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Steely Dan: The Royal Scam, Aja, and Gaucho

I'll review all three of these albums together because I feel these three albums represent Steely Dan's finest works in a trio which demonstrates Becker, Fagen, and producer Katz's development.. The Royal Scam, out in 1976, consists of nine potential signature Steely Dan songs ready for radio play. All these tunes; "Don't Take Me Alive", "Sign in Stranger", "Green Earrings," and "The Fez" to name a few, are catchy, well written pop songs with tight horns and guitar rifts. Joining Becker is Larry Carlton whose solo in "Kid Charlemagne" is perfect, even if pulled from several takes.

My favorite tune is "The Caves of Altamira" probably because I enjoy Fagen's childhood experiences, cleverly crafted into a pop sensibility. Michael McDonald's backups are great additions. "Haitian Divorce", "Everything You Did" and "The Royal Scam" finish out this one.

The following year, in 1977, Steely Dan released my favorite album by them: Aja. The tracks are a bit longer than from The Royal Scam, and it provides Fagen, Becker, and guests to stretch into the jazz side of their sound. The highly sampled "Peg" will be recognized by young hipsters, but while I really dig it, it's really one of the weaker tracks on Aja. In fact, looking at the list of seven songs, it is the weakest track. "Black Cow", "Aja" ("...break out the hardware, let's do it right...."), "Deacon Blues", "Home at Last", "I Got the News", and the perfect ending "Josie" are all songs I can listen to over and over and never tire of. Which is different than The Royal Scam. While the Royal Scam has the initial catchiness, I think the Boys paid more attention to composition here.

Mike McDonald and Larry Carlton return (good plan), and Decker & Fagen get some other budding and developed fusion players of the time- Steve Gadd, Lee Ritenour, Wayne Shorter (sax on "Aja") and Tom Scott.

The first side of the album has sax, the second side doesn't...

It's difficult to beat Aja in my book, and while Gaucho is a continuation of development, it doesn't reach Aja's heights. But this is not to say Gaucho isn't a fine album. Like Aja, the songs are longer and a whole host of special guest, including Patti Austin, Randy Brecker, Mark Knopfler, and David Sanborn. Plus "Hey Nineteen" , "Babylon Sisters" and "Time Out of Mind" are on this album. "Gaucho" is a tune that has grown on me along with "Third World Man." "My Rival" is probably my least favorite mainly because I feel the lyrics are a little goofy, but maybe that's the intent. "Glamour Profession" is a tune the classic rock stations should play more often- it is an underplayed Steely Dan hit.

Gaucho was Steely Dan's last album, though Donald Fagan's subsequent disks have similar themes, and even Becker as guests, and there is growing rumor and plans of a NEW Steely Dan album, but it seems to be taking a bit to get it together.