The verdict on Steely Dan's "Aja"

williedynamitewilliedynamite 263 Posts
edited June 2016 in Music Talk
Does it get the SS stamp of approval? So many people sweat it, especially producers. Don't get me wrong, it's by no means a bad album, I just don't see it...:wd
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  • flaming dogpoop.

  • edpowersedpowers 4,437 Posts
    Classic

    Timeless

  • Big_ChanBig_Chan 5,088 Posts
    GREAT album. Classic. Check out the VH1 Classic albums special on the making of "Aja." That shit was dope. I celebrate their entire catalog. How can people hate on the "Aja" album?
    Plaese to get serious.


  • Excellent doctor's waiting room music. Makes the actual exam pleasant by comparison.

  • hcrinkhcrink 8,729 Posts
    It's their best, IMO. But who is "sweating" this, and in what way? It's not even a dollar album.

  • KineticKinetic 3,739 Posts
    Classic

    Timeless

    My girl LOVES Steely Dan and this album in particular is often on the turntable when I get home.

    I am usually pretty quick to remove it!

  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    Excellent doctor's waiting room music. Makes the actual exam pleasant by comparison.


  • hcrinkhcrink 8,729 Posts
    Excellent doctor's waiting room music. Makes the actual exam pleasant by comparison.

    Keep in mind folks, this is coming from a guy who collects pic sleeve 45's of guys who look like Hieno doing "in the midnight hour".


  • BrianBrian 7,618 Posts
    ive never heard it and could not name a steely dan song if you asked me

  • But who is "sweating" this, and in what way?

    Not as a collector's piece, so much as an influential album. Off the top of the head, i think Tim Maia included it in his list in a recent issue of wax poetics.

  • GambleGamble 844 Posts
    Amazing. This album and The Royal Scam are some next level, perfect album with no skippers type shit.

    Fantastic playing from amazing session players with jazz chops, incredible chords/progressions/solos etc, and really great lyrics. Steely Dan are one of the great (jazz)rock bands ever.

  • edpowersedpowers 4,437 Posts
    Peg

  • hcrinkhcrink 8,729 Posts
    But who is "sweating" this, and in what way?

    Not as a collector's piece, so much as an influential album. Off the top of the head, i think Tim Maia included it in his list in a recent issue of wax poetics.

    ahhh... OK, yeah, I can see that.

  • Phill_MostPhill_Most 4,594 Posts
    Classic

    Timeless



    Are any of yall old enough to actually remember "Peg" when it came out? I am. That schitt was like back then. BIG f**kin' record all up in the hood. RIDICULOUS. I couldn't believe it when De La sampled that schitt a decade later. I didn't fully appreciate the whole album probably until the late 80's or early 90's, but no doubt that's a classic. Would yall Steely Dan fans consider that to be their best album?
    Don't sleep on that recent Donald Fagen album too (Morph The Cat), as endorsed awhile back by my brutha from anutha mutha Big Stacks and other esteemed Strutters with good taste.


  • "When I opened up the hihat just a little bit I'd never heard that kind of thing on a record before.."

    OH JESUS FUCKING CHRIST SHUT UP YOU BORING STUDIO MUSICIAN DOUCHEBAG!!!



    AND YES PHILL I'M 36 I HEARD AJA WHEN IT CAME OUT - I REMEMBER IT WELL - IT WAS AN ADULT CONTEMPORARY RADIO AND DOCTORS WAITING ROOM STAPLE JUST LIKE BARRY MANILOW AND WAS ABOUT AS NEXT LEVEL AS PONG. THERE'S A REASON PUNK WAS INVENTED AND STEELY DAN WAS IT.

  • Morph The Cat

    Jesus Christ. From that title alone I can rest my case.

  • holmesholmes 3,532 Posts
    I got 'Aja' given to me about 6-8 months ago, I still haven't listened to it. I do also own a Steely Dan 'Greatest Hits' LP & have listened to that once only.

  • dayday 9,612 Posts

    "When I opened up the hihat just a little bit I'd never heard that kind of thing on a record before.."

    OH JESUS FUCKING CHRIST SHUT UP YOU BORING STUDIO MUSICIAN DOUCHEBAG!!!



