newcritics: Steely Dan’s Top 10 Guitar Records
sean
· 2 years ago
I'm with you on Countdown To Ecstasy, Pretzel Logic, and most of Katy Lied. "Bodhisattva" sure, plus "My Old School" but I'd add "Black Friday" from Katy Lied, not the most propulsive solo but one tied to the most vicious song they ever wrote, which gives it an extra kick. I can't get with most of what follows (Royal Scam, Gaucho, Aja, etc) which is way too tasteful. Their "slickness" which plays off the solos/lyrics on those early records seems to dominate the latter ones.
Dale Craddock
· 2 years ago
My two cents worth:
For me the greatest SD guitar solo has got to be the end of My Old School. It just doesn't let up. Even now I crank up the fade out 'cause Baxter is still cooking.
When Gaucho was released, I didn't much care for it; a friend said it sounded like out-takes from Aja to him. But over time, and aided immensely by the SACD / surround sound release, it's become almost my favourite SD release.
Planet Mondo
· 2 years ago
I Agree with most of the choices, but where is Rikki Don't Lose That Number?? That is masterclass solo - control, tone, technique - It's got the lot
Viscount LaCarte
· 2 years ago
Yeah - hard to pick 10, isn't it? Rikki and Black Friday are both great and could have shown up on my list had I written it on a different day.
Gaucho - The DTS mix is incredible, but over the years I only really like Babylon Sisters, Gaucho, and my favorite track from the disc Third World Man. I can't stand Hey Nineteen and find the other tracks tolerable but not great.
Ralph DeMarco
· 2 years ago
I have been a huge SD fan since high school. I love their fusion of soul, jazz, folk and rock. SD albums contain some of the best lyrics outside Dylan and Leonard Cohen.
I think that every album is just about equally great with the exception of Gaucho and, perhaps the last one from 2003, Everything Must Go - which is good, not great.
NOTE: If you love Gaucho, don't read on.
I have to say that, for me, Gaucho is unlistenable. Back in the day, Rolling Stone gave it one star. Yes it has some good songs, but it just has a very cheesy sound to it. I don't mind slick, I just don't like boring - and that album bores me to tears. I would say that Two Against Nature is the album that Gaucho should have been back in 1980. It makes sense that SD took a long break after Gaucho. In fact Fagan's Nightfly and Kamakiriad are also better albums than Gaucho.
Gaucho single handedly created smooth jazz radio (ugh!), and caused many people to decide that they hated Steely Dan. So much so that I played Countdown and Pretzel Logic to an avowed SD hater, and she didn't believe me when I told her that she was listening to SD. "Well, it doesn't suck..." was all she could say.
blue girl
· 2 years ago
Good post, Al. Wish I could add something to the main point of your post -- the guitar solos -- but, I don't listen to music like that. I tend to focus on how the music effects me overall -- I really focus on the vocals.
RE Goucho. Not their best. But, I do have to say I love Babylon Sisters. Such a sexy song.
It's one of those songs I'd *love* to sing back-up vocals on. You can just let your voice carry.
Here come those Santa Ana winds again....
Ted Wilson
· 2 years ago
I had no Idea Rick Derringer played on Chain Lightning - man, that cat got around.
Big ups, as always, to Carlton/Baxter/Dias the Holy Trinity of Steely Guitar.
Viscount LaCarte
· 2 years ago
Ralph: I'm with you on your Gaucho criticisms, just not to the same degree. I was very disappointed when it came out. It just wasn't up to what we all expected after such a great run.
I love Two Against Nature and have found many Steely Dan fans negative opinions of it perplexing. I like it waaaaay better than Gaucho and better than Kamikiriad.
I think The Nightfly is a masterpiece, in a class by itself. So perfect from concept through execution. It really captures what I believe to be the zeitgeist of that late 50's early 60's era . It sounds like a Steely Dan record, but Becker and Fagen's lyrics have never been so consistently benevolent and empathetic in lyrical scope. Even in songs like Green Flower Street and The Goodbye Look (a personal fave!) that feature some seedy characters, there is an absence of the derision that permeates their albums as a duo.
Blue: Yeah, I understand.
Kevin Wolf
· 2 years ago
I've certainly not thought about this in the same depth as you, Viscount, but there's no doubt SD put together some terrific ensembles over the years.
Glad to see "My Old School" here because it's my favorite SD tune. I love the band, I love the sound. Great guitars, as you've pointed out, but it's also got my favorite SD horn chart. Any idea who arranged this tune?
Viscount LaCarte
· 2 years ago
Hey Kev,
Steelydan.com credits the horn arrangements on My Old School to Jimmie Haskell.
Don't you love the horns commenting after the line:
"My Old School" is in my top ten favorite songs ever.
Boy, that's a huge commitment to make. But, for now -- I'm stickin' to it.
