Steely Dan-Katy Lied (1975)

With Steely Dan's fourth album, its two leaders, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, abandoned the conventional rock band approach to become a project of musical research and experimentation. From then on, each song on all subsequent albums would feature meticulously chosen musicians, musicians who adapted to the concept and idea of ​​the compositions in question. "Katy Lied" also marked a stylistic evolution from everything previously released; here they moved towards structured soft rock, leaving behind (albeit subtly) the jazz arrangements. Among the twenty or so collaborating musicians, notable figures include Larry Carlton, Jeff Porcaro, Hugh McCraken, Rick Derringer, Elliott Randall, David Paich, and Victor Feldman. These rock sounds are present in elegant and sophisticated tracks like "Black Friday", "Chain Lightning", "Everyone's Gone to the Movies", "Throw Back the Little Ones", and "Doctor Wu", while the usual pop-jazz and blues sounds appear in "Bad Sneakers", "Your Gold Teeth II", and "Daddy Don't Live in That New York City No More". "Katy Lied" is arguably their most balanced and consistent recording to date, maintaining the refined atmosphere, the usual perfectionist production, and impeccably executed compositions, all adorned by the twisted and ironic lyrics of the duo Fagen & Becker.