Steely Dan is an American jazz rock band whose music also blends elements of funk, R&B, and pop. Founded by core members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen in 1972, the band enjoyed great critical and commercial success in the late 1970s and early 1980s before breaking up in 1981.
Two Against Nature is the eighth album by Steely Dan, released in 2000. The album won the group four Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. It marked the first Steely Dan studio album in 20 years, following 1980's Gaucho. It has been certified platinum in the U.S.
Notorious for shunning concert performances, Steely Dan's improbable live reunion in the mid-'90s eventually turned into a full-fledged reunion album. Since Steely Dan fans went two decades without even the hope of a new record, the very prospect was a delight, but it was also a little worrying, since a botched comeback would tarnish the band's legacy. Fortunately, Two Against Nature is as seductive and alluring as the best of Steely Dan's later work, with a similar emphasis on classy atmosphere and groove. Pitched halfway between Gaucho and the immaculate production of Fagen's solo album Kamakiriad, it's a graceful, intricate record that works its subtle charms at its own pace.
While that means it isn't a knockout on the first listen, it's a real grower -- a quietly addicting album that slowly works its way into the subconscious. It's also an uncannily natural extension of the duo's previous work, but surprisingly, it never sounds nostalgic or dated. It's clear that Becker and Fagen re-teamed because they simply enjoy working together: crafting the songs and arrangements, designing the production, shoehorning in-jokes into the lyrics, finding the exact performances that fit their specifications. In this sense, Two Against Nature is no different than any past Steely Dan effort; that's exactly why it's welcome, since they find nearly endless permutations within their signature sound. Lyrically, the album isn't quite as malicious as their '70s work, but they haven't lost their sharp humor, even on some mere throwaway lines.
The real payoff, however, is musical. Each song gradually reveals its own identity through small, thrilling touches, giving the record depth and character, and fitting it comfortably into Steely Dan's acclaimed body of work. And that's as delightfully unexpected and peculiarly beautiful as anything else in their career.
Track listing
01. "Gaslighting Abbie" - 5:53
02. "What a Shame About Me" - 5:17
03. "Two Against Nature" - 6:17
04. "Janie Runaway" - 4:09
05. "Almost Gothic" - 4:09
06. "Jack of Speed" - 6:17
07. "Cousin Dupree" - 5:28
08. "Negative Girl" - 5:34
09. "West of Hollywood" - 8:21
All songs written by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen.
Credits
Walter Becker – bass, lead guitar
Donald Fagen – organ, piano, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, vocals
Tom Barney – bass
Ted Baker – piano, Fender Rhodes
Jon Herington – acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar
Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar
Hugh McCracken – guitar
Dean Parks – guitar
Lawrence Feldman – clarinet, tenor saxophone
Amy Helm – whistle
Michael Hitchcock – trumpet
Michael Leonhart – trumpet, conductor, wurlitzer
Lou Marini – alto saxophone
Chris Potter – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Jim Pugh – trombone
Roger Rosenberg – bass clarinet, baritone saxophone
David Tofani – saxophone
Keith Carlock – drums
Leroy Clouden – drums
Vinnie Colaiuta – drums
Sonny Emory – drums
Ricky Lawson – drums
Michael White – drums
Gordon Gottlieb – percussion
Will Lee – percussion
Daniel Sadownick – percussion, timbales
David Shank – vibraphone
Steve Shapiro – vibraphone
Cynthia Calhoun – background vocals
Mike Harvey – background vocals
Carolyn Leonhart – background vocals
Production
Producers - Walter Becker, Donald Fagen
Executive engineer - Roger Nichols
Engineers - Phil Burnett, Per-Christian Nielsen, Johan Edlund, Anthony Gorman, Roger Nichols, Ken Ross, Dave Russell, Jay A. Ryan, Elliot Scheiner, Peta Scriba
Mixing - Roger Nichols, Dave Russell
Mastering - Scott Hull
Assistants - Suzy Barrows, Reaann Zschokke
Technician - Roger Nichols
Editing - Jan Folkson
Horn arrangements - Walter Becker, Donald Fagen, Michael Leonhart
Project manager - Jill Dell'Abate
Project coordinator - Suzana Haugh
Consultant - Michael Leonhart
Piano tuner - Sam Berd
Electric Piano Technician - Edd Kolakowski
Design - Carol Bobolts
Photography - Michael Northrup/Jason Fulford
Copyist - Michael Leonhart
Notes
Release date: February 29, 2000
Recorded At: River Sound, Clinton Sound, Hyperbolic Sound, Electric Lady Studios
Genre: Jazz-fusion
Length: 51:25
© 2000
Label - Giant Records
Notorious for shunning concert performances, Steely Dan's improbable live reunion in the mid-'90s eventually turned into a full-fledged reunion album. Since Steely Dan fans went two decades without even the hope of a new record, the very prospect was a delight, but it was also a little worrying, since a botched comeback would tarnish the band's legacy. Fortunately, Two Against Nature is as seductive and alluring as the best of Steely Dan's later work, with a similar emphasis on classy atmosphere and groove. Pitched halfway between Gaucho and the immaculate production of Fagen's solo album Kamakiriad, it's a graceful, intricate record that works its subtle charms at its own pace.
