This was the hardest for me to review.
--------------------
Honey how you've grown
Like a rose
Well we used to play
When we were three
How about a kiss for your cousin Dupree?
Yes - it's time to review Two Against Nature (aka 2vN).
It's been hard for me to approach this album. Unlike any other album in their catalog, I both love and hate this one.
So - Hate First, I guess:
Man - this album is even more hermetically sealed than Kamakiriad. I simply cannot detect one note out of place in the backing tracks. It literally sounds like you gave a robot a Steely Dan algorithm and this was the result.
Some folks have used the words "slow grower" with this one. That's a very apt description. Even more so than Gaucho in some ways, this one's all about The Sound© and The Groove®.
Melodies are too subtle. I'm not sure I could sing anything from memory from the final stretch of the album. Songs like:
Janie Runaway - almost too cute lyric about hooking up with a runaway. Narrator's "skeevy"-ness to the fore. Melody almost annoyingly cute. Technically - there's nothing wrong with this track - but this almost seems like something that escaped Don'n'Walt's quality control filters.
Almost Gothic - I wish I were able to pull this one apart lyrically like others have. Unfortunately, to me, it just sounds like a love song about a slightly unpredictable partner. Possibly more Donald than Walt - nothing particularly memorable except for some tasty chord changes here and there. There's nothing wrong with it - there's nothing exceptional about it either.
Negative Girl - Another one that seems to evaporate after a listen. Lyrically clever - but - darn it - just not memorable. I don't know where these songs came from - are they Kamakiriad out-takes?
West of Hollywood - Wow - bland end to an album. It's pretty - I'll give you that. (More about this in a minute.)
Finally - It's the Steely Dan album I play the least - the absolute least.
So - Love Second:
Anyone expecting a half-baked Steely Dan album was stunned by this one. Lyrically, Don'n'Walt brought their "A" game.
Right off the bat we get Gaslighting Abbie. If you weren't aware of what gaslighting is, this song made it clear. One of the strongest songs on the album, married to one of the strongest lyrics. It almost feels like you're watching a 6 minute noir mini-movie.
The next song is even stronger. What A Shame About Me is definitely one of the strongest songs they've ever recorded. And - unlike other songs - it sounds strangely autobiographical. I get the sense it might be Walter summing up where he found himself at that stage in his life - moreso than Donald. And the little musical call back to My Old School is genius.
Two Against Nature - the title track - is next. Musically this one is very strong - lyrically almost too dense. The lyrics are almost more like a instrument playing through the track - one of the few Steely Dan songs where I don't really care what they're saying, although a quick glance at a lyric sheet seems to indicate that they're about voodoo or dark magic or something equally spooky. Maybe it's better I don't know...
Jack of Speed - probably the highlight of the album. Perfection from start to finish. Even has a little bit of a morality play in the lyrics. Strong melody - strong lyrics. Love this track.
Unlike some reviewers, Cousin Dupree does not bother me. Oddly enough - it's one of the highlights. Definitely seems to have Walter's sense of humor, although Donald has called it: "A kind of traditional fun country sort of tune, yeah we have a little story in there that you know - that's a little - as my father would say - risque" on the Plush TV Jazz Rock program. And - wow - talk about catchy. Wouldn't you know that this is the one I can sing any time?
West of Hollywood - Wow - great end to an album - instrumentally. I love the sax outro on this one - one of the few improv moments on the record. It seems like real musicians for a change.
So - there you have it. Love and Hate. Peace and War. Two Against Nature.
I don't know where I'd even rank this one. Initially it was going to be my lowest - below even The Royal Scam. Now, after re-listening to it a few times, I'm not so sure. I am sure, though, that I'm glad they made it. The world would be a lot poorer without the return of Steely Dan and this album.
And - also - the best art is supposed to challenge us. And this album does that. It may be the perfect Steely Dan album - it may be the worst. It may be both at once - like all great art can be.
