| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Robert Christgau |  [2] |
| Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [3] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B-[4] |
| The Great Rock Discography | 7/10[5] |
| Los Angeles Times |  [6] |
| NME |   [7] |
| Q | [8] |
| Rolling Stone | [9] |
| Uncut | 8/10[10] |
Kamakiriad is the second solo album by Steely Dan artist Donald Fagen, released in 1993. It was his first collaboration since 1980 with Steely Dan partner Walter Becker, who played guitar and bass and produced the album. The album is a futuristic, optimistic eight-song cycle about the journey of the narrator in his high-tech car, the Kamakiri (Japanese for praying mantis). It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of the Year 1994.
Music videos were produced for "Tomorrow's Girls" (starring Rick Moranis) and "Snowbound" (using stop motion animation).
Fagen and Becker embarked on their first tour as Steely Dan since 1974 to support the album.
Track listing
All songs written by Donald Fagen, except where noted.
- "Trans-Island Skyway" – 6:30
- "Countermoon" – 5:05
- "Springtime" – 5:06
- "Snowbound" (Walter Becker, Fagen) – 7:08
- "Tomorrow's Girls" – 6:17
- "Florida Room" (Fagen, Libby Titus) – 6:02
- "On the Dunes" – 8:07
- "Teahouse on the Tracks" – 6:09
Bonus tracks, from The Nightfly Trilogy MVI boxed set
- "Big Noise, New York" – 5:21
- "Confide in Me" – 4:15
- "Blue Lou" – 7:01
- "Shanghai Confidential" – 4:54
Personnel
- Donald Fagen – keyboards, vocals
- Walter Becker – bass, lead guitar
- Randy Brecker – trumpet, flugelhorn
- Cornelius Bumpus – tenor saxophone
- Angela Clemmons-Patrick – background vocals
- Leroy Clouden – percussion, drums
- Ronnie Cuber – baritone saxophone
- Illinois Elohainu – tenor saxophone (a fictive musician, actually Fagen himself plays a saxophone sample on the keyboard)
- Lawrence Feldman – flute, tenor saxophone
- Frank Floyd – background vocals
- Diane Garisto – background vocals
- Paul Griffin – Hammond organ
- Amy Helm – background vocals
- Bashiri Johnson – percussion
- Birch Johnson – trombone
- Mindy Jostyn – background vocals
- Brenda King – background vocals
- Curtis King – background vocals
- Lou Marini – clarinet, flute, alto saxophone
- Dennis McDermott – drums
- Jenni Muldaur – background vocals
- Christopher Parker – drums
- Jim Pugh – trombone
- Tim Ries – tenor saxophone
- Roger Rosenberg – baritone saxophone
- Alan Rubin – trumpet, flugelhorn
- Catherine Russell – background vocals
- Dian Sorel – background vocals
- Fonzi Thornton – background vocals
- David Tofani – flute, tenor saxophone
- Georg Wadenius – guitar
Production
- Producer: Walter Becker
- Engineers: Phil Burnett, David Michael Dill, Tom Fritze, Andy Grassi, Troy Halderson, Bob Mitchel, John Neff, Roger Nichols, Dave Russell, Jay A. Ryan, Tony Volante, Wayne Yurgelun
- Mastering: Scott Hull, Glenn Meadows
- Sample editing: Craig Siegal
- Digital technician: Phil Burnett
- Digital delay: Craig Siegal
- Horn arrangements: Donald Fagen
- Rhythm arrangements: Donald Fagen
- Design: Carol Bobolts
- Photography: James Hamilton
- Liner notes: Donald Fagen, Tim White
Charts
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | The Billboard 200 | 10 |
| 1993 | UK Albums Chart | 3 |
| 1993[11] | Australia ARIA Charts | 80 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | "Tomorrow's Girls" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 20 |
References
- ^ "Allmusic review". Allmusic. All Media Guide. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
- ^ Robert Christgau review
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2002). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Virgin Books. ISBN 1-85227-923-0.
- ^ David Browne. Entertainment Weekly review May 28, 1993
- ^ Strong, Martin Charles (2002). "Steely Dan". The Great Rock Discography. The National Academies. ISBN 1-84195-312-1.
- ^ Los Angeles Times review
- ^ NME, 1993-05-29, p. 31
- ^ Q, July 1993, p. 86
- ^ "Rolling Stone Music | Album Reviews". Rollingstone.com. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
- ^ Uncut, "How to buy Donald Fagen", Jaan Uhelszki, December 2012
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.