Steely Dan

I own the Greatest Hits and like a few tracks- but I don't consider this band a heavyweight.  Listening to them critically, they're not bad musicians.

As another reviewer has said, "I never grow tired of this group." My favorite was always 'Do It Again.'

Never tired of listening to Steely dan...I don't know why.

The great lyrics & that great distinctive sound are still fresh enough to rate a place on my A-list. The 'guest' guitarist throughout their work gives it that different sound/feel that keeps them listenable after all these years Although, their "Two Against Nature" was a sad effort that I just cant listen to & I admit its the "Show Biz Kids" greatest compilation CD thats packed onto my SD card in my PDA. Ive never heard them live & from other reviews I suppose Im grateful for that but I believe they are greatly underated. When your 30 year old material continues to be relative, I think that pretty much speaks for itself...

'The Dan' remains- after more then 3 decades. Its jazzy sarcastic lyrics that reek of decadence, fury and craziness remain. The music- totally brilliant, smells of jazz, pop, blues and ? East coast intellectuals- Becker and Fagen went to Bard College in NY- Steely was able to mix surreal New England College life and east coast cynicism with West coast jaded sunshine movie burnouts. Music that was grating, changeable, with rapid tempo changes, integrating the sax, piano and marimba- with Fagen's nasal snarling vocals of hidden sex, deco decadence, strange relationships and the sad commentary of the twisted aspirations of American culture-

Steely Dan (named after a female self-help device) was (and remains) essentially a studio project controlled by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker (similar to the band's contemporary the Alan Parsons Project). Eschewing the arena rock and prog-rock sounds of the 1970's, Fagen and Becker opted for a more jazz/rock/pop fusion, resulting in a string of critically acclaimed and generally popular studio efforts from 1972's "Can't Buy A Thrill" to 1980's "Gaucho" (the end of their heyday). This allowed the band to work with some notable session musicians and future stars such as Jeff Porcaro (of Toto fame) and Michael McDonald. Though Steely Dan had some excellent singles, each release was meticulously produced resulting in an emphasis on full-length efforts (though not really concepts). For the casual fan who doesn't want to invest in all of the LPs, there are basically two options. A novice may prefer a less inclusive compilation like "Gold" (1982) (which has the least number of tracks but inc... Read more

The true mark of a band/solo performer is how they cut it live. There are many who sound good on their recordings but live they're invariably dull or sloppy. Then there are those who were born to play live but whose studio efforts are generally lifeless and flat. SD's albums are by and large original, intelligent and well executed especially the earlier stuff. The 'Alive in America' proves that SD are not in the class of bands like the Allman Bros, AC/DC or Cheap Trick when it comes to playing live.

I love hearing two notes of a song I've never heard before and knowing who it is immediately. For me, two of those artists are Steely Dan and Van Morrison, always original and unmistakably themselves, bowing to no one in style and creativity. I delight in jumping into a different frame of mind and reference with every song.

Good in the studio, hopeless live

Fagen is a very good lyricist, and I enjoy the debut album "Can't Buy A Thrill" and "Countdown To Ecstasy." The problem with this act is that as they went along, and especially by the late 70's, the music became rather lifeless and too technically perfect, probably because Fagen and Becker were working with session pros and the act wasn't exactly a band anymore. A lot of their material became kind of slick jazz-rock,or as somebody once wrote "background music for one of those 70's fern bars." The last album that was ok for me was "The Royal Scam." Also, while I like Fagen's lyrics, it's rather easy to get sick of his voice and the earliest album was good in that there was a second singer, David Palmer ( that's him on 'Dirty Work," one of their better songs) to mix things up a little. The hits this band had don't hold up so well for me, that's why I prefer to listen to things like "Kings" from the debut. Overall, a band that's pretty good in my book: not as great as their most ardent f... Read more

A superb band.

Every album Steely Dan recorded has a different sound, but it's unmistakably Steely Dan. I think they should hang it up, though--wasn't a huge fan of their 2000 and 2003 albums. But their 1972 to 1980 output is perfection. Every song.

