Steely Dan or Sade?

Dan has better lyrics

― the alternate vision continues his vision quest! (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 13 July 2012 22:17 (10 months ago) Permalink

SD has better and more interesting arrangements, better lyrics, better playing, draws from more musical styles.
Sade has better singing.

― second dullest ILXor since 1929 (snoball), Friday, 13 July 2012 22:20 (10 months ago) Permalink

more crit-friendly, it's true xp

― Misc. Carnivora (Matt P), Friday, 13 July 2012 22:22 (10 months ago) Permalink

i love sade, but c;mon!

― Iago Galdston, Friday, 13 July 2012 22:27 (10 months ago) Permalink

i wish becker/fagen would write an album for sade with really perverse lyrics

― Iago Galdston, Friday, 13 July 2012 22:28 (10 months ago) Permalink

sade's singing is amazing but imo the arrangements, playing, even the lyrics are on par with steely dan, just different, more subtle and face-value at the same time somehow. anyway, equally sophisticated. plus i get more pleasure out of listening to sade than sd these days. i mean, steely dan are all time, don't get me wrong.

xp perversity is overrated

― Misc. Carnivora (Matt P), Friday, 13 July 2012 22:34 (10 months ago) Permalink

i like the way sade approach darker themes, tempted to say it feels more adult than sd but that's not really true

― Misc. Carnivora (Matt P), Friday, 13 July 2012 22:38 (10 months ago) Permalink

perversity ain't overrated when it's done well, a la becker/fagen (or burroughs, genet, etc, etc)

― Iago Galdston, Friday, 13 July 2012 23:05 (10 months ago) Permalink

both are terrible, and my idea of hell is being trapped in a room where the DJ is playing only sade and steely dan.

― Poliopolice, Friday, 13 July 2012 23:12 (10 months ago) Permalink

no dis against sade, but the answer is dan dan dan

― ostrich tuning (get bent), Friday, 13 July 2012 23:12 (10 months ago) Permalink

although it's dan dan mian if we're talking about food

― ostrich tuning (get bent), Friday, 13 July 2012 23:13 (10 months ago) Permalink

mods please note my flag

― omar little, Saturday, 14 July 2012 00:52 (10 months ago) Permalink

difficult choice since sade is oft my jam but dan 4ever

― omar little, Saturday, 14 July 2012 00:52 (10 months ago) Permalink

I love Sade but I don't know that she's really a great singer - she has a thing she does that's really effective but isn't her range p limited? I don't know I think her nearest 70s analogue is Roxy Music

― perry en concrète (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Saturday, 14 July 2012 04:39 (10 months ago) Permalink

oh my god SADE

― Team Safeword (Abbbottt), Saturday, 14 July 2012 04:47 (10 months ago) Permalink

Steely Dan I only got into because a friend sang "Deacon Blues" in a really ridiculous way at karaoke. Sade is gut level sensual and gorgeous, beyond words. Dan's best thing is that some of the lyrics and songs are fun to ponder.

― Team Safeword (Abbbottt), Saturday, 14 July 2012 04:51 (10 months ago) Permalink

Sade is gut level sensual and gorgeous, beyond words.

― Team Safeword (Abbbottt), Saturday, July 14, 2012 4:51 AM (5 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

^^^^^^^^yes

― bitch I'm on the 242 (lex pretend), Saturday, 14 July 2012 10:00 (10 months ago) Permalink

sade is like...pinnacle-of-human-achievement amazing

― bitch I'm on the 242 (lex pretend), Saturday, 14 July 2012 10:00 (10 months ago) Permalink

As taking sides go this one seems unusually cruel.

― Tim F, Saturday, 14 July 2012 16:17 (10 months ago) Permalink

i understand and agree w/ abbs/lex on sade's visceral appeal (which isn't to reciprocally diminish her other qualities), but the dan probably has more songs i love. no loser here

― k3vin k., Saturday, 14 July 2012 16:25 (10 months ago) Permalink

Steely Dan, for all that they did in the '70s (don't know much beyond)--and the gap is as wide for me as Taxi Driver vs. The Departed.

― clemenza, Saturday, 14 July 2012 16:39 (10 months ago) Permalink

this is like comparing Tom Petty and Dylan

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 14 July 2012 16:41 (10 months ago) Permalink

I love Sade but I don't know that she's really a great singer - she has a thing she does that's really effective but isn't her range p limited? I don't know I think her nearest 70s analogue is Roxy Music

― perry en concrète (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Friday, July 13, 2012 9:39 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I was just thinking this yesterday! superficially she has a particular territory, but once you let yourself inside it just opens up into something really big. i mean you can say like "relationships and love" is limited as a topic but then sade just creates this amazing world out of it in such an off-hand fashion. i feel the same way about bryan ferry and roxy music.

― Misc. Carnivora (Matt P), Saturday, 14 July 2012 16:57 (10 months ago) Permalink

sade vs rm would be another "fun" poll or maybe love deluxe vs. avalon.

