Lead guitar on H Gang is played by Jon Herington who's done a lot of touring with SD/Donald. You probably saw him play at the Oregon concert. Sax solo is by Walt Weiskopf (had to look that one up 😊).
My favorite part of this song is Walt’s entrance on the tenor solo and how he creates and holds that tension for a few beats and then takes off with his solo. Genius.
Donald Fagen homage to Ray Charles 'What I Do' in on Morph The Cat. Great Song to play, too. Happy Birthday, Nick! You've got the best present in the world sitting next to you.
A great song to play on your birthday Nick! Last week a friend gave me a CD of 'The Nightfly' to sit alongside 'Kamakiriad' in my collection (at last). Now I have to get 'Morph The Cat'! I hope the birthday went well.
SD and DF have a unique sound and have made fusion music cool which is something so many bands in the genre never achieved. Part of musical history now.
So glad you guys arrived to this grooving tune. In addition to "Morph the Cat" and "What I do" one that stands out on that album is "The Great Pagoda of Funn" . I love the whole album.
Sending birthday cheer your way, Nick! That was such a sweet tribute Alexia posted to you earlier!💕💕 Regarding the drums on this track, as I said to Scott, I don't mind when the drums stay in the groove if there is interesting stuff happening with the other instruments. To each his/her own, am I right? Hope it was a stellar day for you, my friend!🌟🌟🌟 🎵❤️🎵 Debbie
Keith Carlock is the drummer on this track....he is an absolute master of the craft. Keith is doing exactly what Donald wants him to do on every song. The move toward a more "mechanical" drum sound began at the end of Aja and pursued with earnest throughout Goucho. By the time you get to Kamakiriad, it's totally that vibe from there on out (with notable exceptions, of course.) To a degree, the entire "jazz/rock/fusion" genre went that direction across the board. That could be said about popular music in general as well. Happy Birthday Nick!
Impeccable, as usual! Love this vibe... sounds like Steely Dan to me... jazzy, smooth and relaxing. I wish you guys would listen to Janie Runaway. I believe it is on Two Against Nature. Happy Happy Birfday Nick! Hope you got everything you wanted and had the best time! Thanks, as usual for the selection Scott... good job!
Happy birthday Nick,hope you had a great day. Nice to see you doing H Gang. You should do a track off Sunken Condos,which is an excellent album. Also,you should give Mary Shut The Garden Door a listen too.
I realize you guys are waiting for the Dan Club to suggest songs like Cousin Dupree, Two Against Nature, What a Shame About Me, Almost Gothic, Negative Girl, The Last Mall, The Things I Miss the Most, Slang Of Ages, Pixeleen etc. but damn there’s so much more DAN to listen to, and quite honestly the last two albums will be some of your favorite songs! You guys talk about fusion, chords progressions, drums, instrumental interjections, and ultimate Steely weirdness: these last two albums, especially Two Against Nature has all of that. I just can’t wait until you guys react to it!!!!! I’m so impatient I’m about to join the Dan Club so that I can see you guys react to it. Once you hear those last two albums you’ll really get the Dan in its beautiful entirety and I’m bursting at the seams for it! You two are really missing out on some of the best, most underrated tracks ever in the Steely Dan catalogue. :) Much love
Hi Luke we have reacted to these songs Gaslighting Abbie, Jack of Speed & West of Hollywood. You only have to type it in the search bar in our channel. I was thinking of doing either Two Against nature or everything must go as a full album soon.
