Reassessing "The Dan"

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GoogaMooga
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Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby GoogaMooga » 13 Jun 2021, 01:40

Steely Dan, the "difficult" duo of art rock. Named after a truncheon dildo in a Burroughs novel. When I first got into CD's in 1990, I bought their albums on MCA second hand, but I never really got into them, found them difficult, oblique, and inaccessible. There was no denying their musicianship, but apart from "Do It Agan", "Reelin' in the Years", and "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", I wasn't hearing any surefire hits. So I got rid of them, "Katy Lied", "Pretzel Logic", all those albums. And bought a comp instead, "Then and Now", just for the three "hits" that I actually enjoyed without reservation.

Image

Now, however, I have picked up another comp for a pittance, "Steely Dan Gold Expanded Edition" from 1991, that does not contain the three biggies, but instead it's got a lot of other surprisingly good stuff - and five exclusive tracks, to boot. And Steely Dan are better, much better than I remember. The comp kicks off with a very solid number, "Hey Nineteen", and when I get to "Deacon Blues", I realize I have made a good purchase, a keeper. I don't know if I will repurchase all the original albums, but they are certainly good for a comp or two.

Image
Last edited by GoogaMooga on 13 Jun 2021, 07:49, edited 1 time in total.
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Mike Boom
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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby Mike Boom » 13 Jun 2021, 03:48

GoogaMooga wrote:Named after a truncheon in a Burroughs novel.


Dildo

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Mike Boom
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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby Mike Boom » 13 Jun 2021, 03:54

.

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GoogaMooga
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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby GoogaMooga » 13 Jun 2021, 07:18

Mike Boom wrote:
GoogaMooga wrote:Named after a truncheon in a Burroughs novel.


Dildo


Yes, you are right, come to think of it. I think I must have thought "truncheon" because Burroughs used to carry one. I doubt he carried a dildo around. :lol:
"When the desert comes, people will be sad; just as Cannery Row was sad when all the pilchards were caught and canned and eaten." - John Steinbeck

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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby robertff » 13 Jun 2021, 08:31

No need to reassess for me, i've always liked them but their first has always been my favourite.



.

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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby ChrisB » 13 Jun 2021, 08:58

GoogaMooga wrote:
Mike Boom wrote:
GoogaMooga wrote:Named after a truncheon in a Burroughs novel.


Dildo


Yes, you are right, come to think of it. I think I must have thought "truncheon" because Burroughs used to carry one. I doubt he carried a dildo around. :lol:


Multi tasking ;) Regarding the Dan .... superb band

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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby Rorschach » 14 Jun 2021, 07:48

Mike Boom wrote:
GoogaMooga wrote:Named after a truncheon in a Burroughs novel.


Dildo


Steam powered dildo, even. Though, what Tarzan was doing with one of those, I will never understand.

The first album is possibly one of my top ten of all time and one I always return to and still enjoy.

Somehow I never cared that much for there other stuff. I have no idea why.
Bugger off.

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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby Artgar » 14 Jun 2021, 08:07

Rorschach wrote:
The first album is possibly one of my top ten of all time and one I always return to and still enjoy.

Somehow I never cared that much for there other stuff. I have no idea why.


Agree completely. The debut is a wonderful thing, but it's often the later works that the serious critics go for.

Countdown to Ecstasy is pretty good too, at least in places. Have you heard that one, Tym?
bingleton

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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby Rorschach » 14 Jun 2021, 08:43

Artgar wrote:
Countdown to Ecstasy is pretty good too, at least in places. Have you heard that one, Tym?


I imagine I've heard most of them at least once but they didn't click. Maybe I'll give Countdown another bash. I certainly didn't give it a fair hearing.
Bugger off.

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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby Mike Boom » 14 Jun 2021, 17:03

GoogaMooga wrote:I don't know if I will repurchase all the original albums, but they are certainly good for a comp or two.


If ever there was a band were a compilation won't cover it, its Steely Dan, everything is worth getting, including the two post split albums Two Against Nature and Everything Must Go, there is wealth of their very best material beyond the "the hits".

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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby Matt Wilson » 14 Jun 2021, 17:45

Mike Boom wrote:
GoogaMooga wrote:I don't know if I will repurchase all the original albums, but they are certainly good for a comp or two.


If ever there was a band were a compilation won't cover it, its Steely Dan, everything is worth getting, including the two post split albums Two Against Nature and Everything Must Go, there is wealth of their very best material beyond the "the hits".


