Customer Reviews

Royal Scam (With Orig. Art)

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This gem from the seventies is probably the Steely Dan record I have played the most, maybe even the record by ANY band that I have played the most. An incredible set of songs, performed by the most talented bunch of musicians ever together in a studio, lyrics every songwriter would love to have written. What knocks my socks off after 24 years is that drumbreak by Bernard Purdie in 'Green Earrings'. This moment alone is worth every dollar of it. But there is more. After playing it at least a thousand times, this record still comes up with unexpected and never-heard-before dainties - especially now that it has been remastered. Brilliant, I would like to give it six stars if possible. Did I hear a 'click' of that 'in my shopping cart' yet?

The 'Dan's (second) best album from a brilliant catalogue (just behind "Countdown..."). The Royal Scam is fast and exciting, almost to the point of exhausting and overwhelming. This is, I believe, the only thematic album from SD, telling seedy tales of urban life (although I asked myself for a long time how "Caves of Altamira" fit in with this theme, and when I finally figured it out, I laughed my a** off! ). The complexity and professionalism of the musicianship on this album is legendary and makes even other 'Dan titles pale in comparison (just check out the personnel in the liner credits!). It is also more rock-based than the others, particularly the guitar bits. Also their best cover art! If you've never heard TRS, you owe yourself this treat.

This album has the usual classy Steely Dan stable of musicians but this has the best lyrics of any Dan album...even more cynical and bitter than usual. Caves of Altamira, Everything You Did, amd Sign In Stranger were songs that helped me get through my college years and were more of my favorites than the "hits". Of all of the Steely Dan albums, this one would come up as my favorite a little more often than Aja or Katy Lied. The best part is that it is newly remastered and available at a budget price. Click on that "Add to my shopping cart" button right away.

Something about this album that always makes me feel like I am somehow a part of the 1970's Drug & Sex California lifestyle. I dig it.

This became my favorite Dan album as I wore out my cassette recording driving around the hills of San Francisco. The first track is probably my favorite Dan song. But the entire album is super smooth. All of our customer reviews give this album five stars for a reason. You need it if you don't have it. I am excited to try the remaster after my fellow reviewer's positive words about the sound quality.

With the exception of Gaucho, Steely Dan never released anything less than excellent. Musically, this album isn't as sophisticated as other releases, but this is in no way a fault. All the songs are GREAT! Totally catchy songs with some of the most "sing along-able" lyrics and melodies in all of rock music.

The Royal Scam happens to be my favorite Steely Dan Album. There isn't a song that I skip over on this 1976 classic.

The Royal Scam is a delightful Rock/Pop Jazz fusion album. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker along with a classy collection of musicians deliver a number of memorable songs...Kid Charlemagne, The Caves Of Altimira, Don't Take Me Alive, Haitian Divorce and the title track. Fagen and Becker's combination of distinctive music and offbeat lyrics have made them one of Rock's most endearing outfits to this day.

The Remastered editions are a delight, both in sound quality and packaging... complete lyrics and insightful and witty liner notes by Fagen and Becker themselves.

It's 3am and I'm cranking on some work. Threw in my Royal Scam CD that I purchased on a whim and I've played this thing 5 times straight. Incredibly infectious songs. I'm surprised at how new this sounds for a '76 album. I think this is the best CD in their discography. Amazon had a tough time finding this for me but I'm glad they did.

Odds are that you know this music, and nothing I can say would influence your purchase of it. But, I'll say this - the new remaster is ABSOLUTELY worth the money, especially since the record company did the right thing and didn't jack the price for the remaster. I can't believe how much clarity the new remaster gives the instruments, particularly on Bernard Purdie's drums and the keyboard sounds throughout. If you enjoy this album, you really need this new edition, even if you, like me, hate re-buying music you already own.

Both Rolling Stone Guides ('79 & 89) gave this record a three star review, saying that it was too sterile in its execution. BS ! Bernard Purdie's drumming is as cool here as it was with Marvin Gaye, and all other session players groove with heart. I sifted through Pretzel Logic, Katy Lied, and a host of other Steely Dan CDs at the local used CD store on the road to buying this one. Royal Scam is the real deal.

"Royal Scam" is not the Dan album I turn to when I want to hear them at their best. That said, this is still a good album and an adequate buy. You will not enjoy this as much as more consistent works like "Aja", "Katy Lied", "Pretzel Logic", or "Ecstacy". This is the weakest of the original albums, even when comparing "Gaucho" to it. But it still suffices, and the Dan can never do us any wrong.

"Kid Charlemagne", "Caves of Altamira", "Haitian Divorce", "Everything You Did" are the best tunes here. Yeah, I agree that "The Fez" is not their best tune. But it is interesting to hear in the context of this record and even their hits compilations. Actually, all the tunes on this album are pretty good, but I'd certainly recommend to anyone, if you care, to start with any of the other albums besides the "reunion" CD's, then pick those 2 up, then get the comps, then seek out the 70's boots like Record Plant 74 (the best Dan performance ever), and then get this. I wish I had bought "Katy Lied" before this. But any Steely Dan is irreplaceable.

AND...I DEFINITELY agree with the reviewer who asked why today's musicians can't record albums like these. No one can or will be able to touch Steely Dan.