Best Ever Albums

Re: Aja by Steely Dan

Johnnyo — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 13:08:24 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 07/20/2026 17:08

So, we had the 70's listening group today and this was one of three Steely Dan albums played.

Went down very well as you would expect but we didn't play enough of this album which is my favourite of theirs.

No album for August as we are going for individual tracks from the 70's, two nominations each, which is an impossible task but I'll give it a go

Re: Aja by Steely Dan

Johnnyo — Tue, 7 Jul 2026 04:01:28 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 07/07/2026 08:01

roberto71 wrote:

Everybody already knows how good this album is, so I'm just gonna list my favorites in order:

1. Deacon Blues
2. Aja
3. Peg
4. Black Cow
5. Josie

Great list. I'd probably go

1. Deacon Blues
2. Black Cow
3. Aja
4. Peg
5. Home At Last

With Josie @ 6 so pretty similar to yours

Re: Aja by Steely Dan

roberto71 — Mon, 6 Jul 2026 15:14:20 GMT

Author: roberto71

Posted: 07/06/2026 19:14

Everybody already knows how good this album is, so I'm just gonna list my favorites in order:

1. Deacon Blues
2. Aja
3. Peg
4. Black Cow
5. Josie

Re: Aja by Steely Dan

Johnnyo — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 08:54:09 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 07/05/2026 12:54

So that's the end of my write up in Aja, but I'm still looking for others thoughts if you want to share them.

Re: Aja by Steely Dan

Johnnyo — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 08:53:30 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 07/05/2026 12:53

My favourite Steely Dan album. There’s not an average track on the whole album, in fact, every track is a Bonafide great / classic track, and the album works as a whole as well.

If someone were to ask me, “what style of music is Aja, I would find it extremely hard to pin it down. It’s very much jazz, and part soul, part rock, and all brilliant. I actually like that this album, in common with all Steely Dan albums, defines pigeonholing.

The following describes it far better than I could “[Steely Dan] wasn't rock or pop music with ideas above its station, and it wasn't jazzers slumming [...] it was a very well-forged alloy of the two – you couldn't separate the pop music from the jazz in their music."

In common with most Dan albums, it feels uplifting and adventurous, even when the subject matter can be rather dark.

Re: Aja by Steely Dan

Johnnyo — Sun, 5 Jul 2026 03:57:59 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 07/05/2026 07:57

Josie

And so, to the final track and what a track to end one of the greatest albums of all time.

Bit of a rocker this one with great a great guitar intro with a great hook, great vocals and the trademark Steely Dan funky beat.

What a way to end the album. Awesome!

Link

Re: Aja by Steely Dan

Johnnyo — Fri, 3 Jul 2026 07:48:36 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 07/03/2026 11:48

I Got The News

And the great tracks just keep coming. Love the guitar solo on this track.

As always with Steely Dan, a fantastic groove all the way through.

I’ve seen this described as the worst track on Aja. If so, that makes Aja one of the greatest albums ever made. Oh wait, it is!

Anyway, tremendous track even if it is (supposedly) the worst on the album!

Link

Re: Aja by Steely Dan

Johnnyo — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 03:19:47 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 06/30/2026 07:19

Home At Last

I think that this is one of the defining tracks on the album.

It’s just got such a phenomenal groove which just carries through the whole track. It’s a near perfect, quintessentially, Steely Dan track.

Great drums throughout and the laid back guitar solo, wow!

Link

Re: Aja by Steely Dan

Johnnyo — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 04:31:09 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 06/26/2026 08:31

Peg

The great tracks just keep coming. The beat on this track is infectious with a fabulous instrumental break with great guitar work and fabulous piano playing throughout.

The song has been labelled by some critics as the "perfect Steely Dan song”. I totally understand that labelling. It incorporates so many elements that make Steely Dan so great.

I’m not always the greatest at spotting these but I’ve read that "Peg" was sampled on the De La Soul song "Eye Know".

