A mediocre SD album is still always better than an album of whatever pop or R&B clone whose name I cannot remember, but this current disc of SD brings up thoughts on what we can do to make the next one better. I do have  a few suggestions: Add Larry Carlton as the 3rd permanent member of Steely  Dan; Keep Walter Becker's guitar playing restricted to rhythm parts; Hire a  real bass player; Give the drummers some air that the grooves become deeper  and more intense; Hire the same horn section (they are doing an excellent  job on this album) and hire Gary Katz and Genji Siraisi as producers for  the next album that we are hopefully more thrilled the next time an SD  album comes out.  It is all just too sterile now in a way that I can only  categorize it as being excellent car music.