This. I don't know what "hits" googa is referring to but Steely Dan are an album band anyway, and certainly everything through Gaucho is worth owning. I know the OP is into bargain shopping so I hope he realizes the Citizen Dan box can be purchased for cheap.

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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby Brickyard Jack » 14 Jun 2021, 19:14

Going against the grain, I love FM, but think they are mainly boring.
I thought Fagen's "Nightfly " was brilliant, so went back to listen to SD. Yawn.
Okay so here's a new Fagen with a strange name, surely 'twill be good - yawn.
Turns out the Nightfly was the blip.

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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby Mike Boom » 14 Jun 2021, 22:31



Reeling in the Sheaves

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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby kath » 15 Jun 2021, 20:32

i agree with everyone who picked the first as the real kicker. i love a good bit of their stuff, but the first really is the best.

strangely enough, my fave dan track is my old school. cuz that is where i really get skunked.

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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby kath » 15 Jun 2021, 20:44

Matt Wilson wrote:
Mike Boom wrote:
GoogaMooga wrote:I don't know if I will repurchase all the original albums, but they are certainly good for a comp or two.


If ever there was a band were a compilation won't cover it, its Steely Dan, everything is worth getting, including the two post split albums Two Against Nature and Everything Must Go, there is wealth of their very best material beyond the "the hits".


This. I don't know what "hits" googa is referring to but Steely Dan are an album band anyway, and certainly everything through Gaucho is worth owning. I know the OP is into bargain shopping so I hope he realizes the Citizen Dan box can be purchased for cheap.


my sister bought me citizen dan right after it came out.

i never had the heart to tell her what the band's name means.

and i will continue that tradition with zeal.

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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby ChrisB » 15 Jun 2021, 21:20

kath wrote:
strangely enough, my fave dan track is my old school. cuz that is where i really get skunked.

The solos are insane. They make no sense and yet they are perfect. The debut is brilliant but my Dan must have Donald as the vocalist ....the true sound of the Dan

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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby Mike Boom » 15 Jun 2021, 23:15

Image

Been listening to this a lot lately, it really is underrated, in a lot of ways its reminiscent of Aja, in that every song really counts, no filler here. Who else would write a song about taking out the big guy upstairs, and even a seemingly innocent enough song like Lunch With Gina takes a new twist when you realize Gina is the street name for GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) , GHB and GBL are sedatives.

Now I'm in my apartment
The blinds down the lights out
The phone rings God help me
There's nobody home
I crouch on the carpet
Not breathing just being
Like meat on the bone
I'm in a cozy booth
Maybe my watch is fast
Another Tanqueray
I'll wait 'til twenty past
I'm about to go postal when she waltzes in
I guess she's a knockout, hey where have I been


..not to mention the brilliant playing and production.
The Last Mall, Pixeleen, Things I Miss the Most, all great tracks, a pretty damn fine farewell album.
Last edited by Mike Boom on 16 Jun 2021, 03:26, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby Mike Boom » 16 Jun 2021, 03:24

.

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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby pcqgod » 16 Jun 2021, 03:42

I'm fine with the radio staples. Once in a while I'll hear an album track that interests me, but I've never felt that I actually need to own anything by them other than a best of.
Where would rock 'n' roll be without feedback?

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Re: Reassessing "The Dan"

Postby 50 Shades Of Blue » 27 Jun 2021, 00:01

Mike Boom wrote:Image

Been listening to this a lot lately, it really is underrated, in a lot of ways its reminiscent of Aja, in that every song really counts, no filler here. Who else would write a song about taking out the big guy upstairs, and even a seemingly innocent enough song like Lunch With Gina takes a new twist when you realize Gina is the street name for GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) , GHB and GBL are sedatives.

Now I'm in my apartment
The blinds down the lights out
The phone rings God help me
There's nobody home
I crouch on the carpet
Not breathing just being
Like meat on the bone
I'm in a cozy booth
Maybe my watch is fast
Another Tanqueray
I'll wait 'til twenty past
I'm about to go postal when she waltzes in
I guess she's a knockout, hey where have I been


..not to mention the brilliant playing and production.
The Last Mall, Pixeleen, Things I Miss the Most, all great tracks, a pretty damn fine farewell album.


I have all SD albums and enjoy most of them but that album was quickly filed after a couple of listens.
Will retrieve my copy, which came with an extra disc containing that daft video you posted above, tomorrow and give it another spin after reading your enthusiastic review. Cheers Mr B.
Some mother's talking 'bout Guns' n 'Roses
As if i give a fuck
At best i think they suck


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