90. Aja - Steely Dan

Most artists or musical groups have a "pinnacle" album --- one where they demonstrate conclusively their talent, their genius, their modus operandi. Aja is that album for Steely Dan --- a brilliant mix of music, lyrics, production, and performance that elevates many of the core elements of their sound to a higher plane.

Aja is a fascinating album because of how Steely Dan manages to make a work that many view as their quintessential sound, despite several key departures from what they did in their previous work. The lyrics are more optimistic and less cynical, the performances are both cleaner and less cold, and the overall atmosphere of the sound is welcoming instead of standoffish. The album stands as one of the signature sonic achievements of the 1970s, and contains so many layers that we're still trying to unpeel them after 25+ years of listening.