Steely Dan is one of my favorite rock bands. It’s also one of the weirdest I listen to. For me, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker create a sound and atmosphere like no other. It’s cryptic, mysterious, and at times very smooth. I like listening to Steely Dan on vinyl—it feels right; that’s how it’s meant to be. In this article, I’ll share my thoughts about Steely Dan’s music while discussing which albums you should look for, whether you’re a seasoned fan or just getting into their music.
THE ESSENTIALS
For any Steely Dan die-hard fans out there, this is probably blasphemous. But I’ll say it—my favorite Steely Dan album is Can’t Buy a Thrill. In my opinion, it only has one weak song (“Kings”), and even that is a stretch. The only real downside to this amazing album is its hideous album cover. It’s reported that the band hated it, too. I’m not a big fan of Steely Dan album covers, but despite my dislike for this one, I think the gatefold version is better. At least, the inside distracts from the ugly collage. I’d recommend going for the gatefold version instead if you can.
Steely Dan’s magnum opus is undoubtedly Aja. If you’re only getting one album mentioned in this article, this one should be it. I’m not saying this lightly—it’s one of the best albums ever made, and it’s also Steely Dan’s most representative album. I’m biased towards Can’t Buy a Thrill, but that one sounds like an outlier when you compare it next to their catalog. Aja is just pure Steely Dan at their peak.
THE DEEP CUTS
Something I’ve noticed over the years is that among the fans of a popular music group, they’ll always argue that the band’s true best album is some deep cut the public has slept on. In the case of Steely Dan, the fans are deeply divided between two choices—Gaucho and The Royal Scam.
Gaucho is better known because of its turbulent production and because it was their last “classic” album—the band wouldn’t release another album until twenty years later. However, The Royal Scam has recently gained more fans because it’s considered the first album of their great jazz-rock trilogy. Both are great, though I favor Gaucho even if it’s the safer option. I also think it has the best cover art of all of Steely Dan’s discography.
However, listening to Steely Dan is all about feeling like an outsider and cracking up at your own jokes. So, if you want to live that experience, then The Royal Scam is probably the best pick. It’s dark, weird, and at times convoluted. In other words, everything you’d expect from a Steely Dan record.
THE BOOTLEGS
Look, Steely Dan basically invented punk. If punk was slick, jazzy, and perfectionist, that is. They certainly have the same spirit at a very basic level. And there’s nothing more punk than bootleg albums.
I briefly mentioned that Gaucho’s production was messy. And if there’s a constant in my series of music articles, it’s that messy outtakes will inevitably lead to fan releases of unofficial content. Enter The Lost Gaucho. It’s nowhere near the status of the Beach Boys’ Smile album or Bob Dylan’s Great White Wonder, but it’s one of Steely Dan’s best-known bootlegs.
Depending on the fan, there are multiple versions of The Lost Gaucho. But perhaps the most accessible right now is the version made by the Parachute Recording Company. It was released only a year ago and includes both “The Bear” and “Kulee Baba,” which are some of the best-known outtakes from the original Gaucho album.
Another notable bootleg is Steely Dan’s 1974 show at London’s Rainbow Theatre. Because it was so early in their career, it only contains songs from their first three albums. I like some versions here better than in the original studio form. This bootleg is so widespread that you’d be excused for thinking it’s an official release. Unfortunately, it’s primarily only available as a CD.
IN CONCLUSION
All things considered, Steely Dan had a short run. And despite making some of the most recognizable radio hits on their first album, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker’s rebellious nature led them to become a cult band with a few real oddities in their catalog. Collecting Steely Dan’s albums shouldn’t be too hard. And despite my beef with the album covers, these albums are great additions to any music enthusiast’s collection.
David Espino-Lozada is a writer and editor with a passion for literature and poetry. He has published numerous articles and is also involved in writing sci-fi for video games. An avid collector, David has an extensive collection of books, music, and vintage male clothing. When he’s not writing, he enjoys diving into the depths of the internet and libraries, indulging his fascination with the world of collectibles and heirlooms.
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