Steely Dan is a band I always hear a lot of things about, but they’re one I haven’t really explored too deeply, save for a few songs here and there. This particular album is their seventh studio album, and received many Grammy award nominations, and even won in a particular category. I was told about this album the other day and figured it was finally time I gave a listen to some Steely Dan. This one seems to be along the lines of jazz rock and yacht rock, according to Wikipedia. With that said, I’m pretty excited to give this one a listen so I’m going to go ahead and jump on into the music.
“Babylon Sisters” starts out really slick, slow, and really groovy with some really pleasant 80s sounding drums and keyboards that really set the pace nicely. Oh wow, the vocals from Donald Fagen have such a groovy sound to them. Wow, the rhythm track is absolutely awesome – it’s got a really groovy shuffle type of feeling to it. The dream-like keys and laid back jazz-like saxophones really give a really great yacht rock feel to the whole mix. I’m really digging this one, and I’m super stoked to be giving this album a listen right now. Oh wow, the trumpet really squeals and melts right into this breezy soundscape. There’s such a laid back groovy feel that I really want to grab my guitar and jam along with this tune. The engineering in this tune alone is quite noteworthy. Really awesome start.
Holy smokes, “Hey Nineteen” starts out with some super tasty guitar that sort of melts to some keys that almost come together in a vaporwave-like fashion. I really dig the rubbery bass line alongside the those easygoing 80s snares. Oh wow, the guitar and keys really melt to form a super groovy breezy soundscape. Holy smokes, this tune is orchestrated very nicely, with everything in the soundscape having a very deliberate and completely wholesome and natural sound to it at the same time. Really groovy tune.
“Glamour Profession” has some super tasty 80s synths right at the onset of the song, accompanied by some almost dark, alluring horns and bass (almost like New York City at 2 in the morning) that pull you further into the groove, guided by Fagen’s patient vocals, as the synth creates a dream-like soundscape around you. The piano really plays off the platform given by those steady going drums quite nicely. I really dig the short staccato’d notes from the guitar that sort of gently weave into the soundscape – it almost reminds me of a really relaxed Cory Wong to a certain extent. Wow, the breeziness of this tune (and album for that matter) is absolutely tangible. Holy smokes, this jazz-inflected piano solo is incredibly delicious while the band continues furthering the jam even more. This tune is super groovy. Oh wow, this little jam session is super groovy. The instruments all seem to have some sort of counterpoint with the next, really coalescing to an incredibly intriguing and equally tasty jam. The melty clean tone from the electric guitar really has a great taste to it in the whole context of the song. Really great song.
“Gaucho” has a really strong, slow marching feel to it with the paced-out drum beats that are accompanied by some washy synths that have a normal piano coming from underneath. The jazz saxophone at the beginning was a super groovy way to introduce the tune. Wow, the syncopation during the first vocal line is super awesome. Holy smokes, this song really builds to a really great climactic chorus, while still continuing to build throughout. Holy smokes, the playing in this song continues to climb to new heights as the tune continues on. Wow, the chorus really sounds like it comes from some sort of pleasant coastal breeze in the middle of summer. Really awesome tune.
Holy smokes, “Time Out of Mind” starts out with some super tasty playing from the keyboards/piano with some great guitar jamming before the vocals come on. Oh wow, the vocals have a really awesome sound that really are the driving and directional force behind this groovy tune. The drums and piano feel like they nearly skip along some sort of musical shore while the guitar and/or synth melt alongside into some sort of ethereal breeze. Holy smokes, the electric guitar really buttons out some tasty little notes alongside the clap-like rhythm track at the end of the tune. Another groovy tune.
“My Rival” starts out with an almost dark sounding vaporwave sort of sound with the synths at the beginning. Oh wow, there’s actually some distortion to either the guitar or the keyboard (or possibly both) in this one, which really explores a different musical dimension in this one. Oh wow, I’m really digging this tune. It really seems to get exploratory with a mix of synths and organs. There’s a really nice island feel with the congas in the drums every one in a while. That distortion on the electric guitar is absolutely awesome as it plays a somewhat familiar yacht rock line from earlier, only with a super tasty layer of distortion that almost hints at blues rock at times. This is definitely one groovy tune.
“Third World Man” has some really melty synths and keyboards at the beginning, almost like looking into ripples of a gently moving sea with fog around you. As the band continues to play, the fog begins to drift away with the jams that really build off earlier melodies in the song really nicely. There’s almost a southern rock vibe to the guitar in this one with the slight distortion and overall flavor of playing. Oh wow, the song really shifts around itself with the different keyboard lines, but the guitar seems to meander through all the noise. Really great tune and great end to the album.
Wow. First of all, I’ll be listening to a lot more Steely Dan. Second, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker really create such an interesting soundscape and vibe throughout with this super breezy feeling evident throughout the album, which hits some dark tones and even gets a little gritty at times while still remaining an extraordinarily smooth listening experience. Overall, this was a great way to spend about 40 minutes. If you enjoy yacht rock or interesting mixtures of early 80s rock and smooth jazz, you might enjoy this album. If you do decide to give this one a listen, I do sincerely hope that you enjoy the experience at least as much as I did.
-A