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Steely Dan - Gaucho CD (album) cover

GAUCHO

Steely Dan

 

Jazz Rock/Fusion

3.71 | 209 ratings

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Chris S
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars This would have to be Steely Dan at their utmost peak creatively speaking. There were rumours of burn out and friction by the time this was released, and how many times has friction contributed to the betterment of studio material? You can rattle off many albums in as many hours through numerous bands over the years. Steely Dan had moved further away from their progressive leanings especially as in Aja the previous album, to even more jazz influenced rock. Smoothe, slick and sophisticated jazz rock and Gaucho was an epic way to enter the decade of the 80's. The band then went onto the back burner for the best part of about eighteen years.' Babylon Sisters' epitomises everything that Steely Dan had become. Intelligent, lush, silky sounding lyrics, complex musical time pitches, great storming vocals taking a stab at fame and vanity? Lyrics like Drive West on sunset to the sea, turn that jungle music down, just until wer'e out of town, this is no one night stand, it's a real occassion..... Read into it what you will, the song is musically rich with horn sections, sax, clarinet and some great keyboard work from Don Groinick. Interestingly both Fagen and Becker sat behind the controls for this one orchestrating their perfect piece. Hey Nineteen, yes probably the most commercial song they ever released, but hey if any band ever wanted to do a hit properly this would be the way to do it! The duo returning to the bass and piano/synths respectively. The song is full of tangible nostalgia. ' Glamour Profession' is another fine example of musical completeness, Steve Gadd providing some solid drumming. The title track is up next and continues to set the trend for lush vocals, smooth jazz influenced rock, in a kind of slow jam laid back sort of way. Lyrically again so clever. Mark Knopfler does a great solo on the epic ' Time Out Of Mind'. 'My Rival' and then the closing ' Third World Man' ends the album on a high, not exactly upbeat but a strong song that slowly ebbs and fades with also some great guitar work from Larry Carlton. Overall a stunning masterpiece from Steely Dan. They had definitely reached their peak with this effort and subsequently went on a long hiatus. Donald Fagen added two solos to his name and Walter Becker, one, before their return in 2000 with Two Against Nature. Notably also Walter Becker produced a brilliant album by China Crisis called Flaunt The Imperfection in 1985....Flaunt it, the Dan certainly did in 1980.
Chris S | 5/5 |

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