Sunken Condos

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]

Sunken Condos
Studio album by Donald Fagen
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
Morph the Cat (2006) Sunken Condos (2012)

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

Professional ratings

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)

1. "Slinky Thing" – 5:12
2. "I'm Not the Same Without You" – 4:31
3. "Memorabilia" – 4:14
4. "Weather in My Head" – 5:29
5. "The New Breed" – 4:35
6. "Out of the Ghetto" (Isaac Hayes) – 4:54
7. "Miss Marlene" – 4:43
8. "Good Stuff" – 4:54
9. "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

1. "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.
2. "Steely Dan's Donald Fagen Set to Release Fourth Solo Album, Sunken Condos". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
3. "After Steely Dan tour, Donald Fagen eyes another solo album next year". Northeast Ohio. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
4. "Song Premiere: Donald Fagen, 'I'm Not the Same Without You'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
5. "Japan Billboard Hot 100" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. October 24, 2012. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
6. "Official UK Albums Top 100". officialcharts.com.
7. "Billboard Chart - Donald Fagen". Billboard. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
8. "Sunken Condos by Donald Fagen reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
9. "Reviews for Sunken Condos by Donald Fagen". Metacritic. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
10. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Sunken Condos – Donald Fagen". AllMusic. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
11. 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.
12. Breen, Joe (October 19, 2012). "Donald Fagen". The Irish Times. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
13. "Donald Fagen: Sunken Condos". Mojo (229): 89. December 2012.
14. Christgau, Robert (November 13, 2012). "Taylor Swift/Donald Fagen". MSN Music. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
15. "Donald Fagen: Sunken Condos". Q (317): 104. December 2012.
16. Hermes, Will (October 16, 2012). "Sunken Condos". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
17. Lanthier, Joseph Jon (October 15, 2012). "Donald Fagen: Sunken Condos". Slant Magazine. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
18. Scoppa, Bud (October 23, 2012). "Donald Fagen – Sunken Condos". Uncut. Archived from the original on June 2, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
19. Gardner, Elysa (October 15, 2012). "Donald Fagen feels at home in 'Sunken Condos'". USA Today. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
20. "50 Best Albums of 2012: Donald Fagen, Sunken Condos". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
21. "50 Best Songs of 2012: Donald Fagen, "Weather in My Head"". Retrieved December 30, 2012.
22. Video on YouTube
23. Ragogna, Mike. "Sunken Condos: A Conversation with Donald Fagen & Michael Leonhart". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
24. Smith, Joan K. "Once Again, Donald Fagen Delivers". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2012-11-10.