Steely Dan’s lineup has changed frequently over its five albums, but prime movers Walter Becker and Donald Fagen remain and so, for the most part, does the group’s trademark style. The Royal Scam may be its least commercial outing to date* and, compared with the menu on, say, Countdown to Ecstasy, some of the contents sound rather enervated. But the cryptic lyrics and distinctive vocals continue to captivate, and the rich, jazz-tinged music rates with rock’s most ambitious creations.

*It did wind up going gold and reaching #15 on the charts.