I haven't bought a new album in over a year, (thank you itunes) but last week David Gilmour of Pink Floyd fame came out with a new solo album, and today, Tuesday, March 14th Donald Fagen's 3rd solo album "MORPH THE CAT" comes out. Just in time too; as I'm expecting my daughter in about a month, and this'll be the album that marks her arrival. I just hope that lil'Emily Devo develops a taste for Steely Dan because that'll be what daddy-o puts on the cd player to put her to sleep.
Anyway, Steely Dan really is the band I can't live without - their sound of jazz riffs, laser backbeat, blended with dense chords and sharp electric guitar chops - with the polished narratives of insouciant irony about cryptic topics - all sung by Fagen with a nasal New Yorker's wail, dwell to some degree on destruction and doomsday, but usually with black humor or a diffident shrug. That's me in a nutshell. I think.
Each one of Fagen's solo efforts has had a distinct impact on my life at certain moments - 1982's "THE NIGHTFLY" which I discovered in 10th grade (1986-87) helped me through a rough patch of High School adolescence, and ushered in my taste for BeBop Jazz and later on 1970'a fusion. It's an upbeat album, where Fagen sings about his youth in the suburbs of NYC during Eisenhower/Kennedy era of the New Frontier and the promise of a polished future.
1993's "KAMAKIRIAD" was the year I graduated college and into a recession -and on the album Fagen's ponderance on middle age with his second effort reflected the uncertainty of that particular moment in time as speed and fun of college suddenly leveled off and the real responsibilties of life started to settle in. His sound had changed (longtime SD producer, Gary Katz was not on the album ) as he was starting to move into own distinct style, no longer just bound into being the Steely Dan frontman.
"ALIVE in AMERICA" wasn't a Fagen effort, however it was the first Steely Dan album in 15 years and it marked my move to Los Angeles from NYC. Likewise, with 2003's "Everything Must Go" the only SD album I haven't listened to ad nauseum; but that was the year that I proposed to my lovely wife - furthermore I danced with her to "Hey Nineteen" towards the end of our wedding three times in a row. I'd see them live for the first time the same year.
Which leaves me with "MORPH THE CAT"- I'm hoping it's good; advance reviews have been positive- but I'll have to wait and see if there's any songs to croon to Emily.
(photo credits Donald Fagen.com / Steely Dan.net)
5 comments:
Steely Who??????
Hot damn! Dave Gilmour has a new CD! Now if only Yuma had a music store...
G.
I can't say I'm a huge SD fan or an expert...but I do love some of their songs. I remember gettin' down wit' my bad self as a kid whenever 'Do it Again' would come on the radio.
I think Em will dig that one too. :)
Maybe they'll start playing some Steely Dan stuff at SoCal Denny's in order to calm people the hell down.
The food's not THAT bad!
G.
What's with the 24 nerds @ Denny's in Burbank? That's the wrong side of town to have a protest...
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