Steely Dan – Pretzel Logic (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

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.

Now at long last, Steely Dan’s classic ABC and MCA Records catalog will return to vinyl with an extensive yearlong reissue program of the band’s first seven records, which is being personally overseen by founding member Donald Fagen. The LPs, most of which haven’t been widely available since their original release, will be available on 33 1/3 RPM 180-gram vinyl via Geffen/UMe. All albums are being meticulously remastered by Bernie Grundman from the original analog tapes except for Aja, which will be mastered from an analog, non-EQ’d, tape copy, and Gaucho, which will be sourced from a 1980 analog tape copy originally EQ’d by Bob Ludwig.

Produced by longtime collaborator Gary Katz and anchored by the massive hit single “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” and fellow standouts “Any Major Dude Will Tell You” and the title cut, Steely Dan’s jazzy, gold-selling third album Pretzel Logic (1974) saw the duo regain the commercial footing of their debut with a patented amalgam of sonic perfection, sinuous musicality, and subversive storytelling. Rolling Stone praised the album, calling Steely Dan the “most improbable hit-singles band to emerge in ages.”

1. Rikki Don’t Lose That Number
2. Night By Night
3. Any Major Dude Will Tell You
4. Barrytown
5. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo
6. Parker’s Band
7. Through With Buzz
8. Pretzel Logic
9. With A Gun
10. Charlie Freak
11. Monkey In Your Soul