Donald Fagen-Sunken Condos

Todd K, don't be so surprised that others don't agree with you!!!

Wolf-garcia. Did you ever consider that your gf and myself have our own perceptions of what good pop music is??

I guess I should just suicide off my balcony because I don't like MTC. The album title is dumb, and the music insipid, despite one or two decent cuts. "NightFly" is a very good album, no complaints.

However, I think it is important to distinguish the music of Steely Dan from that of Donald Fagen. Fagen and Becker are brilliant composers, but the "Steely Dan" band is a changing collection of excellent studio musicians which seem to perform way beyond the sum of its parts.

For example, a much overlooked and underrated Dan studio album, (and if we must use superlatives) "Can't Buy a Thrill" is much MORE than just a diamond in the rough. It is a straight ahead rock and roll album but has the Dan quirky "musical persona" The studio band is outstanding, and David Palmer's vocal on "Brooklyn(Owes The Charmer Under Me)" elevates this ballad to ethereal heights. Ironically or tragically, the radio overplayed "Reelin In the Years" despite its catchy, driving rhythms "MAY BE" the weakest cut on the album....This statement should cause a shitstorm in this thread. Will have to check back later.

Hey Wolf - don't get me wrong. I am very much aboard the Steely Dan/Becker/Fagen bandwagon! Mediocre from them is only so by comparison to the better/best stuff of their own work. I do have to say I don't always have a "sterile" reaction to their music on first listen and also I am not yet calling Sunken Condos, mediocre. Might just take a while to warm up to it. As you point out, I do wish there were more bands working in whatever pop/rock/jazz/R&B genre "the Dan" has carved out over the decades. (BTW- I'm going to have to check out that September collaboration thing).

I guess you could call me a fan, I ordered the Japanese version of this new Fagen CD as soon as I heard about it. Unfortunately I have not had time to listen yet.

Warning, if you order from Japan there are two versions available, a made in Japan version and a import version (don't know where it comes from, maybe US?). Obviously you don't want to pay shipping etc. for a CD you could probably buy cheaper here.

Up to now "Nightfly" is definitely my favorite, probably will continue to be. I agree with Onhwy61, it's close to perfect, a masterpiece.

Sometimes it takes a while to warm to some songs because they're frequently more complex, both lyrically and musically, than your run of the mill shit kick'n rock'n'roll. If there's no catchy tune then it takes a little longer for me.

I have a feeling this one's going to be pretty good like "MTC" and "Kamakiriad", but not great like "Nightfly". Again, we'll see after I listen to this new one a few times.

Bought MTC lp and received 2 copies by mistake. After listening to one, I decided to keep the second...just in case...

Forgot to mention, I really like the cover art. Got me to thinking, how much depreciation on my $2,500,000 beach side condo after she goes under the waves from global warming?

On the bright side, we could think of all those buildings as artificial reefs. Probably provide good structure for the fish!

Well fortunately, I don't have to worry about that contingency. And if it gets me in Minnesota I guess we're all screwed. 8^)