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Steely Dan - Royal Scam (CD)

User Reviews: Royal Scam

Royal Scam
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4.9 out of 5.0 stars 11 Ratings (11 Reviews)

  • Overall:

    Lyrics:

    Music:

    ... MOST UNDERRATED BAND OF ALL TIME ...

    By Yahoo! Shopping User  Apr 27, 2007

    Pros: ... Best Steely Dan Album ...

    Cons: ... Least-Lauded Steely Dan Album ...

    ... Of all the albums Steely Dan, my favorite artist PERIOD, has released, The Royal Scam is my favorite ... Unfortunately, the only credit this album seems to reel-in is the amazing guitar solo of "Kid Charlemagne" often cited on top-10 li...sts ... However, this album holds much more for those willing to listen past all the hype ... ... I guess it's the breadth of subject material that amazes me so much; yet even still, they manage to pull-off a cohesive album with ebb & flow; From the historical marveling of "The Caves of Altimira", to the emotional frenzy of "Don't Take Me Alive", to the tounge-in-cheek "The Fez", and the zany "Green Earings" (with that incredible drum-break), into the exotic "Hatian Divorce", onto the hillarious-twist-at-the-e
    nd of "Everything You Did", and the mystic "The Royal Scam": this album has it-all ... And I didn't even mention any lyrics ... ... Lyrical Mastery is what keeps Steely Dan ahead of any artist, any day ... Many of their lyrics are based in historical events and places ... They know how to keep a story open to interpretation without being obvious: making what may be an otherwise dated story immortal ... And if this weren't enough, their musical arrangments and execution are second-to-none ... They've always employed a Jazz-Based chord vocabulary in their writing which seales their lyrics extravagantly for generations to come ... ... In all honesty, I adore all of Steely Dan's Albums; it's just that I think this one exemplifies them at their most diverse and is therefore 'the album' to introduce people to ... ... I believe much of the reason Steely Dan never became the premier pop group of the 70s was in-part due to the vocals of Donald Fagen ... His voice is: say, unique, with raspy overtones ... However, I've always enjoyed it's yearning and wheeling qualities ... Unfortunately many people of my parents' hey-day didn't agree ... ... I can't reccomend this album enough ... It's among the best values in recorded music ...     Read more Less

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  • Overall:

    Lyrics:

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    Deep,Subversive And Deeply Bubbling Dan

    By Yahoo! Shopping User  Jan 3, 2006

    Pros: WILD,WILD Music And Original Lyrical Ideas

    Cons: Slightly Off Putting At First Listen To Some

    'Royal Scam' is Steely Dan's most neglected album.The basic musical style is similar to their big success with'Aja' a year later but is far less polished with a premium on rocking funk.Larry Carlton shines on most of these songs a...nd the arrangements border on the darkly subversive.Lyrically the album explores some tasty (and twisted) themes such as drugs ("Kid Charlemange"),crime ("Don't Take Me Alive") and sex ("The Fezz","Green Earrings" and "Haitain Divorce").Most of the songs here are character sketches however the likability of these characters could stand under some scrutiny.But that and the great clavinet playing throughout are reasons why fans such as myself love 'The Royal Scam' so much to start with. Read more Less

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  • Overall:

    The Royal Scam: the Dan at their rockin'

    By Yahoo! Shopping User  Nov 27, 2001

    The Royal Scam differs from the other Steely Dan albums in that it's not really a major jump forward musically, but that doesn't mean its not one of the best albums ever made! The perfect blend of horns and guitar(which wasn't as promient on the othe...r Steely Dan records, Beside Can't Buy a Thrill and Countdown to Ecstacy) make the album real ear candy. The lyrics are amazing, telling stories of a fugitive drug lord (Kid Charlemagne), a simple man forced into a life of crime (Don't Take Me Alive), and the falsified dreams of immigrants coming to America (The Royal Scam, a personal favorite). Certain tracks like "The Fez" and "Green Earings" are perfect. "Caves of Altermeria" is a lot like pre-Aja jazz-pop, but it sounds a lot more rawer than the streamline Fusion on Aja. "Sign in Stranger", "Hatian Divorce", and "Everything You Did" add charisma to an already brimming album. A must have; definately one of the best albums ever made. Read more Less

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  • Overall:

    Royal Scam

    By Yahoo! Shopping User  Sep 30, 2001

    While The Dan perfected AJA to absolute brillance, this is still my overall personal favorite album. It rocks, funks, and grooves to an awesome assualt of guitar work mainly by Larry Carlton and Elliot Randall. This album really marked an end of an e...ra for rock music in general. In a perfect world, this should have been album of the year, not Hotel California. Songs like Haitian Divorce and Don't Take Me Alive are classics, and still do not receive the airplay that they deserve. The Fez and the "reggaeish" Haitian Divorce are two of my all time favorite pieces of music ever. Better than any jazz, rock or classical music I have ever heard. Bernard "Pretty" Purdie was the perfect groove drummer for this album and also on AJA. I can't think of a more "in the pocket player." Perhaps Harvey Mason, but by far, Bernard is my favorite drummer. By this time Don and Walt had just about brought in the entire Crusaders. IF you do not own a Crusaders album shame on you! Try Southern Comfort or Chain Reaction. Also of note, in the song Everything You Did (which personally speaking is the most hilarious and outrageous of Dan songs) they make a rude reference to their competition by saying "Turn up The Eagles, the neighbors are listening." Of course The Eagles were probably the most "popular" American band, and while the Dan were managed by the same manager as The Eagles, they wanted to let them know how they felt about them. Most people don't realize this, but The Eagles in turn shot back at The Dan in Hotel California, though it is not really as funny. "They stab it with their "Steely" Knives, but they just can't kill the beast"... Dark, crude, and about as sleek as any Dan album could ever be, this gets the nod as the perfect place to start for anyone that is interested in hearing more of the Dan. Read more Less

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  • Overall:

    royal scam

    By Yahoo! Shopping User  Aug 20, 2001

    This is my favourite steely dan album. Its rocky, funky, catchy & excellent.

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  • Overall:

    this is ...

    By Yahoo! Shopping User  Jun 29, 2001

    one of the peaks of rock music.

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  • Overall:

    Their rocking best

    By Yahoo! Shopping User  Feb 24, 2001

    Obviously their hardest rock, but still so smooth. Wish they hadn't gotten so refined in later recordings, but that works well for them as well (obviously!)

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  • Overall:

    Classic

    By Yahoo! Shopping User  Feb 22, 2001

    The two guitar solos on "Kid Charlemagne" are worth it alone!

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  • Overall:

    Utterly phenomenal.............

    By Yahoo! Shopping User  Feb 5, 2001

    "Nuff said........

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  • Overall:

    Cool!

    By Yahoo! Shopping User  Jun 29, 2000

    This used to be my favorite Steely Dan album before I heard Aja. I love this album. Kid Charlemagne, Caves of Altermera, and the Fez are the best songs on the record. It's cool!

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