Steely Dan: Studio Discography (1972-2003) [Non-Remasters]

Most rock & roll bands are a tightly wound unit that developed their music through years of playing in garages and clubs around their hometown. Steely Dan never subscribed to that aesthetic. As the vehicle for the songwriting of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, Steely Dan defied all rock & roll conventions. Becker and Fagen never truly enjoyed rock – with their ironic humor and cryptic lyrics, their eclectic body of work shows some debt to Bob Dylan – preferring jazz, traditional pop, blues, and R&B. Steely Dan created a sophisticated, distinctive sound with accessible melodic hooks, complex harmonies and time signatures, and a devotion to the recording studio. With producer Gary Katz, Becker and Fagen gradually changed Steely Dan from a performing band to a studio project, hiring professional musicians to record their compositions. Though the band didn't perform live after 1974, Steely Dan's popularity continued to grow throughout the decade, as their albums became critical favorites and their singles became staples of AOR and pop radio stations. Even after the group disbanded in the early '80s, their records retained a cult following, as proven by the massive success of their unlikely return to the stage in the early '90s.

Walter Becker (bass) and Donald Fagen (vocals, keyboards) were the core members of Steely Dan throughout its variety of incarnations. The two met at Bard College in New York in 1967 and began playing in bands together shortly afterward. The duo played in a number of groups – including the Bad Rock Group, which featured future comedic actor Chevy Chase on drums – which ranged from jazz to progressive rock. Eventually, Becker and Fagen began composing songs together, hoping to become professional songwriters in the tradition of the Brill Building. In 1970, the pair joined Jay & the Americans' backing band, performing under pseudonyms; Becker chose Gustav Mahler, while Fagen used Tristan Fabriani. They stayed with Jay & the Americans until halfway through 1971, when they recorded the soundtrack for the low-budget film You Gotta Walk It Like You Talk It, which was produced by the Americans' Kenny Vance. Following the recording of the soundtrack, Becker and Fagen attempted to start a band with Denny Dias, but the venture was unsuccessful. Barbra Streisand recorded the Fagen/Becker composition ‘I Mean to Shine’ on her album Barbra Joan Streisand, released in August 1971, and the duo met producer Gary Katz, who hired them as staff songwriters for ABC/Dunhill in Los Angeles, where he had just become a staff producer. Katz suggested that Becker and Fagen form a band as a way to record their songs, and Steely Dan – who took their name from a dildo in William Burroughs' Naked Lunch – was formed shortly afterward.

×

Steely Dan: Studio Discography (1972-2003) [Non-Remasters]

Close

Recruiting guitarists Denny Dias and Skunk Baxter, drummer Jim Hodder, and keyboardist/vocalist David Palmer, Becker and Fagen officially formed Steely Dan in 1972, releasing their debut, Can't Buy a Thrill, shortly afterward. Palmer and Fagen shared lead vocals on the album, but the record's two hit singles – the Top Ten "Do It Again" and "Reeling in the Years" – were sung by Fagen. Can't Buy a Thrill was a critical and commercial success, but its supporting tour was a disaster, hampered by an under-rehearsed band and unappreciative audiences. Palmer left the band following the tour. Countdown to Ecstasy, released in 1973, was a critical hit, but it failed to generate a hit single, even though the band supported it with a tour.

Steely Dan replaced Hodder with Jeff Porcaro and added keyboardist/backup vocalist Michael McDonald prior to recording their third album, Pretzel Logic. Released in the spring of 1974, Pretzel Logic returned Steely Dan to the Top Ten on the strength of the single "Rikki Don't Lose That Number." After completing the supporting tour for Pretzel Logic, Becker and Fagen decided to retire from live performances and make Steely Dan a studio-based band. For their next album, 1975's Katy Lied, the duo hired a variety of studio musicians – including Dias, Porcaro, guitarist Elliot Randall, saxophonists Phil Woods, bassist Wilton Felder, percussionist Victor Feldman, keyboardist Michael Omartian, and guitarist Larry Carlton – as supporting musicians. Katy Lied was another hit, as was 1976's The Royal Scam, which continued in the vein of its predecessor. On 1977's Aja, Steely Dan's sound became more polished and jazzy, as they hired jazz fusion artists like Wayne Shorter, Lee Ritenour, and the Crusaders as support. Aja became their biggest hit, reaching the Top Five within three weeks of release and becoming one of the first albums to be certified platinum. Aja also gained the respect of many jazz musicians, as evidenced by Woody Herman recording an album of Becker/Fagen songs in 1978.

