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- Released: 2006 (original recording 1971)
- Rating: 4/10
Before ol Walt and Dan became famous as Steely Dan,darlings of the ’70 and ’80s neuvo jazz scene, they left their calling cardon this original soundtrack album from 1971.
Here we find the budding geniuses trying to make an impression on theunsuspecting world of music. Steely Dan became one of my favourite bands whilstat Art College and Teacher Training college in the 70s, releasing seminalalbums Cant Buy A Thrill, Countdown To Ecstasy, Pretzel Logic, Katy Liedand The Royal Scam.
If fact, I bought this album the first time around, though the artwork wastotally different a simple white LP cover as I recall.
Here we find the illustrious pair making a soundtrack album for thelow-budget Richard Prior film, which Ive never seen, so its hard to measureits success or impact.It will never be classed as classic Fagan-Becker material, neverthelessits an important part of their back-catalogue. It should be seen as theirembryonic stage, and treated as such.
Of the tracks, which includes a reprise of You Gotta Walk running ata meagre 43 seconds, songs go up to eight minutes plus, so theres plenty toget your teeth into.
Seeds of future work are found on sublime instrumental Red Giant/Green Dwarfat 8 minutes plus, containing some wiry guitar solos from future Dan manDenny Diaz. Sprightly You Gotta Walk and Flotsam and Jetsam arealso good indications of their potential, though the production by KennyVance (of Jay And The Americans) is very thin.
At just over a minute and half, bizarre War and Peace is a cacophonousdrum piano interlude before going into the reprise.
Definitely a release for the fans Im afraid, and Im a big one
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Dog Eat Dog
2. Red Giant Green Dwarf
3. You Gotta Walk It Like You Talk It
4. If It Rains
5. Flotsam & Jetsam
6. Roll Back The Meaning
7. War & Peace
8. You Gotta Walk It Like You Talk It (Reprise)
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.