The Darcys - Aja Review

'AJA' is the second in a trilogy of releases from Toronto art rock quartet The Darcys. Taking a song-for-song reinterpretation of the classic 1977 Steely Dan record, The Darcys have done a lot to modernized the sound of the originals, but may have dated themselves in the process.

The Darcys - AJA (2012) – 6.0 / 10.0

Release Date: Jan. 24, 2012  
Running Time: 43:57
Label: EMI
Genre: Post-Rock, Neo-Fusion
Drug of Choice: Hallucinogens, Ecstasy
Key Tracks:
"Peg"
"I Got The News"
"Josie"

Releasing a cover album is a sticky gamble. You are almost sure to upset diehard fans of the original record (regardless of how much you intended to honor it). Critics have a hard time discussing it without spending half of their time talking about someone else's record (just see below). Worst of all, you can run the chance of having your work written off as overly derivative or unimaginative. The Darcys took the gamble one step further. Not waiting until they were an established act like the Flaming Lips or the Dirty Projectors, The Darcy's have released their revamping of Steely Dan's Aja as only the second of their opening trilogy of LP's. I can't say much about the first two pitfalls of recording a cover record, but luckily this band has avoided the third. I can't see how anyone could characterize these arrangements as anything approaching unimaginative.

In a certain way AJA is a very faithful rendition of the original. Where Steely Dan was making their bread by fusing modern jazz and rock, The Darcys have applied that approach in 2012. The rock heavy version of "Home At Last" is fully in line with modern styles like those found in an Interpol or Arcade Fire record. The post-bop jazz percussion on "Peg" could be taken directly from a Bad Plus record. Flavored with elements of trip-hop and dream pop, The Darcy have done a lot to freshen up the sound of the very dated original. Of course, the problem with comparisons is that they don't always work in your favor.

The band's take on "Deacon Blues" leaves me longing for the lurching Donald Fagan vocal and piano. Furthermore, I worry that the up-to-date sounds on this reworking might only serve to date it just as badly as the original is now. That being said, this is a fun listen. The band's take on "Peg" and "Josie" are particularly good. The spacious cover of "Josie" is the strongest individual track here and will probably get more than a few listens from me in the future. It is enough to have me looking forward to the next Darcys album of originals, though AJA might stand as little more than a passing fancy.

Purchase The Darcys' AJA

Follow me on Twitter @ChrisBell81 and continue the conversation on Facebook.