It seems that every rock journalist is required to refer to Steely Dan as 'smart', 'clever', 'thinking man's rock', with further requisite remarks about the 'skillful production'. No pundit dare dis them.
Ok, Riki, Do It Again, and Reelin' In The Years are indeed on a level above 90% of all radio fare from the 70's, with the latter tune containing The Greatest Opening in Rock Music History. But a lot of their other stuff seems to me to be pretty MOR, the production slick to the point of muting the dynamics, a bit emotionally detached, even --dare I say it -- sonically predictable.
So, what makes them earn all the plaudits? Theories, ideas, samples, references please...
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