Countdown to Ecstasy

Steely Dan’s sardonic genius ripened impressively on their second album, Countdown To Ecstasy (1973). Band masterminds Walter Becker and Donald Fagen advanced closer towards perfecting their tangy jazz/pop/rock formula while serving up social critiques of ever-greater refinement. The fact that they named their group after a marital aid mentioned in a William S. Burroughs novel gives a clue to their opinion of mankind — but what’s surprising about Countdown To Ecstasy is how listener-friendly it is. You don’t have to be a lit major or a jazz snob to dig tracks like “Bodhisattva” (a turbo-charged satire of guru-worship), “Show Biz Kids” (a slinky put-down of decadent wealth) or “My Old School” (a wry anecdote set to a cha-cha beat). Fagen’s coolly insinuating vocals and Jeff Baxter’s versatile guitar stylings are a big part of this album’s appeal, leading the listener through increasingly esoteric territory, including the angular planes of “Your Gold Teeth” and the nervous confines of “King Of The World.” Countdown To Ecstasy is smart, superbly-played and highly satisfying.