Best Albums of 2003

martinfoyle · Post by **martinfoyle** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 11:19 am

I know this was for Lack, but I am an SD fanatic--I was supremely let down by this album. There are some really cool songs on it (Pixeleen, Green Book), but the rest of the album is almost clinical in its preciseness. The drummer, Keith Carlock, is a monster live and with other groups--on this album, he's just a warm-blooded drum machine.

Have to agree with this, the Dan album was one of those albums this year that sounded interesting on first few listens, but upon reflection doesn’t really stand up. The 2nd album by Josh Ritter had the same effect on me, all the more disappointing since I really wanted to like it, since I kind of know the producer.

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 11:26 am

Everything Must Go reminded me of Goucho. Not so much in terms of soud, but in terms of precision. Both records are a little too...perfect. Clinical is a good term, whoever used it above. But Everything must go lacked something Goucho had, which is songs like Babylon Sisters and Hey Nineteen. It's not a bad record, and I'm not sure the Dan could make a bad record. But it's not as compelling as Two Against Nature was.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 11:44 am

Well it left me cold too. I mean, just play it next to 2AN or even something like Gaucho -- I don't think there's anything on it near as good as say Glamour Profession... (The only albums I don't have are Pretzel Logic and Coundown to Ecstacy). Good analysis SoLike, I thought you were very accurate. I noticed you didn't mention the Walter Becker (I know you're a big fan of his) sung song, Slang Of Ages.... sorry to say so, but "cringeworthy" comes to mind for that one; I can't listen to it.

Have you heard Alive In America ('95, this goes to SoLack and whomever else also)? That's my favourite live album at the moment. Besides exceptional overall performances it really brings out less conspicuous songs live Third World Man, Sign In Stranger and Book Of Liars.

SoLikeCandy · Post by **SoLikeCandy** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 1:00 pm

I adore Walter Becker, and I thought "Slang of Ages" was actually a cool song. If you want cringeworthy, though, get his solo album. There is exactly one song worth listening to on the entire thing. Just one. And he's not singing much on it. Blecch.

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 3:27 pm

I'm not a Dan expert by any means, I've always meant to get more of their stuff but never got round to it. Therefore apart from EMG I only have Katy Lied and the compilation The Steely Dan Story 1972-1980. However I still really like EMG although I need to give it another going over as I've had a lot to listen to recently. What would you recommend (anyone) as my next SD album?

Anybody else get Cuckooland?

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 3:40 pm

Here are my faves of 2003

1.North - Elvis Costello
2.Rediscovered - Howard Tate
3.Soul Journey - Gillian Welch
4.In America (soundtrack) - Gavin Friday/Maurice
Seezer
5.Poetry and Aeroplanes - Teitur
6.Break Your Mothers Heart - Tim Easton
7.Waiting For The Moon - Tindersticks
8.The Housecarpenters Daughter - Natalie Merchant
9.The Decline Of British Sea Power - British Sea Power
10.Kish Kash - Basement X

Tip for 2004 -
Christine`s Refrigerator by John Margolis
- just got it yesterday...can`t stop playing
it!
See
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/johnmargolis

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 5:02 pm

Well, you already have Katy Lied, which is my favorite. I would suggest Aja, Pretzel Logic, or Can't Buy a Thrill. But really, All their albums up to Goucho are just about perfect. Goucho is too perfect, but a great record.

SoLikeCandy · Post by **SoLikeCandy** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 5:20 pm

Aja is to Steely Dan what Imperial Bedroom is to EC. Astonishing and very creative...

El Vez · Post by **El Vez** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 9:56 pm

Wow, I had completely forgotten about Easton's Break Your Mother's Heart. Cool, cool album.

I once spent a whole semester with nothing but Steely Dan in my car's tape player. Can't Buy A Thrill, Aja, Pretzel Logic and Katy Lied. Good times.

oily slick · Post by **oily slick** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 10:49 pm

Can't Buy a Thrill, Aja, and Pretzel Logic, in that order.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 7:25 pm

so lacklustre wrote:Anybody else get Cuckooland?

Nope, but am tempted. I only know Nothing Can Stop Us and Shipbuilding, really, the former as a result of loving the latter, but I do recognise Wyatt as a great and singular figure. There was a fabulous BBC4 late night docu about him (they do have some really goo dstuff on there at times) recently, which involved interviews with him at home in Louth, Lincolnshire, and with his wife, looking at the old family photos, Soft machine footage and several new live recordings of what I assume were Cuckooland songs. I haven't watched all of it it yet, will do this holiday, but it looks really good. Some very interesting stuff about his early years and how soft Machine got together. I was heartened to see the LP get good reviews. Tell us about it, and are there any other Wyatt LPs you rate?

Stalin wasn't stallin'
When he told the beast of Berlin
They would never rest contented
Till they had driven him from the land
So they called the Yanks and English
And proceeded to extinguish
The führer and his vermin
This is how it all began

A bit hard to stomach pro-Stalin folk numbers with the hindsight of another 20 years, but it's a fun number. How original was that LP? Amazing. From the above to Born Again Cretin, to the lovely cover of Chic's At Last I am Free to Grass.

martinfoyle · Post by **martinfoyle** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 8:07 pm

http://www.strongcomet.com/wyatt/solo/solo10.htm
Track down a copy of this compilation, it's a great intro. to Wyatt.
O Caroline is truly divine, the rest are just as good.

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Tue Dec 23, 2003 2:14 pm

It's only in the last couple of years that I have been getting into RW, and so my collection is replete.

Apart from Cuckooland (which is my favourite) so far I only have Rock Bottom, his first solo album and a must, Schleep from 1997 which was his last release before Cuckooland and which was highly acclaimed but not as good as the other two in my book. I also have a collection of five eps which is just called [/i]eps and which contains quite a few of the tracks on the collection highlighted by mf above. My next will be Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard.

I did see that documentary and thought it was excellent. The live tracks were not from Cuckooland though, they were just a collection of back tracks. You did catch some of Cuckooland though during the filming at his house where he was tinkering with some of the tracks I think.