Following the release of Aja, ABC was bought out by MCA Records, resulting in a contractual dispute with the label that delayed until 1980 the release of their follow-up album. During the interim, the group had a hit with the theme song for the film FM in 1978. Steely Dan finally released Gaucho, the follow-up to Aja, in late 1980, and it became another Top Ten hit for the group. During the summer of 1981, Becker and Fagen announced that they were parting ways. The following year, Fagen released his solo debut, The Nightfly, which became a critical and commercial hit.

Fagen didn't record another album until 1993, when he reunited with Becker, who produced Kamakiriad. The album was promoted by the first Steely Dan tour in nearly 20 years, and while the record failed to sell, the concerts were very popular. In 1994, Becker released his solo debut, 11 Tracks of Whack, which was produced by Fagen. The following year, Steely Dan mounted another reunion tour, and in early 2000 the duo issued Two Against Nature, their first new studio album in two decades. It won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Steely Dan followed it in 2003 with Everything Must Go. Fagan’s solo album Morph the Cat was released in 2006, and Becker released Circus Money in 2008 as Steely Dan embarked on another tour.

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Walter Becker and Donald Fagen were remarkable craftsmen from the start, as Steely Dan's debut, Can't Buy a Thrill, illustrates. Each song is tightly constructed, with interlocking chords and gracefully interwoven melodies, buoyed by clever, cryptic lyrics. All of these are hallmarks of Steely Dan's signature sound, but what is most remarkable about the record is the way it differs from their later albums. Of course, one of the most notable differences is the presence of vocalist David Palmer, a professional blue-eyed soul vocalist who oversings the handful of tracks where he takes the lead. Palmer's very presence signals the one major flaw with the album – in an attempt to appeal to a wide audience, Becker and Fagen tempered their wildest impulses with mainstream pop techniques. Consequently, there are very few of the jazz flourishes that came to distinguish their albums – the breakthrough single, "Do It Again," does work an impressively tight Latin jazz beat, and "Reelin' in the Years" has jazzy guitar solos and harmonies – and the production is overly polished, conforming to all the conventions of early-'70s radio. Of course, that gives these decidedly twisted songs a subversive edge, but compositionally, these aren't as innovative as their later work. Even so, the best moments ("Dirty Work," "Kings," "Midnight Cruiser," "Turn That Heartbeat Over Again") are wonderful pop songs that subvert traditional conventions and more than foreshadow the paths Steely Dan would later take.

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracklist:

01. Do It Again 5:55
02. Dirty Work 3:09
03. Kings 3:47
04. Midnite Cruiser 4:09
05. Only A Fool Would Say That 2:57
06. Reelin' In The Years 4:34
07. Fire In The Hole 3:27
08. Brooklyn 4:21
09. Change Of The Guard 3:36
10. Turn That Heartbeat Over Again 5:00

Credits:

Donald Fagen - acoustic and electric pianos, plastic organ, lead vocals (except on "Dirty Work", "Midnite Cruiser", and "Brooklyn"), backing vocals
Walter Becker - electric bass, backing vocals, dual lead vocal on "Turn That Heartbeat Over Again"
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter - guitar, pedal steel guitar, spoken word on "Only a Fool Would Say That"
Denny Dias - guitar, electric sitar
Jim Hodder - drums, percussion, lead vocal on "Midnite Cruiser", backing vocals
David Palmer - lead vocals on "Dirty Work" and "Brooklyn", backing vocals

Elliott Randall - guitar
Jerome Richardson - tenor saxophone
Snooky Young - flugelhorn
Victor Feldman - percussion
Venetta Fields - backing vocals on "Brooklyn" and "Kings"
Clydie King - backing vocals on "Brooklyn" and "Kings"
Sherlie Matthews - backing vocals on "Brooklyn" and "Kings"