Link

Re: Aja by Steely Dan

Johnnyo — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 11:08:37 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 06/23/2026 15:08

Deacon Blues

In terms of Steely Dan tracks does it get any better than this? That was rhetorical. I don’t think that it does

It has some of the most outstanding saxophone playing on any track ever and those jazz guitar sections are just superb

It just oozes class from start to finish. A masterpiece

Link

Re: Aja by Steely Dan

Johnnyo — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 09:29:04 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 06/19/2026 13:29

Aja

In common with most tracks on the album, the title track runs at over five minutes, nearly eight to be precise, and as with pretty much every track on the album, it benefits from the extra spaces afforded to develop the track

It has to be said that it is an absolute masterpiece, one of Steely Dan's finest songs. I find that there’s always something new to discover every time I listen to this track. It’s so multi layered without being off-putting to the listener.

The arrangement is flawless and the solos, with the sax solos working particularly well (Wayne Shorter of course!).

Probably Steely Dan’s jazziest of tracks.

Link

Re: Aja by Steely Dan

Johnnyo — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 08:45:30 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 06/17/2026 12:45

Liedzeit wrote:

I own quite a few Steely Dan albums. But I almost always listen to Aya if I feel I am in a Steely Dan mood. It is excellent from start to finish. But out of the great tracks one sticks out: Deacon Blue. I really do not know why, but somehow "I learned to play the Saxophone" moves me every time. It is not that I ever wanted to play the Saxophone because of it (as is the case with Baker Street). "I'll play just what I feel, Drink Scotch whiskey all night long." It makes me want to be the man. So, actually it is not even Aja I want to listen to when I am in Steely Dan mood but just Deacon Blues.
(I have no idea what the day of the expanding man is. But do not tell me.)

Love it Liedzeit. That's the beauty and love of listening to music summed up for me in one paragraph. Will be coming onto Deacon Blue later (obviously), but yes, a great, great track. Another contender for a 100 /100 track

Appreciate you sharing and would love to hear any other thoughts that you might have on the album.

PS - Not sure if you have seen it but there is also a forum on

Countdown To Ecstasy (1973) by Steely Dan

That i just started

Re: Aja by Steely Dan

Liedzeit — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 04:50:19 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 06/17/2026 08:50

I own quite a few Steely Dan albums. But I almost always listen to Aya if I feel I am in a Steely Dan mood. It is excellent from start to finish. But out of the great tracks one sticks out: Deacon Blue. I really do not know why, but somehow "I learned to play the Saxophone" moves me every time. It is not that I ever wanted to play the Saxophone because of it (as is the case with Baker Street). "I'll play just what I feel, Drink Scotch whiskey all night long." It makes me want to be the man. So, actually it is not even Aja I want to listen to when I am in Steely Dan mood but just Deacon Blues.
(I have no idea what the day of the expanding man is. But do not tell me.)

Re: Aja by Steely Dan

Johnnyo — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 03:58:08 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 06/17/2026 07:58

Black Cow

One of Steely Dan's greatest jazz-rock masterpieces.

It’s just got such a flawless groove to it and, as the opening track to the album, sets the scene perfectly. I dare you to listen to this track and stay still. Its groove is infectious and the track has this laid back feel which underlies the complexity of the track.

Is it a 100 / 100 track? Probably. It’s awesome

Link

Aja by Steely Dan

Johnnyo — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 09:21:53 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 06/16/2026 13:21

This is one of two albums that will form the topic for my 70's album discussion group for July

Aja (1977) by Steely Dan

The previous albums were

Aladdin Sane by David Bowie (December)
Abraxas by Santana (January)
Rumours by Fleetwood Mac (February)
Bad Girls by Donna Summer (March)
Sticky Fingers by The Rolling Stones (May)
Every Picture Tells A Story by Rod Stewart (June)

Any thoughts or comments on this album greatly appreciated. I will be posting my own over the next month