Steely Dan - "Katy Lied" (1975)

Another week, another Steely Dan record (and I have several more!). Two albums into their discography, I think it is safe to say that I like this band quite a bit. Their sound is on the verge of being the same as all the faceless 70s soft-rock LPs I own, but their taste and professionalism always ensures that their songs sound classy instead of slick, interesting instead of generic. I don't like Katy Lied quite as much as I did Countdown to Ecstasy, as the solo instrumental passages weren't as consistently enthralling, nor the proceedings as diverse, but I am comfortable saying that this is still a very good and creative album. And with lyrics like those to "Everyone's Gone to the Movies" (about an old man showing porn to kids), one can even think of as Steely Dan as an early trial run for the postmodern approach of Ween - working firmly within radio-friendly musical forms with lyrics that belie what is coming out of the speakers. Of course, Ween perfected that approach and went far more extreme with it, so perhaps it's best to just focus on the admirable music and consistent songwriting.

Chicago - "17" (1984)

Chicago's 17th album is no doubt a bad one, but is at least not an uninteresting bad record. After all, Chicago was once a good band, and at a basic level, most of the songs are decently-written and have hooks. My personal highlight is second track "We Can Stop the Hurtin," which has great horn parts that hearken back to their jazz-rock past. Unfortunately, the mission of this album was to sell millions of records in 1984, and as such, has a glossed-over, synth-heavy sound that I find unbearable for more than five minutes at a time. The band has moments where they seem to be striving for something longer-lasting, but the sound is totally generic and undercuts their intentions. Songs that should have been good ("Stay the Night") fail to quite get going thanks to the slick and dated production, and the record is ultimately sunk by several identical power ballads that achieved Chicago renewed commercial success, but 27 years later, are just embarrassing. Actually, they were probably embarrassing in 1984, or at least they should have been. Blue bin.

Rickie Lee Jones - "Pirates" (1981)

On second thought, perhaps I was a bit too hasty. After originally consigning this record to the blue bin, I then read some glowing reviews from sources that I generally trust. I like to tell myself that I'm enough of my own man not to assume that other people's opinions are superior to mine, but if music critics I trust are giving a record five stars and I'm saying it's not even good enough to keep, that's a pretty wide chasm to cross. So I did the honorable thing and listened to the record again, and indeed I changed my mind, at least enough to say that I will keep it.

I still wouldn't give the record anything close to five stars, but am willing to admit that there is some melody, just obscured by Jones' vocal phrasing, and that there are definitely instrumental hooks and mood shifts that keep things interesting. I erred in my judgment of the record, because although I absolutely didn't enjoy it on first listen, I probably should have guessed that it was one of those albums that demands more time to absorb, especially being unfamiliar with Jones' jazzy, meandering style which is way less accessible than Joni Mitchell's. The second listen was definitely more rewarding and I understood the music better, even if it is still not exactly my new favorite record. For the sake of posterity, my original, now redacted review is still included below:

This record is a great example of why I am always suspicious of singer-songwriters. Obviously, there are plenty of examples of astounding solo performers who can dazzle with just an acoustic guitar. But for every Bob Dylan, there are ten James Taylors who commit the greatest musical sin of all: being boring. On Pirates, Rickie Lee Jones actually has a full backing band behind her and does try her hand at some complex song structures. The problem is that the emphasis is solely on her lyrics and vocal delivery, and melody is all but forgotten. It's not that her lyrics are bad, although her storytelling style with constant references to Eddies and Louies and Joeys is a bit contrived. It's just that I am of the opinion that with rare exceptions, rock lyrics will do no more than raise or lower an album's score by half a point (again: the obvious exception being Dylan). If the music is boring, I'm not going to take the time to delve into the lyrical themes of the record. And this music is most definitely boring.

"The Best of Cannonball Adderley"

I may not be a jazz aficionado, but I know enough to question whether this is really a "best of" compilation. After all, I own his most famous album (Somethin' Else) and none of those tracks made this record. Unfortunately, allmusic.com is silent regarding how this compilation came together, so it shall remain a mystery. Regardless, if you have ever heard Kind of Blue, or have any interest in serious 1950s jazz, this is a must-own. Adderley's blistering saxophone technique is incomparable, and a testament to what the best jazz is really all about, which is exploratory, transcendent and original playing.

"The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads" (1965)

This record provides a good contrast with my previous review of Delbert McClinton's The Jealous Kind. Not because this is the same style of music, but because it consists of a solo performer performing largely cover material. Because of this, for the music to succeed, the singer needs to have a real personality. Obviously, Otis Redding has just that, and whether it was his untimely death or "Sittin' on (the Dock of the Bay)," the man has reached the point where it's hard for me to imagine anyone saying that they didn't like Otis Redding unless they were a racist (how's that for an alienating claim?). Needless to say, this album is a classic example of mid-60s soul and if there is nothing quite as compelling as "Dock of the Bay," that is hardly an insult.

Delbert McClinton - "The Jealous Road" (1981)

This record was chosen to play by my girlfriend, and we both had similar reactions. The first three songs are all covers in a roots-rock/blues vein, not necessarily bad, but conservative and lacking a distinguishing vocal personality. The fourth song and title track was probably the best song, but skipped on my record every five seconds or so, making it unlistenable by circumstance. Unfortunately for Mr. McClinton, when deciding what records I want to keep, a record that skips is a circumstance that detracts points indeed. I'm not sure if this record would have made it anyways, as again, although I wouldn't say the music was bad, it didn't stand out either. So as such, fairly or unfairly, to the blue bin this record goes.

Steely Dan - "Countdown To Ecstasy" (1973)

From my readings on the Interwebs, I feel that Steely Dan is one of those bands that attracts strong reactions in both positive and negative directions. After listening to Countdown to Ecstasy, the second album by this vaguely jazzy and very 70s rock group, my reaction was strongly... positive! Yes, this may even be a great album. I say that not because the hybrid of jazz and rock styles is all that mind-blowing, but because the instrumental passages are consistently diverse and exciting and because though the compositions seem to come from the 70s soft-rock playbook, Steely Dan manages to keep things classy and adds a touch of sophistication without being too reserved. Basically, if you like "Boddhisatva," you will like this record. I do, and I do.