Re: Donald Fagen Recalls Lennon's Murder

I iiked Two Against Nature a lot (with the exception of the title
track and one or two others).  A problem, however, is that Walter Becker
was allowed to play too much of the bass and lead guitar.  And the
drumming is too simple; it could almost be mistaken for a machine in
places.
     Steely Dan's oeuvre abounds in amazing guitar and bass -- but none
of it is Becker's.  The great basslines are Chuck Rainey's; the great
guitar is guys including Jon Herington, Jeff Baxter and Denny Dias.
      Becker was an entertaining wordsmith, but they should have left
the guitar and bass to the experts.
     Same with Fagen's solo album Kamakiriad.  Becker produced it and
played lead guitar and bass, both of which were noodly.  "Where's Chuck
Rainey?" was a 1-line review I recall, and could not have agreed with
more.