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Aug 15, 2023 Web Exclusive By Ian Rushbury

The first track on Pretzel Logic is “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number.” Really, that’s all you need to know about the album. If that was the only tune on it, it would be a must have. And there are 10 more songs as good as that one on it.

Pretzel Logic walks the line between studio perfection and rock and roll, with a swagger. There’s urgent uptown funk with “Night by Night,” glorious pop with “Barrytown,” and exemplar yacht rock with “Any Major Dude Will tell You.” There’s even a cover of Duke Ellington’s “East St Louis Toodle-Oo” with Walter Becker on a talk box, last used on Peter Frampton’s “Show Me the Way.” Probably.

The only criticism one can level at Pretzel Logic is that it’s a bit front-loaded. The great stuff is on side one, while the merely good stuff is on side two, although the title track gives it a welcome lift halfway through.

People of “a certain age” often use the phrase “they don’t write ‘em like this anymore!” And in the case of Steely Dan, they’re probably right. Okay boomer—you win. (www.steelydan.com)

Author rating: 8/10