Rating: Summary: 5 Star Pan of Dan Fan Release? Review: I Love this DVD, but it MAY NOT be what you're looking for. Last I checked "FM" was on "FM" (The Soundtrack) and "Pretzel Logic" on ... you guessed it: Pretzel Logic. SO, why are THOSE songs on THIS DVD? Well sir, it's a LIVE (smallish venue type) CONCERT DVD with stunning performances from the fellas. They're accompanied by a stellar band. It shows these two guys COULD'VE played guitar and piano themselves on all those tracks from the 1970s, too. (Would that have been too cost efficient and easy?) In between tunes, there are funny exclusive (and elusive) interviews with Don & Wally. (Yeah, we're on a first name basis. Whenever, I decide to take the Lear to the lovely Hawaiian Island Kahoolawe, I crash at Walter's Jazzy "Mellow Pad." Anyone catching the obscure WWII and Stuart Davis references qualify to win my Dennis Miller NO PRIZE, babe.) Let me sum some. For the die hard Dan Fan, this is a MUST have. If you just want "Two Against Nature" in studio form, go elsewhere. There! I've reduced AMAZON DVD returns and enlightened simultaneously. ...
Rating: Summary: Can I please have a MUSIC ONLY version of this!!? Review: Damn I hate intermixed interviews. I sent this DVD back because there was no way to just listen to the music and ignore all the chatter. After you've heard the chatter once, you never want to hear it again.
Rating: Summary: Great Band, Not So Great DVD Review: First off let me say that I am a huge Steely Dan fan so I really anticipated enjoying this DVD. The song performances are all first rate and some like the final track (Pretzel Logic) are outstanding, but despite this Two Against Nature is not a compelling DVD purchase.The band does not put on a very visually oriented performance (but I already knew that, I'm more interested in great music anyway) which works against the DVD medium. The problem with this package is that it fails to take advantage of the DVD format. There is no way to eliminate the interviews between cuts without hitting the remote so you're out of luck if you just want to watch the show. Also, there are no lyrics or other added features which frequently enhance DVD's. Other than superior sound and images this could have been released on videotape with little loss of functionality. Bottom line: When I want to enjoy their music I'm more likely to turn to my CDs than this DVD.
Rating: Summary: Truly enjoyable Review: I've seen both spectra of the reviews on this DVD. I throughly enjoyed it. Fagan and Becker were comedic in their sort of "intermission interviews" as well as the members of the band members (and others) that they spoke with. Musically, it was precise and the songs have an element of humor. This is one of my "best" music concert videos. I didn't feel the short interviews detracted from the content and appreciated them. There's always "next chapter" buttons if it's not for you. However, it was my experience that it was precise New York style jazz/rock and the efforts of Fagan and Becker were very apparant. They are perfectionists with their music and yet have a definite sense of wit. Enjoy it. I have several times so far.
Rating: Summary: Disappointing Review: Boring visually and sonically. This comes from a Steely Dan fan.
Rating: Summary: Another Concert DVD Ruined By Interruption. Review: CONCERT INTERRUPTUS- The senseless interruption of a quality concert performance on DVD with silly interviews and clips rendering the dvd to the quality of a tv show. If you are looking for the "live concert" feel, forget this title. Hopefully in the future, producers of concert DVDs will wake up and stop the butchering of these shows and include the "extras" in a separate section of the disc. "TWO AGAINST NATURE" could have been a great addition to my collection of "live" shows but I'll probably give it to a friend. By the way.....the sound quality was incredible and the camera work was pretty good too.
Rating: Summary: This DVD is unwatchable Review: The concert portions of this DVD are absolutely 1st rate. The camera work is excellent, and in DTS mode the sound is incredible. The band is extremely tight. This could have been one if the best concert DVD's I own. (And most of the DVD's I own are music DVD's and concert's.) They cover all of their really great works. If this DVD just played the concert strait through I would have rated it 5 instead of a 1. Unfortunately the layout of the DVD is such that it is unwatchable. They took interviews with band members and stuffed them in between each of the songs. What should be in the "Extra's" section of the DVD to be watched when you want is instead crammed down your throat every time you try to watch this DVD. I hope that no band ever uses this format again.
Rating: Summary: Astonishing, Awesome, Amazing Review: If you're a Steely Dan fan you absolutely must see or own this DVD. I saw one of their early and very rare live performances while an undergrad at UC Irvine. It was given in Crawford Hall, a small gym (1 full basketball court) with a stage along the length of one side. This must have been in the early '70s and the sound system was simply not up to the task of dealing with the mass of humanity on the stage. Steely Dan's studio recordings are meticulously produced but it's realtively easy to produce near-perfect performances in the studio. What I have always wondered is "how good are these guys, really?" This DVD answers my question once and for all - they are among the best players and performers on the planet. If you're waiting for Steely Dan to appear in a small club in your neighborhood get this DVD instead because it's the next best thing and you'll probably get hit by lightning first.
Rating: Summary: A stonker for Dan fans Review: This DVD is for Dan Fans - tracks are... Green Earings Cousin Dupree Bad Sneakers Janie Runaway Josie FM Gaslighting Abbie Black Friday Babylon Sisters Kid Charlamane Jack of Speed Peg What a shame about Me Pretzel Logic The production quality and sound through a good system is superb and if you like the Dan you will truly love this DVD. They should have cut the DVD to allow the tracks to be played with out the between track dialogue - after a few playings these get tedious. The Dan are pure technicians and for fans it'll be brain fry stuff, for non fans not so sure. In addition to the redoubtable Fagen/ Becker duo notable performances are by Cornelius (brain fry) Bumpass on the Sax -, Ricky (in awe) Lawson on the Drums, Jon (pure technician) Harrington all 3 are nothing less than amazing. If you are reading this the balance of probability is that it will work for you.
Rating: Summary: Great musicianship. Give the audio and video a break! Review: Audiophiles and videophiles aside (Geez, don't you people appreciate the actual music performed?). From the opening "Green Earrings" I'm sure most musicians will agree at the fantastic presentation of the charts performed by the SD crew. The imaginative and inventive guitar licks from John Herington (Green Earrings, Kid Charlamagne, Peg, Jack of Speed), to the top-notch tasty and biting sax solos of Cornelius Bumpus (Green Earrings & FM) and Chris Potter. The mellow but hard blowing presentation from Jim Pugh (former Herman Herd alumni)on Babylon Sisters, and Ted Baker's "jazz piano" solo on Green Earrings. This is the kind of great music you'd expect from the Steely band. The backup singers add lots of flavor to the music. I especially love Victoria Cave's be-bopping scat with the bass. Ricky Lawson and Tom Barney really laying down the rhythm on all numbers (and really digging it in the process). And the great horn arranging of Michael Leonhart rounds out this fantastic band showcase. Oh, did I forget the two great co-leaders? Donald Fagen and Walter Becker are absolutely dry and hilarious during the interviews. Oh yeah, and they also play some mean axes!
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