Yes another steely dan question please

You know what they say about making assumptions...

 

I assume you already have "Aja" (the song) on "Aja" (the album) and/or in the "Citizen Steely Dan" box set, so why do you care if it's included or not included in a compilation? Make your own compilation CD or playlist. "Aja" (the song) was never a "hit" anyway nor had it been released at the time "Greatest Hits" came out.

 

My Australian cd of Greatest Hits is all treble no bass to the point that the dynamics suffer. Less than thrilling. My orig US cd of Decade has good tone, and not mastered loud and has dynamics

 

Nope, never released on SACD or in any hi-res format so far as I'm aware. Have my original ABC Records vinyl, the Speakers Corner vinyl reissue, a late '80s CD and the "Citizen" box set. Oh, and a rip of the quadraphonic record with the crazy alternate lead guitar overdubs on "Reelin'."
Would make for a nice SACD or Blu-ray release with the stereo and quad in hi-res.

 

Not sure how "Peg" and "Josie" made it onto "Greatest Hits" if "Aja" (the album) had not been released.

I want it on there because the songs (on the vinyl set) are reputed to sound better than the albums from wench they came.

I don't have the Citizen box, and have no interest in getting it.

But I do have "Greatest Hits" on vinyl and "Decade" on Gold CD.

And I'm not much of a fan of the "Aja" album (which I have) other than the title track, so I'd like to have it on a collection of song I prefer than to just put that album on for one song.
.

 

Don't I feel dumb. Had a total brain fart. It was Gaucho that had not yet been released at the time Greatest Hits came out, not Aja. My apologies.

Nevertheless, both Peg and Josie were released as singles and received airplay on Top 40 radio stations. I can only speculate that ABC felt they were better fits for a "greatest hits" compilation than an extended track like Aja which, in the late '70s, was more of a progressive FM radio type of track.

While it's true that Steely Dan's Greatest Hits, cut on vinyl by Bob Ludwig, is widely acknowledged for its good audio quality, I don't know that anyone ever opined that the Aja tracks on it sound better than they do on the original Aja LP.

 

Here's a sample of the 2010, this is from the SHM which uses the latest remaster. Sounds like they just bumped up the dB's. Peaks and valley's remain, no clipping (peaks hitting zero)
Dropbox - Years 2010.wav

 

I just picked up the Citizen box set at goodwill for 1 dollar. I think it sounds great myself. Steely Dan uses a lot of effects in the digital realm, you think no noising is ruining the set?

 

I can vouch for The Definitive. Citizen has a great accompanying booklet, but commits the cardinal error of splitting albums over 2 cds. I also find the sound quality to be significantly better on The Definitive, too.

 

Despite the horrible cover and the fact they couldn't be bothered to throw in two or three later numbers, this one is rather good and has the demo of Everyone's Gone to the Movies from the Citizen Dan box:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Collected-Steely-Dan/dp/B002H3ZUYY

Steely Dan - Collected

 

Will there be another Steely Dan cd boxset coming out in the imminent future?

 

I can’t imagine there will be. AFAIK, the lawsuit(s) between the Becker estate and Donald Fagen are unsettled. In addition, it’s not clear what tapes remain. Plus what could they put out...the 6th or whatever remastering of the catalog?

 

This one has a good track listing and was later reissued as The Very Best of Steely Dan but I am not sure if the The Very Best of has different mastering or not.

 

Never been keen on Citizen Dan cd box title or design. Guess the content is what counts. Still can be bought pretty cheaply.

 

This is my favourite. Awesome tracklist - it's probably all I'll ever need from Steely Dan - and the sound is excellent to my ears.

I think it's like a single disc version of the Citizen box, so there is a bit of CEDAR used, but it's very unobtrusive.

Remastered - The Best of Steely Dan Then And Now (1993)