Steely Dan Album: “Gold (Expanded Edition)”

Description :

Steely Dan: Donald Fagen (vocals, keyboards); Walter Becker (guitar, bass). <p>Additional personnel includes: Denny Dias, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Elliot Randall, Lee Ritenour, Larry Carlton, Steve Khan, Rick Derringer (guitar); Michael Brecker, Tom Scott (tenor saxophone); Lew Soloff, Randy Brecker (trumpet); Gary Bargeron (trombone); Michael Omartian (piano); Joe Sample (Clavinet); Victor Feldman (keyboards, percussion); Chuck Rainey, Will Lee, Jim Haslip (bass); Jim Hodder, Jeff Porcaro, Bernard Purdie, Steve Gadd (drums); Michael McDonald (background vocals). <p>This album is not a collection of Steely Dan's hits (though it contains four songs--"FM," "Babylon Sisters," "Hey Nineteen" and "Deacon Blues" that also appear on the A DECADE OF STEELY DAN collection), but rather a well-chosen set of FM radio staples and fan favorites. Songs like "Black Cow" and "Here At The Western World" feature the same impeccable jazz-rock musicianship, obtuse lyrics and polished production as Steely Dan's hits, though the songs on GOLD tend to focus on the slightly more adventurous side of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker's music. <p>Adding several tracks that were not on the original vinyl version of the album, this expanded edition of GOLD contains several Fagen solo tracks--"Century's End" and "True Companion"--that could have easily come off of almost any Steely Dan album, plus a smoking live version of Steely Dan's "Bodhisattva." While A DECADE OF STEELY DAN is probably the best place to start your Steely Dan collection, GOLD is a wonderful companion disc that offers a well-rounded look at this group's fascinating music.

There are two reasons for a sane Dan fan to buy this CD: FM and Here at the Western World. Those *are* good reasons, tho'. Thanks to MCA for putting them both on the same disc.

Most of the rest is on studio albums. Fagen's songs are alright, but I think most can live without them. I know I can.

The live version of Bodhisattva really kicks, and is worthwhile, but I have to differ with Mr. Caylow's review - the drunken introduction is excruciatingly annoying.

Well, maybe not 'hidden' but I've been looking for "Century's End" for at least two years. I first heard the song in 2004 shopping for groceries(?), and thought to myself, 'a new Steely Dan/Donald Fagen cut?' Of course I found out that, no, it's not new, and it is a Donald Fagen, but one that I'd never heard. Had no clue where is was from, even though I saw "Bright Lights, Big City". I didn't remember the cut from the movie, and it was never a part of any other sampler, 'Greatest Hits' or whatever. By chance, a friend had a book, "Steely Dan: The Complete Guide". That's how I found out the cut was on this CD (Duh). I've been into Steely Dan since my college roomate turned me on to "The Royal Scam" in the mid '70's. When I started listening to BeBop and Hard Bop Jazz, I discovered the connection between Horace Silver's "Song for My Father" and "Rikki, Don't Lose That Number". Like "Boy, don't these cuts sound the same!". "True Companion" was another cut I'd never heard. And damn, saw "Heavy Metal" too. Well, late to the party, but glad to be invited.

This is a Solid Collection, but must buy "Can't Buy a Thrill" and "Pretzel Logic and "Aja" to get the hits that are not included namely "Do It Again," "Reeling in the Years," Rikki Don't Lose that Number" and "Peg or buy the "Decade" CD which includes all these tracks but is weak towards the end. This collection has a better track listing overall than "Decade" and includes the classics "Black Cow" and "Here in the Western World" Decade does not. The 3 albums listed above are essential albums and with this "Gold" collection covers Steely Dan nicely without much overlap