Voted a “10” on this long ago, but never reviewed it. Here we go:
This is probably Steely Dan’s most divisive album among fans. Having long been a huge fan I waited what seemed like forever back then for this to be finally be released following the amazing and perfect “Aja”. (2-3 years between albums back then was nearly unheard of!). And this was so “laid back”. Where were the big rock guitar solos? The crazy drum breaks? Fagen sounds reluctant to push his vocal. All the soul was gone from the “slick/soul” of “Aja” and all we had was the slick.
Yet what was left was perfection. Every note in the perfect place. Every sound mixed perfectly. This was the new audio-reference album to take us into the 80s.
And the songs grew on me in time. Long before the term “Yacht Rock” had been coined, Steely Dan is cruising on the ultimate yacht off to Barbados just for ride. Jack at the wheel stalking the dread moray eel with his Eurasian bride.
The legends about all the coke snorted during the making of this album must be true. You can almost smell it coming from the speakers listening to the obsession that went into getting the drum feel they wanted for ‘Gaucho’ and getting all the backing vocals perfect as the Babylon Sisters shake it. Rolling in the snow, far from the world they know.
And this 5.1 mix takes this all to the next level. I feel like I’m in the studio listening to the playbacks wondering just how hot the horn parts should be and which guitar take to keep.
And all topped off by one of the best, and understated, Larry Carlton guitar solos ever on ‘Third World Man’. An outtake from “Aja” revived after another song had been accidentally erased, but it fits this album so much better anyway.
Elliott Scheiner shows off just how good he is on this disc. That this is a surround - demo disc goes without saying. THIS is why we aren’t satisfied with just stereo. Nothing gimmicky here. No swirling instruments or bits jumping out at you. Just the perfect blend of discreetness and enveloping sound. For anyone who might say they prefer the stereo? I say check out the mono. That’s probably the true mix for you.
Of course Steely Dan had to break up (or take an extended break) after this album. They couldn’t go any higher for fidelity perfection, or sink any lower into the depths of excess and snark.
That this album is controversial? I get it. It lacks many of the qualities SD became famous for. But, at the same time, probably capsulizes better than any of their albums what they were REALLY all about.
g
