Pretzel Steely Dan

Pretzel Logic — Steely Dan's gold-selling third studio album reissue. Hybrid Stereo SACD release from Analogue Productions! Mastered direct to DSD from the original master tape by Bernie Grundman.

These two concerts come from a period when the band were at the point of headlining their own concerts but shortly after these concerts the band decided to concentrate on studio recordings rather than concert performances.

The entire original KSAN, KMET, WBCN and KLLT FM Radio Broadcasts. Covering live performances from California & Tennessee (1974) and Missouri (1993).

This 1978 ABC set was issued to bide time between Aja and Gaucho. Despite the generous 18 tracks covering the 1972-1977 work, this didn't take on mythical proportions due to the fact that the band's separate albums all remained strong and the group's better moments weren't always the biggest hits. Despite the cavils, some great work is here. "Do It Again" and "Reelin' in the Years" both broadened what listeners expected from singles as Donald Fagen's ironic vocals were instantly singular and made all of the lyrics stick.

Partly because of Donald Fagen's reluctance to sing onstage, partly due to he and Walter Becker's perfectionism, and partly because the pairs' compositions and arrangements were so complex - requiring all manner of studio hardware to reproduce - Steely Dan played very few live concerts during their early career, indeed by the middle of 1974 they had given up touring entirely. The one album they did promote on the road however was their third masterpiece, the enigmatically titles 'Pretzel Logic', released in the USA on February 20th 1974. The tour started on March 9th, and this CD features the complete second show played by the group, at the University Of California the following night.

Most rock & roll bands are a tightly wound unit that developed their music through years of playing in garages and clubs around their hometown. Steely Dan never subscribed to that aesthetic. As the vehicle for the songwriting of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, Steely Dan defied all rock & roll conventions…

Throughout the '70s, musical trends would come and go, but Steely Dan always remained true to their own blend of Jazz, Pop and Rock. The songs were clever and melodic, the musicianship was top notch and the production was stellar. The band, led by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, were adored by musicians and non-musicians alike and even the critics eventually warmed up to them. While the band called it a day in 1980 (reuniting a decade and a half later), their fan base continued to grow and their original albums became prized possessions in record collections everywhere. This triple disc collection contains 47 tracks including hits and album tracks released 1972-80. Features 'Do It Again', 'Peg', 'Reelin' in the Years', 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number', 'FM', and many others.

Showbiz Kids: The Steely Dan Story, 1972–1980 is a two-disc compilation album by Steely Dan, released in 2000.