Reprise

On his fourth solo album and first in six years, Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen brings the funk in the only way he can – smoothly. Don’t be fooled though, the pristine sound mix and overall gloss conceal the depths and ironies of the songs’ stories. Unlike most wronged lovers, the one in “I’m Not the Same Without You” is doing better; not worse. Similarly, instead of being glorious reminders of the past, the “Memorabilia” deteriorates. After the faithful cover of Isaac Hayes’ “Out of the Ghetto,” the last third of the album – excluding the illicit “Good Stuff” – suffers from the opposite of what made the first songs strike gold: a lack of depth to the polished surfaces. It’s fitting that the album ends on an unresolved chord.