Sunken Condos

( 1 )

Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Morph the Cat wrapped up an alleged trilogy in 2006 -- a trilogy that only became apparent when Donald Fagen's three solo albums were boxed in a set called The Nightfly Trilogy in 2007 -- and Fagen then busied himself with live performances, something he avoided at the peak of his popularity in the '70s and '80s. With Walter Becker, he took several classic Steely Dan albums on tour, he became a frequent fixture at Levon Helm's Midnight Rambles, and, in 2010, he became the ringleader of the Dukes of September, a superstar blue-eyed soul revue featuring Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs. All this high-octane rhythm can be heard on Sunken Condos, Fagen's 2012 album ...
See more details below
CD
$15.38
BN.com price
(Save 19%)$18.99 List Price
Pick Up In Store

Pick Up In Store

Reserve and pick up in 60 minutes at your local store

Other sellers (CD)
  • All (14) from $11.21   
  • New (14) from $11.21   

More About This Product

Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Morph the Cat wrapped up an alleged trilogy in 2006 -- a trilogy that only became apparent when Donald Fagen's three solo albums were boxed in a set called The Nightfly Trilogy in 2007 -- and Fagen then busied himself with live performances, something he avoided at the peak of his popularity in the '70s and '80s. With Walter Becker, he took several classic Steely Dan albums on tour, he became a frequent fixture at Levon Helm's Midnight Rambles, and, in 2010, he became the ringleader of the Dukes of September, a superstar blue-eyed soul revue featuring Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs. All this high-octane rhythm can be heard on Sunken Condos, Fagen's 2012 album and easily the liveliest solo album he's released since The Nightfly in 1982. Much of that is due to a pronounced emphasis on rhythm. Sunken Condos doesn't ease on its groove, the way the otherwise excellent Morph the Cat did. Sunken Condos crackles with energy even when things are smooth; witness how "Memorabilia" and "Weather in My Head," jazzy funk numbers both, never succumb to lite comfortable grooves, as Fagen and his peerless band keep pushing at the contours of their rhythms, letting the music breathe. And that addition of space is a marked difference from much of Fagen's work since Gaucho, when he began to place an emphasis on precision over feel. Certainly, Sunken Condos boasts an immaculate production and there is not a note out of place but it is unmistakably a feel album, one where it's a pleasure to hear the band play and to hear Fagen play with his delivery, sculpting his phrases with an impish glee. That Sunken Condos also contains his sharpest songwriting in a long time -- whether they percolate like "I'm Not the Same Without You" or sweetly sigh like "Miss Marlene," the tunes are immediate the way the songs on Steely Dan's 2000 comeback, Two Against Nature, were -- is no coincidence. Long a master of obfuscation, Fagen plays it straight on Sunken Condos, tightening his songwriting and letting his music swing, and the results are an absolute joy.
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • Release Date: 10/16/2012
  • Label: Reprise / Wea
  • UPC: 093624947875
  • Catalog Number: 532287
  • Sales rank: 2,492

Album Credits

Performance Credits
Donald Fagen Primary Artist, Piano, Vocals, Background Vocals, Clavinet, Melodica, fender rhodes, Wurlitzer, Prophet 5, Hammond B3
William Galison Harmonica, Bass Harmonica
Walt Weiskopf Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone
Larry Campbell Rhythm Guitar
Aaron Heick Bass Flute
Jon Herington Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, 12-string Guitar, Soloist
Jay Leonhart Acoustic Bass
Cindy Mizelle Background Vocals
Jim Pugh Trombone
Roger Rosenberg Bass Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone
Kurt Rosenwinkel Guitar, Soloist
Catherine Russell Background Vocals
Lincoln Schleifer Bass
Antoine Silverman Violin
Michael Leonhart Organ, Percussion, Trumpet, Accordion, Flugelhorn, Glockenspiel, Mellophonium, Background Vocals, Clavinet, Mellotron, Vibes, fender rhodes, Wurlitzer, screams, Mini Moog, Mellowphone, Prophet 5, Roland Juno 6, Trombonium, Hammond B3
Carolyn Leonhart Background Vocals, Vocal Ad-Libs
Gary Sieger Guitar
Joe Martin Acoustic Bass
Jamie Leonhart Background Vocals
Freddie Washington Bass
Charlie Pillow Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Bass Flute, Tenor Saxophone
Harlan Post Bass
Earl Cooke Jr. Drums
Technical Credits
Donald Fagen Composer, Producer, Vocal Arrangements, Horn Arrangements, rhythm arrangement
Isaac Hayes Composer, Lyricist
Elliot Scheiner Engineer
Bill Dobrow Percussion Consultant
Michael Leonhart Producer, Engineer, Vocal Arrangements, Horn Arrangements
Scott Hull Mastering
Jeff Wack Illustrations
Charles Martinez Engineer
Pat Dillett Engineer
Armand Hirsch Pro-Tools
Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 1 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(0)

4 Star

(1)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously
Sort by: Showing 1 Customer Reviews
Sort by: Showing 1 Customer Reviews