Hoping to catch it before it gets blocked. Love Fagen. Love you both. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Nick! 🎂🥳 And soon: Lex’s birthday and 80k! Wow. Thanks, Scott! 😽💕
The NicknLex GANG on your Birthday as well very nice. Thanks for working overtime on your birthday. No Walter Becker on this album nor did Donald appear on Becker’s Circus Money. They were touring as Steely Dan so my guess is they wanted more space in their solo projects. The guitarist on H Gang is John Herrington their touring and studio guitarist. Never really took note of the drum track but you are correct it’s pretty plain. Donald referred to this album as his Death album because a lot of songs have a heavier theme, like Bright Night Gown and The Night Belongs to Mona. The lyric here is much much lighter at least on the surface. He is singing about an all girl band “with an Orphan Girl with this crazy red hair with a voice and a dream and a soul on Fire”. No Michael here either. Have a Fantastic Birthday. Ready for October.
Yeah, great pick, Scott! "H-Gang" has such a cool vibe that I don't mind if the drums just groove along, as long as there is interesting stuff happening, which, of course, there certainly is!
Thanks Scott, this was a great pick! Over here in the UK, I have just purchased 'The Ultimate Music Guide to Steely Dan' by the UK music magazine Uncut, which has been updated recently due to the excitement around 'The Second Arrangement'. It is highly recommended, if you can source a copy, 146 pages of everything to do with Steely Dan, Donald and Walter. All their albums reviewed, interviews published and lots more. Anyway, this book describes the H Gang as a 'kick-ass, all girl ex-con band'. Does that sound right to you?
Happy Birthday Nick! It's always great to watch your reaction videos to SD/DF songs, I have seen them all many times. It was fun because I didn't know how you guys would react today. Have a wonderful weekend!!
You need more TWO AGAINST NATURE. I can’t stress enough how much you’ll love that album. Fusion, jazzy af, crazy cords, great drums, great horns. Everything is perfect. It’s the most underrated, yet amazing album in Dan’s repertoire. I just can’t wait to see you guys fall in love with every song on there.
After "Two Against Nature," I will agree that there was/is a sameness to a lot of Steely Dan's/Donald Fagen's music. At times, it's been tough for this listener to differentiate. Thank you for pointing that out, Nick. It is a great song with a lot of interesting things going on. I'm glad to hear it with you. It's probably been years since I've heard it, and would have difficulty if someone asked if I knew Steely Dan's, "H Gang." And Happy Birthday, Nick!
Still trying to submit requests for reactions. You guys are great. It's great to see two young people listening and sharing reactions-from masterpieces from my time. I'm not that old-just been involved with music -in one way or another -sense I was a kid. Allot of help from my older cousin and my Brother. Rock On -- Brian Birch..
Every single song on this incredible album is worth your time and evaluation. My fave is The Great Pagoda of Funn, but they are all good. This is known as a post 9/11 album with most of the songs related to each other in tone and feel.
Michael Leonhart's horn arrangement and trumpet performance are always stellar. This cut in particular really features his sublime, understated approach.
Leonhart is a good arranger but he is a pretty terrible trumpet player. Just about every solo on record from him is a wash. Same goes for the live show. Marvin Stamm's solo on Great Pagoda, however - now that's how it's done
I didn't say Michael Leonhart did a trumpet *solo*, I said *performance*. Of course the *sax* solo is unmistakably by Walt Weiskopf, and it's brilliant, as always. As to Michael's relative talent as a trumpet artist, to each his own preference, I suppose . . . I enjoy him quite a lot.
