OPO: Steely Dan studio album

I say Countdown to Ecstasy and Pretzel Logic are their most essential, with Gaucho and the first side of KL close behind.

tasteful and tuneful. in small doses

Sure, but not as good as "Midnight Cruiser" or "Charlie Freak" or "Sign In Stranger"! (But then, I've a persistent pattern of always liking the "wrong" songs off the right albums, so I dunno what my problem is...)

It was the first one I heard, and it has "Doctor Wu," which is probably my favorite Steely Dan song. By contrast, Countdown to Ecstasy has "Show Biz Kids," which I really don't like. Gaucho and Aja sometimes get a little TOO smooth. Pretzel Logic and The Royal Scam are both very good, and on some days, I probably do prefer them to Katy Lied. I haven't heard Can't Buy a Thrill often enough, I thought Two Against Nature was subpar, and Everything Must Go is great but not really classic.

The others, I haven't listened to enough to judge.

I know that the latter has a better rep, but I never managed to really get into it. 2vsN on the other hand is pretty enjoyable.

didn't purchase 'everything must go', and actually wasn't aware that it had even been released until a few months after it was

this changes all the time for me but right now it's Can't Buy a Thrill. anyways thought the sandbox could use a steely dan thread in SNA

i circulate through favorites pretty regularly. the only ones that i don't listen to incessantly when their time comes around are Countdown, Scam and Pretzel Logic... so i guess those are my three least favorite, even though i love them.

(this does not include 2AN or EMG, which i've never really gotten into)

i used to wrestle with this question but the answer's been the same since the first time i answered it itt four years ago: Royal Scam

Royal Scam for me too.

hard to choose, but I'd have to go with Aja

I listened to Can't Buy a Thrill last night and marveled how every song -- every song -- is as exquisitely written as they come.

Five or six of my favourite songs are on either Pretzel Logic or Katy Lied, so one of those two.

can't buy a thrill

The only imperial phase record which makes me impatient is TRS.

I totally love "Sign In Stranger," though.

Yes. "Kid Charlemagne" too, bien sur. And "Don't Take Me Alive." The rest is clavinets and guitars through bad amps.

and caves and the fez and the title track but yeah

I listened to Kamikarand or whatever it's called for the first time in years the other day and I totally forgot how great it is.

my OPO is Aja

I think TRS has some of the Dan's sweetest keyboard tones

Pretzel Logic

Fagen/Becker seem to dislike Pretzel Logic and Katy Lied, which are my favorites

Katy Lied was an infamously rough recording experience with equipment/sound problems that left them unhappy w/ the final product and i think in general they favor the later stuff after they became a 'studio' band and got more ambitious with the session musician perfectionism, so i think that's not really a reflection on the songs or anything to really dwell on.

Thanks, some dude--from a cursory look at their set lists a long time ago, it seemed like they didn't play a lot of tracks from those two. But they're definitely the end of SD Phase One

Pretzel Logic and Katy Lied also seem like SD at their most depressive and/or vulnerable (if that's possible)

I listened to Can't Buy a Thrill last night and marveled how every song -- every song -- is as exquisitely written as they come.

^^^this. the other albums are great, but none of 'em have this 100% hit ratio for me

Katy Lied comes close

Fagen/Becker seem to dislike Pretzel Logic and Katy Lied, which are my favorites

Because they don't play them as often? Could be. I'd guess these, the former at least, are not as in demand by the classic-rock/easy-listening-esque audience.

funny that this tread came up as i listened to Gaucho last night but my vote has to go with Aja.

Babylon Sisters has been my singin in the shower jam lately.

I would be lying if I didn't say Aja but Gaucho is an amazing album

Forever it was Aja, but I think I now lean towards The Royal Scam.

Countdown to Ecstasy followed closely by Aja. Pretzel Logic is probably my least favourite album of the original run because 'With a Gun' and the version of 'East St. Louis Toodle-Oo' are kind of throwaway for me (by SD standards at least).