While that means it isn't a knockout on the first listen, it's a real grower -- a quietly addicting album that slowly works its way into the subconscious. It's also an uncannily natural extension of the duo's previous work, but surprisingly, it never sounds nostalgic or dated. It's clear that Becker and Fagen re-teamed because they simply enjoy working together: crafting the songs and arrangements, designing the production, shoehorning in-jokes into the lyrics, finding the exact performances that fit their specifications. In this sense, Two Against Nature is no different than any past Steely Dan effort; that's exactly why it's welcome, since they find nearly endless permutations within their signature sound. Lyrically, the album isn't quite as malicious as their '70s work, but they haven't lost their sharp humor, even on some mere throwaway lines.
The real payoff, however, is musical. Each song gradually reveals its own identity through small, thrilling touches, giving the record depth and character, and fitting it comfortably into Steely Dan's acclaimed body of work. And that's as delightfully unexpected and peculiarly beautiful as anything else in their career.
Track listing
01. "Gaslighting Abbie" - 5:53
02. "What a Shame About Me" - 5:17
03. "Two Against Nature" - 6:17
04. "Janie Runaway" - 4:09
05. "Almost Gothic" - 4:09
06. "Jack of Speed" - 6:17
07. "Cousin Dupree" - 5:28
08. "Negative Girl" - 5:34
09. "West of Hollywood" - 8:21
All songs written by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen.
Credits
Walter Becker – bass, lead guitar
Donald Fagen – organ, piano, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, vocals
Tom Barney – bass
Ted Baker – piano, Fender Rhodes
Jon Herington – acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar
Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar
Hugh McCracken – guitar
Dean Parks – guitar
Lawrence Feldman – clarinet, tenor saxophone
Amy Helm – whistle
Michael Hitchcock – trumpet
Michael Leonhart – trumpet, conductor, wurlitzer
Lou Marini – alto saxophone
Chris Potter – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Jim Pugh – trombone
Roger Rosenberg – bass clarinet, baritone saxophone
David Tofani – saxophone
Keith Carlock – drums
Leroy Clouden – drums
Vinnie Colaiuta – drums
Sonny Emory – drums
Ricky Lawson – drums
Michael White – drums
Gordon Gottlieb – percussion
Will Lee – percussion
Daniel Sadownick – percussion, timbales
David Shank – vibraphone
Steve Shapiro – vibraphone
Cynthia Calhoun – background vocals
Mike Harvey – background vocals
Carolyn Leonhart – background vocals
Production
Producers - Walter Becker, Donald Fagen
Executive engineer - Roger Nichols
Engineers - Phil Burnett, Per-Christian Nielsen, Johan Edlund, Anthony Gorman, Roger Nichols, Ken Ross, Dave Russell, Jay A. Ryan, Elliot Scheiner, Peta Scriba
Mixing - Roger Nichols, Dave Russell
Mastering - Scott Hull
Assistants - Suzy Barrows, Reaann Zschokke
Technician - Roger Nichols
Editing - Jan Folkson
Horn arrangements - Walter Becker, Donald Fagen, Michael Leonhart
Project manager - Jill Dell'Abate
Project coordinator - Suzana Haugh
Consultant - Michael Leonhart
Piano tuner - Sam Berd
Electric Piano Technician - Edd Kolakowski
Design - Carol Bobolts
Photography - Michael Northrup/Jason Fulford
Copyist - Michael Leonhart
Notes
Release date: February 29, 2000
Recorded At: River Sound, Clinton Sound, Hyperbolic Sound, Electric Lady Studios
Genre: Jazz-fusion
Length: 51:25
© 2000
Label - Giant Records
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