Morph the Cat
Reprise
Let’s not mince words here: This is great stuff.
More than Fagen’s other solo albums — 1982’s “The Nightfly” and 1993’s “Kamakiriad” — this sounds like a Steely Dan album. One could dare say it sounds more like Steely Dan than the Dan’s last two albums.
It’s pure studio perfection. How long does it take this guy to write and record something like this? Unless he’s been stashing away songs over the years, Fagen’s been busy since the “Everything Must Go” tour wrapped at the end of ’03.
How to put it: The songs are just cooler, hipper, funkier, groovier. And his voice sounds better, not as hoarse or straining to hit the upper registers (it could be masked by female background vocals and his own multitracked voice, but who cares — the end result is great). And man, does he go to town on those keyboards, even serving up some organ and possibly vibes (unless Phonus Quaver is a real person).
Last but not least, those lyrics — Fagen’s oblique, surreal sarcasm has never been in better form. His themes may change as he gets older, but trying to decipher his cryptograms is still half the fun of listening.
Tracks
1. Morph The Cat
2. H Gang
3. What I Do
4. Brite Nitegown
5. The Great Pagoda Of Funn
6. Security Joan
7. The Night Belongs To Mona
8. Mary Shut The Garden Door
9. Morph The Cat (reprise)
Total time: 52:50
External Links
artist’s link
amazon.com
iTunes Store
