitely.

[pmcd9]

Every song they write is either about NYC or LA, on some level, and they're not afraid to admit it, that's one of the things I've liked about their stuff.

They are all over the planet, not just New York and LA.

~Paul

[jough]

robogod - yeah, I play several instruments and when I was in high school was going to study jazz composition in college.  Guitar was my first love. 

I haven't played a lot of music lately, but of course I still love music and listen to a lot.  I still write a song here and there.  I've listened to a lot of musicians' music, especially instrumental guitar stuff from Joe Satriani and Eric Johnson, et al.

I just don't get Steely Dan.  Or Gino Vanelli.

[robot_god]

I wouldn't straight-up consider something instrumental to be musiciany.  EJ, I would say yes.  Satch, I would say no, because he writes his songs to be as accessable as possible, for the most part.  I dunno if it's possible to follow what I am talking about, it's probably just my personal interpretation of things.

I saw Satch on his Engines of Creation tour, which was arguably when he was at his best.  It was his most inspired album.  That was one of the most memorable shows I've been to.

[KeithHernandez]

I don't know if I would put Television in the same catagory as Steely Dan.  I mean, Television did way more for advancing music than Steely Dan ever did.  Plus, as an added bonus, they had good songs.

[theinevitable]

*that awkward thing, where you kind of try to hug a guy, and then he doesn't want to, so you shake his hand*

[FlipConstantine]

*that awkward thing, where you kind of try to hug a guy, and then he doesn't want to, so you shake his hand*

That keeps happening when I play the sims.  WEIRD.