But like this is Lower Broadway
And you're talking to a ghost
Take a good look it's easy to see
What a shame about me
What a shame about me
Cheers,
Paul
Like a rose
Well we used to play
When we were three
How about a kiss for your cousin Dupree?
Yes - it's time to review Two Against Nature (aka 2vN).
It's been hard for me to approach this album. Unlike any other album in their catalog, I both love and hate this one.
So - Hate First, I guess:
Man - this album is even more hermetically sealed than Kamakiriad. I simply cannot detect one note out of place in the backing tracks. It literally sounds like you gave a robot a Steely Dan algorithm and this was the result.
Some folks have used the words "slow grower" with this one. That's a very apt description. Even more so than Gaucho in some ways, this one's all about The Sound© and The Groove®.
Melodies are too subtle. I'm not sure I could sing anything from memory from the final stretch of the album. Songs like:
Janie Runaway - almost too cute lyric about hooking up with a runaway. Narrator's "skeevy"-ness to the fore. Melody almost annoyingly cute. Technically - there's nothing wrong with this track - but this almost seems like something that escaped Don'n'Walt's quality control filters.
Almost Gothic - I wish I were able to pull this one apart lyrically like others have. Unfortunately, to me, it just sounds like a love song about a slightly unpredictable partner. Possibly more Donald than Walt - nothing particularly memorable except for some tasty chord changes here and there. There's nothing wrong with it - there's nothing exceptional about it either.
Negative Girl - Another one that seems to evaporate after a listen. Lyrically clever - but - darn it - just not memorable. I don't know where these songs came from - are they Kamakiriad out-takes?
West of Hollywood - Wow - bland end to an album. It's pretty - I'll give you that. (More about this in a minute.)
Finally - It's the Steely Dan album I play the least - the absolute least.
So - Love Second:
Anyone expecting a half-baked Steely Dan album was stunned by this one. Lyrically, Don'n'Walt brought their "A" game.
Right off the bat we get Gaslighting Abbie. If you weren't aware of what gaslighting is, this song made it clear. One of the strongest songs on the album, married to one of the strongest lyrics. It almost feels like you're watching a 6 minute noir mini-movie.
The next song is even stronger. What A Shame About Me is definitely one of the strongest songs they've ever recorded. And - unlike other songs - it sounds strangely autobiographical. I get the sense it might be Walter summing up where he found himself at that stage in his life - moreso than Donald. And the little musical call back to My Old School is genius.
Two Against Nature - the title track - is next. Musically this one is very strong - lyrically almost too dense. The lyrics are almost more like a instrument playing through the track - one of the few Steely Dan songs where I don't really care what they're saying, although a quick glance at a lyric sheet seems to indicate that they're about voodoo or dark magic or something equally spooky. Maybe it's better I don't know...
Jack of Speed - probably the highlight of the album. Perfection from start to finish. Even has a little bit of a morality play in the lyrics. Strong melody - strong lyrics. Love this track.
Unlike some reviewers, Cousin Dupree does not bother me. Oddly enough - it's one of the highlights. Definitely seems to have Walter's sense of humor, although Donald has called it: "A kind of traditional fun country sort of tune, yeah we have a little story in there that you know - that's a little - as my father would say - risque" on the Plush TV Jazz Rock program. And - wow - talk about catchy. Wouldn't you know that this is the one I can sing any time?
West of Hollywood - Wow - great end to an album - instrumentally. I love the sax outro on this one - one of the few improv moments on the record. It seems like real musicians for a change.
So - there you have it. Love and Hate. Peace and War. Two Against Nature.
I don't know where I'd even rank this one. Initially it was going to be my lowest - below even The Royal Scam. Now, after re-listening to it a few times, I'm not so sure. I am sure, though, that I'm glad they made it. The world would be a lot poorer without the return of Steely Dan and this album.
And - also - the best art is supposed to challenge us. And this album does that. It may be the perfect Steely Dan album - it may be the worst. It may be both at once - like all great art can be.
But like this is Lower Broadway
And you're talking to a ghost
Take a good look it's easy to see
What a shame about me
What a shame about me
Cheers,
Paul
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