What is the best Steely Dan album? - Compilation albums don't count.

[Preacher ✝]

Steely Dan is one of the greatest bands of all time and I want to know what my fellow farmers think their best work is.

For your consideration I will include the various Album covers and links to the music.

Can't Buy a Thrill (1972)


Countdown to Ecstasy (1973)


Pretzel Logic (1974)


Katy Lied (1975)


The Royal Scam (1976)


Aja (1977)


Gaucho (1980)


Two Against Nature (2000)


Everything Must Go (2003)

 

[*Grunts Softly*]

can't buy a thrill (the only one i know)

 

[Preacher ✝]

can't buy a thrill

The one that started it all is a popular choice and not without good reason.

(the only one i know)

You owe it to yourself to click the links and check out the other albums (except for Everything Must Go because it's trash)

 

[HyperboreanRightsActivist]

 

[Pee Cola]

Steely Dan is one of the greatest bands of all time

Darn tootin'.

idk if it's objectively the best SD album, but my favourite is Aja. All I know is now I want to binge listen to some SD.

 

[Preacher ✝]

Darn tootin'.

idk if it's objectively the best SD album, but my favourite is Aja. All I know is now I want to binge listen to some SD.

I have all the albums (except Everything Must Go because its trash) in my truck. I had Pretzel Logic and Gaucho on earlier when I was driving around doing volunteer stuff for the Church.

Feel free to take advantage of the handy links in the OP to listen to them all.

 

[McMitch]

Aja is the best in terms of musicianship and production (not a single note out of place in that whole damn album), plus it has Deacon Blues and Josie.
However, The Royal Scam has a more raw sound that balances their smooth jazz sound better with their earlier pop rock sound. Kid Charlemagne is also everything Aja attempted but first and better. Not to mention The Fez and The Royal Scam are the most driven songs in the pair’s entire discography.

 

[Otis Mallebrok]

My favourite is probably Pretzel Logic, followed by Royal Scam. Cant buy a thrill is great for the John Lennon dis alone.

 

[Preacher ✝]

View attachment 6697933

They called that one Chin Music

 

[Asian tech support]

I have a soft spot in my heart for The Royal Scam. It was one of my dad's favorite albums and it must've rubbed off on me.

 

[Gan Ying]

Aja is basically a perfect album, but there are individual tracks on Gaucho and Katy Lied that I enjoy more. Royal Scam, too. I've probably listened to Katy Lied the most. I don't really like Can't Buy a Thrill at all, but Countdown to Ecstasy is really good.
tbh I prefer Fagen's solo stuff though.

 

[Preacher ✝]

Honorable Mention post for Stealy Dan, the recurring Kenshi character on Ambiguous Amphibian's channel.

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

 

[Dan of Steel]

it's aja

 

[Sparkletor 2.0]

I would have to say "Everything Must Go" is the quintessential Steely Dan album that sums up Steely Dan in a nutshell. The album is trash because Steely Dan's music has always been trash. You just didn't realize it.

 

[McMitch]

Honorable Mention post for Stealy Dan, the recurring Kenshi character on Ambiguous Amphibian's channel.

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Additional mention to Steely Dan from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure wherein he gets merc’d harder than almost anyone else in the series.

 

[Fungible penis]

Honestly I rate Kamakiriad more than a lot of the Dan albums.

 

[Soup Sammiches]

The one where Steely let's Dan do all the singing. Best one ever.

 

[Tism the Return II]

I've listened to Aja more times than I can recall, but Gaucho would be number one for me had Second Arrangement been completed.

 

[and and and and]

Aja is the obvious answer, it's literally perfect jazz rock. I'm glad to see the amount of appreciation for their debut though, I feel like fans overlook it too much

 

[isalaide]

it's Can't Buy A Thrill