Steely Dan Sunday, “Springtime” (1993)

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*** STEELY DAN SUNDAY INDEX ***

It’s no fun to write about the failing of an artist for which you have an immense amount of respect and admiration, but we’ve reached that nadir for Donald Fagen with the flaccid “Springtime.”

The mix is not just treble-y top-heavy, it’s godawful tinny, and unlike “Trans-Island Skyway,” there’s no fat bass to offset it. The lyrics are cringemaking (“Yowie! It’s Connie Lee at the wheel of her Shark-de-Ville…”), the intro sang half-heartedly doesn’t fit with the rest of the song and the riff-based melody is even less interesting than “Countermoon.”

Redeeming qualities? Sure, there’s one or two: Steely Dan never ever screws up the horn charts, and “Springtime” is no exception to that rule. Becker’s lead guitar is dope, but he’s regulated to playing behind those annoying, endlessly repeating chorus vocals. Too bad.

I’ve heard the pressing of the skip button much more than I ever care to hear this song. Revisiting this track after swinging out to Lake Nostalgia didn’t help at all, either. Once again, I have to ask: Have we reached “Snowbound,” yet?

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S. Victor Aaron