Meal prepped and cooked listening to Two Against Nature for the first time in a good bit. Followed up with The Royal Scam.
I kinda love that’s there’s a less than zero chance that Donald Fagen becomes wise to these sweatpants and the guy who designed them because the next Peter Gunz and Lord Tariq
Gaucho is obviously an amazing album but man would it have been different with The Second Arrangement. It’s such a good song with a ton of potential
One of my favorite guitar solos ever on Peg. I could sit there all day and listen to them pick apart their songs on the sound board. Michael McDonald sure had a good ride with all of the different musical groups/experiences.
It’s kinda easy to Monday morning quarterback the solos on Peg before Jay Graydon’s but watching Fagen and Becker do so is what’s so great about them. They had such a singular vision that’s really only rivaled by that of Brian Wilson. And as I’ve said before, the way they used Michael McDonald is truly a treat. Before I got into Steely Dan, I only really knew him as the punchline in a joke from the 40 Year Old Virgin but his vocal abilities are incredible.
Yep. They heard the album in their heads before they put it on vinyl. I don't know that I've heard them described along those lines, but I imagine Lennon/McCartney had that going for them. Seems like I've heard about how McDonald got together with Steely Dan. Can't remember the details and can't find a good article online. This doesn't really help on that, but a good story. https://ultimateclassicrock.com/michael-mcdonald-steely-dan/
i guess it’s not really a “cover” by definition, but it really is fantastic. Also one of my favorite grizzly bear songs, but i thought it was really cool that McDonald a) even knew who grizzly bear was, and b) thought enough of that song to want to sing it.
Everyone complains about music made by protools now but Steely Dan literally created a computerized drummer and named him Wendel
Posting here because search sucks and I can’t find the Yacht Rock thread... https://www.instagram.com/reel/CLH4D8XBYId/?igshid=t7ojxlhkefav
This can go here considering Brecker is on 3 songs on Gaucho and is on The Nightfly as well. What a beast
Donald Fagen is sending us coded messages. It’s some sort of call to action and we must respond appropriately
the influences are really obvious if you know much about Jazz and even the lyrical content- it's from that era when they were kids, down to the name. It's straight jazz and beat literature influences but interpolated through the 70's sheen and format. Original but also authentically and well done enough that nobody would ever think they were coming up with some Frankenstein product. It's perfectly fused
Speaking of Brecker, he and his brother were in a super group in the early 70's- none of their stuff is on streaming platforms that I know of, but it's pretty sick. This might be a hot take, but to me it's Blood Sweat & Tears, but better. The horn section/drums combo is obscene