A Steely Dan Bedtime Story Once upon a time, there was a King, named Richard, who ruled Mizar. He fell madly in love with his darling, Rose. After a short engagement, they were married by a Deacon in a blue suit. They honeymooned near the Caves of Altamira and did it again quite frequently without a fez. Night by night, it was a countdown to ecstasy. Soon, they were home at last, and Rose and King Richard, in the years and months to follow, would have a castle full of show biz kids. Their first kid, a boy, was named Charlemagne. Later, daughters, Josie and Peg, would beautify the castle with their French twists. Rikki, their youngest, was a mathematics prodigy who never lost track of her numbers. The parents were strict with their daughters, but the girls didn't seem to care. The family would vacation by carriage to the sea and when the children got too loud, King Richard would say, "keep it down, just until we get out of town." During their holiday, the family would sit under a banyan tree and watch the sun go down on the crimson tide. They let the children play up on the hill near the black cows. The King, had a mistress at this seaside Eldorado resort. When confronted by Rose, Katy lied and said there was nothing to it. Katy was only nineteen at the time. Rose knew the fix was in. Rose told King Richard that she knew of the affair and was planning on a trip to Haiti for a divorce. She said, "I can't cry anymore while you run around." Upon hearing this news, King Richard summoned his therapist, Dr. Wu. After a a lengthy discussion about the King's infidelities, Dr. Wu responded, "the things you think are useless, I can't understand." Rose, still reelin' from this news demanded, "I want to know everything you did." King Richard confessed to an affair with Katy's sister, Pearl. He defended himself by saying, "It was just a fling with a couple of skinny girls." King Richard hastily had his family return to Castle Bravo at the changing of the guard. He met with his generals to discuss the expansion of his kingdom to new frontiers. He told them he wanted to be King of the world. Rose, however, took a gift from the King, a pair of green earrings and threw them in the moat. She realized that she had been royally scammed. King Richard went to Rose's bedroom and told her that it would never happen again, but Rose replied, "After what you've done, only a fool would say that." She gave him the goodbye look before she lit the candle and put a lock upon the door. King Richard, in a rage, threatened harm to their children when he said, "I'll throw back the little ones." At that very moment, there was fire in the hole as the castle came under attack from battle apples! King Richard became suicidal and thought about taking his life with a gun. His last words were, "Don't take me alive." The day after the King's demise, Rose had lunch with Gina, her best friend. Gina advised Rose to sell her home and move to a place called the Custerdome. The next day, Rose put a sign in front of the castle that read: Everything must go.
Hi Guys ! .. Hope you have been having a great day Nick, and have a lovely evening. Be careful with all those candles on that birthday cake, we don't want a fire hazzard ! Happy Birthday to Youuuu ! 🎶 🎶 Great track by Donald. The guitar sounds like the same tone as on Haitian Divorce. I don't know what the H stands for, but I have heard the drug Heroin is refered to as "H" .... Maybe Donald is refering to the musicians who recorded "Haitian Divorce" ? and the gang is together again for H.Gang ? ...I know, wild guesses. Lol Great reaction, byeee Jim X
Part of me thinks it's only superficially about some kind of touring dance troupe or something. It might be a bitterly ironic spoof of the Teller-led H Bomb programme following the A bomb tests.
Happy Birthday Nick! What a great present from Scott! Wonderful song, though I also wish Keith Carlock had been allowed to open up on the drums. Perhaps Fagan (who produced the album himself) was being a bit too controlling. But that’s a minor issue. Thank you for taking the time to post this on your birthday! Now take a well-deserved break!
The drums - you guys are absolutely right about the mechanical nature of the grooves. Many fans have this complaint and I think that's why Fagen made a conscious effort to change up the grooves on Sunken Condos where no 2 songs have the same beat. Same goes for Becker's Circus Money
Happy Birthday, sir!. The drums are often a bit too pedestrian for my taste on some tunes. That’s the single criticism I ever offer regarding the greatest band in the history of popular music.
The production after “Gaucho” is so flat, no space. It seems that it would be about the same, but it’s not, You are so right about the drums. It doesn’t sound well. I return to the older stuff.
There is nothing wrong with the production after Gaucho. The Nightfly, Kamakiriad, Two Against Nature, etc. all sound amazing and not “flat”. You just need to open your ears.
@@MichaelTrogdon1990 I mean, it does sound good - it’s Donald Fagen after all, but not fantastic as “The Nightfly”. There is clearly a difference, and the songwriting is not always that great although this one’s really nice.
Lead guitar on H Gang is played by Jon Herington who's done a lot of touring with SD/Donald. You probably saw him play at the Oregon concert. Sax solo is by Walt Weiskopf (had to look that one up 😊).
