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Donald Fagen albums

Sunken Condos on now. I’m not the same without you is right up there with the best of Dan/Fagen tracks. As ever, super slick, exceptional production, all that can ever be expected of Donald Fagen.
 
I've got the Cisco copy of Aja and think it sounds very good although I lost my original copy long long time ago so nothing really to compare.

I too was not a massive fan of Aja when it first came out although I was a big Dan fan (still am). However, I've come to appreciate more and more over the years.
 
You can never have enough Dan or Fagen

https://www.flickr.com/photos/157649568@N06/49726262368/in/dateposted-public/

dateposted-public


dateposted-public


Sunken Condos missing from the picture because it was playing...
 
leroyd said:
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That was interesting. I’d very much like to stumble across a mint US first press or the Cisco. I have a very early UK copy with the orange label and ‘musical note’ ABC label, it has an //2 matrix and ‘RL’ scribed on side 1. I’m not sure if there is an earlier UK copy, I’ve certainly not seen one myself. On CD I have the Hoffman-mastered UK Nimbus MCA and an earlier Japan for USA 2A1 matrix copy, which sounds very similar. The UK vinyl sounds very similar to the Hoffman CD, so I don’t think it is a bad pressing, but I’d love to hear the US or Cisco if they have more punch/focus, that would be great. I’ve always felt Aja could do with more ‘punch’, certainly my UK MCA 1st press of Gaucho has more kick to it.

PS I have a couple of Cisco Blue Note pressings and they are very good. Thankfully neither has the inner sleeve issue he describes in the video (I went and checked!).
 
Tony L said:
I have a very early UK copy with the orange label and ‘musical note’ ABC label, it has an //2 matrix and ‘RL’ scribed on side 1. I’m not sure if there is an earlier UK copy, I’ve certainly not seen one myself.
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Mine was bought the week, if not the day of release, but I can't identify it on Discogs. It has the purple-to-orange label with ABCL5225 A-2 and B-2 in the runouts.
 
Marchbanks said:
Mine was bought the week, if not the day of release, but I can't identify it on Discogs. It has the purple-to-orange label with ABCL5225 A-2 and B-2 in the runouts.
Click to expand...

What is the ABC label logo like? Mine is this one and has //2 matrixes. There are a lot of variations with a record that sold as many as this one. As far as I’m aware all pressings on the purple to orange ABC label are pretty early as everything was MCA by the time Gaucho came out in 1980. Basically if you’ve got an ABC label, gatefold sleeve and printed inner with round-cut corners its within a year or two of release. What I’ve not been able to figure out is which label design came first between the ‘musical note’ I have and the ‘ABC Records’ with lines above and below. I’ve been keeping an eye out for the US AB cut for years now due to reading the Steve Hoffman forum, but I’ve had no luck yet. Surprisingly few US imports in the UK, I’d have expected it to end up in the ‘cutouts bins’ of the early ‘80s, but if so folk aren’t selling them!
 
Tony L said:
What is the ABC label logo like? ... Basically if you’ve got an ABC label, gatefold sleeve and printed inner with round-cut corners its within a year or two of release. What I’ve not been able to figure out is which label design came first between the ‘musical note’ I have and the ‘ABC Records’ with lines above and below.
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Yes, mine is all of those things, and the 'lines above and below' version. It includes 'Marketed by Anchor Records 1977' on the rear cover if that isn't on all versions.
 
Tony L said:
What is the ABC label logo like? Mine is this one and has //2 matrixes. There are a lot of variations with a record that sold as many as this one. As far as I’m aware all pressings on the purple to orange ABC label are pretty early as everything was MCA by the time Gaucho came out in 1980. Basically if you’ve got an ABC label, gatefold sleeve and printed inner with round-cut corners its within a year or two of release. What I’ve not been able to figure out is which label design came first between the ‘musical note’ I have and the ‘ABC Records’ with lines above and below. I’ve been keeping an eye out for the US AB cut for years now due to reading the Steve Hoffman forum, but I’ve had no luck yet. Surprisingly few US imports in the UK, I’d have expected it to end up in the ‘cutouts bins’ of the early ‘80s, but if so folk aren’t selling them!
Click to expand...

I had to buy the US first pressings from the States! Even with shipping they were readily available and reasonably priced.
 
Tony L said:
That was interesting. I’d very much like to stumble across a mint US first press or the Cisco. I have a very early UK copy with the orange label and ‘musical note’ ABC label, it has an //2 matrix and ‘RL’ scribed on side 1. I’m not sure if there is an earlier UK copy, I’ve certainly not seen one myself. On CD I have the Hoffman-mastered UK Nimbus MCA and an earlier Japan for USA 2A1 matrix copy, which sounds very similar. The UK vinyl sounds very similar to the Hoffman CD, so I don’t think it is a bad pressing, but I’d love to hear the US or Cisco if they have more punch/focus, that would be great. I’ve always felt Aja could do with more ‘punch’, certainly my UK MCA 1st press of Gaucho has more kick to it.

PS I have a couple of Cisco Blue Note pressings and they are very good. Thankfully neither has the inner sleeve issue he describes in the video (I went and checked!).
Click to expand...

I have the Cisco and I think the UK first press (I bought it the day of release if that’s any indicator)
 
Tony L said:
What is the ABC label logo like? Mine is this one and has //2 matrixes. There are a lot of variations with a record that sold as many as this one. As far as I’m aware all pressings on the purple to orange ABC label are pretty early as everything was MCA by the time Gaucho came out in 1980. Basically if you’ve got an ABC label, gatefold sleeve and printed inner with round-cut corners its within a year or two of release. What I’ve not been able to figure out is which label design came first between the ‘musical note’ I have and the ‘ABC Records’ with lines above and below. I’ve been keeping an eye out for the US AB cut for years now due to reading the Steve Hoffman forum, but I’ve had no luck yet. Surprisingly few US imports in the UK, I’d have expected it to end up in the ‘cutouts bins’ of the early ‘80s, but if so folk aren’t selling them!
Click to expand...
I have a copy of this, I bought is for £2, it is a little worn but plays well apart from one click. It doesn’t sound anywhere near as good as the recently purchased ‘back to black’ reissue I bought, just lacks punch.
 
These updates reminded me that I'm still waiting for my Cheap Xmas DF CD box set. Cheapest was Amazon. Just checked that delivery isn't until 1 May!

Will need to get on to my Steely CDs instead...
 
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