STEELY DAN – Katy Lied (1975) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Building from the jazz fusion foundation of Pretzel Logic, Steely Dan created an alluringly sophisticated album of jazzy pop with Katy Lied. With this record, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen began relying solely on studio musicians, which is evident from the immaculate sound of the album. Usually, such a studied recording method would drain the life out of each song, but that's not the case with Katy Lied, which actually benefits from the duo's perfectionist tendencies. Each song is given a glossy sheen, one that accentuates not only the stronger pop hooks, but also the precise technical skill of the professional musicians drafted to play the solos. Essentially, Katy Lied is a smoother version of Pretzel Logic, featuring the same cross-section of jazz-pop and blues-rock. The lack of innovations doesn't hurt the record, since the songs are uniformly brilliant. Less overtly cynical than previous Dan albums, the album still has its share of lyrical stingers, but what's really notable are the melodies, from the seductive jazzy soul of "Doctor Wu" and the lazy blues of "Chain Lightning" to the terse "Black Friday" and mock calypso of "Everyone's Gone to the Movies." It's another excellent record in one of the most distinguished rock & roll catalogs of the '70s. Stephen Thomas Erlewine  
Tracklist :
1 Black Friday 3:33
2 Bad Sneakers 3:16
3 Rose Darling 2:59
4 Daddy Don't Live In That New York City No More 3:12
5 Doctor Wu 3:59
Alto Saxophone, Soloist – Phil Woods
6 Everyone's Gone To The Movies 3:41
Backing Vocals – Carolyn Willis, Myrna Matthews, Sherlie Matthews
7 Your Gold Teeth II 4:12
8 Chain Lightning 2:57
9 Any World (That I'm Welcome To) 3:56
Drums – Hal Blaine
10 Throw Back The Little Ones 3:11
Arranged By [Horns] – Jimmie Haskel
Credits:
Backing Vocals – Michael McDonald
Bass – Chuck Rainey, Wilton Felder
Bass, Guitar, Arranged By – Walter Becker
Drums, Percussion [Dorophone] – Jeff Porcaro
Guitar – Dean Parks, Denny Dias, Elliot Randall, Hugh McCracken, Larry Carlton, Rick Derringer
Percussion, Vibraphone – Victor Feldman
Piano, Keyboards – David Paich, Michael Omartian
Songwriter – Donald Fagen, Walter Becker
Vocals, Piano, Keyboards, Arranged By – Donald Fagen