Happy Birthday, Nick! You could not ask for a better "Donald" gift. I love this song. Best birthday wishes from an SD fan in Cape Town, South Africa
Happy birthday Nick! Great song by Donald Fagen. Drive along a cityscape at night playing this song. Great album.
My favorite part of this song is Walt’s entrance on the tenor solo and how he creates and holds that tension for a few beats and then takes off with his solo. Genius.
Donald Fagen homage to Ray Charles 'What I Do' in on Morph The Cat. Great Song to play, too. Happy Birthday, Nick! You've got
the best present in the world sitting next to you.
The Night Belongs To Mona is absolutely sublime.
The Night Belongs to Mona and the Great Pagoda of Funn are works of genius.
Yes, agree great song that stacks up musically and lyrically with any SD song.
A great song to play on your birthday Nick! Last week a friend gave me a CD of 'The Nightfly' to sit alongside 'Kamakiriad' in my collection (at last). Now I have to get 'Morph The Cat'! I hope the birthday went well.
Hope you had a great birthday Nick. Thanks for continuing with the quest for more Steely Dan. ♥️✌🏼😎
SD and DF have a unique sound and have made fusion music cool which is something so many bands in the genre never achieved. Part of musical history now.
So glad you guys arrived to this grooving tune. In addition to "Morph the Cat" and "What I do" one that stands out on that album is "The Great Pagoda of Funn" . I love the whole album.
Working on your birthday! You guys are too much, and so sweet. Happy Birthday, Nick!
Fuck yeah! Best music reactors out there! Always love the Dan. I’ll ask again: more Two Against Nature and Everything Must Go albums. You’ll LOVE it
Happy Birthday Nick! Love this album and H-Gang is a crowd pleaser.
Sending birthday cheer your way, Nick! That was such a sweet tribute Alexia posted to you earlier!💕💕
Regarding the drums on this track, as I said to Scott, I don't mind when the drums stay in the groove if there is interesting stuff happening with the other instruments. To each his/her own, am I right?
Hope it was a stellar day for you, my friend!🌟🌟🌟
🎵❤️🎵 Debbie
Happy birthday Nick! 🎉 Other song from that album that I realy fancy and I'm sure you would too is"Mary shut the garden door".
Yes me too it was between Mary shut the Garden door, What I Do and H Gang. H Gang is my sing along cad song.
Hey we share a birthday! Mine's today too. Happy Birthday Nick! Here's to another trip around the sun :)
The interesting thing is that I think Donald sounds younger and Fresher on Sunken Condos than Morph the Cat, although it was recorded 6 years later.
Happy Birthday Nick! Enjoy your special day!
Keith Carlock is the drummer on this track....he is an absolute master of the craft. Keith is doing exactly what Donald wants him to do on every song. The move toward a more "mechanical" drum sound began at the end of Aja and pursued with earnest throughout Goucho. By the time you get to Kamakiriad, it's totally that vibe from there on out (with notable exceptions, of course.) To a degree, the entire "jazz/rock/fusion" genre went that direction across the board. That could be said about popular music in general as well. Happy Birthday Nick!
Impeccable, as usual! Love this vibe... sounds like Steely Dan to me... jazzy, smooth and relaxing. I wish you guys would listen to Janie Runaway. I believe it is on Two Against Nature. Happy Happy Birfday Nick! Hope you got everything you wanted and had the best time! Thanks, as usual for the selection Scott... good job!
Thanks 😎
Happy birthday Nick,hope you had a great day.
Nice to see you doing H Gang.
You should do a track off Sunken Condos,which is an excellent album.
Also,you should give Mary Shut The Garden Door a listen too.
