A Decade of Steely Dan (Remastered)

There was nothing else quite like Steely Dan on the radio dial in the 1970s, a decade that found the group producing hit after hit. Eschewing soft rock confessionalism and rock ‘n’ roll swagger, the writing team of vocalist/ keyboardist Donald Fagan and bassist Walter Becker brought a sense of sly sophistication to the pop music of the time. The savvy pair took a route to the top of the charts with songs that featured snarky lyrics, jazz harmonies, carefully crafted arrangements, and the top-notch playing of crack studio musicians. A Decade of Steely Dan draws from a six-album run that started with 1972’s Can’t Buy a Thrill and lasted until 1977’s Aja. (The collection also includes two tracks from their 1980 swansong, Gaucho, and the theme song they wrote for the 1978 film, FM.) Fagan and Becker delighted in creating words and music that clashed, as on their striking debut single, “Do It Again,” where the tale of a troubled man is set to an easygoing, Latin-flavored groove that signals no trouble at all. This fine compilation takes the listener on an intriguing tour of Steely Dan’s wonderfully strange and catchy songs.