Produced by Gary Katz

Can't Buy a Thrill became an unexpected hit, and as a response, Donald Fagen became the group's full-time lead vocalist, and he and Walter Becker acted like Steely Dan was a rock & roll band for the group's second album, Countdown to Ecstasy. The loud guitars and pronounced backbeat of "Bodhisattva," "Show Biz Kids," and "My Old School" camouflage the fact that Countdown is a riskier album, musically speaking, than its predecessor. Each of its eight songs have sophisticated, jazz-inflected interludes, and apart from the bluesy vamps "Bodhisattva" and "Show Biz Kids," which sound like they were written for the stage, the songs are subtly textured. "Razor Boy," with its murmuring vibes, and the hard bop tribute "Your Gold Teeth" reveal Becker and Fagen's jazz roots, while the country-flavored "Pearl of the Quarter" and the ominous, skittering "King of the World" are both overlooked gems. Countdown to Ecstasy is the only time Steely Dan played it relatively straight, and its eight songs are rich with either musical or lyrical detail that their album rock or art rock contemporaries couldn't hope to match.

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracklist:

01. Bodhisattva 5:20
02. Razor Boy 3:11
03. The Boston Rag 5:40
04. Your Gold Teeth 7:02
05. Show Biz Kids 5:25
06. My Old School 5:47
07. Pearl Of The Quarter 3:50
08. King Of The World 5:03

Credits:

Donald Fagen – acoustic and electric pianos, synthesizer, lead vocals
Walter Becker – electric bass, harmonica, background vocals
Denny Dias – electric guitar, Stereo Mixmaster General
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter – electric and pedal steel guitars
Jim Hodder – drums, percussion, background vocals

Ray Brown – string bass on "Razor Boy"
Ben Benay – acoustic guitar
Rick Derringer – slide guitar on "Show Biz Kids"
Victor Feldman – vibraphone, marimba, percussion
Ernie Watts – saxophone on "My Old School"
Johnny Rotella – saxophone on "My Old School"
Lanny Morgan – saxophone on "My Old School"
Bill Perkins – saxophone on "My Old School"
Sherlie Matthews – background vocals
Myrna Matthews – background vocals
Patricia Hall – background vocals
David Palmer – background vocals
Royce Jones – background vocals
James Rolleston – background vocals
Michael Fennelly – background vocals

Produced by Gary Katz

Countdown to Ecstasy wasn't half the hit that Can't Buy a Thrill was, and Steely Dan responded by trimming the lengthy instrumental jams that were scattered across Countdown and concentrating on concise songs for Pretzel Logic. While the shorter songs usually indicate a tendency toward pop conventions, that's not the case with Pretzel Logic. Instead of relying on easy hooks, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen assembled their most complex and cynical set of songs to date. Dense with harmonics, countermelodies, and bop phrasing, Pretzel Logic is vibrant with unpredictable musical juxtapositions and snide, but very funny, wordplay. Listen to how the album's hit single, "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," opens with a syncopated piano line that evolves into a graceful pop melody, or how the title track winds from a blues to a jazzy chorus – Becker and Fagen's craft has become seamless while remaining idiosyncratic and thrillingly accessible. Since the songs are now paramount, it makes sense that Pretzel Logic is less of a band-oriented album than Countdown to Ecstasy, yet it is the richest album in their catalog, one where the backhanded Dylan tribute "Barrytown" can sit comfortably next to the gorgeous "Any Major Dude Will Tell You." Steely Dan made more accomplished albums than Pretzel Logic, but they never made a better one.

review
[-] by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracklist:

01. Rikki Don't Lose That Number 4:33
02. Night By Night 3:38
03. Any Major Dude Will Tell You 3:08
04. Barrytown 3:20
05. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo 2:49
06. Parker's Band 2:42
07. Through With Buzz 1:32
08. Pretzel Logic 4:31
09. With A Gun 2:17
10. Charlie Freak 2:44
11. Monkey In Your Soul 2:34

Credits:

Donald Fagen - keyboards, saxophone, lead vocals
Walter Becker - bass, guitar, background vocals
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter - lead guitar
Denny Dias - guitar
Jeff Porcaro - drums