I realize you guys are waiting for the Dan Club to suggest songs like Cousin Dupree, Two Against Nature, What a Shame About Me, Almost Gothic, Negative Girl, The Last Mall, The Things I Miss the Most, Slang Of Ages, Pixeleen etc. but damn there’s so much more DAN to listen to, and quite honestly the last two albums will be some of your favorite songs! You guys talk about fusion, chords progressions, drums, instrumental interjections, and ultimate Steely weirdness: these last two albums, especially Two Against Nature has all of that. I just can’t wait until you guys react to it!!!!! I’m so impatient I’m about to join the Dan Club so that I can see you guys react to it. Once you hear those last two albums you’ll really get the Dan in its beautiful entirety and I’m bursting at the seams for it! You two are really missing out on some of the best, most underrated tracks ever in the Steely Dan catalogue. :) Much love
Hi Luke we have reacted to these songs Gaslighting Abbie, Jack of Speed & West of Hollywood. You only have to type it in the search bar in our channel. I was thinking of doing either Two Against nature or everything must go as a full album soon.
Hoping to catch it before it gets blocked. Love Fagen. Love you both. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Nick! 🎂🥳 And soon: Lex’s birthday and 80k! Wow. Thanks, Scott! 😽💕
It never got blocked must be birthday Karma.
Happy Birthday Nick !!!!!!!! 🕺🤸♀🐬
Love this whole album.
Happy Birthday Nick!! H Gang is great tune
The NicknLex GANG on your Birthday as well very nice. Thanks for working overtime on your birthday. No Walter Becker on this album nor did Donald appear on Becker’s Circus Money. They were touring as Steely Dan so my guess is they wanted more space in their solo projects. The guitarist on H Gang is John Herrington their touring and studio guitarist. Never really took note of the drum track but you are correct it’s pretty plain. Donald referred to this album as his Death album because a lot of songs have a heavier theme, like Bright Night Gown and The Night Belongs to Mona. The lyric here is much much lighter at least on the surface. He is singing about an all girl band “with an Orphan Girl with this crazy red hair with a voice and a dream and a soul on Fire”. No Michael here either. Have a Fantastic Birthday. Ready for October.
Great job, Scott! Haven’t heard this one for a while!
Yeah, great pick, Scott! "H-Gang" has such a cool vibe that I don't mind if the drums just groove along, as long as there is interesting stuff happening, which, of course, there certainly is!
Thanks Jk
Thanks Deb, it is a great groove and a thick carpet of sound.
Thanks Scott, this was a great pick! Over here in the UK, I have just purchased 'The Ultimate Music Guide to Steely Dan' by the UK music magazine Uncut, which has been updated recently due to the excitement around 'The Second Arrangement'. It is highly recommended, if you can source a copy, 146 pages of everything to do with Steely Dan, Donald and Walter. All their albums reviewed, interviews published and lots more. Anyway, this book describes the H Gang as a 'kick-ass, all girl ex-con band'. Does that sound right to you?
Happy Birthday, Nick! 🎂
Happy Birthday Nick 🎊 🎉🎂🥂
Happy Birthday Nick! It's always great to watch your reaction videos to SD/DF songs, I have seen them all many times. It was fun because I didn't know how you guys would react today. Have a wonderful weekend!!
Great “chit chat”!❤
You need more TWO AGAINST NATURE. I can’t stress enough how much you’ll love that album. Fusion, jazzy af, crazy cords, great drums, great horns. Everything is perfect. It’s the most underrated, yet amazing album in Dan’s repertoire. I just can’t wait to see you guys fall in love with every song on there.
Thanks!
Thank you so much!! 🙏🙏🙏
The Great Pagoda of Funn from this album is pretty special.
Yes, it is. Also, the Night Belongs to Mona.
Great album!
Happy Birthday Nick! God bless you! hope you have a wonderful day with Lex and other loved ones!
Thank you so much Stephen🙏
After "Two Against Nature," I will agree that there was/is a sameness to a lot of Steely Dan's/Donald Fagen's music. At times, it's been tough for this listener to differentiate. Thank you for pointing that out, Nick. It is a great song with a lot of interesting things going on. I'm glad to hear it with you. It's probably been years since I've heard it, and would have difficulty if someone asked if I knew Steely Dan's, "H Gang." And Happy Birthday, Nick!
