Donald Fagen • Sunken Condos

 

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Morph the Cat wrapped up an alleged trilogy in 2006 -- a trilogy that only became apparent when Donald Fagen's three solo albums were boxed in a set called The Nightfly Trilogy in 2007 -- and Fagen then busied himself with live performances, something he avoided at the peak of his popularity in the '70s and '80s. With Walter Becker, he took several classic Steely Dan albums on tour, he became a frequent fixture at Levon Helm's Midnight Rambles, and, in 2010, he became the ringleader of the Dukes of September, a superstar blue-eyed soul revue featuring Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs. All this high-octane rhythm can be heard on Sunken Condos, Fagen's 2012 album and easily the liveliest solo album he's released since The Nightfly in 1982. Much of that is due to a pronounced emphasis on rhythm. Sunken Condos doesn't ease on its groove, the way the otherwise excellent Morph the Cat did. Sunken Condos crackles with energy even when things are smooth; witness how "Memorabilia" and "Weather in My Head," jazzy funk numbers both, never succumb to lite comfortable grooves, as Fagen and his peerless band keep pushing at the contours of their rhythms, letting the music breathe. And that addition of space is a marked difference from much of Fagen's work since Gaucho, when he began to place an emphasis on precision over feel. Certainly, Sunken Condos boasts an immaculate production and there is not a note out of place but it is unmistakably a feel album, one where it's a pleasure to hear the band play and to hear Fagen play with his delivery, sculpting his phrases with an impish glee. That Sunken Condos also contains his sharpest songwriting in a long time -- whether they percolate like "I'm Not the Same Without You" or sweetly sigh like "Miss Marlene," the tunes are immediate the way the songs on Steely Dan's 2000 comeback, Two Against Nature, were -- is no coincidence. Long a master of obfuscation, Fagen plays it straight on Sunken Condos, tightening his songwriting and letting his music swing, and the results are an absolute joy.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/sunken-condos-mw0002408326

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Reseña de Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Morph the Cat cerró una supuesta trilogía en 2006, una trilogía que solo se hizo evidente cuando los tres álbumes en solitario de Donald Fagen se incluyeron en un set llamado The Nightfly Trilogy en 2007, y Fagen luego se ocupó de las presentaciones en vivo, algo que evitó en la cima de su popularidad en los años 70 y 80. Con Walter Becker, llevó de gira varios álbumes clásicos de Steely Dan, se convirtió en un elemento frecuente en Midnight Rambles de Levon Helm y, en 2010, se convirtió en el cabecilla de the Dukes of September, una revista de soul superestrella de ojos azules con Michael McDonald y Boz Scaggs. Todo este ritmo de alto octanaje se puede escuchar en Sunken Condos, el álbum de Fagen de 2012 y fácilmente el álbum en solitario más animado que ha lanzado desde The Nightfly en 1982. Gran parte de eso se debe a un énfasis pronunciado en el ritmo. Los Condominios hundidos no ceden en su ritmo, como lo hizo el excelente Morph the Cat. Condominios hundidos crepita de energía incluso cuando las cosas van bien; sea testigo de cómo "Memorabilia" y "Weather in My Head", números de jazz funk, nunca sucumben a ritmos ligeros y cómodos, ya que Fagen y su incomparable banda siguen presionando los contornos de sus ritmos, dejando respirar la música. Y esa adición de espacio es una marcada diferencia con gran parte del trabajo de Fagen desde Gaucho, cuando comenzó a poner énfasis en la precisión sobre la sensación. Ciertamente, Sunken Condos cuenta con una producción inmaculada y no hay una nota fuera de lugar, pero es inequívocamente un álbum de sensaciones, uno en el que es un placer escuchar tocar a la banda y escuchar a Fagen tocar con su entrega, esculpiendo sus frases con una alegría traviesa. That Sunken Condos también contiene su composición más aguda en mucho tiempo, ya sea que se filtre como "I'm Not the Same Without You" o suspire dulcemente como "Miss Marlene", las melodías son inmediatas de la misma manera que las canciones del regreso de Steely Dan en 2000, Two Against Nature, fueron were no es una coincidencia. Durante mucho tiempo un maestro de la ofuscación, Fagen toca directamente en Condominios Hundidos, ajustando su composición y dejando que su música gire, y los resultados son una absoluta alegría.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/sunken-condos-mw0002408326

Tracks:
1 - Slinky Thing
2 - I'm Not The Same Without You
3 - Memorabilia
4 - Weather In My Head
5 - The New Breed
6 - Out Of The Ghetto
7 - Miss Marlene
8 - Good Stuff
9 - Planet D'Rhonda

Credits:
    Arranged By [Horn Arrangements] – Donald Fagen, Michael Leonhart
    Arranged By [Rhythm Arrangements] – Donald Fagen
    Arranged By [Vocal Arrangements] – Donald Fagen, Michael Leonhart
    Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Carolyn Leonhart, Jamie Leonhart
    Bass – Lincoln Schleifer
    Design – Stephen Walker (6)
    Drums – Earl Cooke, Jr.
    Electric Piano [Wurlitzer], Vibraphone, Synthesizer [Prophet 5], Percussion, Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Michael Leonhart
    Engineer – Charles Martinez, Michael Leonhart
    Engineer [Additional Engineers] – Elliot Scheiner, Pat Dillett*
    Engineer [Additional Pro Tools Engineer] – Armand Hirsch
    Engineer [Assistant Engineers] – David Schoenwectter*, Normyn, Ted Tuthill
    Illustration – Jeff Wack
    Lead Guitar [Solo Guitar] – Kurt Rosenwinkel
    Lead Vocals, Electric Piano [Wurlitzer], Clavinet, Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Donald Fagen
    Management – Alex Kadvan, Irving Azoff
    Mastered By – Scott Hull (2)
    Mixed By – Donald Fagen, Michael Leonhart, Pat Dillett*
    Mixed By [Assistant Mix Engineer] – Jon Silverman
    Music Consultant [Percussion Consultant] – Bill Dobrow
    Producer – Donald Fagen, Michael Leonhart
    Producer [Production Assistants] – Bob "Nitebob" Czaykowski*, Brad Maestas, Leah Bachar
    Rhythm Guitar – Jon Herington
    Songwriter – Donald Fagen (tracks: A1 to B2, C1 to C3)
    Technician [Keyboard Techs] – Frank Carroll (4), Sam Berd, Will Jennings (3)
    Technician [Technical Support] – Dan Physics, Milo Pullman
    Words By, Music By – Isaac Hayes (tracks: B3)

Label:    Reprise Records – 532287-2
Country:    US
Released:    Oct 12, 2012
Genre:    Jazz, Rock, Pop
Style:    Pop Rock, Fusion
https://www.discogs.com/release/3963666-Donald-Fagen-Sunken-Condos

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