    AND YES PHILL I'M 36 I HEARD AJA WHEN IT CAME OUT - I REMEMBER IT WELL - IT WAS AN ADULT CONTEMPORARY RADIO AND DOCTORS WAITING ROOM STAPLE JUST LIKE BARRY MANILOW AND WAS ABOUT AS NEXT LEVEL AS PONG. THERE'S A REASON PUNK WAS INVENTED AND STEELY DAN WAS IT.

    I just check the Steely Dan threads to watch Marco go off.



    "is that... "Hey Nineteen?"

  • It's not even a dollar album.

    I'd say its exactly a $1 record, and I'd drop $2 on the red vinyl shit.

  • hcrinkhcrink 8,729 Posts
    It's not even a dollar album.

    I'd say its exactly a $1 record, and I'd drop $2 on the red vinyl shit.

    I would say if you can't get a copy for free, you aren't digging hard enough.
    kicks79

  • I just check the Steely Dan threads to watch Marco go off.

    "is that... "Hey Nineteen?"

    I'd like to think it's my brilliant and piercing observations about the music hoax called Steely Dan that quells any pro-Becker/Fagen arguments, but if people are just scared of having their jugular slashed by my collection of European mod 45s, then that works for me too.

  • wooshiewooshie 490 Posts
    From a production / mastering / engineering point of view. you can learn a lot from this record. it's so damn clean

    from a musicians point of view, this record would of been a bitch, I hear fagen (douche) would make these session musicians (purdie, rainey, etc) do 100 takes and then go with the third. I mean what's the point of doing 100 takes. It's only ever gonna sound as good as the first few. I personally like when things sound raw and spontanious than be so completely perfect and clean.

    having said that, I love this record and i might play it once in a blue moon but I can totally understand why a lot of people would hate it and I think steely dan get way too much love when it comes to record heads.

    Fuck Fagen.

  • Big_StacksBig_Stacks "I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
    Does it get the SS stamp of approval? So many people sweat it, especially producers. Don't get me wrong, it's by no means a bad album, I just don't see it...
    :wd

    Hey Willie D,

    "Aja" remains one of my favorite albums from the vaults and I got right when it came out back in '77. Timeless classic material!!!

    Peace,

    Big Stacks from Kakalak

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

    Timeless



    Are any of yall old enough to actually remember "Peg" when it came out? I am. That schitt was like back then. BIG f**kin' record all up in the hood. RIDICULOUS. I couldn't believe it when De La sampled that schitt a decade later. I didn't fully appreciate the whole album probably until the late 80's or early 90's, but no doubt that's a classic. Would yall Steely Dan fans consider that to be their best album?
    Don't sleep on that recent Donald Fagen album too (Morph The Cat), as endorsed awhile back by my brutha from anutha mutha Big Stacks and other esteemed Strutters with good taste.

    Thanks, Phill!!! Cats gon' learn to listen to their elders one day. It's grown folks music at its finest, served nicely with some Bailey's on chill.

    Peace,

    Big Stacks from Kakalak

  • a fu(%!ng masterpiece.
    peace, stein. . .

  • wooshiewooshie 490 Posts
    yeah. def grown and sexy music.

    I find as i get older, sweet soul, modern soul and easy listening white boy music like steely dan start to appeal to me more and more.

    Morph the Cat is great.

  • GambleGamble 844 Posts

    Fuck Fagen.
    Yah, fuck fagen!

    He wanted to get a perfect take, a perfect track, no matter how many tries it took. how embarassing.



    Two of the best song writers ever.



    so essential.

  • Im sorry... Studio doods fucking noodling thier asses off, coked out doing 100 takes to the cleanest system in the world is just not my shit, nor will it ever be. I hate clean rap, I hate clean punk, but I extra 'specially hate clean doctors offices.

  • KineticKinetic 3,739 Posts
    Im sorry... Studio doods fucking noodling thier asses off, coked out doing 100 takes to the cleanest system in the world is just not my shit, nor will it ever be. I hate clean rap, I hate clean punk, but I extra 'specially hate clean doctors offices.

    Can I fly you over to Australia so you can explain this to my girlfriend (no hetero)

  • hcrinkhcrink 8,729 Posts
    RESPECT THE REALNESS OF AUDIOPHILE ROCK
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