Still trying to submit requests for reactions. You guys are great. It's great to see two young people listening and sharing reactions-from masterpieces from my time. I'm not that old-just been involved with music -in one way or another -sense I was a kid. Allot of help from my older cousin and my Brother. Rock On -- Brian Birch..
Happy Birthday Nick from your fan from Southern Texas!!
Happy birthday Nick I hope you have a really great one!!!
Happy Birthday young man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY,NICK...👑👑👑🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🍰🍰🍰🍰🍧🍨🍨🍧🍨🍧🥧🥧🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾...KISSES FOR LEX...💋💋💋FRANCE, LOVES YOU...🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷
Happy Birthday, Nick. It's Jon Herrington on guitar who also plays with The Dukes of September.
Happy birthday Nick. Keep on rocking 🎉👍🎂
You are right about the drums.... But the song is so mellow with those vocals LOL
Happy Birthday Nick! Have a great night. ❤️🎂🎈
STEVE GADD ONCE HAD A GROUP CALLED "THE GADD GANG. ♥️
Happy Birthday Nick!
Every single song on this incredible album is worth your time and evaluation. My fave is The Great Pagoda of Funn, but they are all good. This is known as a post 9/11 album with most of the songs related to each other in tone and feel.
Good analysis , a good straightforward song with not many changes or fills.
Michael Leonhart's horn arrangement and trumpet performance are always stellar. This cut in particular really features his sublime, understated approach.
Leonhart is a good arranger but he is a pretty terrible trumpet player. Just about every solo on record from him is a wash. Same goes for the live show.
Marvin Stamm's solo on Great Pagoda, however - now that's how it's done
I didn't say Michael Leonhart did a trumpet *solo*, I said *performance*. Of course the *sax* solo is unmistakably by Walt Weiskopf, and it's brilliant, as always. As to Michael's relative talent as a trumpet artist, to each his own preference, I suppose . . . I enjoy him quite a lot.
Check out Brite Nightgown, it's a solid jazzified winner with a faster pace.
Happy Birthday!!
May happiness meet birthiness, and shower your week with sundry delights!
At last! Hurray!
Happy Birthday from Hawaii 🤙
Happy Birthday, fellow september kid 😀
A Steely Dan Bedtime Story
Once upon a time, there was a King, named Richard, who ruled Mizar. He fell madly in love with his darling, Rose. After a short engagement, they were married by a Deacon in a blue suit. They honeymooned near the Caves of Altamira and did it again quite frequently without a fez. Night by night, it was a countdown to ecstasy. Soon, they were home at last, and Rose and King Richard, in the years and months to follow, would have a castle full of show biz kids. Their first kid, a boy, was named Charlemagne. Later, daughters, Josie and Peg, would beautify the castle with their French twists. Rikki, their youngest, was a mathematics prodigy who never lost track of her numbers. The parents were strict with their daughters, but the girls didn't seem to care. The family would vacation by carriage to the sea and when the children got too loud, King Richard would say, "keep it down, just until we get out of town." During their holiday, the family would sit under a banyan tree and watch the sun go down on the crimson tide. They let the children play up on the hill near the black cows. The King, had a mistress at this seaside Eldorado resort. When confronted by Rose, Katy lied and said there was nothing to it. Katy was only nineteen at the time. Rose knew the fix was in. Rose told King Richard that she knew of the affair and was planning on a trip to Haiti for a divorce. She said, "I can't cry anymore while you run around." Upon hearing this news, King Richard summoned his therapist, Dr. Wu. After a a lengthy discussion about the King's infidelities, Dr. Wu responded, "the things you think are useless, I can't understand." Rose, still reelin' from this news demanded, "I want to know everything you did." King Richard confessed to an affair with Katy's sister, Pearl. He defended himself by saying, "It was just a fling with a couple of skinny girls." King Richard hastily had his family return to Castle Bravo at the changing of the guard. He met with his generals to discuss the expansion of his kingdom to new frontiers. He told them he wanted to be King of the world. Rose, however, took a gift from the King, a pair of green earrings and threw them in the moat. She realized that she had been royally scammed.
