Just found Walter Becker's 11 Tracks of Whack...

There was a small market next street last sunday where I found the missing piece of my Steely Dan collection. A factory sealed US import of Walter Becker's 11 Tracks of Whack for 2.99 Euro.
What a really nice surprise!
It wasn't easy as I listened to it the first time, but it knew this is the kind of album that gets stronger every time. And it still does...!
It's not The Nightfly, but I'm not sure if I like Kamakiriad better..

Martin

 

its nice to know i'm not the only person that liked that cd. if i want to get rid of the wife and kids and have the house to myself all i have to do is put that on.

 

This is one hole in my Steely Dan and related collection. I've got to get it. Does it have a Steely Dan style or is it completely different?

 

A bit too heavy on the drum machines, but still a good CD. "Lucky Henry" is a great track. Very cynical feel on the album, and yes, very Steely Danish. Produced by Becker/Fagen, engineered by Roger Nichols/David Russell.

 

Yea the drums are mechanized but they really work in the context of things and they do sound kinda organic, if that's possible. It is a very comically dark album lyrically (and all the better for it). I hated it when it came out...got rid of it quickly. Then after TWO AGAINST NATURE and EVERYTHING MUST GO I gave it a second listen and loved it! Played it at least 5 times this year.

 

I love this album! There's a Japanese version with an extra track on it, so look out for that one!

 

Markus and Patrick, thanks for the comments. I appreciate it. For what it's worth, I like Becker singing on "Slang of Ages" off the new Dan album. He doesn't show a world-class singing voice there, but it works great.

 

Funny, that's what made me go back to revisit 11TOW! If "Slang of Ages" is your bag then you'll love his solo CD.

 

Patrick, that's great news! Thanks! I must get 11 Tracks of Whack!

 

I haven't heard that particular album yet, but IIRC, I remember that it was meant to include "Fall of '92", a supposedly controversial song that was deleted from the tracklist at the last minute, as the lyric mentions something about "those nazis at the White House".

Anyway, during my travels I found a promotional US EP, no front artwork as usual with Warner associated label promos from the era, with two songs, “Book of liars”/“Hard up case” and Fall of '92 as a third track. Was it ever released commercially?

 

I always loved this album, got it when it came out. Steely Dan did "Hard up Case" and "Book of Liars" on the 93' tour. It's funny to thing that Walter is the darker writer of the two!

 

(deleted)

 

IMO

11 Tracks of Whack was just that...WHACKED!

Donald was the lead singer of Steely Dan all these years for a reason...which is proven here and again on "Slang Of Ages" Someone other than Donald singing Steely Dan songs is just plain "WHACKED"!

By the way, YES I do have "11 Tracks" in my collection and it is probably the ONLY CD in that section that has collected dust.

NOTE: The biggest turnoff to me on this album (after Walter's voice) is Walter's completely ridiculous use of the "F" word in the song "Junkie Girl", much like the blatant way that Billy Joel used the same word in his song "Laura' from "The Nylon Curtain" Nothing worse than getting into a song and have an artist screw it up because they felt like have an "EMINEM" moment!

Chris C

 

Not bad....but I agree with the previous post......there is a good reason why Becker is not the lead singer...I don't like his voice....stick to playing the guitar, Walter! Also, the album is titled correctly....it is really whacked out! Don't play this album with anyone you are dating!

 

Good album!

Junkie Girl, IMHO, is one of the underappreciated songs of that decade. Odd, but addictive! After two spins, I couldn't get the tune out of my head.

Good score!

Shalom, y'all!

L. Bangs

 

Oh, mine sat quietly on my computer playing on of her usual deck of card cames with green background. And after 15 Minutes she said "it's Steely Dan, isn't it?". She's not much into them... so, not the baddest reaction.

Martin

B.t.w.. I still don't know what the word "whack" means?

 

Walter Becker actually defined what Whack means on the album lyrics sheet.

Whack (n.) 1. a blow, intermediate in intensity between a wallop and a smack.
2. a first stab or crude attempt i.e. "Let your little brother have a whack at the circular saw!"
(v.) to deliver a whack, ambush, or attempt to wipe out, a person.

So, basically, it's hitting somebody hard. Or, alternatively, trying something that you're not very good at.

I really like this album, and I really like the way Walter Becker sings. he has such a bitter, cynical delivery. You can tell it's his personality singing and not an affectation to try and sound like someone or something else. I much prefer this one to Fagen's Kamakiriad, and I think it's one of the better sequenced albums of the 90's: I can listen to it mostly straight through, although I lose momentum on This Moody Bastard.