Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
The final album from the classic period of Steely Dan’s immeasurable contribution to music has come to pass just a couple of weeks after it celebrated its 49th anniversary.
Critically undervalued at the time of its release, it didn’t need time to be appreciated, it just required ears that were not focused on the sea change in musical atmosphere as the expression of the short hand Punk descended on the world and the shifting attitudes of society aligned itself with change, a bloodless revolution which saw old favourites led to the scaffold and presented with a choice, adapt or no longer be relevant.
Few bands survived such savage insistence, few were told there was a place for all to exist, the art of the Progressive, the Jazz polish, the soft sway of the Blues, such was the dramatic impact that Punk instantly had on the conscious that the decision to stop touring and only be seen as a studio band perhaps paid dividends for Steely Dan as they released their fifth studio album, The Royal Scam.
Whilst not as seemingly convincing as the albums Katy Lied or as momentous as the debut album, Can’t Buy A Thrill, The Royal Scam holds its own in the original magnificent seven release run of albums, its continuing presence of the almost inseparable pairing of Walter Becker and Donald Fagan granted the song writing would be fully immersive and observationally intriguing, that the generous nature of Katy Lied, the first album recorded after the decision taken to no longer tour, had not gone to waste further down the road, and the work of session musicians such as Larry Carlton, to whom much credit must be given for giving the album its huge lift, Michael McDonald once more appearing on backing vocals, and the inclusion of future Eagles member Timothy B. Schmidt were to make this particular album a deep love that few critics were willing to give at the time, but which now is an deeply enjoyable and fascinatingly creative recording.
The final album to receive its long-awaited reissue, The Royal Scam is undeniable, it is focused, attentive to the fan’s memory, it longs for the listener to hold it without prejudice and see it, feel it, for what it is, a terrifically insightful recording that is playful, unafraid to admonish, conquering in its infinite gestures and lyrics
The album resonates half a century on, and tracks such as the opener of Kid Charlemagne, Sign In Stranger, The Fez, Haitian Divorce and the album title track of The Royal Scam punch the air surrounding the listener, what is felt is consistency, it is the freedom to be seen, like The Beatles a decade before, as being a true album band and not one sidetracked by the need to tour and lose focus.
The reissues may be complete on the golden period of Steely Dan, but the memories they have provided is immense, a set of albums not just for the original fans but for those willing to go on an adventure and explore one of the great bands from a decade of change.
Ian D. Hall