Donald Fagen - The Nightfly (1982)

Note: this release was originally purchased as a LP, later replaced by a CD. In addition to a regular CD, I also own this music on 5.1 DVD Audio disc, a format that never really caught on.

A desert island CD, for sure. The music is more jazz-pop than Steely Dan, but the lyrics are autobiographical; memories of growing up during the Kennedy era. In the words of Fagen:

The songs on this album represent certain fantasies that might have been entertained by a young man growing up in the remote subrubs of a northeastern city during the late fifties and early sixties, i.e., one of my general height, weight and build.

I was an adolescent when this album was released, so maybe the lyrics spoke to me. Aww, who am I kidding, I'm not a lyrics guy. For me, this album was all about the music: catchy melodies, thick chords, tight harmonies, slick production, and great playing from top-notch musicians: Larry Carlton, Michael Brecker, Marcus Miller, etc. Nominated for Album Of The Year in 1983, it lost to Toto IV. It's a great album. So good, if fact, that even hard-to-please critic Robert Christgau gives it an A. Even the Pope likes it - in February 2010, Vatican City's L'Osservatore Romano appointed The Nightfly to its official Top 10 Albums list.

The DVD Audio edition contains a 5.1 audio mix, the video for New Frontier, and excellent new liner notes where Fagen breaks down each song individually. No bonus tracks. I purchased the DVD in 2004, a year before the launch of YouTube, so having the video was a nice bonus at the time.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "stunning debut"
• Smash Hits (8 out of 10): "Excellent." 
• Musician: "It passes."
• Rolling Stone (★★★½): "Fagen conjures a world where all things are possible"
• Stereo Review: "combines nostalgia, surprises, and an irresistible beat"
• Robert Christgau (A): "jazziest music he's ever committed to vinyl"

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: #11
• Billboard Rock: #25
• Billboard R&B: #24
• CashBox: #11
• CashBox CD: #12
• Rolling Stone: #2

Tracks: I like this album. A lot. All 8 tracks are wonderful. Fagen even covers a Lieber/Stoller tune, Ruby Baby, and makes it completely his own. My usual favorites are New Frontier and Walk Between Raindrops, but that's subject to change each time I listen.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: The album cover caught my eye before I'd heard the music and, back in the early '80s, sometimes an interesting album cover was the only excuse I needed to purchase an LP. At the time, I was unaware of Fagen's involvement with Steely Dan. One night at my friend Jim's place, I caught the innovative video for New Frontier (below). I had the album within a week. People unfortunate enough to ride in the Markmobile with me were endlessly subjected to it. Even 30+ years later, the album is still in heavy rotation.