Steely Dan – Countdown to Ecstasy (180g Vinyl LP)

180g Vinyl LP Reissue Remastered by Bernie Grundman from the Original Analog Tapes, Cut by Alex Abrash at AA Mastering Studio and Pressed at Precision

At long last: the classic Steely Dan catalog is back on vinyl! The dynamic duo’s 1973 sophomore LP, Countdown to Ecstasy, serves as the latest release in the reissue series that began in November 2022 with the band’s debut album Can’t Buy A Thrill. The series, which is being personally overseen by Donald Fagen, will bring each of the massively influential band’s first seven albums back to vinyl, in most cases for the first time since their original release. Countdown to Ecstasy has been meticulously remastered by Bernie Grundman from the original analog tapes and is pressed on 180 gram vinyl at 33 1/3 RPM. Lacquers were cut by Alex Abrash at his respected AA Mastering studio from high-resolution digital files of Grundman’s new masters and pressed at Precision. They will be housed in reproductions of the original artwork.

Led by the songwriting and virtuoso musical duo of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, Steely Dan released an extraordinary run of seven albums on ABC Records and MCA Records from 1972 through 1980. Filled with topline musicianship, clever and subversive wordplay, ironic humor, genius arrangements, and pop hits that outshone the Top 40 of its day, their records, which were as sophisticated and cerebral as they were inscrutable, were stylistically diverse, melding their love of jazz with rock, blues, and impeccable pop songcraft.

1973’s sprawling Countdown to Ecstasy was the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s second straight Top 40 effort-and second consecutive with two charting singles, “Show Biz Kids” and “My Old School” to go along with catalog favorite “Bodhisattva.” Expertly produced by Gary Katz and featuring Fagen on lead vocals for the first time, it’s chock full of complex jazz harmonies, intricate time signatures and sophisticated lyrical content which adds up to form a sonically stunning tapestry wholly unique to Steely Dan.

1. Bodhisattva
2. Razor Boy
3. The Boston Rag
4. Your Gold Teeth
5. Show Biz Kids
6. My Old School
7. Pearl of the Quarter
8. King of the World