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"...The Charmer Under Me..."
I suspect like many Steely Dan fans - anything that enhances our listening pleasure of this most brill of groups - is fair game. I say this because I've noticed a rather odd phenomenon that's taking place with Universal out of Europe (in this case I think it's Germany). Their compilations seem to be remastered when they don't say so - or just better mastered than those in the UK, USA and even (dare we say it) - Japan.
So I took a £10/$15 chance on this European 2009 "Collected" 3CD set by STEELY DAN (Universal 532 112-2 - Barcode 600753211229). And lo and behold - it sounds better. I swear to God! Anyway - here are the detailed pretzels combined with the sonic logic...
Disc 1 (67:17 minutes):
1. Do It Again
2. Dirty Work
3. Only A Fool Would Say That
4. Brooklyn (Owes The Charmer Under Me)
5. Midnight Cruiser - tracks 1 to 5 are from their debut album "Can't Buy A Thrill" (1972)
6. My Old School - track 6 is from their 2nd album "Countdown To Ecstasy" (1973)
7. Pretzel Logic
8. Rikki Don’t Lose That Number - tracks 7 and 8 (see Note) are from their 3rd album "Pretzel Logic" (1974)
9. Rose Darling
10. Bad Sneakers
11. Everyone’s Gone To The Movies - tracks 9, 10 and 11 are from their 4th album "Katy Lied" (1975)
12. The Fez -track 12 is from their 5th album "The Royal Scam" (1976)
13. Deacon Blues - track 13 is from their 6th album "Aja" (1977)
14. Hey Nineteen
15. Babylon Sisters - tracks 14 and 15 are from their 7th album "Gaucho" (1980)
Note: "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" loses its album intro and runs to 4:08
Disc 2 (67:04 minutes):
1. Reelin' In The Years
2. Turn That Heartbeat Over Again - tracks 1 and 2 are from "Can't Buy A Thrill" (1972)
3. Night By Night
4. With A Gun
5. Any Major Dude Will Tell You - tracks 3, 4 and 5 are from "Pretzel Logic" (1974)
6. Black Friday
7. Doctor Wu
8. Daddy Don't Live In That New York City No More
9. Any World (That I'm Welcome To)
10. Chain Lightning - tracks 6 to 10 are from "Katy Lied" (1975)
11. Green Earrings
12. Kid Charlemange - tracks 11 and 12 are from "The Royal Scam" (1976)
13. Here At The Western World - track 13 was an exclusive song on the 2LP set "Greatest Hits 1972-1978" (1978)
14. Peg
15. Josie - tracks 14 and 15 are from "Aja" (1977)
16. Time Out Of Mind
17. Third World Man - tracks 16 and 17 are from "Gaucho" (1980)
Disc 3 (71:28 minutes):
1. Bodhisattva
2. Show Biz Kids
3. Pearl Of The Quarter - tracks 1 to 3 are from "Countdown To Ecstasy" (1973)
4. Parker's Band
5. Barrytown - tracks 4 and 5 are from "Pretzel Logic" (1974)
6. Throw Back The Little Ones - track 6 is from "Katy Lied" (1975)
7. Don't Take Me Alive
8. Haitian Divorce
9. Sign In Stranger - tracks 7, 8 and 9 are from "The Royal Scam" (1976)
10. Black Cow
11. Aja
12. Home At Last - tracks 10, 11 and 12 are from "Aja" (1978)
13. FM (No Static At All) - track 13 was exclusive to the 2LP Soundtrack "FM" (1978)
(It's what's known as the "Saxophone" version - the album also has "A Guitar And Strings Version" and "Reprise")
14. Gaucho - track 14 from "Gaucho" (1980)
15. Everybody's Gone To The Movies (Demo) - track 15 first appeared as a Previously Unreleased track on the 1993 "Citizen Dan" 4CD Box Set
The 3-way foldout card digipak houses an inlay in the left wallet with the 3 CDs spread across the other flaps. It doesn't say who wrote the liner notes in the rather tasteful 8-page mini booklet and the only reference to sound is "Mastering: QS Sound Lab". And even though each song is exactly the same length as the 1998 versions - my reason for the review is the SOUND...
I've A/B played many of the songs against the 1998 Remasters and the three 2008 Japanese SHM-CDs I own (I also have an SACD of "Gaucho"). And I'd swear the sound is inexplicably better on many tracks. It doesn't sound ramped up for the sake of it - just clearer - more revealing somehow. "Do It Again" is a song I've heard a thousand times over 40 years - yet here its end section is detailed in rhythmic ways that I've not heard before.
If I was to single out a few -"Rose Darling" and "Bad Sneakers" on Disc 1 sound gloriously detailed all of a sudden - "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" and the gorgeously musical "Greatest Hits" loner "Here At The Western World" has extra oomph that it's frankly always needed. The funky wallop off "Daddy Don't Live In That New York City No More" and "Green Earrings" is now huge as is the fabulous "Josie" with it's chugging guitar over on the right. "Third World Man" sounds stupendous - but then it always did (wow city goes to Larry Charlton's perfect guitar solo). "Bodhisattva" and "Sign In Stranger" on Disc 3 are punchy as is the wonderful "Home At Last" for the magisterial "Aja".
Fans will also notice that the set is 'not' chronologically lined-up and I'd argue that it’s so much the better for it. All 3 discs cleverly start at 1972 and end at 1980 - so they feel like mini compilations in themselves - each complete with its own genius running-order. The only clunker on here is the terrible Demo of "Everyone's Gone To The Movies" which ends Disc 3 in a disjointed and unseemly way. Might have been better to include a better sounding "The Caves Of Altamira" - or better still - their rare debut 7" on Probe Records "Dallas" b/w "Sail The Waterway" - neither track being remastered for CD anywhere in the world.
If you wanted a cheaper option the "Show Biz Kids" 2CD set is dirt-cheap now - but I'd say the extra few bob is money well spent here. And if ever a band deserved your hard earned - then the incomparable Steely Dan is that group.
PS: Other artists in this Universal Euro Series are:
The Allman Brother, The Band, J.J. Cale, The Carpenters, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Fairport Convention, Golden Earring, John Hiatt, The Moody Blues, Shocking Blue, Stealers Wheel featuring Gerry Rafferty and The Humblebums, Cat Stevens, 10cc., Thin Lizzy and Gino Vannelli. I've bought the 10cc set which just sounds like the 1997 remasters and is filled out with a lot of crap solo stuff - but I hear the J.J. Cale triple has great sound...
