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Fagen's 'Nightfly'i By Chris Handal For Steely Dan fans upset because of the group's split, Donald Fagen's solo effort "The Nigltfly" is the album for which they've been waiting, although it may not be - everything Uiey wanted. Musically, the album is reminiscent of Steely Dan, but that's understandable. Donald Fagen co-wrote almost all of Steely Dan's songs with Walter Becker. Also, "The Nightfly" is produced by Gary Katz and engineered by Roger Nichols. Both performed the same chores on all of Steely Dan's albums. And a quick check of the musicians' credits reveals many familiar names: Hugh McCracken, guitar; Rick Derringer, guitar; Jeff Porcaro, drums; Chuck Rainey, bass; and Randy and Michael Brecker on trumpet and sax, respectively. One of the musicians who deserves special attention is Larry Carlton. On the last few Steely Dan albums, Carlton's parts were minor. On Fagen's album the fine jazz guitarist, who has three albums to his credit, performs on seven of the eight tracks, adding a sense of musical depth to the album. WITH THIS rnlWHon of ho/?lrrtr/?inrl J _ v< uuvngi uuiiu musicians ctHU Fagen's craft on the organ and synthesizer, the album more than lives up to its musical expectations. But this is not to say that Fagen relies solely on the music that made Steely Dan such a popular and innovative group. On three songs, Fagen does innovating of his own, departing + it- * * ? irom me sound tnat was the Steely Dan trademark. And twice his innovations are successful. On side one, the closing song "Maxine" is similar to what can best be described as nightclub music. Skillful arranging of the flugelhorn, alto sax, tenor sax and baritone sax help sustain the easy-going mood created by the brief opening piano solo. The song also combines the piano with an electric , piano and an organ. ! The next to last song on side two, "The Goodbye Look," is a 1 Caribbean jazz tune sparked by Carlton's lead guitar, Porcaro's drums and Fagen's bouncy vocals. The song breezes through as the singer laments: i ACCC StMTtH A PtNOifTOW ITS. COLUMBIA, S.C ODRBJ 1JI1I ftni! wrtn # nm - arm I 11 " 14 WE CASH CHECKS QUALITY A PHOTOFINISHING AT LOW PRICES: 12 Exp. Color Prints $2.99 Jj|| 20 Exp. Color Prints $4.49 - . 24 Exp. Color Prints $4.89 H QSSS 36 Exp. Color Prints $7.29 |j|| TWO-DAY SERVICE - IBfe^ ALL WORK .HH :rr&Ai: GUARANTEED 12 Exp. Slides $ 1.99 1?&BI % ? FIVE PAY SERVICE afflli S YK/INTPB cpcriAi _ tmmSml ?r> bvioi. i ALL SUNGLASSES FOSTER-GRANT SUNSENSOR ^ VIDAL SASSOON I, DIETAC 1' MAXIMUM STRFNttTH I cni Aid Giptute* BPI ? ||| Eg *pSi':T~'^--- :#;v. 20 ai*sui i s @^P ... v.,,m??k 'v^w :>" .^/;.. d i *^5 Drerac' ' lyE^j flAWTAfl iSiBl , WE CASK CHECKS OPCW IMA - 9PM ni^rr SPWSnSs PHARMACY J L_/ICA^.V_ " ^HONf *99 l59o I ?Mf?? ft NIHItON ' > "" * iinovative effort album review """"ttmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmammmmammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmaammrmmmmmmmmmmmm Cause tonight they're arranging a small reception just for me Behind the big casino by the sea rknow what happens f read the book r believe I just got the goodbye look BUT FAGEN'S third attempt at innovation fails. "Walk Between Raindrops," the final song on the album, begins vith an organ that sounds as if it belongs at a baseball park >r a hockey rink. Quickly, the song changes into an imitative swing/big band sound. But the song doesn't make it. The >rgan sounds out of place throughout the song. The most obvious difference between Steely Dan and Donald Fagen's solo act is not the three musical innovations, >ut the lyrics. Where Fagen and Becker were murky and >btuse, Fagen on his own is straightforward. A good example >f this is the album's title song, "The Nightfly," about a latelight talk show host who is bored with his job and laments his ostlove: fou'refor tough legislation '"hanks for calling wait all night for calls like these... rou'd never believe it tut once there was a time Vhen love was in my life Maybe it's not fair to compare Fagen's solo effort with teely Dan, but "The Nightfly" stands well in that comarison. It is also good work when judged independently of teely Pan. "The Nightfly" should satisfy Steely Dan's fans, and its movations should create new listeners for Fagen's music. 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