Steely Dan $150 UHDR vinyl; seriously?
A few months ago, Chad Kassem announced there would be some MAJOR announcements from Analogue Productions in the Autumn. Most expected that AP would be doing a major Led Zeppelin reissue program. I can’t say that this excites me. Instead it turned out to be Steely Dan.
July 21st 2000, Walnut Creek, Raleigh North Carolina. I got to see the Steely Dan band live. At last. This was a big deal in my life as, for about 15 years, I had been obsessed with SD, and for a few years prior to that with Donald Fagen’s Nightfly. It is fascinating, looking back, how a band of that stature could get away with not playing “Do it again,” “Ricky don’t lose that number” or “Reelin’ in the years” (amongst others). But such was their prolific work rate over 7 albums in roughly 8 years that nobody was complaining. I liked the songs, the complex chord structures, the wit and nuance, the calibre of musicianship. I knew the stories of having 27 guitarists or whatever trying to do a solo on Aja. But here, one band, led by Becker and Fagen, were reproducing the magic in person.
More than 20 years later, Becker has passed away and Fagen is now Steely Dan. I have seen the band in various iterations many times, including the same musicians masquerading as the “Donald Fagen Band” for the Morph the Cat tour. The music never gets old.
Since the late 1990s reunion, SD have released four albums “Two Against Nature,” which is good, “Everything Must Go,” which isn’t great, a live version of “The Nightfly” and “Northeast Corridor” – a live compilation. In addition, Fagen released “Morph the Cat” which was forgettable, and “Sunken Condos” – which I really enjoyed. If you are familiar with any of the albums, you will know that SD/DF are studio perfectionists and very appealing to audiophiles. Incidentally, before I proceed, I must point out that three of the albums sound disappointing – “Countdown to Ecstasy” and “Katy Lied” (SD) – which are also the weakest albums and “Kamikiriad” the highly anticipated follow up to “The Nightfly” by Fagen in the early 1990s. Unfortunately, the sound – that horrible brittle 1980s sheen – dated at the time of release – it is just horrible. While the songs are good, it is close to impossible to listen to the album in its entirety due to the production.
There are few albums in the history of rock that replicate the production values of “Can’t Buy a Thrill,” “Aja,” “Gaucho,” “The Nightfly” and to a lesser extent “Pretzel Logic” and “The Royal Scam.” So where are all of the audiophile reissues, the HiRes albums, SACDs, 5.1 multichannel releases? Aside from Gaucho, none of the SD albums have had the deluxe treatment.
Side note: “The Nightfly” has had a couple of reissues: a 2012 Chris Bellman audiophile cut and an early Mofi One Step release. I recently did a shootout between my early 1980s original-ish pressing, the 2012 reissue, the Cheap-Xmas version (identical to the 2012), the One Step and the DVD-A. Hands down the One Step was the best. Obviously, this is unavailable for most people. The DVD-A was really excellent – but I thought the 2012 CB cut sounded better – and that was significantly better than the “original.” Without hesitation I would recommend the 2012 version if all you have is a CD/tape or later pressing.
A year or two ago the 21st Century Dan records were reissued on 180g 33rpm vinyl for Record Store Day. I queued up and bought them. As expected, they sounded marvelous. Then, earlier this year, they were reissued by Analogue Productions as 2 x 45rpm albums, priced at $60 (but about €80 in Europe, including vat etc). The reviews were spectacular – but – these records were cut from exactly the same digital sources as my 33rpm versions. How much better could they be? Also, I don’t even particularly like those albums why would I drop €150 buying them again. That didn’t stop that strange itch you get – “must have the best” that plagued me for a day or two, that was eventually cured by listening to “Everything Must Go” and realizing that I didn’t need another copy.
The SD catalog has been reissued on CD several times – I rather liked the last set of remasters, though they divide opinion. One of the first CDs I ever bought was Katie Lied – and it sounded atrocious – so remaster any day. Gaucho was reissued in 2003 on SACD and DVD-A with a surround layer. It is an excellent digital product and strongly recommended.
Throughout the vinyl renaissance there has been a distinct absence of quality SD material. Speakers Corner released an AAA reissue of “Can’t Buy a Thrill” in 2000 and repressed it for several years. Audiophiles complain that it has bloated bass and seems compressed; I like it regardless. All of the albums were reissued in 2008-9 on the Back to Black moniker (i.e. CD on vinyl) – and – again despite what know-alls say – the couple that I bought (Aja and Gaucho) sound great. Not audiophile, perhaps, but most people would appreciate them. Nonetheless, a Steely Dan box set or audiophile vinyl set – that would be something that I would spend €300 or €400 for.
So, I was excited when I heard that Analogue Productions were going to do a Steely Dan reissue program. Then I got sticker shock.
