Countdown To Ecstasy - STEELY DAN*****

Bodhisattva/Razor Boy/The Boston Rag/Your Gold Teeth/Show Biz Kids/My Old School/Pearl Of The Quarter/ King Of The World

Countdown To Ecstasy was the follow up album from the art rock group Steely Dan, showcasing the creative songwriting skills of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. Although not as commercially successful as the debut, musically it is very much its equal. (US:35)

“Countdown To Ecstasy sees the duo of Becker and Fagen honing their cynical, often satirical wits and their songwriting abilities to produce a classic set of jazz-rock songs. The emphasis, as always, is on light rock with a few jazz elements creeping in here and there, but the sound they attain on this album will be of interest to most art rock aficionados.”

“Countdown To Ecstasy, Steely Dan's second album, remains one of their very best. Like much of the band's music, it makes heavy use of immediate, catchy hooks and melodies, but yet it contains subtleties that only repeated listening will bring out. The musicianship is impeccable, the rhythms delicious and the guitar playing smokes.”

“Countdown To Ecstasy has been labelled the album that hooked many a hardcore Steely Dan fan, and it's easy to know why. Although it wasn't initially as commercially successful as Can't Buy A Thrill, the songs contain many genre-hopping elements and feature more extensive soloing. The musicianship is top notch and the lyrics impenetrable as ever. The music contained a fine mix of rock, blues, funk and some nice, laid-back country-tinged elements.”

“It's a rock album to all intents and purposes, and retains the fun factor and the driving tempo of the debut, but you can really hear them starting to strain at the leash. Pianos and exotic percussion are starting to creep in, as are jazzy chord extensions and slightly more intricate structures.”

“While Countdown To Ecstasy did not prove the commercial hit that was hoped for, it remains at the highest level of Steely Dan's craft. The studio and performance excellence is in place, and Becker and Fagen's songwriting has graduated here from fine jazz/pop craftsmen to writers of real depth, elegance and wit. The chords and progressions are interesting and unique, but also accessible, with memorable harmonies, instrumental lines, and inventive melodies. Undoubtedly one of the best albums in the Steely Dan canon.”