To: Dave
Love: Adam
Date Sent: 4/13/2018
Steely Dan – Can’t Buy A Thrill
Release Date: October 1st, 1972
#DebutAlbumWeek — Today’s selection is for 2 reasons: 1) A great album to groove to on a Friday, whether you’re working, driving, cooking, parenting, or just sitting on the arm of the couch & staring at the same wall for what would turn into a 6-hour nap for Stripe (our cat), and; 2) Board game night.
This past Sunday we all got together at the conclusion of The Masters to play another few rounds of Settlers of Catan. We turned on the vinyl, playing all kinds of bands like Pink Floyd & Bear’s Den, which then brought me to this album. Most of my records are alphabetized, meaning that this album was right behind Steely Dan’s Aja, so it was a tough call, but I played to my crowd and chose this one instead. And WOW, was I surprised to find so many hits all on one album. The most recent Steely Dan song on ADAMANIACS is Change of the Guard, so I really wanted to introduce my friends to the funkiness of that gem and then I knew they’d jam to songs like Do It Again & Reelin’ In The Years. Vinyl has such an authentic and nostalgic sound in general, but hearing beautiful music on vinyl opens an entire new dimension. These board game nights have been facilitating some great discoveries in Dad’s (I guess mine now?) collection over the past couple of months.
Anyway, Can’t Buy A Thrill is too legitimate for a #DebutAlbum. Just picture the music scene in the early 1970s: synthesizers are just being put to good use, groups like The Who & Pink Floyd are peaking, Miles Davis & Marvin Gaye are forever engraving soul & jazz into American life. And then: “OK guys, make some noise for the opening act, Steely Dan!” They only have about 6 songs to play, so they begin with Reelin’ In The Years and, now with confidence play Do It Again, followed by Change of the Guard. People in the crowd are just staring in awe, record label reps & writers are already jumping the gun trying to be the ones to bring them to the next level, and have the band is already STREAKING THROUGH THE QUAD AND INTO THE GYMNASIUM! So much talent and testicular fortitude to open your musical careers with this brilliant record.
The 3 songs that I have mentioned several times within this lengthy email are obviously favorites, but some lesser-known songs include Dirty Work, Fire in the Hole, & Brooklyn. Dirty Work sounds a little too soft, but in the midst of Board Game Night on Sunday, the song was enough to motivate Carmen to get out of bed and come ask who we were listening to. The ultimate compliment to a song and dare I say, the curator of the playlist. I suggest you listen to this album on a warmer day, preferably towards the end of the week!
Dave’s Reaction:
Absolutely crazy to me that you sent this album over. I had listened to Can’t Buy A Thrill a couple of weeks ago and Change of the Guard stood out to me, hence why I put it on our shared playlist. Anyway, when Mom was here, I had played said album in the background while cooking/eating/drinking and thought, “I am going to send this album to Adam. He will never see it coming.” Then boom, you turn around and send that shit right in my face. I am happy that you are finding use out of the album collection. Let’s say it is a combined effort of a collection for you and Dad. You are starting to put your own imprint on the library. I love that it is alphabetized!
Aja is a little more refined, so I am glad that you went with the #DebutAlbum Can’t Buy a Thrill. That scene that you describe where Steely Dan just opens up for an established band and everyone’s minds start melting wondering WTF is happening is exactly how I hope and believe it actually went. Dad had mentioned to me a couple of times how great Steely Dan was and I always just stared at him like, “Umm, no way they are better than Saves the Day.” I wonder if my life would have taken a different route had I listened to more of Dad’s music in my youth. Had Dad opened up a little and invited me into his life, I think things may be different too, but I digress.
As I continue to listen to Steely Dan, I am convinced that they may be some of the greatest musicians. Full stop. I haven’t given their lyrics much attention, so I cannot say they nail it musically and lyrically. But dammit, that funk. The funk they provide always makes Steely Dan a viable option to turn to for any occasion. Their songs are relentless. As Theodor Seuss Geisel would say, I will listen to them in a box. I will listen to them with a fox. I will listen to them in a house. I will listen to them with a mouse. And I will listen to them here and there. Say! I will listen to them ANYWHERE!
The Favorites:
Adam: Change of the Guard
Dave: Change of the Guard