Ralph DeMarco
· 2 years ago
Yea, My Old School is on my top 20 favorite singles of all time. Slamin' piano, funky beat, chunky melodic horns and great lyrics. As most of you know Becker and Fagan both met at Bard College in Annandale, NY. And, after looking at a map recently, Barrytown (that song from Pretzel Logic) is right near Annandale. And apparently Fagan did go back to Annandale when he gave a commencement address at Bard back in the 80s.
fred wilson
· 2 years ago
i am headed to amagansett to my vinyl collection and am going to wallow in SD for the next week.
thanks Viscount!
David Halsted
· 2 years ago
I love Rick Derringer's slide guitar on "Show Biz Kids." Snarling and abrasive, it's the perfect complement to Fagen's contemptuous put-down of a vocal.
Viscount LaCarte
· 2 years ago
They got the Steely Dan T-shirt
Michael Bierut
· 2 years ago
The guitar solo in Kid Charlemagne is my favorite in any pop song ever. The way Larry Carlton pulls it out and lands it at the last possible second before the final verse is amazing. I've listened to it hundreds of times and I still can't quite figure out how he does it.
razorboy
· 1 year ago
I love the guitar on show biz kids. Also, third world man. Steely Dan, the best band in history!
The Viscount
· 1 year ago
Yeah - hard to pick just 10.
Don Aitchison
· 7 months ago
I just read this ten song piece and enjoied it very much. I didn't catch anything like I sometimes do, you got it all right as far as I know. Larry Carlton is one of my favorite players, but there were other great players for sure. The only band( and I use the term loosly) I know of to take a song and record it with four or five different combinations of players and pick the one they liked best. They were and are amazing. Well I just wanted to say well done. Thanks, Don
Tiffany Sunglasses
· 1 month ago
I like those song and I think they really nice. May I know the chords of this song? I want to play it with my guitar.
All Comments
I can't get with most of what follows (Royal Scam, Gaucho, Aja,
etc) which is way too tasteful. Their "slickness" which plays off the solos/lyrics on those early records seems to dominate the latter ones.
For me the greatest SD guitar solo has got to be the end of My Old School. It just doesn't let up. Even now I crank up the fade out 'cause Baxter is still cooking.
When Gaucho was released, I didn't much care for it; a friend said it sounded like out-takes from Aja to him. But over time, and aided immensely by the SACD / surround sound release, it's become almost my favourite SD release.
Gaucho - The DTS mix is incredible, but over the years I only really like Babylon Sisters, Gaucho, and my favorite track from the disc Third World Man. I can't stand Hey Nineteen and find the other tracks tolerable but not great.
I think that every album is just about equally great with the exception of Gaucho and, perhaps the last one from 2003, Everything Must Go - which is good, not great.
NOTE: If you love Gaucho, don't read on.
I have to say that, for me, Gaucho is unlistenable. Back in the day, Rolling Stone gave it one star. Yes it has some good songs, but it just has a very cheesy sound to it. I don't mind slick, I just don't like boring - and that album bores me to tears. I would say that Two Against Nature is the album that Gaucho should have been back in 1980. It makes sense that SD took a long break after Gaucho. In fact Fagan's Nightfly and Kamakiriad are also better albums than Gaucho.
Gaucho single handedly created smooth jazz radio (ugh!), and caused many people to decide that they hated Steely Dan. So much so that I played Countdown and Pretzel Logic to an avowed SD hater, and she didn't believe me when I told her that she was listening to SD. "Well, it doesn't suck..." was all she could say.
RE Goucho. Not their best. But, I do have to say I love Babylon Sisters. Such a sexy song.
It's one of those songs I'd *love* to sing back-up vocals on. You can just let your voice carry.
Here come those Santa Ana winds again....
Big ups, as always, to Carlton/Baxter/Dias the Holy Trinity of Steely Guitar.
I love Two Against Nature and have found many Steely Dan fans negative opinions of it perplexing. I like it waaaaay better than Gaucho and better than Kamikiriad.
I think The Nightfly is a masterpiece, in a class by itself. So perfect from concept through execution. It really captures what I believe to be the zeitgeist of that late 50's early 60's era . It sounds like a Steely Dan record, but Becker and Fagen's lyrics have never been so consistently benevolent and empathetic in lyrical scope. Even in songs like Green Flower Street and The Goodbye Look (a personal fave!) that feature some seedy characters, there is an absence of the derision that permeates their albums as a duo.
Blue: Yeah, I understand.
Glad to see "My Old School" here because it's my favorite SD tune. I love the band, I love the sound. Great guitars, as you've pointed out, but it's also got my favorite SD horn chart. Any idea who arranged this tune?
Steelydan.com credits the horn arrangements on My Old School to Jimmie Haskell.
Don't you love the horns commenting after the line:
"California - tumbles into the sea..."
budda budda budda budda budda budda budda budda bum!
"That'll be the day I go back to Annandale!"
Boy, that's a huge commitment to make. But, for now -- I'm stickin' to it.
thanks Viscount!