Published on Apr 14, 2004
There are certain songs which define one’s life. Songs which
bring back memories of childhood, or being in a particular place at
a particular time. Songs which can bring a smile to your face or
tears to your eyes. Songs which will never leave your collective
unconscious until the day you shuffle off of this planet.
That kind of wraps up a good portion of
Can’t Buy A Thrill, the debut release from Steely Dan —
a.k.a. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, along with a revolving-door
cast of musicians throughout their career. Listening to this album
is like putting on an old, comfortable pair of sneakers to me.
Sure, there is a hole or two poking its way into notice, but for
the most part, I wouldn’t trade those shoes — or this album — for
something newer, with more polish.
Can’t Buy A Thrill will forever be known for two hits, “Do
It Again” and “Reelin’ In The Years,” tracks which still are
enjoyable to listen to, even 32 years after their original release.
The Latin rhythm of “Do It Again,” combined with the extremely
tasty instrumentation, seals the deal before Fagen can even sing a
single note. The groove this song locks you into is infectious, and
you almost never want it to end. Likewise, “Reelin’ In The Years”
is a frantic guitar-filled rocker which keeps the energy soaring
throughout the entire song.
Yet some of the moments on this disc which are just as good are
tracks which haven’t gotten the same notice over the years.
“Midnight Cruiser” is just as enjoyable, creating a vibe which
makes you feel like you’ve been listening to this song your entire
life. It also is a little reminiscent of “Do You Know What I Mean,”
though a lot more enjoyable.
In fact, a good portion of
Can’t Buy A Thrill has this sort of feel to it, from minor
radio hits such as “Dirty Work” to hidden gems like “Brooklyn,”
“Kings” and “Change Of The Guard.” It is the rare slip-up like
“Only A Fool Would Say That” and “Turn That Heartbeat Over Again”
which dares to ruin the groove, but these moments are few and far
between.
But this album is only a small slice of what Steely Dan would
become. In time they would hone their edge to create more of a
jazz-rock vibe; here, they dare to walk the edge of pop-rock at
times, doing so quite well. The jazzy feel is there from time to
time, but it’s slightly spotty in terms of success.
You could settle for any of the best-of collections, and I’m
sure you’d enjoy them just as much. But
Can’t Buy A Thrill is a reminder that the best music
sometimes isn’t what is constantly plastered on the radio.