Michael Omartian - keyboards
David Paich - keyboards
Timothy B. Schmit - bass, background vocals
Wilton Felder - bass
Chuck Rainey - bass
Ben Benay - guitar
Dean Parks - guitar, banjo
Plas Johnson - saxophone
Jerome Richardson - saxophone
Ernie Watts - saxophone
Lew McCreary - horn
Ollie Mitchell - trumpet
Jim Hodder - backing vocals
Jim Gordon - drums
Victor Feldman - percussion

Produced by Gary Katz

Building from the jazz fusion foundation of Pretzel Logic, Steely Dan created an alluringly sophisticated album of jazzy pop with Katy Lied. With this record, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen began relying solely on studio musicians, which is evident from the immaculate sound of the album. Usually, such a studied recording method would drain the life out of each song, but that's not the case with Katy Lied, which actually benefits from the duo's perfectionist tendencies. Each song is given a glossy sheen, one that accentuates not only the stronger pop hooks, but also the precise technical skill of the professional musicians drafted to play the solos. Essentially, Katy Lied is a smoother version of Pretzel Logic, featuring the same cross-section of jazz-pop and blues-rock. The lack of innovations doesn't hurt the record, since the songs are uniformly brilliant. Less overtly cynical than previous Dan albums, the album still has its share of lyrical stingers, but what's really notable are the melodies, from the seductive jazzy soul of "Doctor Wu" and the lazy blues of "Chain Lightning" to the terse "Black Friday" and mock calypso of "Everyone's Gone to the Movies." It's another excellent record in one of the most distinguished rock & roll catalogs of the '70s.

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracklist:

01. Black Friday 3:41
02. Bad Sneakers 3:20
03. Rose Darling 3:07
04. Daddy Don't Live In That New York City No More 3:16
05. Doctor Wu 3:57
06. Everyone's Gone To The Movies 3:47
07. Your Gold Teeth II 4:14
08. Chain Lightning 3:01
09. Any World (That I'm Welcome To) 3:55
10. Throw Back The Little Ones 3:14

Credits:

Donald Fagen - vocals, piano, keyboards
Walter Becker - bass, guitar

Michael Omartian, David Paich - pianos, keyboards
Wilton Felder, Chuck Rainey - bass guitars
Victor Feldman - percussion
Hugh McCracken - guitar
Denny Dias - guitar (solo on "Your Gold Teeth II")
Rick Derringer - guitar (solo on "Chain Lightning")
Dean Parks - guitar (solo on "Rose Darling")
Elliott Randall - guitar (solo on "Throw Back the Little Ones")
Larry Carlton - guitar on "Daddy Don't Live in That New York City No More"
Jimmie Haskell - horn & horn arrangement on "Throw Back the Little Ones"
Bill Perkins - horn on "Throw Back the Little Ones"
Phil Woods - alto saxophone solo on "Doctor Wu"
Jeff Porcaro - drums on all songs except "Any World (That I'm Welcome To)"
Hal Blaine - drums on "Any World (That I'm Welcome To)"
Michael McDonald - background vocals
Myrna Matthews, Sherlie Matthews, Carolyn Willis - background vocals on "Everyone's Gone to the Movies"

Produced by Gary Katz

The Royal Scam is the first Steely Dan record that doesn't exhibit significant musical progress from its predecessor, but that doesn't mean the album is any less interesting. The cynicism that was suppressed on Katy Lied comes roaring to the surface on The Royal Scam – not only are the lyrics bitter and snide, but the music is terse, broken, and weary. Not so coincidentally, the album is comprised of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen's weakest set of songs since Can't Buy a Thrill. Alternating between mean-spirited bluesy vamps like "Green Earrings" and "The Fez" and jazzy soft rock numbers like "The Caves of Altamira," there's nothing particularly bad on the album, yet there are fewer standouts than before. Nevertheless, the best songs on The Royal Scam, like the sneering "Kid Charlemagne" and "Sign in Stranger," rank as genuine Steely Dan classics.

