The Royal Scam: A Reappraisal
 

After a week of listening to the album more closely, I am convinced that the Royal Scam does not deserve the criticism it may get. There's really very very little wrong with it and aside from that, it has one or two of Dan's best numbers on it. Another fine album from the duo, if not quite up to the crazily high previously-set bar.

It was my favorite album RJ because it has four of my all time favorite SD songs, The Royal Scam, Kid Charlamagne, The Caves of Altamira and Haitian Divorce. For whatever personal subjective reason this album just resonated with me more than the others, after all it is a matter of personal taste. I like all of SD's albums, I really don't care what the critics said about them. I'm just glad you are enjoying their music all these years later.:yeah:

Royal Scam is no doubt a good album, Kid Charlamagne is a great song and Altamira's awesome too.

Have you listened at all to their reunion records? Or Faegen's solo works?

I didn't buy any of their albums after Gaucho, it was so many years ago now I don't remember why exactly...not because I stopped liking them that much is certain. I vaguely remember Nightfly, but nothing else. If you do SD's complete discography then I look forward to reading your opinions about the solo/reunion records and will check them out.:)

"Bodhisattva" is really such a great track. Countdown To Ecstasy is amazing, even returning to it after a month or so. Superb record - there is very little ensemble playing in popular music that matches this.

Have you finished listening to all of their albums now RJ? The solo works and the latest studio release?

Nah I'm actually just about through with Aja and on my way to Gaucho. Then'll come Faegen's first solo album, The Nightfly (I think), which I hear great things about.

I actually agree now about Can't Buy A Thrill being easily the band's worst album. To everything else they did, I find it by comparison practically unlistenable. The songs in general are considerably weaker than the band's output-to-be, and the uncharacteristic severe sweetness of the ballads (with David Palmer's vocals) is a bad touch.

What is interesting is that, on its own, the album is rather commendable, impressive even. But once you really come to know Steely Dan for the type of music they came to make, you can't really revert to Can't Buy A Thrill and feel satiated. It almost feels like you're listening to a different band.

I can see why you think that way about Can't Buy A Thrill, musically it is not on the same level as the later SD albums, but for me I still like it a lot. We used to party to this album on the beach all summer so I have a sentimental attachment to it RJ. So many good memories come flooding back when I listen to this record. I don't play it often but usually in early summer I dust it off and do a little time tripping.:)

I haven't listened to Steely Dan for a while, but pulled out Can't Buy A Thrill from my CDs and listened to it recently. Then, I wondered why I hadn't read anything about SD in MB and did a search. That's how I found this thread. I was surprised, like some of you, that there wasn't more written about them in this forum. I agree with a lot of what was written above--Aja, Prezel Logic, and Katy Lied are phenomenal pieces of work. Can't Buy a Thrill is less so, but it is still a favorite of mine now that I listen again. And, like Sasquach says, Reelin in the Years was a summer "anthem" song for those who were listening in the 70s and 80s:

Steely Dan – Reelin' in the Years – Listen free and discover music at Last.fm

I haven't listened to the two albums they released since they reunited in 2000s: 2000: Two Against Nature, 2003: Everything Must Go. But, I'm going to give a listen and see how they compare to earlier SD.

Will you still have a song to sing when the razor boy comes and takes your fancy things away?

^^^Will you still be singing it on that cold and windy day?

Bodhistava is all I have to say!

The sparkle of yah china, the shine of yah japan :Y

when all my dime dancing is through, i'll run to you.... Aja

and the best concert i've ever been to, with the worst audience, Steel Dan, think fast'08 phx. az. dodge theater, great sound.... ****e-people.

Nice triple postin', bro. Next time, edit your posts.
What were the audience like?

Sorry, will edit.... quiet. that's what they were/are i'm embarassed to be grouped in with the over 40 crowd, i was there to say thank you for a lifetime of feeling good, show them love... but it was as if they were at the movies, no lie... the people behind us had trays of nachos and sodas and asked us to stay seated. thanks P.N. i edit therfore i am

That's a shame. You'd think the older people would know where you're coming from if you were to get up and cheer or whatever. I mean, when I went to see David Byrne a few years ago, pretty much everyone was up dancing and most of the crowd were middle aged.

The royal scam is in my opinion the best, and thiugh i've only seen them once, last year the songs they played off it were done intentionaly what i mean is i think they may the songs steely dan likes to play live, that counts for something

P.N. thanks for understanding, it was a shame, but the real question is do you like the album everything must go? Crap, i forgot to edit,,, bad 7 bad 7 I'm new at this.

couldn't find anything about bumping threads but I did see some bumps so I'll assume it's OK for the sake of organization and continuity

anywho if it were possible I would marry these men and bear their musically proficient children

they seem to be a very under appreciated and underrated band, 90% of the time people say "Who?" when I mention Dan in a discussion

earlier in this thread there was some hate on Can't Buy a Thrill and that's just INSANE IN THE MEMBRANE BRO

"Do It Again" is definitely my favorite song by these guys, the whole thing is like heaven for your ears

Palmer's songs are tolerable enough, "Dirty Work" is pretty cool and "Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)" ain't bad

I also saw little mention of Two Against Nature and Everything Must Go beyond "I haven't listened to them yet" which is a damn shame because they're right on par with everything else in the discography

pretty much there is no song by these guys I can't/won't listen to. none of them are bad.

