After a 20 year absence, the "Dan" is back with their first studio album since "Gaucho", released in 1980. Little has changed in the "Dan" formula and what changes there are, are minor and in  the background. The lyrics are still clear and impressionistic with topics  ranging from intra-family relationships (Cousin Dupree) to yet another  autobiographical song about L.A. (West of Hollywood). The production is  purely top notch and polished. Gone, however are the "super session  players" of "Dan" albums of the past (with the exception of  Hugh McCracken and Dean Parks assisting with guitar duties on "Almost  Gothic" and "Negative Girl" respectively).  A pleasant  surprise on this album is Walter Becker's guitar playing, which now takes  center stage with the lack of all of the super-session guitarists of days  gone by (IE: Larry Carlton, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter to name two). As  for Don Fagen, his keyboard playing is outstanding as always, bouncing  between playing a Rhodes, Piano, Wurlitzur and on one occasion, an organ.  His style of playing flows between jazz and R & B. Another pleasant  surprise is found on the final trak of the CD, entitled "West of  Hollywood". Chris Potter's long tenor sax solo is reminiscent of Wayne  Shorter's solo on the title track to the 1977 album, "Aja".