The work that goes into this entity known as Steely Dan is unbelievable. Not every one likes them and I understand why but they are great musicians and you can here it in there music.

Their early stuff up to and including 'Countdown to ecstasy' was generally excellent, as it had a more rocky edge. However, they then lost that in favour of more laidback jazzy vibes on albums like 'Pretzel logic', Aja' and 'Royal scam' which are somewhat samey and too clever for their own good.

I understand that these guys are supposed to be intelligent and ironic. Maybe I haven't heard enough of their stuff because I think they suck. If you want irony, listen to 10cc, a much better band than these guys. Steely Dan had a cool name and a lot of musical talent, but I just don't like their songs.

I got into Steely Dan late because I was out of touch with music for their early years. By the early '90s they had become the most played group on my stereo. I just had to catch them live, which I did at Fiddler's Green in Denver in, I believe, 1996. They were great live too, but only with the aid of a couple of sessions guitarists! So cool, so thoughtful -- they're a great groove.

STEELY DAN WERE SUPERB--THEIR SONGS WERE INCREDIBLE AND JUST AS POPULAR TODAY AS BACK THEN. 'CAN'T BUY A THRILL' WAS SIMPLY AN AMAZING LP AND THE HIGH STANDARD SET BY EACH ALBUM WAS TOP-NOTCH. FAGEN AND BECKER, I SALUTE YOU.

Great sound ,great band.

What can I say? They're one of the greatest duos of all time. Their music blends such a plethera of music seamlessly: they're absolutely brilliant, odd lyrics and all. One of the many times jazz was blended with another genre to great success. Becker and Fagen are talented artists and preformers, and their newest work, "Two Against Nature" (2001) shows us that they can still keep it fresh. Congrats for the well-deserved Grammys and the Hall of Fame placement, and good luck on any future ventures!

The most constant criticism that I hear of SD is that Donald Fagen was/is too much a perfectionist around the studio. Maybe so, but his dedication is obvious in all of SD's work, from the early days ("Dirty Work" is a terribly underrated song that should get more radio play) to the last recordings ("Gaucho" and "My Rival" are my favorites from that era). The lyrics don't really have much meaning beyond Fagen's personal experiences--knowing that, it's easier to go into a listening session relaxed and upbeat. Glad to see that they're still so popular, even with the younger crowd.

am hit wonder

Their only two good songs are Do it Again and Reeling in the Years.

There are a lot of good bands out there but Steely Dan is the coolest band I have ever heard.This is music for thinking rock fans and people with a mature taste in music.I don't mean that you have to be old to like them,but it takes a higher level of intellegence to appreciate their tongue in cheek sense of humor,just listen to Gaucho to hear what I'm talking about.Add to this Becker and Fagans incredible talent for mixing rock and jazz and you have a band whose music is timeless and will last through the ages.I also really dig Steely Dan because I was listening to Deacon Blues the first time I got laid,this really hit home when I found out that Seely Dan got their name from a dildo.Too cool guys,too damn cool.

Becker/Fagen is The American equivalent of Lennon/McCartney. Genius lyrics and incredible music. People who don't get Steely Dan are the type of people who think a good song is one you know all the words to and get stuck in your head after the first listen. Steely Dan is an acquired taste, which only the mature musician/listener can appreciate.

Except for one or two songs, they suck.

Despite Wiggum and Shafty's clever handles I'm going to have to completely disagree with their assessment of the 70s/80s tour-de-force studio band, Steely Dan. It is a shame that prior to this comment there have been no positive critiques of this band, but I'll do my best to sway those of you who visit. Bottom line: Steely Dan is band whose music/lyrics will stay relevant to you as you go through any period in your life. If you've heard their music and still disagree then may I suggest you join up with ole wiggum and shafty and promptly throw yourself off a bridge.

One of my least favorite bands in the entire world. Then I find out that one of the bands that I really love is doing a cover of one of their songs.... oh, the dilemma... I really cannot stand their music and am blown away that they are mounting a comeback.

I can't stand Steely Dan. This may be the most boring music ever. If I was ever forced to listen to an entire Steely Dan CD, I'm afraid I would slip into a coma.