Pretzel Logic—Steely Dan/Analogue Productions UHQR 45 RPM vinyl reissue

This is the third Steely Dan album to receive the Analogue Productions/Chad Kassem/Bernie Grundman benediction. The first two were very successful and we reviewed both in Audiophilia. The recut of Can’t Buy A Thrill, Steely Dan’s hugely impressive debut album from 1972 was so good that I included it on our Audiophilia Dream List ©. Countdown to Ecstasy was also very fine, if slightly less so than Thrill. As expected in chronological order, the third Steely Dan album, Pretzel Logic was the next entry. Interestingly, Analogue Productions (AP) is ducking the fourth in line, Katy Lied, the red-headed DBX disaster stepchild of Steely Dan and releasing the superbly recorded Aja, an easy winner already treated to a fabulous recut (Cisco/Kevin Gray). We’ll see what the master cutter Grundman can do with Katy Lied.

Pretzel Logic receives the same visual treatment as the previous two. The large dowel case with lots of goodies inside, including two 45RPM discs made of Clarity vinyl, a note from Donald Fagan (I can’t call his mini note an essay or “liner notes’), technical info, and the most glorious Stoughton jacket.

The Pretzel Logic UHQR has had a torrent of “reviews”, video and written. As the vinyl resurgence has grown, so has the “vinyl community” online. Every Tom, Dick and Collector has an opinion. That should be a good thing, but:

1. Consider the source.

2. Understand when there’s whining to be done, there are none better than vinyl collectors. As such, ignore the constant nonsense about the “wasteful” box. Don’t like it? Put it in the cupboard and store the records in your Kallax in the beautiful jacket. Job done! As for sound? Coming up.

Out of the gate, the sound of this recut got a little internet kneecapping. No problem, it can take it. The record has received many pressings. But before we get to how I hear it, a little about original engineer Roger Nichols’ sound design and Steely Dan as a studio band. This was the album where Fagan and Becker parted company with Steely Dan as a touring, member band. Original members Denny Dias and others were not too happy about the dumping. Fagen and Becker wanted to experiment with some of the fantastic studio players available and did so. As the players grew in number (everyone knows how they produced their records), the recordings became more complex. And like using the DBX system on Katy Lied and the ingenue digital failure of Gaucho (saved to an almost perfect record by going a step back to analogue at the last minute), Nichols and the guys never met a new technology they didn’t like. There is a great video with Fagen and Becker discussing and demonstrating the recording of their giant hit “Peg”? You’ll see how they isolate and manipulate any number of tracks. But mixing them into a musical whole is another thing. This is where Nichols, much loved by the musicians, earned his keep.

I’ve always thought of my favourite band’s recordings as a little canned. Analogue sure, but everything is close-miked/mixed rather than an organic, Glyn Johns or Jimmy Page recording session. The “room” be damned. But it’s a sound as unique as the band. And suited to their musical style. Good so far.

So a 1974 Pitman ABC Pretzel Logic pressing can sound excellent, punchy, dynamic with timbres associated with a mic-up-the-arse technique. My Canadian pressing was quite good, but the last ounce of dynamism was missing. So, after his successes with the first two albums, I was intrigued to hear what Mr. Grundman could do with it.

Then came a professional review suggesting the top end was cut off, followed by a torrent of YouTubers banging on about the disappointing sound. Well, good for them. But my take is the UHQR Pretzel Logic is a success. And, typical of Grundman’s sensibilities, in some very musical ways.

Before the deeper analysis, let's get some frames of reference. The slide below is the vinyl system I use every day. It is wonderful and would playback the UHQR in its purest sense. No fudging the numbers. As for my ancient self, if I’m hearing above 15,000 Hz, that’s a good day.

