Morph The Cat

[Kari S]

Donald Fagen:

Morph The Cat

2006

Been listening to this on repeat for probably eight times now. It's all right! Lyrically Fagen touches on post 9/11; some reference to the Bush administration ('Mary Shut The Garden Door'); an imaginary discussion between a young himself and Ray Charles ('What I Do'); on death ('Brite Nitegown') etc. The musicians are familiar from the recent incarnations of Steely Dan: Keith Carlock, Jon Herington, Wayne Krantz among others.

Sound-wise, this is also familiar stuff. All of the tunes have that rhythm n blueish, straight "Fagen beat", like on Steely Dan's Everything Must Go, in different tempos. The songs are instantly recognisable Fagen, some maybe a bit more complex than "regular" Dan stuff, and he also allows the soloists to stretch longer than the usual few bars on a standard Dan song. Even though the cd only has eight songs, some, like 'The Great Pagoda of Funn' definitely require more listening times to open up. Then there are more straightforward r&b groove tunes, like the fantastic 'What I Do' (my favorite hands down) or 'Brite Nitegown'. But all obviously feature that warm r&b groove, great licks, tasteful horn arrangements and great playing all around, that's what you'd expect.

::tup

Edited March 18, 2006 by Kari S

[Peter Johnson]

Thanks, Kari--I had no idea he even had a new one coming out! I love Nightfly and Kamakiriad, so I'll be picking this up today. Along with the Fathead Newman. Expensive day!

Donald Fagen:

Morph The Cat

2006

Been listening to this on repeat for probably eight times now. It's all right! Lyrically Fagen touches on post 9/11; some reference to the Bust administration ('Mary Shut The Garden Door'); an imaginary discussion between a young himself and Ray Charles ('What I Do'); on death ('Brite Nitegown') etc. The musicians are familiar from the recent incarnations of Steely Dan: Keith Carlock, Jon Herington, Wayne Krantz among others.

Sound-wise, this is also familiar stuff. All of the tunes have that rhythm n blueish, straight "Fagen beat", like on Steely Dan's Everything Must Go, in different tempos. The songs are instantly recognisable Fagen, some maybe a bit more complex than "regular" Dan stuff, and he also allows the soloists to stretch longer than the usual few bars on a standard Dan song. Even though the cd only has eight songs, some, like 'The Great Pagoda of Funn' definitely require more listening times to open up. Then there are more straightforward r&b groove tunes, like the fantastic 'What I Do' (my favorite hands down) or 'Brite Nitegown'. But all obviously feature that warm r&b groove, great licks, tasteful horn arrangements and great playing all around, that's what you'd expect.

::tup

[Kalo]

This is the first I've heard of this, myself.

Sounds promising.

[GA Russell]

I hope Aggie lets us know when it is available from Your Music.

[DatDere]

I think it's a very nice album, I really like the title track and "Mary Shut The Garden Door". The album could have used more variety in the rhythm section though, a lot of tunes seem to have almost the same mid-tempo groove. Anyway, another fine slab of "yacht rock" from Mr. Fagen.

Edited March 18, 2006 by DatDere

[RonF]

Just wore it out on a road trip. Like other Fagen projects, each song lives in a special universe....sometimes it takes a while. I dig this a whole lot.

[Dave James]

Apparently this is some sort of autobiographical trilogy. Morph being the third of three parts.

Up over and out

[Alexander]

I got "Morph," which I'm enjoying, although I feel that I need to give it a few more spins to really appreciate it.

This has been a good season for new albums. Van has a new one out (a country album) which is excellent, as does Prince.

[Harold_Z]

I'm waiting for my copy to arrive. Can't miss this one.

[kinuta]

I especially like 'Brite Nitegown', even my missus , whos' comments are usually confined to 'TURN IT DOWN' started grooving around the living room.

[DukeCity]

Picked this one up yesterday, and had time for one listen last night. I like it. Makes me want to dig out my copy of The Nightfly (unfortunately I sold my vinyl Nightfly, but I have the CD somewhere), and the two recent Steely Dan sides. Definitely all cut from the same cloth, but that's some groovy cloth!

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I picked up the CD/DVD-Audio combo pack the other day and I agree it's a very nice date. Very much like Fagan's other solo dates and definitely in that patented Steely Dan mode.

The 5.1 24/96 DVD-Audio is very well done too. Nice mix without some of the "gimmicks" that 5.1 mixes can have. He seems to have spread the individual instruments around with some bleed so that it really puts you into the sound.

Kevin

[BruceH]

I'll have to be getting this. I'm a big fan of The Nightfly and the last two Steely Dan albums.

Think about it: A new George Clinton album and a new Fagan...it's like, cosmic, man.

[jlhoots]

It's $11.96 (the regular edition) at Amazon today, so I threw in the new Frank London "klezmer-jazz" CD & got free shipping.

Edited March 31, 2006 by jlhoots

[GA Russell]

I hope Aggie lets us know when it is available from Your Music.

Thanks Aggie! I knew I could count on you. I've put it at the top of my queue.

[Aggie87]

I hope Aggie lets us know when it is available from Your Music.

Thanks Aggie! I knew I could count on you. I've put it at the top of my queue.

It's on top of my queue now too!

[Parkertown]

The vinyl version of this set is just freakin' incredible...

[Big Al]

I've been on a real Dan kick lately, and been listening to this. I like the groove for the most part, but some of these songs take FOREVER to fade out. There are also times when the arrangements become too cluttered that it buries the song, not to mention the couple of songs with that harmonica, which is reeeeeally grating. But other than that, a fine album. Between his own album and the past couple of Dan albums, these guys are on a serious winning streak right now.

[RonF]

I've been on a real Dan kick lately, and been listening to this. I like the groove for the most part, but some of these songs take FOREVER to fade out. There are also times when the arrangements become too cluttered that it buries the song, not to mention the couple of songs with that harmonica, which is reeeeeally grating. But other than that, a fine album. Between his own album and the past couple of Dan albums, these guys are on a serious winning streak right now.

Al,

Fagen plays a melodica on Mary Shut the Garden Door. Howard Levy plays harmonica on What I Do. I hear you about the harp. Personally, I dig the melodica.

Edited June 17, 2006 by RonF

[Big Al]

That's cool. The two songs I was thinking of was "What I Do," where said fadeout would've been more pleasurable to these ears had it been an instrumental fadeout instead of repeating the chorus over and over. Same goes for "Black Nightgown(?)". Wonderful grooves, nonetheless!