After Steely Dan took a break in 1981, Fagan produced this, his first solo album, using many of the session musicians who had previously worked with the Dan, and ending up with a sound pretty much indistinguishable from what you'd have expected from the band at that point, possibly only a little more jazz influenced than if Becker had been involved.
I've known and enjoyed this album for decades, so it's a very familiar and welcome listen. It opens with the gloriously optimistic I.G.Y., a gently infectious tune of nostalgia, swinging the album into life. Green Flower Street is a little more uptempo, nice without really impressing, while Fagan's cover of Lieber and Stoller's Ruby Baby is a joy. Maxine, is a slower number, and for me the least interesting thing on the album, but it's followed by the fantastic New Frontier, another song of youthful optimism, as is the title track The Nightfly, a lovely song about Fagan's local radio station (WKAP, with jazz and conversation...) with another couple of bangers The Goodbye Look and Walk Between The Raindrops bringing the album to its conclusion.
And a great album it is, in my opinion, the equal of any Steely Dan album, and a real feel good vibe about it. Highly recommended.
4* -a definite must for Steely Dan fans, a lovely album
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