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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Donald Fagen's 1982 solo debut extends the sleek, smart pop craft of his work with Steely Dan into the realm of the concept album, taking the Dan's penchant for intricate plotting, evocative narrative voices, and allusive imagery to the logical next step. Fagen's connective thread is futurist nostalgia for the "New Frontier" as anticipated from the prosperous vantage point of late-'50s America. He romanticises a brave new world of technology in the sultry diorama of "I.G.Y.", celebrating the coming glories of the Atomic Age. He then filters that view through his own suburban adolescence--a would-be seduction in a fall-out shelter, the siren song of a graveyard-shift jazz DJ, a not-quite-hard-boiled noir adventure ("The Goodbye Look") that borrows its title from an early '60s Ross MacDonald mystery. Song for song, the set's a stunner and stands apart from Steely Dan thanks to a unique, poignant romanticism embodied in Fagen's yearning "Maxine" and a creamy update of Dion & the Belmonts' "Ruby Baby". --Sam Sutherland
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Superlatives just aren't enough sometimes. "The Nightfly" is such a magical combination of exquisite lyrics, impeccable harmony and flawless studio production that I can say that this is the only album that I know of that has no weaknesses at all. I've listened to the thing probably a thousand times in the last twenty years and it just gets better each time. Greg Phillinganes's piano solo on "Ruby Baby" is stunning; Michael Brecker's sax solo on "Maxine" is jaw-dropping : the list goes on an on.
A track that I particulary like is the eponymous "The Nightfly". It tells the story of a lonely, late-night radio host called Lester who runs a 'phone-in show:
"You say that there's a race
Of men in the trees.
You're for tough legislation.
Thanks for calling.
I wait all night for calls like these."
The chorus (and this is why Donald Fagen is a genius) is based around a radio jingle for the station WJAZ ("at the foot of Mount Belzoni"!). It's such a wonderful dove-tailing of theme and music. How many recording artists have ideas like this?
Total and utter perfection.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
In between recording with "Walter Becker" the seminal albums "Aja" and "Gaucho" under the banner of "Steely Dan", Donald Fagen recorded this masterpiece of audio art.
The a fore mentioned album called the "The Nightfly" runs at less than 40 minutes long and has 7 self-penned tracks and has 1 track written by the legendary song-writing partnership of "Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, their song "Ruby Baby" is clearly the most commercial sounding on the whole album, the collection was arranged by "Donald Fagen" and on production duties was the same producer as the man who had produced all the "Steely Dan" recordings "Gary Katz".
As the album opens up with the track "I.G.Y." (International Geophysical Year) the "electric piano" playing of "Greg Phillinganes" he creates a retro sound that he manages to duplicate on all the tracks he plays on which is half of the tracks here.
The album if the sleeve notes are to be believed is the dreams of a young man growing up in a remote suburb of a northeastern city during the late 50's and early 60's about the same general height and weight and build as "Mr Fagen"
The problem I have with this album in its current incarnation on C.D. is that the disc that is currently available it has not been re-mastered; a lot of the delicate little touches have been lost that you were quite clearly able hear before on vinyl. I must put forward the case for the artist to go back to the studio and do some sonic renovation so that this classic from the early 80's can be heard as it's meant to be heard.
In closing a great album let down by the current pressing, which is a shame the album is superb and deserves better...
The a fore mentioned album called the "The Nightfly" runs at less than 40 minutes long and has 7 self-penned tracks and has 1 track written by the legendary song-writing partnership of "Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, their song "Ruby Baby" is clearly the most commercial sounding on the whole album, the collection was arranged by "Donald Fagen" and on production duties was the same producer as the man who had produced all the "Steely Dan" recordings "Gary Katz".
As the album opens up with the track "I.G.Y." (International Geophysical Year) the "electric piano" playing of "Greg Phillinganes" he creates a retro sound that he manages to duplicate on all the tracks he plays on which is half of the tracks here.
The album if the sleeve notes are to be believed is the dreams of a young man growing up in a remote suburb of a northeastern city during the late 50's and early 60's about the same general height and weight and build as "Mr Fagen"
The problem I have with this album in its current incarnation on C.D. is that the disc that is currently available it has not been re-mastered; a lot of the delicate little touches have been lost that you were quite clearly able hear before on vinyl. I must put forward the case for the artist to go back to the studio and do some sonic renovation so that this classic from the early 80's can be heard as it's meant to be heard.
In closing a great album let down by the current pressing, which is a shame the album is superb and deserves better...
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Fabulous, sublime, a magnificent collection, still great after twenty years.
One or two details - may I just draw your attention to the wonderful Michael Brecker tenor solo on "Maxine"? or the little fragments of harmonica / electric piano at the end of "New Frontier"? Or the superb changes in the middle eight in "The Nightfly"?
Will he ever make another record as damn near perfect as this?
Listening to "Morph the Cat" twenty odd eyars later there are positive signs. Have a listen to the "The Great Pagoda of Funn"... he's nearly there!
"Oooooooohhhhh Miami!"
One or two details - may I just draw your attention to the wonderful Michael Brecker tenor solo on "Maxine"? or the little fragments of harmonica / electric piano at the end of "New Frontier"? Or the superb changes in the middle eight in "The Nightfly"?
Will he ever make another record as damn near perfect as this?
Listening to "Morph the Cat" twenty odd eyars later there are positive signs. Have a listen to the "The Great Pagoda of Funn"... he's nearly there!
"Oooooooohhhhh Miami!"
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Late night laid back jazz/rock....
It's been the hottest day of the year, I got nicely tinged by the sun. A great day. Now, to unwind, around midnight, it's Donald Fagan's 'The Nightfly' on the big Sennheiser... Read more
Published 8 days ago by Tim Kidner
Great songs and unbelievable production.
This is an astonishing recording full of mini-documentary vignettes from a song writer dissecting petite film noires from the mind of a supposed insomniac. Read more
Published 14 days ago by Baresi Merello III
Class
A class act, my kids now ask for this on long trips in the car, ive had the album for years and just updated to cd, buy this and you wont be dissappointed.
Published 2 months ago by A. G. Blazer
One piece of advice.....
DON'T DIE WITHOUT HEARING THIS! QUITE SIMPLY A MUST FOR ANYONE WHO LOVES MUSIC! MR FAGEN YOU ARE A GENIUS!
Published 5 months ago by toptunetaster
Fun music
Had this ths first time it came out and lost it. So glad I was able to find it again. A good, fun CD.
Published 6 months ago by Dedge
The Nightfly - Donald Fagen
Many thanks - took me back many years to where I first heard this album! CD arrived in very good condtion and exactly as stated by the seller.
Published 6 months ago by Rochelle
A floating turd has better chances of getting onto my turntable
I like the idea of intelligent pop music but the reality is often disappointing. Fagan's error here is convincing himself and his fanbase of sedan drivers that he's found the... Read more
Published 7 months ago by D. Brookes
An all time favorite
From the moment i heard IGY i loved it way back in the early eighties , allready being a Stealy Dan fan { i thought they were over & done with } i recognized Donald Fagen's... Read more
Published 7 months ago by D. S. Sample
Yes, you're gonna have a wing-ding !
I'm gonna push the boat out and say that this is my favourite album ever. Wonderful thematic songs which fuse slinky Jazz with Pop sensibility and evoke an atmosphere so vivid and... Read more
Published 19 months ago by I. P. J. Brayshaw
Awsome album
I bought this on vinyl when it was issued (which shows my age) and wanted a back up to play in the kitchen while cooking. Not much got done the first time. Read more
Published 21 months ago by E. Morrison
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