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.