I'll play the Ben card
We've moved a lot in the past couple years and over the course of these moves I've gotten rid of the CDs that truly embarrass me. I'm certain, though, that there is probably a Mint Car single that I've forgotten to toss. Any Cure single from Wild Mood Swings would probably make the list.
But if you're asking me what the most embarrassing CD in Ben and my collective collection, I'll easily point to Aja[1] by Steely Dan. Which, was not only bought by Ben in the past month, but is also in play in our car. I've told him I won't listen to that shit and he has to listen to it when he's driving alone. I'm not quite sure why he likes that album or Steely Dan for that matter. I've likened it to bad 80s television intros. But he won't listen.
[1] I wish we had the exclude feature for assets in place already so Aja wouldn't go into my stream.
Comments
Now, hey, some of us who grew up in the 70's are fond of Aja and Steely Dan.
I couldn't agree more about how truly awful Steely Dan is.
Steely Dan: the only group whose songs go straight to muzak. No remix required.
Aja rules, dude. Aja, when all my dime dancing is through. I run. To. Yoooooou!
I posted Steely Dan before I read your post. I'm totally not copying you. It's a guy thing, I think. Peg is awesome.
Yeah seriously, go back to your French shit. Steely Dan rulez.
playing the advocate...
Steely Dan is filtered through a heavy layer of kitsch for our generations (anyone post-our parents). the term 'muzak' (as already mentioned in discussion) comes to mind, but musically, the band has merit. it's the swing/jazz/rock/pop synthesis thing. i admire the artistry with which Donald Fagan et al smoothly transition between up tempo swing to contemplative moog riffs. i don't think Steely Dan is for everyone - but post YES/Rush prog rock owes a lot to Aja for bringing back the horn section.
(i'm not a music critic; i just play one on my blog!)
I'm a big fan of "The Dan", Aja is them at their smoothest and most muzaky. It was crafted with engineering precision with session musicians. Check out the making of Peg on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH0JpBzi68E
I would bring you into the Becker/Fagen-Fold via their first (and still my favourite) album - "Can't Buy a Thrill" (esp. "Fire in the Hole" -stripped down pianobashing funkiness, begging to be mashed into some Eminem) then perhaps some Pretzel Logic and - finally I defy anyone not to start throwing some serious discoshapes to "Kid Charlemagne" from 'The Royal Scam'
In the UK, there seems to be a critical re-evaluation of Steely Dan, ELO and Supertramp going on at the moment, wierdly. Maybe it's cos it's such summer music/ak. Bands like "The Feeling" are getting a lot of ink anyway.
Also, there are some cracking Dan cover versions which might bring you round - I'm very fond of the Minutemen's version of "Dr. Wu"...
"We've moved a lot in the past couple years and over the course of these moves I've gotten rid of the CDs that truly embarrass me."
I guess that's a reference to one of those moves a few years back when you sold a stack of Cure concert CDs to me? I guess one's junk is another's treasure. I *heart* Wild Mood Swings too.
Hee hee,
Not only do I love that record, but it's not even my favorite Steely Dan record...hmm, maybe I need to investigate this "most embarrassing record" concept further.
I mean, next you'll be telling me it's not only lame to like Yes but that I shouldn't have been bewildered by the outburst of laughter with spittakes when I mentioned to a group of people at my pal's 40th birthday party that "Yes rocked, well used to, before Steve Howe got all...what?"