― Misc. Carnivora (Matt P), Saturday, 14 July 2012 17:02 (10 months ago) Permalink

i do feel like there are diminishing returns after love deluxe with sade atm

― Misc. Carnivora (Matt P), Saturday, 14 July 2012 17:04 (10 months ago) Permalink

this is like comparing Tom Petty and Dylan

really? i mean Tom would never exist sans the Bob, but i don't see or hear a real relation between Sade and SD....unless we're only talking Aja-era and disregarding all of the Dan's early records
xpost

― making plans for nyquil (outdoor_miner), Saturday, 14 July 2012 17:05 (10 months ago) Permalink

I listen to Steely Dan way more than I listen to Sade (like, once a week vs. maybe twice a year), but Sade (which is a band) have never made a bad album, whereas I don't like anything Steely Dan have done post-Gaucho. Plus, Sade on the Love Deluxe tour in '92 was one of the greatest concert experiences of my life. Very tough choice here.

― 誤訳侮辱, Saturday, 14 July 2012 17:22 (10 months ago) Permalink

superficially she has a particular territory, but once you let yourself inside it just opens up into something really big.

oh I agree - I love Sade except for the most recent album, which I didn't love - but she's more a stylist than a singer

― perry en concrète (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Saturday, 14 July 2012 17:30 (10 months ago) Permalink

I vote steely dan like teachers union members vote democrat

― wack nerd zinging in the dead of night (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Saturday, 14 July 2012 19:27 (10 months ago) Permalink

i do feel like there are diminishing returns after love deluxe with sade atm

lovers rock is killer if a little more tranquil and unobtrusive than the rest of their catalog

― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Saturday, 14 July 2012 19:41 (10 months ago) Permalink

yeah I put lovers rock up there with the best - tremendous record

― perry en concrète (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Saturday, 14 July 2012 19:42 (10 months ago) Permalink

This thread makes a good case for reinstating the Suggest Ban.

― chain the color of am0n (The Reverend), Sunday, 15 July 2012 00:17 (10 months ago) Permalink

serious q, does Sade have any songs that aren't in 4/4? I assume there are a couple in 6/8 but I'm drawing a blank

― perry en concrète (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Sunday, 15 July 2012 00:52 (10 months ago) Permalink

Rev is otm if only to say FucK tha Police

― warring hardens (loves laboured breathing), Sunday, 15 July 2012 02:25 (10 months ago) Permalink

Can we have a rule that you're only allowed to vote in this if you're on the record as loving both bands? I don't want the poll to be hijacked by terrorists.

― Tim F, Sunday, 15 July 2012 05:11 (10 months ago) Permalink

That rule would be a little late.

― Vic Perry, Sunday, 15 July 2012 05:24 (10 months ago) Permalink

i love both of these bands but i gotta vote steely dan for real

― me so fat (strongo hulkington's ghost dad), Sunday, 15 July 2012 06:27 (10 months ago) Permalink

xpost "Sweetest Taboo" is not 4/4, is it?

― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 15 July 2012 13:49 (10 months ago) Permalink

Love is King is 6/8. So is Is It a Crime. I'm sure there are others. But yeah, except when she goes all cosmo pop like on "Taboo," it's so smooth it may as well be 4/4. No tricky change ups, like the Dan does.

― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 15 July 2012 13:52 (10 months ago) Permalink

Lovers Rock is my favourite album by either artist, so, Sade

― Ówen P., Sunday, 15 July 2012 14:00 (10 months ago) Permalink

I was going to vote Sade mostly bcz of "Doomsday" and to counter established Dan worship

― warring hardens (loves laboured breathing), Sunday, 15 July 2012 14:31 (10 months ago) Permalink

In that case i will vote Dan bcz of "Gas Drawls"!

― dsb, Sunday, 15 July 2012 15:24 (10 months ago) Permalink

A friend and I were talking a few minutes ago about how easily you could swap Beth Gibbons for Sade; it's easy to imagine Sade singing "Sour Times" or "Machine Gun."

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 15 July 2012 15:33 (10 months ago) Permalink

Sade would kill those songs in the most incredible way. She'd also do great on Massive Attack's Liz Fraser stuff.

― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 15 July 2012 15:39 (10 months ago) Permalink

guys what if we could get Sade to do "Kid Charlemagne" at about 3/4 speed

think about it oh my fuckin God you guys

― perry en concrète (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Sunday, 15 July 2012 15:48 (10 months ago) Permalink

I'd love to hear Sade do "The Fez" at half speed.

― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 15 July 2012 15:51 (10 months ago) Permalink

no -- "Haitian Divorce"

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 15 July 2012 15:52 (10 months ago) Permalink

Ha, I've never heard this:

― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 15 July 2012 15:57 (10 months ago) Permalink

the royal scam as performed by sade

― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Sunday, 15 July 2012 21:17 (10 months ago) Permalink

i like more steely dan songs, but i like sade songs more

― contenderizer, Sunday, 15 July 2012 21:25 (10 months ago) Permalink

^ so sade

― contenderizer, Sunday, 15 July 2012 21:25 (10 months ago) Permalink

"I Know Where It's At" was one of my favourite songs of its year--either one of them or all but one of them is Canadian. Didn't clue into the Steely Dan sample.

