Katy Lied

by Steely Dan

Overview

Building from the jazz fusion foundation of Pretzel Logic, Steely Dan created an alluringly sophisticated album of jazzy pop with Katy Lied. With this record, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen began relying solely on studio musicians, which is evident from the immaculate sound of the album. Usually, such a studied recording method would drain the life out of each song, but that's not the case with Katy Lied, which actually benefits from the duo's perfectionist tendencies. Each song is given a glossy sheen, one that accentuates not only the stronger pop hooks, but also the precise technical skill of the professional musicians drafted to play the solos. Essentially, Katy Lied is a smoother version of Pretzel Logic, featuring the same cross-section of jazz-pop and blues-rock. The lack of innovations doesn't hurt the record, since the songs are uniformly brilliant. Less overtly cynical than previous Dan albums, the album still has its share of lyrical stingers, but what's really notable are the melodies, from the seductive jazzy soul of "Doctor Wu" and the lazy blues of "Chain Lightning" to the terse "Black Friday" and mock calypso of "Everyone's Gone to the Movies." It's another excellent record in one of the most distinguished rock & roll catalogs of the '70s. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	03/07/2025
Label:	Analogue Prod.
UPC:	0753088001277

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Steely Dan   Primary Artist
Rick Derringer   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Guitar
Wilton Felder   Guest Artist,Bass
Jeff Porcaro   Guest Artist,Drums,Dorophone
Victor Feldman   Guest Artist,Keyboards,Percussion,Vibraphone
Phil Woods   Guest Artist,Alto,Horn,Vocals,Soloist,Sax (Alto)
Michael McDonald   Guest Artist,Vocals (Background),Vocals
Hugh McCracken   Guest Artist,Guitar
Larry Carlton   Guest Artist,Guitar
Sherlie Matthews   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Hal Blaine   Drums
Michael Omartian   Piano,Keyboards,Fender Rhodes
Bill Perkins   Horn
Chuck Rainey   Bass
Donald Fagen   Piano,Vocals,Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Elliott Randall   Guitar
David Paich   Piano,Keyboards
Denny Dias   Guitar
Dean Parks   Guitar
Walter Becker   Bass,Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (Bass)
Myrna Matthews   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Jimmie Haskell   Horn
Carolyn Willis   Vocals,Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Roger Nichols   Audio Engineer,Engineer
Gary Katz   Audio Production,Producer
Dorothy White   Cover Photo
Daniel Levitin   Consultant
Kenta Hagiwara   Liner Notes
Dinky Dawson   Sound Consultant
Rick Collins   Mastering
Donald Fagen   Composer,Liner Notes
Walter Becker   Composer
Jimmie Haskell   Arranger,Horn Arrangements