Steely Dan-Two Against Nature (2000)

In 2000, Steely Dan had gone 20 years without releasing any new material, although they continued to perform regularly in the United States and more sporadically in Europe. Therefore, when they announced the release of a new album, their fans received the news with great anticipation. With this new album, the Fagen/Becker duo would once again garner numerous awards worldwide, including four Grammys and several platinum and gold records, crafting another work brimming with exquisite music, where sophisticated jazz/rock/pop remained the common thread. As with all their previous releases, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker recruited a legion of prestigious musicians for the recording, including guitarists Paul Jackson Jr. and Hugh McCracken, saxophonists Lou Marini and Chris Potter, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, and keyboardist Ted Baker. The exceptionally high level of stylistic integrity remains evident on this new recording after so many years; in many ways, it was as if they had never retired. The fluid, slightly Latin sounds of the jazzy "What a Shame About Me", the avant-garde, Caribbean-influenced "Two Against Nature", the bluesy "Jack of Speed", the vintage rhythm and blues "Cousin Dupree", and the brilliant jazz-rock "West of Hollywood" represent another step forward in the fantastic discography of what is considered the most sophisticated group in the world of jazz-rock and rock in general.