Steely Dan - Everything Must Go (Remastered) (2003/2022)

Though Steely Dan recorded prolifically for much of the '70s, they toured for only a brief spell early in that decade, deciding they much preferred the studio to the road. This allowed them to craft a wry, nuanced and hyper-literate series of albums - from 1972 to 1980 - that are highly regarded by connoisseurs of pop hooks, jazz harmony and desiccating wit. Beneath the highly polished surface of Steely Dan's music, astute listeners could hear a visceral love of and identification with the very soul of jazz. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker referenced Duke Ellington, Stan Getz and Horace Silver at least as much as any rock-oriented source material. Even so, there was a certain accessible quality to songs like "Reelin' in the Years," "Do It Again" and "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" that allowed Steely Dan to connect with rock fans.

2003's Everything Must Go was the second album released by Steely Dan after they ended a 20-year studio hiatus and recorded and released 2000's Two Against Nature. The final album from the legendary duo, it bore a decidedly different sound than its predecessor, with Becker and Fagen taking things down a notch, sonically speaking, with the songs featuring arrangements that weren't quite as elaborate as their heyday. Additionally, the solos were more rock-oriented than jazzy, i.e. they were tighter, and the album felt more like it had been recorded live. It's also notable that the LP included the one and only Steely Dan song to feature Becker on lead vocals: "Slang of Ages." Although there were often rumors that Steely Dan would return to the studio again, it never happened, but at least the icons went out on a high note with another top-10 album.

This Analogue Productions reissue is newly remastered from the original master tape and cut at 45 RPM. The dead-quiet double-LP, with the music spread over four sides of vinyl, reduces distortion and high frequency loss as the wider-spaced grooves let your stereo cartridge track more accurately. The result is more sonic punch and more expression captured from the tape. The Quality Record Pressings 180-gram vinyl ensures a virtually silent playing surface. Tip-on old style gatefold jacket by Stoughton Printing rounds out the proceedings.

Tracklist
01 - The Last Mall
02 - Things I Miss The Most
03 - Blues Beach
04 - Godwhacker
05 - Slang Of Ages
06 - Green Book
07 - Pixeleen
08 - Lunch With Gina
09 - Everything Must Go