Can't Buy a Thrill

by Steely Dan

Overview

Walter Becker and Donald Fagen were remarkable craftsmen from the start, as Steely Dan's debut, Can't Buy a Thrill, illustrates. Each song is tightly constructed, with interlocking chords and gracefully interwoven melodies, buoyed by clever, cryptic lyrics. All of these are hallmarks of Steely Dan's signature sound, but what is most remarkable about the record is the way it differs from their later albums. Of course, one of the most notable differences is the presence of vocalist David Palmer, a professional blue-eyed soul vocalist who oversings the handful of tracks where he takes the lead. Palmer's very presence signals the one major flaw with the album -- in an attempt to appeal to a wide audience, Becker and Fagen tempered their wildest impulses with mainstream pop techniques. Consequently, there are very few of the jazz flourishes that came to distinguish their albums -- the breakthrough single, "Do It Again," does work an impressively tight Latin jazz beat, and "Reelin' in the Years" has jazzy guitar solos and harmonies -- and the production is overly polished, conforming to all the conventions of early-'70s radio. Of course, that gives these decidedly twisted songs a subversive edge, but compositionally, these aren't as innovative as their later work. Even so, the best moments ("Dirty Work," "Kings," "Midnight Cruiser," "Turn That Heartbeat Over Again") are wonderful pop songs that subvert traditional conventions and more than foreshadow the paths Steely Dan would later take. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	11/04/2022
Label:	Geffen / Polydor / Umc
UPC:	0602445406524

Tracks

1. Do It Again
2. Dirty Work
3. Kings
4. Midnite Cruiser
5. Only A Fool Would Say That
6. Reelin' In The Years
7. Fire In The Hole
8. Brooklyn (Owes The Charmer Under Me)
9. Change Of The Guard
10. Turn That Heartbeat Over Again

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Steely Dan   Primary Artist
Jim Hodder   Vocals (Background),Drums,Vocals,Percussion,Lead Vocals
Snooky Young   Horn,Flugelhorn
Denny Dias   Sitar,Guitar,Soloist,Sitar (Electric),Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Shirley Matthews   Vocals (Background)
Clydie King   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Donald Fagen   Organ,Piano,Vocals,Soloist,Keyboards,Lead Vocals,Piano (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Elliott Randall   Guitar,Soloist,Guitar (Electric)
David Paich   Keyboards
Walter Becker   Bass,Guitar,Vocals,Lead Vocals,Guitar (Bass),Bass (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Venetta Fields   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Jerome Richardson   Soloist,Saxophone,Sax (Tenor)
Sherlie Matthews   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Jeff Baxter   Guitar,Soloist,Pedal Steel,Guitar (Steel),Spanish Guitar
Victor Feldman   Keyboards,Percussion
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter   Guitar,Guitar (Steel),Guitar (Electric)
David Palmer   Vocals,Keyboards,Lead Vocals,Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Roger Nichols   Audio Engineer,Engineer,Remastering,Original Engineering
Gary Katz   Audio Production,Producer
Tristan Fabriani   Liner Notes
Donald Fagen   Composer,Liner Notes,Reissue Producer
Walter Becker   Composer,Liner Notes,Reissue Producer
Tim Weston   Assistant Engineer
Vartan   Art Direction
Daniel Levitin   Consultant
Robert Lockart   Cover Design