By Melinda McCrady
Daily Forty-Niner

In its heyday, Steely Dan deftly walked the tricky razorback between Jazz and Rock, managing somehow to avoid both the tendency toward spinelessness and ostentatious junior high style rutting.

Today is not the heyday of Steely Dan. Walter Becker and Donald Fagan, the only two official members of the band since its inception in the early '70s, still seem somewhat cool for old dudes trying their best to rock, but when you get down to it, that's a pretty poor weight class in which to contend. The basic problem with "Everything Must Go," Steely Dan's new album, is that everything must go if this is ever to be turned into a good album. Donald and Walter, should just go ahead and cut all nine of these smarmy Jazz songs and start over. A couple of the tracks start with a hint of promise but invariably devolve into saxophone solos and processed guitar whirly-cues. Come on now guys, a little honest tube distortion never hurt anyone. Becker's guitar work, in general, has taken on the aimless contentment of an Alzheimer's patient.

At any rate, if you like radio station The Wave, or are described by your pals as dowdy and easily frightened, then by all means run along and buy yourself this record.