Steely Message -- A new album in a different world

National Review Online ^ | 6/16/2003 | Robert J. Toth

[IonInsights]

IMHO, EMG is one of their best. An equal of Aja and The Royal Scam in its consistency and mission.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Ping!!

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Man, I love this album. Hard to say what my favorite tune is - might be "Green Book", but the title cut is cool, too - "Lunch With Gina" is a cool groove.

(And if you get the version with the "Steely Dan Confessions" DVD, you won't be sorry.)

[frmrda]

Amen to that brother. EMG is second only behind "Aja", the greatest album of all time. These guys are so good they make things like assassinating God, the end of the world and incest ("Cousin Dupree" from 'TvN') sound upbeat.

I've listened to EMG about 30 times since I got it and it gets better every time. You really have to listen a whole lot of times to pick up on everything and get what they're saying. But when you do, it's like being in on a joke only a few people are in on.

If you don't like SD, you just don't like music.

[frmrda]

I think "Godwhacker" and "Pixeleen" are the best. The title track of "Everything Must Go" reminds me of the single "Gaucho".

[TLBSHOW]

Steely Dan Confirms First Tour In Three Years

Steely Dan has unveiled details for its first tour since the summer of 2000, kicking off July 23 in Costa Mesa, Calif., and wrapping Aug. 31 in Syracuse, N.Y. The veteran jazz/rock outfit will be touring in support of its upcoming Reprise album, "Everything Must Go," which has been bumped to June 10 from its original May 6 release date. As the band explained in its online newsletter, "the reason, we understand, has to do with something called 'a schedule' for some entity called 'the record company.'" http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/888371/posts

[frmrda]

Seen them 3 times since they've been back and I'll be going twice on this tour. These are the only group I'll go see in concert. They're not much for stage showmanship, but that's not what SD is all about. The music is just as good live as it is on CD.

[Ferret Fawcet]

Thanks for posting this, I'm really looking forward to hearing EMG. We're going to try and catch SD when they come to play here in August. I've never seen them live.

[Chad Fairbanks]

August Second - The Gorge... can't wait... yeeee-haaaaa!

[Aquinasfan]

An equal of Aja and The Royal Scam in its consistency and mission.

Whoa! Must get new album. Must Get new album. Must get new album...

[jimbo123]

Streaming Audio Link Here

[MadelineZapeezda]

All time favorite band bump!

[Henrietta]

Hey, where can I get tour info??? Steely Dan is my all-time favorite band and I've never seen them live, but would give my eyeteeth to do so.

[IonInsights]

concert info: http://www.steelydan.com

[joesnuffy]

I've never seen them live, but would give my eyeteeth to do so.

My aunt did this and was never again able to see what she was saying

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

I saw them on their last tour (2VN) and I can't wait to see them this time around. I hope you get your wish!

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

LOL - I like "Pixeleen" too. The line about the go-go boot cracks me up everytime. : )

[Jhensy]

"Everything Must Go"? Sorry, but that's the name of the Manic Street Preachers finest album, released in '96. Although relatively unknown in America, that LP is a very well-known classic in England, a huge #1 seller. I'm sure every reviewer and music fan over there is going "huh?"

[frmrda]

I think the best lyrics of that song are the ones sung by the female background singers talking about how "Pixeleen" was created:

"Penned by a hack in the Palisades

Backed by Some Guys in Columbia

Shot all in Digital Video

For a Million and Change"

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Yeah, those are cool.

Did you notice it's Carolyn Leonhart doing those? I wonder why Cynthia Calhoun and Vicky Cave weren't on this one - but Carolyn has been doing stuff with them for a while now, along with her brother. (And I think their father had some association with SD, too - though I can't recall what it was.)

On the 2VN tour, they had each of the singers do "Dirty Work"; the night I saw them, it was Carolyn's turn. Her voice (though the voice range she's singing in on "Pixeleen" doesn't demonstrate it) is actually very dark and sensual. That girl has everything - she's also very beautiful!