CD-Charts Position 1
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Katy Lied

by: Steely Dan

Release Date June 28, 1999
"Katy Lied" is one of Steely Dan's great classic albums ( OK, they all are!) from when they were still a real band, and not "just" the Becker/Fagen duo.

The Becker/Fagen aim for perfection is very much apparent here. Great production and playing. Inspired songwriting and dark thought-provoking lyrics.

Most tracks are incredible catchy and melodic; especially "Rose Darling" and "Everyone's Gone to the Movies" are likely to "hit" you the first time you here them.

The opening track "Black Friday" is a surprisingly heavy track ( for Dan!!) that sets the scene right from the very beginning.

Like always there is a great variation in rhytmths and styles, but this is never a problem because everything ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
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Pretzel Logic

by: Steely Dan

Release Date June 28, 1999
As ever, Steely Dan's 'Pretzel Logic' is a monument to tasteful musicianship and superb production. Its strength is its diversity, a journey through the lives of characters that may exist beneath the skyline on the cover. 'Night By Night' is funky, 'Parker's Band' swinging, 'East St Louis' old jazz, the title track blues, all sounds of the city. 'Any Major Dude' offers rare optimism and 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number' a warning. These are highlights. Perhaps, for once, some of the material isn't up to their usual highest standards, notably 'Barrytown' and 'Through With Buzz,' but 'Pretzel Logic' is still worth hearing.

CD-Charts Position 3
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Countdown To Ecstasy

by: Steely Dan

Release Date July 13, 1999
Later Dan has its advocates - Ian MacDonald, for one, argues strongly for the merits of `Gaucho' in his very fine `The People's Music' - but I belong to the `first 3 albums are the best' fraternity. Unlike `Katy Lied', which, for me, marks the beginning of the Dan's decline, there's not one ounce of filler on this record. A much more cohesive affair than `Thrill', the Dan's second album benefits from having a singular vocalist and, unlike the slick, session-man concoctions of the later years, is greatly enhanced by being the product of a working band (+ illustrious guests). The record is packed with musical incident and variety: the vibes on `Razor Boy', the Rhodes workout on `Your Gold Teeth', slide guitar on `Show Biz Kids', synth on `King of the World', etc. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
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Aja

by: Steely Dan

Release Date April 24, 2000
From a band that only seem to release great albums, 'Aja' is well down the list of Steely Dan's best. What I like about their earlier releases is their blend of styles. 'Aja' is dominated by jazz and funk influences, neither of which are my favoured genres, but the music rewards repeated listening and is beautifully constructed. The title track is, for me, the highlight, its innocuous opening soon drifting into subtle, shifting shades of tonal colour and twinkling keyboards, culminating in a striking closing passage. 'Josie' is the obvious hit item, with a great guitar intro and a solid groove. 'Peg' is the other more overtly commercial item, the remaining tracks being more like the title track in approach.' Not the most instant album, and, as usual, lyrically challenging, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
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Can't Buy A Thrill

by: Steely Dan

Release Date July 13, 1999
I agree with those who put forward this work as the best of all Becker and Fagen's output in that marvellous run of albums that started here. There is a charm and innocence about this that would be lost in subsequent recordings where the sardonic lip curl and density of production would dominate proceedings. There is a real High School feel to 'Can't Buy a Thrill' that really draws you in to a world of growing up, of first experience and innocence just lost; of an America 'before the fall' and the smart-ass cynicism of later Dan albums that effectively chronicle and reflect the corporatisation of the 1970's music business. I never tire of listening to this and it's been with me for most of my adult life, always sounding fresh and surrendering new discoveries every time I dig ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
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Gaucho

by: Steely Dan

Release Date November 06, 2000
A couple of other reviewers have hinted that this is easily the equal of 'Aja', and rightly so. It may even better it.

As soon as you start describing 'Gaucho' (and indeed 'Aja' and 'The Royal Scam') as jazz-influenced albums there's a big risk of losing your audience. It's excrutiatingly well produced, for sure. The arrangements are exquisite. But it's all about the songs, dude. 'Gaucho' imagines an unfeasibly exotic American dystopia and sets it to music. Kind of like 'Hotel California' but with better chord changes and more expensive session players. The coolest of the cool. And then some.

CD-Charts Position 7
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The Nightfly

by: Donald Fagen

Release Date April 24, 1984
This is one of those special albums that define the modern music experience at its best and renders the consideration of genre somewhat pointless. When composer, musicians, producer and engineer come together at their peak, you get a result like this. If you were sentenced to solitary confinement on a remote island with the sole comfort of a dozen favourite CDs chosen from your collection, it's highly likely this one would be on that agonizing shortlist. A stylish reference to the fifties and early sixties, but somehow timeless and perfect. There's really nothing more to add that hasn't already been said by the five-star reviews here.

CD-Charts Position 8
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Two Against Nature

by: Steely Dan

Release Date June 09, 2003
Like most of the negative reviews here, I really wanted to like this album. I have been a Steely Dan fan for 25 years, so I couldnt wait to get this album. After initially playing it upon release, I got into the album straight away, but went right off it just as quick.Most of the songs don't leave any lasting memory, but instead leave you flat and cold. Sure, the musicianship and quality of recording is predictably pristine, but the songwriting sounds almost "methodical". Check out Gaslighting Abbie, Janie Runaway and Almost Gothic for sheer tedious listening (although the bass line is good on track 1). However, there are highlights - the title track has a tremendous rhythm track, Jack Of Speed is a lovely typical swinging Dan tune that Bernard Purdie could have played on, and Cousin Dupree ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
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Everything Must Go

by: Steely Dan

Release Date June 09, 2003
OK so I'm 5 years too late reviewing this but I thought it was worth adding my voice. There is nothing on this album that makes you say 'blimey that's a classic' but despite this lack of WOW factor, it is a really good album. Better in my opinion than there previous 2000 release '2 against nature' because it is more relaxed, natural and the melodies are stronger. The grooves are excellent and it has the feel of being played live in your front room. My favourite track is 'Slang of Ages' with the vocals of Walter Becker and a distinct Ry Cooder 'Bop Till You Drop' feel about it. It makes you wonder why he leads so infrequently. Wish I'd bought it 5 years ago as it beats much of today's pap into the ground, but it was worth waiting for.

CD-Charts Position 10
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Kamakiriad

by: Donald Fagen

Release Date May 24, 1993
To echo several other contributors on this page - no, it's not quite The Nightfly, so one can't give it five. Whilst being more soulful, laid-back and funky than that album, Kamakiriad has a slightly cheesy sound at times, especially on the first couple of tracks, attributable to the synthesised "brass", so typical of 80s recordings, whereas its predecessor had pretty much 100% real instruments. That said, the songs are as excellent as you'd expect, the beautiful Snowbound being one of his best ever and On the Dunes, with its lengthy, repetitious outro which you just don't want to end, making it worth the price of the CD by themselves. You don't get many DF albums to the pound. Or to the decade come to that. Buy before it's too late.