After an unusually successful series of releases culminating in the 'Steely' highlight Pretzel Logic (1974), 'the Dan' shifted slightly in 1975 on Katy Lied. The sound is warmer, the already refined harmonies richer: it is a little closer to combo jazz. As if jazz pianist Bill Evans joined Bob Dylan. Katy Lied contains Steely Dance's most emotional, and even passionate music to that point, matched
… only by the brilliant Aja a few years later. The sarcasm melts into something close to vulnerability in a song like Doctor Wu, arguably the best song Fagen and Becker ever wrote. Katy Lied is also special because of the contribution of singer Michael McDonald, whose gritty baritone goes beautifully with Fagen's unique sound.more