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracklist:

01. Kid Charlemagne 4:39
02. The Caves Of Altamira 3:32
03. Don't Take Me Alive 4:14
04. Sign In Stranger 4:21
05. The Fez 3:59
06. Green Earrings 4:10
07. Haitian Divorce 5:50
08. Everything You Did 3:57
09. The Royal Scam 6:30

Credits:

Donald Fagen – keyboards, vocals, background vocals
Walter Becker – bass, guitar

Chuck Rainey – bass
Timothy B. Schmit – bass, background vocals
Paul Griffin – keyboards, background vocals
Don Grolnick – keyboards
Denny Dias – guitar
Larry Carlton – guitar
Dean Parks – guitar
Elliott Randall – guitar
Bob Findley – horn
Chuck Findley – trumpet
Dick "Slyde" Hyde – horn, trombone
Jim Horn – saxophone
Plas Johnson – saxophone
John Klemmer – saxophone
Rick Marotta – drums
Bernard "Pretty" Purdie – drums
Gary Coleman – percussion
Victor Feldman – percussion, keyboards
Venetta Fields – background vocals
Clydie King – background vocals
Sherlie Matthews – background vocals
Michael McDonald – background vocals

Produced by Gary Katz

Steely Dan hadn't been a real working band since Pretzel Logic, but with Aja, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen's obsession with sonic detail and fascination with composition reached new heights. A coolly textured and immaculately produced collection of sophisticated jazz-rock, Aja has none of the overt cynicism or self-consciously challenging music that distinguished previous Steely Dan records. Instead, it's a measured and textured album, filled with subtle melodies and accomplished, jazzy solos that blend easily into the lush instrumental backdrops. But Aja isn't just about texture, since Becker and Fagen's songs are their most complex and musically rich set of songs – even the simplest song, the sunny pop of "Peg," has layers of jazzy vocal harmonies. In fact, Steely Dan ignores rock on Aja, preferring to fuse cool jazz, blues, and pop together in a seamless, seductive fashion. It's complex music delivered with ease, and although the duo's preoccupation with clean sound and self-consciously sophisticated arrangements would eventually lead to a dead end, Aja is a shining example of jazz-rock at its finest.

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracklist:

01. Black Cow 5:12
02. Aja 7:57
03. Deacon Blues 7:37
04. Peg 3:57
05. Home at Last 5:34
06. I Got the News 5:06
07. Josie 4:30

Credits:

Donald Fagen – synthesizer, keyboards, vocals, background vocals, whistle
Walter Becker – bass, guitar

Chuck Rainey – bass
Timothy B. Schmit – background vocals
Paul Griffin – keyboards, electric piano, vocals, background vocals
Don Grolnick – keyboards, clavinet
Michael Omartian – piano, keyboards
Joe Sample – keyboards, electric piano, clavinet
Victor Feldman – percussion, piano, keyboards, electric piano, vibraphone
Larry Carlton – guitar
Denny Dias – guitar
Jay Graydon – guitar
Steve Khan – guitar
Dean Parks – guitar
Lee Ritenour – guitar
Pete Christlieb – flute, tenor saxophone
Chuck Findley – horn, brass
Jim Horn – flute, saxophone
Richard "Slyde" Hyde – trombone
Plas Johnson – flute, saxophone
Jackie Kelso – flute, horn, saxophone
Lou McCreary – brass
Bill Perkins – flute, horn, saxophone
Tom Scott – conductor, flute, tenor saxophone, lyricon
Wayne Shorter – flute, tenor saxophone
Bernard Purdie – drums ("Home at Last", "Deacon Blues")
Steve Gadd – drums ("Aja")
Ed Greene – drums ("I Got the News")
Paul Humphrey – drums ("Black Cow")
Jim Keltner – percussion, drums ("Josie")
Rick Marotta – drums ("Peg")
Gary Coleman – percussion
Venetta Fields – background vocals
Clydie King – background vocals
Rebecca Louis – background vocals
Sherlie Matthews – background vocals
Michael McDonald – background vocals

Produced by Gary Katz

Aja was cool, relaxed, and controlled; it sounded deceptively easy. Its follow-up, Gaucho, while sonically similar, is its polar opposite: a precise and studied record, where all of the seams show. Gaucho essentially replicates the smooth jazz-pop of Aja, but with none of that record's dark, seductive romance or elegant aura. Instead, it's meticulous and exacting; each performance has been rehearsed so many times that it no longer has any emotional resonance. Furthermore, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen's songs are generally labored, only occasionally reaching their past heights, like on the suave "Babylon Sisters," "Time Out of Mind," and "Hey Nineteen." Still, those three songs are barely enough to make the remainder of the album's glossy, meandering fusion worthwhile.