Things begin brilliantly with Victor Feldman’s little solo warm-up noodle, definitely, a “turn mic on, capture everything just in case we can use it”, used just before the opening track “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number”. My experience has been that Feldman is having a little fun captured by the open mic and recut by Grundman. The sound is clinical but beautiful, with enough clarity to hear the difference between his eighth note triplets followed by his double time triplets (this time arpeggiated) with beautiful soft mallet rolls interspersed. He’s staking his claim in the warmup. I’m here and I'm ready to play, I mean really play, with you guys. Hey, we’ve all done it. The recording is so clear that the more percussive differences between Feldman’s normal marimba and the Flapamba played here are heard. Even with his soft head mallets. Hey Pretzel Logic recut, you had me at Flapamba!

And so it went, much like Thrill and Countdown with the primary improvements in the timbres of instruments; they can breathe and impress.

The layering of instruments is what I truly admire about Grundman’s recuts (I just received sealed copies of his 12-year-old recuts for ORG of two Kingsway Hall LSO Mendelssohn Londons that are remarkable for the instrumental layering and the exquisite timbres). Look, Grundman and the other deified cutters around do a good job and have ears and skills, but they’re shining on what the original engineer and producer created, a much different and more difficult proposition let alone the giant musical talents putting it on the line for posterity. As I said to our team, editing is easy, but writing is hard. Not that Mr. Grundman et al want the genuflection, they’re just solid pros, but that old vinyl community is consistent if anything. Either “it’s amazing, unreal” or it needs to go. Not much in between. It’s been the same for Pretzel Logic, a few outliers in the wilderness in a sea of negativity. I say take a listen for yourself.

“Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” will give a précis on what’s to come. Jim Gordon’s drums sound a little heftier than Nichols imagined. Fagen’s whine may be a tad attenuated compared to your favourite OG, but his unique phrasing is perfectly intact. Rhythm guitars sound tactile and beautiful and Jeff Baxter’s solo guitar shows his unique timbral contribution

Playing at a lower volume does seem to rob the propulsion and rhythmic drive. A little volume increase, and there it is back in full.

On all the songs, the multi-tracked voices (voicings) sound together and blend perfectly, especially on “Night by Night” (great 7ths and suspensions on the outro fade). When things get acoustic, like Dean Parks’ acoustic rhythm guitar strumming in the “Any Major Dude” intro, it is very beautiful and tactile but retains its main job, rhythm

I love “Barrytown”, its autobiographical feel and Fagen’s singing with its vague pitch and “sloppy” syncopation (hey, to me it’s perfect). Grundman allows its simple story and gives its interesting bridge full measure. Rich tones and a simple four-square rhythm.

“East St. Louis Toodle-Oo”, always a miss for me, is stunning in its interesting timbres on this pressing. Walter Becker played the melody via an effects unit (Talk Box) to imitate a trumpet. Jeff Baxter imitates Ellington’s original trombone solo on his pedal steel guitar. All the layers underneath the effects are as clear as a bell ending with a pretty lousy quality tam tam.

I would agree with some of the lack of treble energy on “Parker’s Band” but it soon sparkles up on the bridge. Turn it up and reclaim your birth right as a Steely Dan super fan. But even under the Grundman touch, it’s still difficult to decipher the three brilliant sax players’ lines in their outro solo.

For sure, I do feel some of the critical pain. Jimmie Haskell’s strings (especially violins) seem like an FM afterthought in sound and practice on “Through with Buzz” but the recording picks up immediately on the voice multitracking on “Pretzel Logic”. As such, is the release perfect? No. Is it Audiophilia Dream List material, no, but is it an improvement over the originals I’ve heard? I believe so.

Conclusion

A couple of folks I respect have been part of the Negative Nellie chorus. Sure, I’ve been there, done that. But I really feel that Logic is getting some short shrift. When I consider the sources and their serious reservations about the “rolled off treble” and lack of energy, punch, I take note. I don’t hear it. That doesn’t mean they’re wrong and I’m right, but I did hear things differently than the deluge of criticism and right from the opening notes. And certainly much better than the two pressings with which I’m familiar. As they say, YMMV. But if you’re a Pretzel Logic fan, you owe it to yourself to give this wonderful UHQR a listen on your system.