― clemenza, Sunday, 15 July 2012 22:26 (10 months ago) Permalink

wow had no idea about the all saints sampling either until now, and have heard both tracks a thousand times. its also fun to play Show Biz Kids for loser non-Dan fan indie kids and they get all weirded out when the obvious line comes in.

― Jamie_ATP, Sunday, 15 July 2012 22:49 (10 months ago) Permalink

did some indie band bite "Show Biz Kids" at some point? I missed that

― perry en concrète (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Sunday, 15 July 2012 23:19 (10 months ago) Permalink

In the best possible way!

― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 15 July 2012 23:26 (10 months ago) Permalink

"Sweetest Taboo" is 4/4 just v syncopated, the sixteenths notes are broken into groups of something like 3-3-4-2-2-2 instead of 4-4-4-4. "Haunt Me" is another 6/8 one tho. Not sure what this has to do with anything other than muso nerdery tho.

― chain the color of am0n (The Reverend), Sunday, 15 July 2012 23:59 (10 months ago) Permalink

I think you hit it right on the head, actually

btw this is practically impossible for me to make a decision on

― I see you, Pineapple Teef (DJP), Monday, 16 July 2012 00:01 (10 months ago) Permalink

just points of comparison - one thing about Steely Dan is that they are heavy musos, and as we know, musos love to mix up time signatures.

― perry en concrète (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Monday, 16 July 2012 00:02 (10 months ago) Permalink

perhaps rush should have been an option here too

― mookieproof, Monday, 16 July 2012 00:05 (10 months ago) Permalink

that super furry panda bear or whatever is unlistenable

― Iago Galdston, Monday, 16 July 2012 00:15 (10 months ago) Permalink

i couldn't make it much past the sample of the other one...crazy kids!

― Iago Galdston, Monday, 16 July 2012 00:16 (10 months ago) Permalink

Wouldn't "Sweetest Taboo" be 8/8? Still syncopated into various patterns, but it takes 8 counts each time to resolve the main bit.

Steely Dan were musos, but I don't recall too many out-there time signatures. Now, weird chords, yeah, and crazy flourishes, but they don't get all proggy.

― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 16 July 2012 00:18 (10 months ago) Permalink

xpost The joke of the SFA song is that once it hits that bit it just stays on that bit. Live they'd do it epic, and it was hilarious. Often in ape suits.

― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 16 July 2012 00:19 (10 months ago) Permalink

Sorry, yeti suits.

― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 16 July 2012 00:23 (10 months ago) Permalink

Jesus Dan no contest wtf poll? Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb

― President Keyes, Monday, 16 July 2012 00:37 (10 months ago) Permalink

Wow ILX Steely Dan polls are the most tedious things on the Internet

― the Notorious B1G1 (loves laboured breathing), Monday, 16 July 2012 00:50 (10 months ago) Permalink

(Meant to qualify that 'most tedious' claim w the words 'some of' to make it slightly less dickish. Sorry.)

― the Notorious B1G1 (loves laboured breathing), Monday, 16 July 2012 00:52 (10 months ago) Permalink

Wow ILX Steely Dan polls are the most tedious things on the Internet

― the Notorious B1G1 (loves laboured breathing), Sunday, July 15, 2012 5:50 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

^^^^

― chain the color of am0n (The Reverend), Monday, 16 July 2012 00:59 (10 months ago) Permalink

Pronounced Shar-Day Dan

― calstars, Monday, 16 July 2012 01:23 (10 months ago) Permalink

Steely Dan were musos, but I don't recall too many out-there time signatures.

not for full songs but in bridges & choruses - switch-ups (Your Gold Teeth II is the one that comes to mind first but I'm sure there's plenty others). But yeah no they're not like Zappa or your standard 4's-for-squares guitar-academy dudes - they're would-be jazzbos

― perry en concrète (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Monday, 16 July 2012 01:28 (10 months ago) Permalink

Yeah they did a lot of fancy time signature stuff during "transitions" and intros ("bad sneakers" intro for ex.) or just jumping back between 4/4 and 6/8 like the prechorus of kid Charlemagne.

― windjammer voyage (blank), Monday, 16 July 2012 08:00 (10 months ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

― System, Tuesday, 31 July 2012 00:01 (9 months ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

― System, Wednesday, 1 August 2012 00:01 (9 months ago) Permalink

feelin like the Incredible Hulk right now

― REV LION (The Reverend), Wednesday, 1 August 2012 01:48 (9 months ago) Permalink

green?

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 1 August 2012 01:54 (9 months ago) Permalink

maybe listen to some Steely Dan to mellow out

― steven fucking tyler (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Wednesday, 1 August 2012 01:57 (9 months ago) Permalink