Steely Dan Aja
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Topic: Steely Dan Aja
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Subject: Steely Dan Aja
Date Posted: February 09 2018 at 15:45
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Another great album from the mid-70s whose songs have almost all taken their turn as my favorites. Have to admit I'm voting for Odysseus and "Home At Last" ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Replies:
Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: February 09 2018 at 15:54
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One of my most treasured albums. I went for Deacon Blues, but every single track is a unique gem. ------------- Soldato of the Pan Head Mafia. We'll make you an offer you can't listen to. http://bandcamp.com/jpillbox" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp Profile |
Posted By: Dr. Occulator
Date Posted: February 09 2018 at 16:05
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I love lot of prog but Steely Dan is my favourite band of all genres. That mix of jazz, pop, rock & prog with killer horn arrangements, incredible harmonies, cryptic lyrics and elite players of all instruments is what SD is all about. There's not a weak tune on this album or IMO any other album as well. I was thrilled years ago when Steely Dan were finally entered in the Prog archives as Crossover prog. ------------- My Doc Told Me I Have Doggie Head. |
Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: February 09 2018 at 16:37
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Anything on side 1. But Black Cow is my gut pick ------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: February 09 2018 at 16:46
| Gotta be Deacon Blues, but the title track is really good as well. It's one of the first 7 Steely Dan albums, so you know it's great and many consider it their best album. My personal favorite is The Royal Scam though(followed closely by Countdown to Ecstasy and Gaucho).. heck they're all great lol. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: February 09 2018 at 16:59
| Definitely the title track for me(quite possibly the most proggy thing they've ever done). I should probably play it again soon anyway. A lot of it sounds like the beginnings of what later became known as "smooth jazz" but back then it was more palatable imo. |
Posted By: Squonk19
Date Posted: February 09 2018 at 17:10
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"Learn to work the saxophone I play just what I feel Drink Scotch whiskey all night long And die behind the wheel They got a name for the winners in the world I want a name when I lose They call Alabama the Crimson Tide Call me Deacon Blues" Never considered it prog - but it gets pretty near to musical perfection!  ------------- “Living in their pools, they soon forget about the sea.” |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: February 09 2018 at 17:12
    ------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |
Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: February 09 2018 at 17:15
Exactly. Very well said.
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Squonk19 wrote:Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: February 09 2018 at 17:20
| Really all of their first 7 album hover very close to musical perfection for me. The only band that I, personally, hold in higher esteem is the Beatles. Wishbone Ash is my favorite band and I don't even hold them in higher esteem, nor Yes, nor Genesis.. so sue me lol. |
Posted By: Squonk19
Date Posted: February 09 2018 at 17:28
^  ------------- “Living in their pools, they soon forget about the sea.” |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: February 09 2018 at 17:35
Ok, you lost me there. Lol. You hold Steely Dan and the Beatles in higher esteem than you do Wishbone Ash but Wishbone Ash is your favorite band. Sorry, but that's a real head scratcher for me. Lol. To me that's kind of like saying I like Halloween better than the Exorcist but the Exorcist is a better movie. I guess that makes sense if that's what you meant(sorry for the horror movie comparsion. Lol).
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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: February 09 2018 at 17:47
Wishbone Ash has a lot more than 7 albums that I really enjoy(so do the Beatles). And the Beatles I hold in the very highest esteem because I consider both John Lennon and Paul McCartney to be geniuses of the highest order. And George is not exactly a slouch either, and who doesn't love Ringo? So there you go. But those first 7 albums by Steely Dan.. Pure Gold to me. I love each one of them dearly.
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Posted By: Mista-Gordie
Date Posted: February 09 2018 at 18:38
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1-Aja 2-Home at last 3-Josie 4-Deacon blues 5-Peg 6-Black cow 7-I got the news They're all truly great though. Steve Gadd's drumming on the title track is one on my all time favorite performances from any drummer. |
Posted By: Frenetic Zetetic
Date Posted: February 09 2018 at 18:42
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Aja.
