Kamakiriad

Description

Kamakiriad is the second solo album by Steely Dan singer Donald Fagen, released in May 25, 1993 by Release. It was his first collaboration since 1980 with Steely Dan partner Walter Becker, who 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 in 1993.

The album follows a lengthy writer’s block for Fagen; the songs are based on personal observations about middle age (as 1982’s The Nightfly is lyrically described as fantasies of Fagen’s youth and 2006’s Morph the Cat ruminations of old age and death).

Music videos were produced for “Tomorrow’s Girls” (starring Rick Moranis) and “Snowbound” (using stop motion animation).

Fagen and Becker would embark on their first tour as Steely Dan since 1974 to support the album, leading gradually to a permanent reunion.