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  MCD11917CD  £6.00

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MCA

Steely Dan

Pretzel Logic

Steely Dan holds the title as one of the most quietly subversive pop bands of the 20th century They managedon their first two albums and especially on PRETZEL LOGICto combine breezy earpleasing accessibility with an immensely sophisticated sensibility that upended most pop conventions On PRETZEL LOGIC that combination is perfected even as band masterminds Donald Fagen and Walter Becker moved deeper into jazzinfluenced territory 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number' the album's lead off track is a case in point A sinuous slice of jazzpop that merges piano balladry with a sambaesque groove the song became a Top Ten hitThough Fagen and Becker write the material and handle vocalskeyboards and bass respectively their recording process increasingly involved a rotating cast of session musicians honing their studiocobbled sound to a flawless perfection The bar is raised in terms of musicianship here as evidenced by the sassy cover of Duke Ellington's 'East St Louis ToodleOo and the bop atheleticism of 'Parker's Band' a tribute to Charlie Parker Yet Steely Dan blend their colours ever more effectively here writing shorter sharper compositions packed with harmonies instrumental interplay witty wordplay and satisfying hooks PRETZEL LOGIC ranks alongside AJA as one of the band's finest achievements