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracklist:

01. Babylon Sisters 5:55
02. Hey Nineteen 5:10
03. Glamour Profession 7:29
04. Gaucho 5:32
05. Time Out Of Mind 4:14
06. My Rival 4:34
07. Third World Man 5:13

Credits:

Walter Becker - bass, guitar
Donald Fagen - organ, synthesizer, keyboards, electric piano, vocals

Anthony Jackson - bass
Chuck Rainey - bass
Don Grolnick - keyboards, electric piano, clavinet
Rob Mounsey - synthesizer, piano
Pat Rebillot - keyboards, electric piano
Joe Sample - electric piano
Hiram Bullock - guitar
Larry Carlton - guitar
Rick Derringer - guitar
Steve Khan - acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Mark Knopfler - lead guitar on "Time out of Mind"
Hugh McCracken - guitar
Wayne Andre - trombone
Michael Brecker - tenor saxophone, vocals
Randy Brecker - trumpet, flugelhorn
Ronnie Cuber - baritone saxophone
Walter Kane - bass clarinet
George Marge - bass clarinet
David Sanborn - alto saxophone, vocals
David Tofani - tenor saxophone, vocal
Steve Gadd - percussion, drums
Rick Marotta - drums
Robbie Buchanan - piano, synthesizers and vocals
Jeff Porcaro - percussion, drums
Bernard "Pretty" Purdie - drums
Crusher Bennett - percussion
Victor Feldman - percussion, keyboards
Ralph MacDonald - percussion
Nicky Marrero - percussion, timbales, vocals
Patti Austin - vocals, background vocals
Frank Floyd - background vocals
Diva Gray - vocals, background vocals
Gordon Grody - vocals, background vocals
Lani Groves - vocals, background vocals
Michael McDonald - vocals, background vocals
Leslie Miller - vocals, background vocals
Jennifer James - vocals, background vocals
Zachary Sanders - vocals, background vocals
Valerie Simpson - vocals, background vocals
Toni Wine - vocals, background vocals

Produced by Gary Katz

Notorious for shunning concert performances, Steely Dan's improbable live reunion in the mid-'90s eventually turned into a full-fledged reunion album. Since Steely Dan fans went two decades without even the hope of a new record, the very prospect was a delight, but it was also a little worrying, since a botched comeback would tarnish the band's legacy. Fortunately, Two Against Nature is as seductive and alluring as the best of Steely Dan's later work, with a similar emphasis on classy atmosphere and groove. Pitched halfway between Gaucho and the immaculate production of Fagen's solo album Kamakiriad, it's a graceful, intricate record that works its subtle charms at its own pace. While that means it isn't a knockout on the first listen, it's a real grower – a quietly addicting album that slowly works its way into the subconscious. It's also an uncannily natural extension of the duo's previous work, but surprisingly, it never sounds nostalgic or dated. It's clear that Becker and Fagen re-teamed because they simply enjoy working together: crafting the songs and arrangements, designing the production, shoehorning in-jokes into the lyrics, finding the exact performances that fit their specifications. In this sense, Two Against Nature is no different than any past Steely Dan effort; that's exactly why it's welcome, since they find nearly endless permutations within their signature sound. Lyrically, the album isn't quite as malicious as their '70s work, but they haven't lost their sharp humor, even on some mere throwaway lines. The real payoff, however, is musical. Each song gradually reveals its own identity through small, thrilling touches, giving the record depth and character, and fitting it comfortably into Steely Dan's acclaimed body of work. And that's as delightfully unexpected and peculiarly beautiful as anything else in their career.