------------- "I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021 |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: February 09 2018 at 20:17
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^The young man from New Hampshire got it right......Aja. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: rogerthat
Date Posted: February 10 2018 at 00:12
| Great, great album. Giving a leg up to the amazing opener. |
Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: February 10 2018 at 01:04
| Aja for me, but I love every single note. |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: February 10 2018 at 01:57
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Ile vote for juicy Josie, mostly for Chuck Raynies bass line -------------  
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Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: February 10 2018 at 06:46
I get you, Mike! "Like/favorite" = something that speaks to YOU, that YOU connect with, whereas "best/esteem" = you appreciate, cerebrally, cuz you know their a great band that make great music! That's why I post two lists for my year-end rankings: one for the albums that really connect with me and my preferences, and one for the albums/songs that I appreciate from a more objective viewpoint. For example, I don't really like or listen to much on the metal spectrum but there are albums that I hear that I understand, I get are really well done, well made, well-composed and -performed. These albums/songs I continue to rate highly despite the fact that I will probably not be listening to them much myself. My "favorites" list, however, may contain many albums that I don't consider masterpieces of their genre but whose music really engages me and keeps bringing me back. Got it?! ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: February 10 2018 at 06:52
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typical... Micky from Mars.. the rest of you all Venus. I got the News... that instrumental break is priceless and one of my favorite moments from Steely Dan.. and the number of those moments.. are many and many anyhow.. Aja.. yeah I suppose it is their best. It is pretty much musical perfection start to finish. However it is if anything TOO perfect to these ears. I would put it about 4th or 5th favorite album from them. ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: tboyd1802
Date Posted: February 10 2018 at 09:54
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Not a dud on this classic album, could have gone with any track. But, went with the title track. By the way, who cares whether or not its prog? Its great music. ------------- He neither drank, smoked, nor rode a bicycle. Living frugally, saving his money, he died early, surrounded by greedy relatives. It was a great lesson to me -- John Barrymore |
Posted By: Larkstongue41
Date Posted: February 10 2018 at 10:09
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Not a dull moment on the first 4 tracks. I absolutely love Black Cow but I have to give Peg a much deserved nod. ------------- "Larks' tongues. Wrens' livers. Chaffinch brains. Jaguars' earlobes. Wolf nipple chips. Get 'em while they're hot. They're lovely. Dromedary pretzels, only half a denar." |
Posted By: The Bearded Bard
Date Posted: February 10 2018 at 10:36
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Nice little album. I'll go with the title track. -------------  
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Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: February 10 2018 at 10:42
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Home at Last is an outstaning song which will stand long and prosper -------------
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Posted By: Manuel
Date Posted: February 10 2018 at 10:46
| It's between Deacon Blues, Home at last and AJA, depending on the mood I am. |
Posted By: tdfloyd
Date Posted: February 11 2018 at 07:27
^This |
Posted By: ClosetothSupperBrick
Date Posted: February 11 2018 at 12:20
| I don't like any of these songs that much, but "Aja" is the most proggy song on this album, so I'll go with that (jazz rock just doesn't click with me but I realize that these guys were great musicians and songwriters.) |
Posted By: digdug
Date Posted: February 12 2018 at 13:33
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love the whole album could really vote for any song went with Josie ------------- Prog On! |
Posted By: Jeffro
Date Posted: February 13 2018 at 06:11
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As others have said, not a dud on the entire album. Went with Home At Last. Ask me tomorrow and it will probably be different. I Got The News is likely the most underrated song on the album. ------------- We all live in an amber subdomain, amber subdomain, amber subdomain. My face IS a maserati |
Posted By: uduwudu
Date Posted: February 15 2018 at 02:46
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Superb, American jazz rock's more than adequate response to Lennon and MCartney produce (another) timeless classic. I see nothing wrong with perfection no matter how much. Now if FM had been included... Thumbs up to the closer Josie here but really this whole album is that superb balance of melody and performance virtuosity. I once read that the LP master is far superior to the CD. Don't know if this is still the case. I wonder if those old half speed mastered records still have audio value... Aja had that treatment but I never heard a copy. |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: February 15 2018 at 12:10
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Aja, really. It's a little journey within itself, in'nent? ------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |