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- CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE
WEEK
- Steely Dan "Aja" 1977 (USA)
Even
casual fans of classic rock probably know that the band Steely Dan
basically consisted of two mysterious gnomes named Walter Becker and
Donald Fagen, who holed up in a studio in the 1970's to record some of
the most immaculate music of the 20th century. Becker passed away this
week, meaning that the nine studio albums they recorded (seven from the
1970's and two from the 2000's) are thus a closed book and there shall
be no more (though Fagen has announced he will continue to lead "the
Steely Dan Band" which remains a popular touring attraction, and he has
also released a steady stream of his own solo albums too). The magic of
the Dan was the bittersweet combination of gorgeous,
sumptuously-arranged music that stradled the lines between rock, jazz
and R&B and the darkest, most cynical, misanthropic lyrics ever
laid down by a Top 40 hit making machine. According to band lore, it
was primarily Fagen who provided the former (sweet riffs) and Becker
who brought the latter (acid-tongued spite). Becker's life story was
apparently full of woes (dead parents, lost decades of drug abuse)
which his dark wit turned into anthems of hipster alienation. The most
commercially successful Steely LP is the 1977 mega-platinum Aja,
which includes three of their hits (slinky groover "Peg" is about a
sleazy
photographer flattering a vapid starlet, the epic "Deacon Blues"
is the sad hipster anthem to end all sad hipster anthems, and "Josie"
which is relatively meaningless but has a seriously funky groove). But
truly, all
seven of their first run of albums are timeless classics that will
probably still be popular a hundred years from now - as long as there
are alienated hipsters and lovers of sweet jazzrock riffs. |
