COUNTDOWN TO ECSTASY

A striking improvement over their debut, Steely Dan's Countdown to Ecstasy sees the duo of Becker and Fagen honing their cynical, often satirical wits and their songwriting abilities to produce a classic set of jazz-rock songs. The emphasis, as always, is on light rock with a few jazz elements creeping in here and there, but the sound they attain on this album will be of interest to most art rock afficionados. Standout tracks include the post-apocalyptic anthem King of the World and the infectious My Old School, and of course the famous Bodhisattva, which has the heaviest guitar playing of any Steely Dan song.