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracklist:

01. Gaslighting Abbie 5:53
02. What a Shame About Me 5:17
03. Two Against Nature 6:17
04. Janie Runaway 4:09
05. Almost Gothic 4:09
06. Jack Of Speed 6:17
07. Cousin Dupree 5:28
08. Negative Girl 5:34
09. West of Hollywood 8:21

Credits:

Walter Becker – bass, lead guitar
Donald Fagen – organ, piano, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, vocals

Tom Barney – bass
Ted Baker – piano, Fender Rhodes
Jon Herington – acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar
Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar
Hugh McCracken – guitar
Dean Parks – guitar
Lawrence Feldman – clarinet, tenor saxophone
Amy Helm – whistle
Michael Hitchcock – trumpet
Michael Leonhart – trumpet, conductor, wurlitzer
Lou Marini – alto saxophone
Chris Potter – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Jim Pugh – trombone
Roger Rosenberg – bass clarinet, baritone saxophone
David Tofani – saxophone
Keith Carlock – drums
Leroy Clouden – drums
Vinnie Colaiuta – drums
Sonny Emory – drums
Ricky Lawson – drums
Michael White – drums
Gordon Gottlieb – percussion
Will Lee – percussion
Daniel Sadownick – percussion, timbales
David Shank – vibraphone
Steve Shapiro – vibraphone
Cynthia Calhoun – background vocals
Mike Harvey – background vocals
Carolyn Leonhart – background vocals

Produced by Walter Becker & Donald Fagen



Go to Flac and MP3 ==> Steely Dan - Two Against Nature (2000) by mfrwiz

When Steely Dan released Two Against Nature in 2000, their first album in 20 years, it was an unexpected gift, since all odds seemed against Donald Fagen and Walter Becker reteaming for nothing more than the occasional project, let alone a full album. As it turned out, the duo was able to pick up where they left off, with Two Against Nature seamlessly fitting next to Gaucho and earning the band surprise success, including a Grammy for Album of the Year, but the bigger surprise is that the reunion wasn't a one-off – they released another record, Everything Must Go, a mere three years later. Given the (relatively) short turnaround time between the two records, it comes as little surprise that Everything Must Go is a companion piece to Two Against Nature, and sounds very much like that album's laid-back, catchy jazz-funk, only with an elastic, loose feel – loose enough to have Walter Becker take the first lead vocal in Steely Dan history, in fact, which sums up the Dan's attitude in a nutshell. This time, they're comfortable and confident enough to let anything happen, and while that doesn't really affect the sound of the record, it does affect the feel. Though it as expertly produced as always, there's less emphasis on production and a focus on the feel, often breathing as much as a live performance, another new wrinkle for Steely Dan. Sometimes, it also sounds as if Becker and Fagen have written the songs quickly; there's nothing that betrays their high standards of craft, but, on a whole, the songs are neither as hooky nor as resonant as the ones unveiled on its predecessor. While it might have been nice to have a song as immediate as, say, "Cousin Dupree," there are no bad songs here and many cuts grow as nicely as those on Two Against Nature. But the real selling point of Everything Must Go is that relaxed, comfortable, live feel. It signals that Steely Dan has indeed entered a new phase, one less fussy and a bit funkier (albeit lite funk). If they can keep turning out a record this solid every three years, we'd all be better off.

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracklist:

01. The Last Mall 3:36
02. Things I Miss The Most 3:59
03. Blues Beach 4:29
04. Godwhacker 4:57
05. Slang Of Ages 4:15
06. Green Book 5:55
07. Pixeleen 4:01
08. Lunch With Gina 4:27
09. Everything Must Go 6:45

Credits:

Walter Becker - bass, lead guitar, percussion, vocals (on Slang of Ages)
Donald Fagen - organ, synthesizer, piano, clavinet, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, percussion, vocals

Ted Baker - piano, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer
Bill Charlap - piano, Fender Rhodes
Jon Herington - guitar
Hugh McCracken - guitar
Kenneth Hitchcock - clarinet
Tony Kadleck - trumpet
Michael Leonhart - trumpet
Chris Potter - tenor saxophone
Jim Pugh - trombone
Roger Rosenberg - baritone saxophone
Walt Weiskopf - alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Keith Carlock - drums
Gordon Gottlieb - percussion
Ada Dyer - background vocals
Tawatha Agee - background vocals
Carolyn Leonhart - background vocals
Cindy Mizelle - background vocals
Catherine Russell - background vocals
Brenda White-King - background vocals

Produced by Walter Becker & Donald Fagen



All thanks go to Olaf der Weisse