STEELY DAN – Everything Must Go (2003) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

When Steely Dan released Two Against Nature in 2000, their first album in 20 years, it was an unexpected gift, since all odds seemed against Donald Fagen and Walter Becker reteaming for nothing more than the occasional project, let alone a full album. As it turned out, the duo was able to pick up where they left off, with Two Against Nature seamlessly fitting next to Gaucho and earning the band surprise success, including a Grammy for Album of the Year, but the bigger surprise is that the reunion wasn't a one-off -- they released another record, Everything Must Go, a mere three years later. Given the (relatively) short turnaround time between the two records, it comes as little surprise that Everything Must Go is a companion piece to Two Against Nature, and sounds very much like that album's laid-back, catchy jazz-funk, only with an elastic, loose feel -- loose enough to have Walter Becker take the first lead vocal in Steely Dan history, in fact, which sums up the Dan's attitude in a nutshell. This time, they're comfortable and confident enough to let anything happen, and while that doesn't really affect the sound of the record, it does affect the feel. Though it as expertly produced as always, there's less emphasis on production and a focus on the feel, often breathing as much as a live performance, another new wrinkle for Steely Dan. Sometimes, it also sounds as if Becker and Fagen have written the songs quickly; there's nothing that betrays their high standards of craft, but, on a whole, the songs are neither as hooky nor as resonant as the ones unveiled on its predecessor. While it might have been nice to have a song as immediate as, say, "Cousin Dupree," there are no bad songs here and many cuts grow as nicely as those on Two Against Nature. But the real selling point of Everything Must Go is that relaxed, comfortable, live feel. It signals that Steely Dan has indeed entered a new phase, one less fussy and a bit funkier (albeit lite funk). If they can keep turning out a record this solid every three years, we'd all be better off. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1 The Last Mall 3:36
Alto Saxophone – Walt Weiskopf
Backing Vocals – Catherine Russell, Cindy Mizelle
Baritone Saxophone – Roger Rosenberg
Bass, Lead Guitar – Walter Becker
Drums – Keith Carlock
Guitar – Hugh McCracken, Jon Herington
Piano – Ted Baker
Trombone – Jim Pugh
Trumpet – Tony Kadleck
Vocals, Electric Piano [Rhodes, Wurlitzer] – Donald Fagen
2 Things I Miss The Most 3:58
Backing Vocals – Carolyn Leonhart
Bass, Lead Guitar – Walter Becker
Drums – Keith Carlock
Guitar – Hugh McCracken, Jon Herington
Percussion – Gordon Gottlieb
Piano – Ted Baker
Tenor Saxophone – Walt Weiskopf
Trumpet – Michael Leonhart
Vocals, Electric Piano [Rhodes] – Donald Fagen
3 Blues Beach 4:27
Backing Vocals – Carolyn Leonhart
Bass, Lead Guitar – Walter Becker
Drums – Keith Carlock
Electric Piano [Rhodes] – Ted Baker
Guitar – Hugh McCracken, Jon Herington
Percussion – Gordon Gottlieb
Vocals, Piano, Organ – Donald Fagen
4 Godwhacker 4:57
Backing Vocals – Catherine Russell, Tawatha Agee
Bass, Lead Guitar – Walter Becker
Drums – Keith Carlock
Electric Piano [Rhodes] – Bill Charlap
Guitar – Hugh McCracken, Jon Herington
Vocals, Electric Piano [Wurlitzer], Percussion, Soloist, Synthesizer – Donald Fagen
5 Slang Of Ages 4:14
Backing Vocals – Ada Dyer, Carolyn Leonhart, Catherine Russell, Michael Harvey, Tawatha Agee*
Drums – Keith Carlock
Electric Piano [Rhodes], Organ, Synthesizer – Donald Fagen
Electric Piano [Wurlitzer] – Ted Baker
Guitar – Hugh McCracken, Jon Herington
Percussion – Gordon Gottlieb
Tenor Saxophone – Walt Weiskopf
Trumpet – Michael Leonhart
Vocals, Bass – Walter Becker
6 Green Book 5:55
Backing Vocals – Carolyn Leonhart, Catherine Russell, Cindy Mizelle
Bass, Lead Guitar – Walter Becker
Drums – Keith Carlock
Guitar – Hugh McCracken, Jon Herington
Piano – Ted Baker
Vocals, Electric Piano [Rhodes], Organ, Percussion, Soloist, Synthesizer – Donald Fagen
7 Pixeleen 4:00
Backing Vocals – Michael Harvey
Backing Vocals, Featuring – Carolyn Leonhart
Baritone Saxophone – Roger Rosenberg
Bass – Walter Becker
Clarinet – Ken Hitchcock
Drums – Keith Carlock
Guitar – Hugh McCracken, Jon Herington
Percussion – Gordon Gottlieb
Piano – Bill Charlap
Tenor Saxophone – Walt Weiskopf
Trombone – Jim Pugh
Trumpet – Michael Leonhart
Vocals, Electric Piano [Rhodes], Organ – Donald Fagen
8 Lunch With Gina 4:25
Backing Vocals – Michael Harvey
Bass – Walter Becker
Drums – Keith Carlock
Electric Piano [Rhodes] – Ted Baker
Guitar – Hugh McCracken, Jon Herington
Percussion – Gordon Gottlieb
Tenor Saxophone – Chris Potter 
Trumpet – Michael Leonhart
Vocals, Electric Piano [Wurlitzer], Soloist, Synthesizer – Donald Fagen
9 Everything Must Go 6:45
Backing Vocals – Brenda White-King, Tawatha Agee 
Bass, Percussion – Walter Becker
Drums – Keith Carlock
Guitar – Hugh McCracken, Jon Herington
Piano – Ted Baker
Soloist, Tenor Saxophone – Walt Weiskopf
Vocals, Electric Piano [Rhodes], Clavinet, Percussion – Donald Fagen