King Richard went to Rose's bedroom and told her that it would never happen again, but Rose replied, "After what you've done, only a fool would say that." She gave him the goodbye look before she lit the candle and put a lock upon the door. King Richard, in a rage, threatened harm to their children when he said, "I'll throw back the little ones." At that very moment, there was fire in the hole as the castle came under attack from battle apples! King Richard became suicidal and thought about taking his life with a gun. His last words were, "Don't take me alive." The day after the King's demise, Rose had lunch with Gina, her best friend. Gina advised Rose to sell her home and move to a place called the Custerdome. The next day, Rose put a sign in front of the castle that read: Everything must go.
I wrote this story about four years ago.
There are 50 references to Steely Dan albums, songs and Donald Fagen's solo works in the story.
The Night Belongs to Mona is great.
Jon Herington the long time Steely Dan road guitarist does the lead and solo
This album is a real grower. Bright Nightgown is the perfect balance between cool and clever.
Joyeux anniversaire Nick !
(yes, original version on purpose)
Hi Guys ! .. Hope you have been having a great day Nick, and have a lovely evening. Be careful with all those candles on that birthday cake, we don't want a fire hazzard ! Happy Birthday to Youuuu ! 🎶 🎶 Great track by Donald. The guitar sounds like the same tone as on Haitian Divorce. I don't know what the H stands for, but I have heard the drug Heroin is refered to as "H" .... Maybe Donald is refering to the musicians who recorded "Haitian Divorce" ? and the gang is together again for H.Gang ? ...I know, wild guesses. Lol Great reaction, byeee Jim X
Part of me thinks it's only superficially about some kind of touring dance troupe or something. It might be a bitterly ironic spoof of the Teller-led H Bomb programme following the A bomb tests.
Happy Birthday Nick! What a great present from Scott! Wonderful song, though I also wish Keith Carlock had been allowed to open up on the drums. Perhaps Fagan (who produced the album himself) was being a bit too controlling. But that’s a minor issue. Thank you for taking the time to post this on your birthday! Now take a well-deserved break!
You said it JK Nick, the Hardest working man in show bizness
Happy birthday Nick! How many candles were on your cake?
Did you get the Aja remaster (released yesterday) for your birthday?
By this point, almost all guitar solos were Jon Herington.
🤗😍😊😊😊😊
The drums - you guys are absolutely right about the mechanical nature of the grooves. Many fans have this complaint and I think that's why Fagen made a conscious effort to change up the grooves on Sunken Condos where no 2 songs have the same beat. Same goes for Becker's Circus Money
It was a Carlock problem.
@@theivory1 Highly doubt it. Have you heard Carlock in other situations? He's a beast. They were like this on 2VN as well and that was before Carlock
The Night Belongs to Mona and Great Pagoda of Fun have a lot of rhythm changes.
Happy Birthday, sir!. The drums are often a bit too pedestrian for my taste on some tunes. That’s the single criticism I ever offer regarding the greatest band in the history of popular music.
The production after “Gaucho” is so flat, no space. It seems that it would be about the same, but it’s not, You are so right about the drums. It doesn’t sound well. I return to the older stuff.
There is nothing wrong with the production after Gaucho. The Nightfly, Kamakiriad, Two Against Nature, etc. all sound amazing and not “flat”. You just need to open your ears.
@@MichaelTrogdon1990 I mean, it does sound good - it’s Donald Fagen after all, but not fantastic as “The Nightfly”. There is clearly a difference, and the songwriting is not always that great although this one’s really nice.