Sunken Condos
| Sunken Condos | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 16, 2012 | |||
| Recorded | 2010-12 | |||
| Genre | Yacht rock, R&B | |||
| Length | 44:07 | |||
| Label | Reprise | |||
| Producer | Michael Leonhart, Donald Fagen | |||
| Donald Fagen chronology | ||||
| ||||
Sunken Condos is the fourth solo album from Steely Dan co-founder Donald Fagen, released in October 2012 through Reprise Records.[1] It contains eight new songs and a cover of Isaac Hayes' "Out of the Ghetto".[2] Fagen began recording the album in 2010 and described it as having a lighter feel than his earlier work, rather than being a continuation of his Nightfly trilogy.[3]
On September 17, Rolling Stone posted a full-length preview of the song "I'm Not the Same Without You".[4] The song charted at number 28 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 in October 2012.[5] It also entered the official UK album chart at number 23 on October 21 and number 12 on the Billboard 200, becoming his highest charting solo album since 1993.[6][7]
Critical response
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 7.6/10[8] |
| Metacritic | 82/100[9] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [10] |
| The Independent |  [11] |
| The Irish Times | [12] |
| Mojo | [13] |
| MSN Music (Expert Witness) | A−[14] |
| Q | [15] |
| Rolling Stone | [16] |
| Slant Magazine | [17] |
| Uncut | 9/10[18] |
| USA Today | [19] |
The album was listed at No. 25 on Rolling Stone's list of the top 50 albums of 2012. The magazine stated that "the music is deceitfully lush, a snazzy cascade of rock, R&B and swing, with production as costly as a Santa Monica beach house." [20] They also named the song "Weather in My Head" the 21st best song of 2012.[21]
Fagen appeared on Late Show with David Letterman and performed "Weather in My Head" to promote the album.[22]
Track listing
(All songs by Donald Fagen, except where noted)
- "Slinky Thing" – 5:12
- "I'm Not the Same Without You" – 4:31
- "Memorabilia" – 4:14
- "Weather in My Head" – 5:29
- "The New Breed" – 4:35
- "Out of the Ghetto" (Isaac Hayes) – 4:54
- "Miss Marlene" – 4:43
- "Good Stuff" – 4:54
- "Planet D'Rhonda" – 5:35
Personnel
- Donald Fagen – lead vocal, piano, Prophet 5, Wurlitzer, B3 organ, clavinet, melodica, background vocals
- Harlan Post (alias Donald Fagen)[23] – synth bass ("I'm Not the Same Without You", "The New Breed", "Miss Marlene", "Good Stuff")
- Michael Leonhart – trumpet, flugelhorn, mellophone, Fender Rhodes, minimoog, clavinet, L100 organ, M100 organ, Prophet 5, Wurlitzer, mellotron, Juno 6, accordion, vibraphone, percussion, glockenspiel, background vocals
- Earl Cooke Jr (alias Michael Leonhart)[24] – drums
- Jon Herington – acoustic bass, guitar, twelve-string guitar, rhythm guitar
- Walt Weiskopf – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, clarinet
- Charlie Pillow – tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, bass flute
- Roger Rosenberg – baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
- Jim Pugh – trombone
- Carolyn Leonhart – background vocals, ad lib
- Jamie Leonhart – background vocals
- Catherine Russell – background vocals
- Cindy Mizelle – background vocals
- Joe Martin – acoustic bass ("Slinky Thing")
- William Galison – harmonicas ("I'm Not the Same Without You", "The New Breed")
- Lincoln Schleifer – bass ("Memorabilia", "Weather in My Head", "Planet D'Rhonda")
- Gary Sieger – guitar ("Memorabilia")
- Larry Campbell – rhythm guitar ("Weather in My Head")
- Jay Leonhart – acoustic bass ("The New Breed")
- Freddie Washington – bass ("Out of the Ghetto")
- Antoine Silverman – violin ("Out of the Ghetto")
- Aaron Heicke – bass flute ("Miss Marlene")
- Kurt Rosenwinkel – solo guitar ("Planet D'Rhonda")
References
- ^ "Donald Fagen to Release Sunken Condos, October 16 on Reprise Records". Broadcast Newsroom. Archived from the original on 2012-10-14. Retrieved 2012-08-13.
- ^ "Steely Dan's Donald Fagen Set to Release Fourth Solo Album, Sunken Condos". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
- ^ "After Steely Dan tour, Donald Fagen eyes another solo album next year". Northeast Ohio. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
- ^ "Song Premiere: Donald Fagen, 'I'm Not the Same Without You'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
- ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. October 24, 2012. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
- ^ "Official UK Albums Top 100". officialcharts.com.
- ^ "Billboard Chart - Donald Fagen". Billboard. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
- ^ "Sunken Condos by Donald Fagen reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
- ^ "Reviews for Sunken Condos by Donald Fagen". Metacritic. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Sunken Condos – Donald Fagen". AllMusic. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- ^ Gill, Andy (October 13, 2012). "Album: Donald Fagen, Sunken Condos (Reprise)". The Independent. Archived from the original on October 11, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- ^ Breen, Joe (October 19, 2012). "Donald Fagen". The Irish Times. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
- ^ "Donald Fagen: Sunken Condos". Mojo (229): 89. December 2012.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (November 13, 2012). "Taylor Swift/Donald Fagen". MSN Music. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- ^ "Donald Fagen: Sunken Condos". Q (317): 104. December 2012.
- ^ Hermes, Will (October 16, 2012). "Sunken Condos". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- ^ Lanthier, Joseph Jon (October 15, 2012). "Donald Fagen: Sunken Condos". Slant Magazine. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- ^ Scoppa, Bud (October 23, 2012). "Donald Fagen – Sunken Condos". Uncut. Archived from the original on June 2, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- ^ Gardner, Elysa (October 15, 2012). "Donald Fagen feels at home in 'Sunken Condos'". USA Today. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
- ^ "50 Best Albums of 2012: Donald Fagen, Sunken Condos". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
- ^ "50 Best Songs of 2012: Donald Fagen, "Weather in My Head"". Retrieved December 30, 2012.
- ^ Video on YouTube
- ^ Ragogna, Mike. "Sunken Condos: A Conversation with Donald Fagen & Michael Leonhart". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
- ^ Smith, Joan K. "Once Again, Donald Fagen Delivers". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2012-11-10.