Steely Dan was never introspective, preferring the critique of neurotics and malcontents as proxies for society. So in his first solo album, Fagen’s rejection of that formula is striking, and the fixations and flirtations of his youth take center stage. He’s certainly spent time refining his words, never wasting a syllable as we tour the studio of Lester the Nightfly, drop in on conversations with various lovers, and entertain visions of the future circa 1958. Musically, Fagen picks up where Gaucho left off: synths, winds and guitar shine beneath a thick layer of production, compounding the drama of his fantasies and occasionally hinting at their folly.
["I.G.Y.," "New Frontier," "The Nightfly"]
10
1982, Warner Bros.