240 - Steely Dan - Can't Buy a Thrill

Hi, I'm a Dan Fan. Steely Dan is my second favorite band, hands down. They are close to XTC at #1 and enjoy a healthy lead from the remaining top 5 (which rotates between 5 bands depending on when you ask me). I have all of Steely Dan's albums, so mine were not virgin ears when I put this on last week. My goal has been to look at this collection with fresh ears and looking to discern unique aspects of these songs.

Can't Buy a Thrill is the band's debut and is an interesting album chronicling Donald and Walter's transition from songwriters to performers. The album seems to struggle with sounding like Steely Dan and sounding like other rock bands. For starters, since Donald was convinced his voice wasn't good enough to lead the band, David Palmer was brought aboard to sing a couple of songs on the album (he also took on lead singing duties during their live performances). That lack of confidence is what dogs this production. If a person's exposure to Steely Dan was limited to Can't Buy a Thrill I find it understandable that a person could mistake Steeler's Wheel's "Stuck in the Middle With You" as a Steely Dan song. Songs such as "Dirty Work," "Midnight Cruiser," "Reelin' in the Years," and "Brooklyn" seem to wander the most from what one would expect to hear from The Dan a few albums later.

Even with those songs that cling a bit more to contemporary trends, the underlying foundation of Steely Dan's sound is evident. The sad nostalgia, the cynical commentary, jazz-infused instrumentation and rhythms, and an air of sophistication are there even if all of the other elements seem a little off.

Songs I Knew I liked: "Do It Again," "Dirty Work," "Midnight Cruiser," "Only a Fool Would Say That," "Reelin' in the Years," and "Turn That Heartbeat Over Again"

Songs I Now Like: Nothing new

Songs I Can Go the Rest of My Life Never Hearing Again: "Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)" started to annoy me a bit after repeated listens.