Steely Dan appreciation

Recently got into this band in a big way.  Picked up Aja almost blind (didn't even know if it was the best place to start), and after a lot of drooling over it  revisited Pretzel Logic which I had heard a long time back but hadn't been blown away and so on and so forth.  I think they are going to be one of my all time favourite bands easy.  Aja is my favourite so far but also really love Royal Scam and Countdown to Ecstacy.  Katy Lied and Pretzel Logic a little behind, followed by Gaucho and Can't Buy A Thrill which have their flaws but are still worthy.  I don't know how prog or not they are and I am not going to rekindle an old debate  because I really don't care about it, few bands are so perfect for my tastes as Steely Dan.   What do YOU think?

Haven't got to Everything Must Go yet but I quite liked Two Against Nature. No real changes to their style and yet doesn't sound pale or stagnant...strange, that, lots of old bands go either of those two ways, Steely Dan simply carried on where they had left all those years back.  But yeah, doesn't top the old stuff. not nearly. 

Only really got into them recently as the band I'm in do a few of their numbers. They're great to play, some of the chord structures they use are just wonderful. I reckon the middle period was probably their best - Kid Charlemagne and Haitian Divorce.

Elegant mixture of pop and jazz. I discovered them through 'royal scam'. A lot of great musicians played with them (and often jazz-related) : Bernard Purdie, Rick Marotta, Larry Carlton, Steve Gadd, Jim Keltner, Jeff Porcaro, David Paich, Joe Sample, Chuck Rainey, Rick Derringer, Dean Parks, Tom Scott.

Donald Fagen released threee excellent solo albums after they disbanded.

lucas wrote: Elegant mixture of pop and jazz. I discovered them through 'royal scam'. A lot of great musicians played with them (and often jazz-related) : Bernard Purdie, Rick Marotta, Larry Carlton, Steve Gadd, Jim Keltner, Jeff Porcaro, David Paich, Joe Sample, Chuck Rainey, Rick Derringer, Dean Parks, Tom Scott. Donald Fagen released threee excellent solo albums after they disbanded.

Porcaro has talked about how hard Fagen and Becker made them work just to get a drum track right for Gaucho.  Funny the album itself didn't seem to justify that much effort and perfectionism though it was a good album again from SD.

I wrote about SD sub-gen and i think Jazz rock/fusion is good for this great band. I love 2 first albums and AJA  is special for me. I listen fagen and becker solo albums and i think if they join then they can release more better stuff.

I am in LOVE with their first time.

pied piper wrote: I was disappointed when they disbanded, and I loved Fagen's "Nightfly". I was very glad when they regrouped!

Yeah, I love Nightfly too, lovely jazz pop , couldn't believe it was that a**h*** singing so earnestly and, at places, tenderly, actually.

HolyMoly wrote:   I got "Two Against Nature" when it came out, but something essential seemed to be missing.

Have been meaning to get to that. How about the one in the middle...something starting with K?