Katy Lied has the honor of being the only Steely Dan album without a personality.

It's not a bad listen, but it's not a fulfilling one either. This time around, the cynicism seems forced, the lyrics don't bite as hard as usual, the stories are weak and the songs aren't as memorable. Granted, with any Steely Dan album, there is bound to be excellent musicianship and female backing vocals that lend the songs some soul, but on the whole
Katy Lied fails to fully entertain.

At this point, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker were relying on professional studio musicians and not touring, so this album sounds perfect. Not one note out of place, not one solo with heart in it, not one song that goes above and beyond standard Steely Dan fare. Even the harder songs don't rock as they have before, and the subdued jazz numbers aren't as meaningful as they used to be.

Sonically, the album is an extension of Pretzel Logic, and doesn't give much hint to what will come (Aja and The Royal Scam, the band's best two albums). There is a semi-rock song in "Black Friday," which lacks punch, and "Chain Lightning" is the closest to blues the Dan ever got, though without soul it means little.

"Daddy Don't Live In The New York City No More," a mouthful to say, has probably the best hook on here and a great cynical vocal by Fagen, over top of some understated keyboard work that subtly enhances the song. "Doctor Wu," a tale about addiction, has the most lyrical resonance and could have fit nicely on Aja. The guys also try a bit of calypso with "Everyone's Gone To The Movies," but the song falls apart in the choruses and oddball lyrics.

"Your Gold Teeth II" doesn't capture the spirit of the original, while "Bad Sneakers" and "Any World (That I'm Welcome To)" are just average. "Rose Darling" is occasionally good, as is the closer "Throw Back The Little Ones," a decent jazz/pop piece ruined by Fagen's singing.

Completists will want this, of course, because after all it does have a bit of eclecticism in the music. But it's not consistently solid or memorable and, musically, it's too calculated to really resonate with the listener.