Here is the story. Chad Kassem buddied up with Donald Fagen and persuaded him of the need to do a Steely Dan audiophile reissue program. Ok. UMe – the current rights holders got on board. Then they sent for the master tapes. Unfortunately, as everyone knows (apparently) the original master tapes for Aja and Gaucho don’t seem to exist, and part of the multitrack masters of Aja disappeared decades ago. Hence no surround sound version of Aja. No big deal – copies were located. The “master tapes” for all 7 original albums will be used by Bernie Grundman to cut AAA 2 x 45 acetates for Analogue Productions. Sweet. Unfortunately, those 2 x 45s will be on UHQR (i.e. AP faddy super vinyl that is basically crackly clear vinyl like everything that came out last year on RSD except that it is biconcave) in the stupid ugly empty box that KOB was reissued in. Price $150. Each. They will be pressing up 25,000 copies of Aja, 20,000 of Can’t Buy a Thrill and 15,000 copies of the rest. Total price before tax and shipping – over $1000. If you try to get the full set in Europe – you are talking, probably €1750. Consider that you can pick up pretty good AAA copies of any of these records at most decent second hand stores this is – wow – expensive. Not for one minute do I believe that UHQR sounds as good or as quiet as other supervinyl formulations or One Step pressings. Although the sleeves are gorgeous (essentially the same as €50 Tone Poets) the boxes are absolutely horrendous.
But what about all of us mere mortals (i.e. not wealthy people with money to burn) and non Americans – any chance of an AAA 33rpm version of “Pretzel Logic.” Well….no! Instead of getting Bernie to cut lacquers AAA at 33rpm – they are using a digital feed (DSD or PCM who knows?) from his “mastering” to send to another cutting engineer to cut digital to lacquer. Seriously! The fu**ing tapes are in the hands of one of the great vinyl mastering engineers and he is making a digital copy! And remember, Bernie is no Bob Ludwig or MOFI guy who does DXD copies – he is just going to run a analogue to digital line from his system (a bit like connecting your turntable to a USB input in your computer). This is just complete BO**OCKS. Talk about a missed opportunity. Let’s get this straight: for 50 years records were pressed on black vinyl (to look like shellac) or on gimmicky colored vinyl, at 33rpm and we bought them, listened to them and loved them. I have many albums that I love only one side – it could be A or B. Now it seems that Chad Kassem and UMe and Fagen have decided that the only all analog reissues of some of the best selling vinyl records of all time will be that bastardized pseudo audiophile obsession: the 7 minute a side 45rpm album. Do they not realize that the best thing about the CD and streaming is that you don’t have to get up of your ass and flip the record every 15 minutes?
Chad Kassem intimated, during his 2 hour vape filled obnoxious but charming bromance filled puff piece no difficult questions interview with 45rpm dude Michael Ludwig that – once the UHDR versions sell out they may release standard black 2 x 45rpm versions of the albums. No doubt – CBAT, Aja and Gaucho will sell out: will they sell 15,000 copies of “Countdown to Ecstasy” or “Katie Lied” (nobody’s favorite SD albums) at about $180 a pop (including tax and shipping)?- God only knows.
Aside from everything else – I figure that the empty ugly box from AP is now costing about $70 (assuming that the records are worth $80 – although this has messed up my calculator – usually the useless empty foam filled box is $23-30). I tossed my KOB box aside and then wondered…..
Yes – as you can see (below) – all my UK original pressing SD albums can fit handily into the stupid empty box that CK and AP have decided to stick us with.
Anyway – Nov 4th came (the above material was typed up ages ago) and, of course, everybody who bought the UHQR version of “Can’t Buy a Thrill” (the first release) waxed lyrical about the amazing sound that was on offer (much better than the “OG” – original generation – a popular euphemism for early pressing in the country of origin). It would want to be for that price: sunk costs anyone? Aside from the overfamiliar hits (Do it Again, Reeling in the Years, Dirty Work), the rest of the album is good – but wouldn’t justify my paying the price of a ski lift pass for it. The 24/192 files were uploaded for streaming on Qobuz – very low volume mix – once ramped up it was good – but not spectacular to listen to. I much prefer my 1978 UK pressing and the Speakers Corner edition; actually I think I prefer the remastered CD (yes that must be my “loudness button” ears – but let’s face it – Kevin Gray, Van Gelder and Roy DuNann all mastered LOUD).
What about the pleb edition – the digital on vinyl cut by the legendary cutting engineer that nobody had ever heard of (Alex Abrash)? I’m just weirded out by the whole thing – Bernie Grundman or one of his minions produced, from analogue, high res (“master”) files for a relatively unknown cutting engineer to cut lacquers. Why not do it in house? WTF! Ok I know I’m repeating myself.
Well I’m not buying it – certainly not for €32 – with it’s flimsy jacket and horrible horrible horrible Geffen label. Yes Geffen – both vinyl versions are on Geffin – a label that did not even exist when the band broke up in 1980. It probably sounds pretty good – keeping in mind that about 99.9% of vinyl records that are sold these days are derived from digital but it seems like a huge…..lost opportunity.
My spider senses tell me that Bernie Grundman cut a set of 33rpm lacquers from the tapes (why wouldn’t he?) – that are probably locked up in a vault in Kansas awaiting a later release once Chad Kassem has sucked the wealthy audiophile pockets dry.
Have we reached peak vinyl? I wonder. Certainly the audiophile vinyl thing is now officially out of control. Think about it. We can buy phenomenal audiophile AAA reissues of 60 or 70 year old jazz titles (Tone Poets, Verve, Impulse, Contemporary etc) – some of which sold fewer copies when they came out originally – in Stoughton tip on jackets for a moderate price. But we cannot buy audiophile rock vinyl reissues – that sold millions of copies (and that you can pick up from Discogs) without being lied to (MOFI) or, basically ripped off with a Hermes Scarf type ($70) box used to puff up the price of that great musical product of the proletariat – the vinyl record. And boy, do I hate those boxes.
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