Steely Dan 'Must Go' back to its old ways

Steely Dan always represented the finest of both coasts, combining New York street wisdom with L.A. studio panache. It was among the best American bands of the '70s.\nBut now, after not getting heralded enough for its earlier work, the band won the Album of the Year Grammy for 2000's Two Against Nature, a turgid, inscrutable comeback album/insomnia cure. The band is back with Everything Must Go, and while it isn't back to their Pretzel Logic-era greatness, the band's at least cut down on some of their excesses.\nSince it's a Steely Dan record, of course it sounds great, especially in your luxury automobile driving down the highway. Meanwhile, as the musicians' sounds portray classy musicianship, they smirk all the way through the lyrics. Speaking of which, lead vocalist Donald Fagen sings about how he misses his Audi TT as much as sex after apparently getting into a marital spat. Well, when you're that old. . .\nMeanwhile, co-frontman Walter Becker contributes a rare vocal in which he wants to "roll with the homeys." Off the heazy, boo.\nUnfortunately, Becker's usually superb guitar work has sacrificed some rowdiness for tastefulness. If he rediscovers the fire, I wouldn't count out a comeback to their '70s-level quality.