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Before starting the review, a brief introduction is necessary.
In the pop-rock music, there are artists who can create around them a kind of Indian reservation of fans (including, incidentally, the writer of music). The names are always the same: brucespringsteen, bobdylan, neilyoung, petergabriel. Do not artists but totem icons. Santini. So when it comes out their new album is always difficult to make a review without falling into the trap of exegesis of the artist, the more so when it comes to one who, as a solo artist, he was able to make only four albums in three decades.
Here, this writer is a fageniano doc that this time will try to get out of the Indian reservation for groped to see things from the right distance (TZE).
Second, and last, premise.
If the reaction to DonaldFagen name was "Donald who?" Then read the next two lines, not to lose too much time if you love music lo-fi, all that sweat-tears-blood or you passionate experimentation of all kinds, here, then save yourself the next few lines, for DonaldFagen is not for you (... and this is a service to the reader, a few stories!).
We come then to the disc. "Sunken condos" ("Condominiums sunk") comes after the trilogy ended with "Morph the Cat" in 2006 (by the way what do you think of a beautiful moratorium on the evil practice of trilogizzare any set of records, films, novels, avoiding at all so to find forzatissimi red wires?) and the first impression is that the old Donald is much more fun and free to write what he wants, even if, let's face it, Fagen is always equal to itself. E 'useless diligent editor of the press writes that the new album "marks a new stage in the evolution of this innovative creative artist", because evolution and innovation are not exactly the first words that come to mind while listening to the disc (" luckily "screaming from those far from the Indian reservation).
Take the first notes of "Slinky thing" that open the disc: meandering groove of a line of acoustic bass, electric piano vintage, wah-wah guitar and then those precious touches of vibraphone. Stuff your mouth water, pure Fagen trademark. The disc is, like his previous work - even more than the discs reformed Steely Dan, whose DonaldFagen remains the clear leader - a collection of elegant and sophisticated mix of funk, jazz, R & B and blues. But there is a difference.
The presence of co-producer Michael Leinhart - trumpet on tour with Steelys, multi-instrumentalist and studio author of a remarkable and little-known disc ("Seahorse & The Storyteller" in 2010 to be recovered) - makes the disc if possible even more sophisticated and precise the previous ones, with special attention to the groove. Listen to the single that has anticipated the album, "I'm not the same without you" funk grooves, sinuous piano chords, inspired trills adenoidal Fagen and ending with a harmonica solo accompanied by a masterful phrasing brass .
Lovers of Steely Dan more blues (those of "Pretzel Logic", for instance) can enjoy listening to "Wheater in my head", and those of the courageous funk reworking of "Out of the Ghetto" by Isaac Hayes, only cover the disk.
Even the pieces easier as "Memorabilia" or those who have the impression that the outtakes of "The Nightfly" as "Miss Marlene" reveal a refined and perfect chemistry between the musicians (the best session musicians in the square, of course).
Lack of soul, you say? Too much perfection? Ok, re-read the introduction and then decide what to do.
Last note on the texts. Fagen's lyrics have always been among the cryptic and ironic humor and sarcasm here are even more evident and serve to mask the pain or old age. In the aforementioned "Weather in my head" Fagen sings "They may fix the weather in the world, but what can be done about the weather in my head?" ("They can decide on the weather conditions in the world, but what they can do for the time in my head?), In" The new breed "- for the writer, the best part of the disc - Fagen is grappling with a young geek presented to from an old flame who now is in love with him, while the individual above is an ironic story of abandonment and rebirth, a sort of "I Will Survive" for men.
In short, if "The Nightfly" (1982) represents the unattainable model, this "Sunken Condos" is the one that comes up to him.
That said, I return to Indian reservation to enjoy this masterpiece.
TRACKLIST
"Slinky thing"
"I'm not the same without you"
"Memorabilia"
"Weather in my head"
"The new breed"
"Out of the ghetto"
"Miss Marlene"
"Good stuff"
"Planet Rhonda D'"
