As a huge Steely Dan fan starting with the second album, Countdown to Ecstasy, I rushed down to the local Tower Records to buy Katy Lied as soon I heard it had come out.
Of course I fell in love it with immediately. It has long been a personal favorite, the ultimate expression of the art of Steely Dan on record. I’ve played it many hundreds of times over the last 40+ 50+ years and still listen to it regularly. I cannot imagine ever tiring of it.
Testing with Rose Darling
The piano is tough to get right on this track. If the piano doesn’t sound the way it should, this track will be a mess.
It’s big and bold in the mix and should sound really solid and weighty. Thin or washed out and you are in trouble.
This track punishes equipment that is slow, or has blubbery bass response. Vintage tube equipment is not what the doctor ordered.
If your woofers are too small, or you do not have enough low end definition and weight to reproduce such a large and powerful piano, the part the piano plays in the arrangement will suffer and so will the song. (More on the kind of speakers you need to play this album and hundreds of others here.)
Just wrote this today, please to enjoy:
Throw Back the Little Ones
I’ve been listening to Waka/Jawaka quite a bit lately. On this song, Steely Dan incorporates an homage to Zappa’s unique woodwind and horn arrangements starting at about 1:48. Go to youtube and check it out when you have a minute.
Jimmie Haskell gets the credit for the arrangement but I’m pretty sure I know who inspired him.
Further Reading
- More reviews and commentaries for Can’t Buy A Thrill
- More reviews and commentaries for Countdown to Ecstasy
- More reviews and commentaries for Pretzel Logic
- More reviews and commentaries for Katy Lied
- More reviews and commentaries for The Royal Scam
- More reviews and commentaries for Aja
- More reviews and commentaries for Gaucho