IMO their best album is definitely Countdown to Ecstasy. "Show Biz Kids", "Your Gold Teeth" and "King of the World" are three of the best songs they ever made, love the whole sound of that album though. you can hear traces of that blues-jazz-rock thing on Can't Buy a Thrill, though most of the songs sound a lot different

my least favorite song, though, definitely "Rikki Don't Lose That Number". for as much hate as was lumped on Palmer I'm amazed this one wasn't torn apart. their worst song, though in this case "worst" means "mediocre".

Becker is definitely a massively underrated guitarist, never see him on any "Greatest Ever" lists (or even "Most Underrated" lists) even though he deserves to be there. listen to his bass lines on the initial run, and find the songs where he plays guitar - it's amazing

Fa‎gen is one of the best songwriters ever and is a fantastic keyboardist. love the voice, too.

I love Steely Dan :love: I love the loungy vibe their songs have.

Someof my fave songs are
Peg
Bad Sneakers
The Fez
Everyone's Gone To The Movies
Turn That Heartbeat Atround
Aja
Dirty Work
Any World That I'm Welcome To
Throw Back The Little Ones
FM

Steely Dan
 

Steely Dan was a great band. They played some great music.

Steely Dan is one of the bands my wife and I just can't agree on. I like them, she can't stand them. Bit too much of a smooth jazzy sound for her.

That's funny, because your wife's reaction to Steely Dan is almost exactly like mine! For example, if "Babylon Sister" came on the radio all jazzy and smooth, I would DEFINITELY change the station. It just sounds too smooth and easy listening and lounge lizardy to me.

However, if "My Old School" came on the radio, and I was driving 8 hours across Nebraska, and I was happy just to have any ol' music on to keep me alert, I wouldn't mind the song and would probably sing along to its lyrics..."I'm never going back to my high school!" But I would never seek out a Steely Dan song (that I know of) intentionally to listen to...even though they play very well. (I just listened again to "My Old School." Yep. They are all very good musicians.)

I love Steely Dan they have a very slick sound but Fagen/Becker is an excellent songwriting team with fantastic musicians backing them. Aja is a masterpiece of the jazz rock genre.

You said it boo! Steely Dan is one of the best of the best. ;)

Some of Donald Fagen's solo albums, particularly Kamakiriad, are superb. I've recently noticed that he's released a few albums with Walter Becker outside of the Steely Dan moniker. I'm wondering what that's about.

It's mainly just those two working as producers or whatever on the other's solo albums, which ended up leading to a reunion (+new albums and tours)

My wife is the same way, she doesnt even like to listen to Steely Dan :yikes:
Can you imagine that! :crazy:

But I thought there was never any falling-out as such, all that happened was the name Steely Dan was dropped.

They didn't fight or anything they just decided to stop

Really been digging Dan lately. It's odd how I recognize a lot of their songs (that weren't hits) because my dad was a big Dan fan, and would play their albums throughout the background of my childhood.

I can't believe I'm necrobumping this thread.

In the past year or so I've really taken a liking to Steely Dan. Real bedroom music; the lyrics are smart and the sound is chill. Anytime is a good time for Steely Dan. Many kind memories associated with their music from before I was ever heavily into them as I am now.

Currently got Can't Buy A Thrill on the turntable. This album is the definition of chill.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg

It shocks me that it took me until a few months ago to really give these guys a listen.

So, Steely Dan. Was taken by this track when it popped up on the radio the other night. Any other Steely Dan in this vein?

That whole album is filled with cool, chugging, jazzy tracks. My fave's are My Old School (singled out by VEGANGELICA as being tolerable) and Pearl Of the Quarter.

If you want a one-sentence guide to Steely D:-

The early albums are full of rocking songs, dripping with hooklines and melodies (Do It Again), but after the Pretzel Logic album, their songs get more complex and, for me, lose their immediate catchy appeal, even though some people rate Aja as their best album.

My roomie in the Army had every cassette up to Goucho and I'd grab one of them on my way out to work in the ammo depot. Lots of peppering with the better tunes and fillers on most of their albums, but I listened to Pretzel Logic the most. Royal Scam was probably second. Aja's great too.

^Your Gold Teeth subconsciously inspired this track from me many many moons ago:

Limon Merengue