Posted on 01/28/2006 9:06:02 PM PST by nuconvert
Third solo album for Steely Dan's Fagen, released March 6th on Reprise
Steely Dan's Donald Fagen is set to release a new solo album entitled 'Morph The Cat' on March 6th on Reprise. 'Morph The Cat' represents his third solo excursion following 'The Nightfly' (1981) and 'Kamakiriad' (1993).
Written and arranged by Fagen with engineering assistance courtesy of Elliot Scheiner (a regular Steely Dan collaborator who has also worked with bands as varied at The Eagles and Foo Fighters), some of the material on 'Morph The Cat' goes back a number of years, but the project gained focus two years ago as Fagen began to tackle issues of mortality.
Blending jazz, soul and a plethora of other musical influences with extended grooves and ever changing musical textures, 'Morph The Cat' has already been compared to the Steely Dan classic 'Aja' set in contemporary Manhattan.
"I like it when songs develop in some way and four minutes usually isn't enough time for something for develop musically", says Fagen. "I'm still plugged into the Duke Ellington model, something akin to classical music, where you start with something, you develop a little bit and stick with it. And when you get a groove going, time flies".
Fagen's renowned lyrical darkness once more comes to the fore throughout 'Morph The Cat'. The hint of alien attack in 'Mary Shut The Gate' was written after the Republican convention hit Manhattan. "I'd much rather being fighting aliens, although there are some similarities", he says.
'Morph The Cat' represents the final instalment of a powerful and often deeply personal trilogy following Fagen's two prior solo releases. Fagen plans to issue all three as a box set at a later date.
Steely Dan's most recent studio album 'Everything Must Go' was released in 2003 on Reprise
I think they have always been political. However, their targets range far and wide, I still have to smile reading the liner notes on Countdown to Ecstasy for "Showbiz Kids" (to say nothing of lyrical climax). The greatest condemnation of Hollywood/LA music moguls ever in song--eat your heart out National Review.
Aja.....my sweetie was named after that song.
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