Wow Steely Dan!
One of the layoouts that moved my musical taste when (not so) young, so far ahead of everybody... Single perfect tequniques, singular vocals and lyrics, Big Band background, Jazz and Rock, Funk and Groove, whatever you could dream of: Music for a dinner (on low volume) as well as for a party to get ppl to dance, perfect arrangements, interesting cascades and harmonic layouts,, etc., a true SOUND immersion... ! THANKS for reminding me to check my Vinyl more often...
(Just as a by-note and FTR: I have a very personal - and very bad and very terrific and sad - connection with them, but I wont let my judgment nor liking of their music be influenced by it, the musicians have nothing to do with it and are just great).
For me Steely Dan culminated with this following kind of songs (but then we also have the solo carreers, esp. Donald Fagan, for me he was the heart of the band, but amplified through the input of the others):
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw843AjJRLg"]YouTube - Steely Dan live plays"Don't take me alive"[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylr2D4Pwn58"]YouTube - Steely Dan - Kid Charlemagne (Live)[/ame]
And a Donald Fagan Classic:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsRpNFXL67c"]YouTube - Donald Fagen - New Frontier[/ame]
Enjoy (or not),
Rattler