STEELY DAN - Gaucho (1980-2013) SHM-CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Aja was cool, relaxed, and controlled; it sounded deceptively easy. Its follow-up, Gaucho, while sonically similar, is its polar opposite: a precise and studied record, where all of the seams show. Gaucho essentially replicates the smooth jazz-pop of Aja, but with none of that record's dark, seductive romance or elegant aura. Instead, it's meticulous and exacting; each performance has been rehearsed so many times that it no longer has any emotional resonance. Furthermore, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen's songs are generally labored, only occasionally reaching their past heights, like on the suave "Babylon Sisters," "Time Out of Mind," and "Hey Nineteen." Still, those three songs are barely enough to make the remainder of the album's glossy, meandering fusion worthwhile. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist:
1 Babylon Sisters 5:51
Arranged By [Horns] – Rob Mounsey
Backing Vocals [Backup] – Diva Grey, Gordon Grody, Lani Groves, Leslie Miller, Patti Austin, Toni Wine
Bass – Chuck Rainey
Bass Clarinet – George Marge, Walter Kane
Drums – Bernard Purdie
Electric Piano, Clavinet – Don Grolnick
Guitar – Steve Khan
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Tom Scott
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Randy Brecker
2 Hey Nineteen 5:04
Backing Vocals [Backup] – Frank Floyd, Zack Sanders
Bass – Walter Becker
Drums – Rick Marotta
Electric Piano, Synthesizer – Donald Fagen
Guitar – Hugh McCracken, Walter Becker
Percussion – Steve Gadd, Victor Feldman
3 Glamour Profession 7:28
Arranged By [Horns] – Tom Scott
Backing Vocals [Backup] – Frank Floyd, Leslie Miller, Valerie Simpson, Zack Sanders
Bass – Anthony Jackson
Drums – Steve Gadd
Electric Piano, Synthesizer – Donald Fagen
Guitar – Steve Khan
Percussion – Ralph McDonald
Piano – Rob Mounsey
Tenor Saxophone – Michael Brecker
Tenor Saxophone, Lyricon – Tom Scott
4 Gaucho 5:32
Arranged By [Horns] – Tom Scott
Backing Vocals [Backup] – Leslie Miller, Patti Austin, Valerie Simpson
Bass – Walter Becker
Drums – Jeff Porcaro
Electric Piano, Synthesizer – Donald Fagen
Guitar – Steve Khan
Lead Guitar – Walter Becker
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Piano – Rob Mounsey
Tenor Saxophone – Tom Scott
Trumpet – Randy Brecker
5 Time Out Of Mind 4:10
Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
Arranged By [Horns] – Rob Mounsey
Backing Vocals [Backup] – Leslie Miller, Michael McDonald, Patti Austin, Valerie Simpson
Baritone Saxophone – Ronny Cuber*
Bass – Walter Becker
Drums – Rick Marotta
Electric Piano, Synthesizer – Donald Fagen
Guitar – Hugh McCracken, Walter Becker
Lead Guitar – Mark Knopfler
Piano – Rob Mounsey
Tenor Saxophone – Dave Tofani, Michael Brecker
Trumpet – Randy Brecker
6 My Rival 4:30
Arranged By [Horns] – Tom Scott
Backing Vocals [Backup] – Frank Floyd, Valerie Simpson, Zack Sanders
Bass – Anthony Jackson
Drums – Steve Gadd
Electric Piano – Patrick Rebillot
Flugelhorn – Randy Brecker
Guitar – Hiram Bullock, Rick Derringer
Lead Guitar – Steve Khan
Organ, Synthesizer – Donald Fagen
Percussion – Ralph McDonald
Tenor Saxophone – Michael Brecker
Tenor Saxophone, Lyricon – Tom Scott
Timbales – Nicholas Marrero
Trombone – Wayne Andre
7 Third World Man 5:14
Bass – Chuck Rainey
Drums – Steve Gadd
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Steve Khan
Electric Piano – Joe Sample
Lead Guitar – Larry Carlton
Synthesizer – Rob Mounsey