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Emerging from New York's Brill building in the early 70s, songwriting duo Walter Becker and Donald Fagen were two smart Jewish kids raised on jazz and with a healthy cynicism about the so-called music 'business' and its attendant follies. Landing a deal as staff writers with Capitol they re-located to LA and proceeded to cast themselves as ironic outsiders. This double disc compilation charts their decade-long rise from ultra brainy pop technicians to ultra brainy jazz fusionists.
From the off theirs was no ordinary rock band although the employment of two major guitarists (Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter and Denny Dias) saw them appropriately kitted out to impress a public yearning for wailing axes. Albums Can't Buy A Thrill and Countdown To Ectasy match concise (if knotty) writing with musical dexterity. But still, naming yourselves after a mechanised dildo from a Burroughs' novel and writing songs about dissatisfied gigolos (Dirty Work), Buddhist philosophy (Bodhisattva), economic ruin (Black Friday), time travel (Pretzel Logic) and copious drug use (The Boston Rag) wasn't all that conventional for the times.
That's not to say that they couldn't write love songs (cf: Rikki Don't Lose That Number) but by album number three (Pretzel Logic) the pair had tired of touring and begun to employ session musicians to achieve the sonic idealism to match their acerbic, dark wit.
By The Royal Scam (1976) they'd found their modus operandi. Guitars were still the focus, but by now the players were mainly jazz adepts. Kid Charlemagne, in particular, beggars belief. Larry Carlton's solo is impeccable, especially when borne aloft by Bernard 'Pretty' Purdie's drum shuffle and matched by wry lyrics about an anti-hero at the chemical centre of the hippy dream.
By 1977's Aja obsessive compulsive tendencies had a monstrous grip; leading to soloists being wheeled in one after the other to nail the elusive takes that lived in their heads. Michael McDonald famously recalls how his backing vocals for Peg were recorded syllable by painful syllable. The icy gleam of jazz rock rubs up against tales of damaged lives lived in spoiled seclusion: a lifestyle the pair were themselves courting.
By 1980's Gaucho their material was impeccable (Third World Man, Time Out Of Mind: featuring a cruelly buried Mark Knopfler solo) but they now regarded the youthcentric West Coast as a living embodiment of civilization's last days (Babylon Sisters). They retired to lick their wounds.
Unfairly used as shorthand for worthy musos your dad would like, The Very Best Of, while joining a long line of Dan compilations, is a reminder that, for a period, they matched Zappa-esque smarts to 60s songcraft and were simply the most perfect band on the planet. --Chris Jones
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Product Description
titolo-the very best of steely danartista-steely dan etichetta-geffen recordsn. dischi2data31 luglio 2009supportocd audiogenerepop e rock internazionale-brani----disco 11.do it again 2.dirty work 3.reelin' in the years 4.only a fool would say that 5.c
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This album is a repackaging of "Showbiz Kids" which was a compilation released in 2005.
The track listings are identical and cover the period from 1972 to 1980.
The music however is nothing short of 5 stars, nicely priced and a good place for someone to dip their toe into The Dan's music.
As most of their albums are available at a bargain price I would also recommend checking those out.
The track listings are identical and cover the period from 1972 to 1980.
The music however is nothing short of 5 stars, nicely priced and a good place for someone to dip their toe into The Dan's music.
As most of their albums are available at a bargain price I would also recommend checking those out.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
A lot of people don't really get Steely Dan. Then there are people like me who marvel at the musical content but are unable to penetrate the lyrics. A small minority, mainly Americans I suspect, actually understand what they are singing about. Anyway, this is one of countless compilations, in my opinion the best!
There are plenty of high points: my personal faves are Haitian Divorce and Deacon Blue, both of which are wonderfully atmospheric, and Boston Rag, the which has some particularly lairy guitar work. The only significant omission is Green Ear-rings! Chords, harmonies, instrumental solos, they are all exceptional, and the production is as pristine as you will ever hear.
For those who are unfamiliar, Steely dan are best described as funk/rock hybrid with a West Coast influence in their earlier albums, and a (modern) jazzier sound from the mid-seventies onwards. But their music defies easy categorisation. And as for the lyrics...unique and definitely worth buying.
There are plenty of high points: my personal faves are Haitian Divorce and Deacon Blue, both of which are wonderfully atmospheric, and Boston Rag, the which has some particularly lairy guitar work. The only significant omission is Green Ear-rings! Chords, harmonies, instrumental solos, they are all exceptional, and the production is as pristine as you will ever hear.
For those who are unfamiliar, Steely dan are best described as funk/rock hybrid with a West Coast influence in their earlier albums, and a (modern) jazzier sound from the mid-seventies onwards. But their music defies easy categorisation. And as for the lyrics...unique and definitely worth buying.
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
...another "Greatest Hits" album? Why? Surely after six long years, Walter and Donald should have put another feast of new material on record - I've only had "Morph The Cat" to keep me going during the drought! There is just no need for it after the "Remastered," "The Best of 2 CD." "Showbiz Kids" AND the 4 CD box set.
