"Morph the Cat"-Donald Fagen

Big_StacksBig_Stacks "I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
edited June 2006 in Strut Central
Hey,I'm sure a few of you know I'm a big Steely Dan/Donald Fagen fan (here comes the hate! ). Anyway, picked this up while replacing my busted power strip yesterday at Best Buy. I was just wondering did any of the other old farts (or young dudes dig grown-folks music) check this out. I was very impressed with the CD, particularly that ole' Don's putting out quality music after so many years. Very tight, well executed and thought out music on so many levels (vocally, instrumentally, etc.). It's so refreshing to see an artist stay true to what they do (and their core audience) in the age of "artist identity crises" where many try to please everyone, and piss off their fan base. If you dig this guys stuff, I recommend it highly.

  Comments


  • mylatencymylatency 10,475 Posts
    grown folks too smooth music
    okay but I'll pass

  • wooshiewooshie 490 Posts
    I think I have all of his stuff he did on his own but it's unlikely i'd pull it out any time soon, Whenever I listen to Steely Dan or Fagen I can't help but think about what a big arsehole he might of been. but then I don't know.

  • Cosign on Morph the Cat-great interplay, lyrics, arrangments-the trilogy is complete. Been really digging on that and the kamakiriad album lately.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJsKl3pXlmQ&search=steely%20dan

    although something also tells me he would be a bit of an asshole and that one probably wouldn't want to meet him or whatever, who really cares about that? Geniuses are allowed to get away with all kinds of eccentric shit. I can see how some are put off because his style veers into adult contemporary territory ocassionaly but to me he's one of the best American songwriters of all time.

    if any one wants steely dan or donald fagan solo sheet music i think i have a nearly complete collection (with block chord symbols) and i can scan whatever.


  • I bought it when it came out, and while I'm a huge Steely Dan/Fagen fan, I found it kind of boring. I went to the trouble of listening to it in a couple of different environments to make sure I was giving it my full attention, but it didn;t get any better.

  • JimsterJimster Cruffiton.etsy.com 6,955 Posts
    I am a big fan of the Walt & Don show but this one didn't really float my boat. "The Nightfly" sets the bar very high. They are still capable of turning good music in though, I loved "Everything Must Go".

    I think Don would admit to being a sphincter, but you have to give him props for trying to hire time on the NASA computer back in the 70s to try and get some drum pattern computed or whatever [real headz please to confirm exactly what a gwent on]?

    Plus just for the intro on "Don't Take Ne Alive" (open guitar strings blossoming into feedback). So simple, but so good.

  • Speak of the devil...

    The other day I was at my girl's cousin's house, and she offered to let me take a look at her husband's record collection. Said since they don't have a turntable anymore, I could take whatever I wanted... So I grabbed a YMO record, Goblin's "Suspiria OST", and this:



    I had never seen it before, and all the songs are from other records... But it was one of the most beautiful covers I've seen in awhile.

    I was gonna ask about it, but figured it's either common as hell, or I'd just get clowned on for my taste.

    Steely Dan were dope by the way... not-to-mention part of the soundtrack to my childhood (thanks Ma!). Haven't listenend to any of their new stuff though.

    Peace...
    FNM

  • DrJoelDrJoel 932 Posts
    i have only heard a few songs off of the new Don album, i liked what i heard but didn't rush out to grab it or anything.

    Funny story though, this guy and his wife come into the restaraunt i work at and the lady has a physical reaction to Steely Dan. It triggers something from her pregnancy and she gets sick when she hears it. Apparently her and her husband listened to it a lot during some point of her being pregnant, she gets a really uncomfortable look on her face when it comes on. Don't know how much she was exaggerating, but she's been in twice when we've been playing stuff from Aja and her husband asks us if we can change it, launching into the whole story each time. My boss isn't into reqeusts/people asking us to change the music, but he makes an exception in her case. Pretty weird.

  • Big_ChanBig_Chan 5,088 Posts
    Hey,

    I'm sure a few of you know I'm a big Steely Dan/Donald Fagen fan (here comes the hate! ). Anyway, picked this up while replacing my busted power strip yesterday at Best Buy. I was just wondering did any of the other old farts (or young dudes dig grown-folks music) check this out. I was very impressed with the CD, particularly that ole' Don's putting out quality music after so many years. Very tight, well executed and thought out music on so many levels (vocally, instrumentally, etc.). It's so refreshing to see an artist stay true to what they do (and their core audience) in the age of "artist identity crises" where many try to please everyone, and piss off their fan base. If you dig this guys stuff, I recommend it highly.

    CO_SIGN!!!!!!!!! From one old dude to another, I feel you on this one stacks. This LP is dope. "H Gang" is my shit. I've been listening to this LP all day. Who cares if you folls think he was an asshole, do you know him? It's not as good as his other work, they charged Lord Tariq and Peter Guns $200,000 for the Black Cow sample and they would not meet with them, etc. Blah, blah, blah, etc.
    I'm with stacks, this is a dope record! Us old dudes know what time it is.

  • Big_ChanBig_Chan 5,088 Posts
    All ya'll little dudes stop hattin'. Donald Fagen is dat dude!

  • Big_StacksBig_Stacks "I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
    Hey,

    I'm sure a few of you know I'm a big Steely Dan/Donald Fagen fan (here comes the hate! ). Anyway, picked this up while replacing my busted power strip yesterday at Best Buy. I was just wondering did any of the other old farts (or young dudes dig grown-folks music) check this out. I was very impressed with the CD, particularly that ole' Don's putting out quality music after so many years. Very tight, well executed and thought out music on so many levels (vocally, instrumentally, etc.). It's so refreshing to see an artist stay true to what they do (and their core audience) in the age of "artist identity crises" where many try to please everyone, and piss off their fan base. If you dig this guys stuff, I recommend it highly.

    CO_SIGN!!!!!!!!! From one old dude to another, I feel you on this one stacks. This LP is dope. "H Gang" is my shit. I've been listening to this LP all day. Who cares if you folls think he was an asshole, do you know him? It's not as good as his other work, they charged Lord Tariq and Peter Guns $200,000 for the Black Cow sample and they would not meet with them, etc. Blah, blah, blah, etc.
    I'm with stacks, this is a dope record! Us old dudes know what time it is.

    Yes, I like "H Gang" but "Big Pagoda of Funn" is my favorite, though I'm also diggin' the "...Mona" joint. I acknowledge other folks perspective on it, in that it's more of a cool-out CD, which fits my aesthetic. To each his own, it's definitely on some grown-folk shit.

    Peace,

    Big Stacks from Kakalak

  • jamesjames chicago 1,863 Posts
    grown-folk shit

    Definitely. Retailers should require purchasers to present either a) valid proof of age or b) a picture of themselves holding a Bobby Caldwell album.

    Anyway, despite the fact that the bass in some spots makes my needle jump, I will ride for Donald Fagen in general, and for this album in particular. Even if you can't get with the sound, please recognize: In terms of sneaking subversive lyrics onto the radio, the only one really fucking with Don is Prince.

    (A side note: Not trying to start none, but it's been my experience that everyone who likes Steely Dan is a little different, but everyone who dislikes Steely Dan is pretty much the same.)
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