Classic fusion jazz studio band Steely Dan is back, but this time it's under a different name. Steely Dan co-leader Donald Fagen released his self-produced third solo album "Morph the Cat" last week.
"Morph the Cat" is a sexy, soulful album that sounds almost exactly like a Steely Dan record. Fagen's incredibly smooth voice crescendos with bass tracks that skate through each song with a simple backbeat under a hint of piano.
Recording and touring since the '70s, Fagen is no stranger to the scene. His seasoned presentation of this timeless jazz-pop album brings something fresh and stands out amid the juvenility of modern musicians.
What makes this album superior to his previous two solo releases is the stellar songwriting. Each song is also interpreted in the liner notes, which prevents listeners from playing the guessing game about what an artist is thinking when they pen their songs.
Many of the songs are politically incorrect such as "Mary Shut the Garden Door," which talks about a cult taking over the government. "The Great Pagoda of Funn" brings to light the harsh realities of life with lyrics like, "Of psycho-moms and dying stars and dirty bombs/ Please follow me and hold me tight."
Such creativity cannot go unheard. The absolute raw talent of Donald Fagen is still around and isn't going away anytime soon.