I can't believe that Becker and Fagen were keen on releasing yet another "Greatest Hits" compilation, it must've been the record company's idea - to make more money presumably.
Look folks, just take my word for it, don't bother with the "Greatest Hits" stuff, if you want to get into Steely Dan, buy ALL of their studio albums first and also purchase the live album "Alive In America.". Why? Quite simply, every single one of their albums sets a musical precedent which is so advanced, slick, well arranged and incredibly fulfilling, that you'll never look back.
Steely Dan have been my favourite band for many years now, nothing touches their genius. All of their albums, particularly from 1972's "Can't Buy A Thrill" to 1980's "Gaucho" are nothing short of timeless classics. Whilst you're at it, pick up Donald Fagen's three solo albums: "The Nightfly," "Kamakiriad" and "Morph The Cat." Having listened to all of these, literally thousands of times, I still pick out certain musical arrangments that I haven't really been made aware of before. What other band in the history of music has had the ability to give their listener an experience like that?
If you're reading this thinking "I'm still not convinced," consider this: Walter Becker and Donald Fagen didn't necessarily set out to create perfection in music - even for them, that would've been almost certainly unobtainable, but what they have admitted to is attempting to compose songs and albums which their fans will want to listen to over and over again until the end of time. In my humble opinion, not only have they achieved this, they've also pretty much achieved musical perfection with their gorgeous, eclectic, unique blend of rock and jazz combined with insightful, often subtley comical lyrics.
"Can't Buy A Thrill?" How insanely ironic!
I can't believe that Becker and Fagen were keen on releasing yet another "Greatest Hits" compilation, it must've been the record company's idea - to make more money presumably.
Look folks, just take my word for it, don't bother with the "Greatest Hits" stuff, if you want to get into Steely Dan, buy ALL of their studio albums first and also purchase the live album "Alive In America.". Why? Quite simply, every single one of their albums sets a musical precedent which is so advanced, slick, well arranged and incredibly fulfilling, that you'll never look back.
Steely Dan have been my favourite band for many years now, nothing touches their genius. All of their albums, particularly from 1972's "Can't Buy A Thrill" to 1980's "Gaucho" are nothing short of timeless classics. Whilst you're at it, pick up Donald Fagen's three solo albums: "The Nightfly," "Kamakiriad" and "Morph The Cat." Having listened to all of these, literally thousands of times, I still pick out certain musical arrangments that I haven't really been made aware of before. What other band in the history of music has had the ability to give their listener an experience like that?
If you're reading this thinking "I'm still not convinced," consider this: Walter Becker and Donald Fagen didn't necessarily set out to create perfection in music - even for them, that would've been almost certainly unobtainable, but what they have admitted to is attempting to compose songs and albums which their fans will want to listen to over and over again until the end of time. In my humble opinion, not only have they achieved this, they've also pretty much achieved musical perfection with their gorgeous, eclectic, unique blend of rock and jazz combined with insightful, often subtley comical lyrics.
"Can't Buy A Thrill?" How insanely ironic!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
buy buy buy!
This is an excellent collection of the music of a brilliant band - two discs and not a duff track between them. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Timothy John Myall
Stolen Dan ?
Would recommend this compilation for anybody who wants an overview of Steeley Dan. Some fantastic titles on this album that I'd forgotten about.
Well worth the money.
Well worth the money.
Published 3 months ago by Mr. Paul Edwards
A few good songs
Takes me back to the 70's. A few great songs and a few not so great on here, but worth the price for the classics:-)
Published 12 months ago by D. Broadbelt
Superb overview
As has been pointed out, this is a re-packaging of 'Showbiz Kids' but it is now so cheap that it must appeal to anyone wanting to explore the music of the mighty Dan. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Mike Davey
Steely Dan....say no more
This band/duo don't really need reviewing, if you are a serious music lover as opposed to Radio 1 output this is a must as the cliche goes. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Mr. K. Webster
CAN buy this thrill
Steely Dan?..who are they? said in the 1970's..a very complex mixture of Jazz,pop,funk and even Reggae! 'Do it again' from the 1st L.P. Read more
Published on 7 Mar 2010 by Mr. Anthony Cox
first class service and product-highly recommended
the Cd was in excellent condition and really good value - I could not have been more satisfied
Published on 27 Oct 2009 by Mr. M. S. Jeffery
Not another Compilation / Hits Cd
Having been a fan of SD since the begining,and seeing them twice in Leeds and Birmingham,I find another 'Hits' album unecessary. Read more
Published on 24 July 2009 by S. Owen
great music
brilliant music a must have as an introduction to one of the best groups ever
Published on 4 July 2009 by Bobby
Nice value - but incomplete
I wouldn't normally review something that's yet to be released, or a record that I have no intention of buying (because I already own everything that this band has released), but... Read more
Published on 25 Jun 2009 by Jeremy Walton
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