By: Tracking Angle

January 6th, 2025

Category:

News

Acoustic Sounds Unveils Definitive Ultra High Quality Record Vinyl Reissue of Steely Dan's "Katy Lied"

Available now for pre-order, release date of 1/31

Revisit Steely Dan’s Gold-Selling Classic with Stunning 45 RPM Edition & Purest Possible Pressing, Mastered Directly From Original Master Tape by Bernie Grundman, Pressed at Quality Record Pressings Using 200-gram Clarity Vinyl®

Out January 31st & Available For Pre-Order:

HERE

“a turning point where Steely Dan became something else entirely” - PITCHFORK

"It is the quietly assured sophistication of tracks like 'Any World (That I’m Welcome To)' that sets Katy Lied apart, subtly elevating it to a position among their most revered works." - ROLLING STONE

"The meticulous arrangements and production on Katy Lied illustrate Steely Dan's perfectionism at its peak, making the album a landmark in 1970s rock history." - ALL MUSIC

Katy Lied’s vinyl release is presented in a premium package featuring tip-on, old-style, gold-foil, individually-numbered, double-pocket gatefold jackets with film lamination by Stoughton Printing, all housed in an elegant slipcase with a wooden dowel spine. This definitive edition is limited to 20,000 numbered copies, ensuring an exclusive listening experience for true collectors and Steely Dan fans alike.

Formed by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, Steely Dan redefined the boundaries of rock and jazz fusion with their sophisticated compositions and meticulous studio production. Pitchfork described Katy Lied as “a turning point where Steely Dan became something else entirely,” praising its thematic explorations of betrayal, disillusionment, and sophistication. Mastered directly from the original master tape by legendary engineer Bernie Grundman, Katy Lied is pressed on 200-gram Clarity Vinyl® at Quality Record Pressings. With its purest possible sound reproduction, this UHQR release delivers Steely Dan’s polished jazz-rock fusion in stunning clarity and depth.

Featuring iconic tracks like the upbeat yet biting "Black Friday," the poignant ballad "Doctor Wu," and the catchy groove of "Bad Sneakers," Katy Lied captures Steely Dan at the height of their creative powers. The album is lauded for its intricate production, innovative use of top-tier session musicians, and complex yet accessible melodies. It also marks the debut of Michael McDonald’s signature vocals within the Steely Dan soundscape.

Katy Lied Tracklisting

Black Friday

Bad Sneakers

Rose Darling

Daddy Don’t Live in That New York City No More

Doctor Wu

Everyone’s Gone to the Movies

Your Gold Teeth II

Chain Lightning

Any World (That I’m Welcome To)

Throw Back the Little Ones

Comments

2025-01-06 10:59:57 PM

Thomas Ream wrote:

Well, finally! I have had this on order since August 2023....one of my favorite Steely Dan records. I am obviously curious to see how the well-documented sonic issues with this recording have been addressed.
2025-01-07 01:14:31 AM

bwb wrote:

"Definitive Ultra High Quality Record Vinyl Reissue " If you haven't heard it, how can you state that in the headline ?
- 2025-01-07 10:24:12 PM
  
  Zaphod wrote:
  
  I believe this is just a press release from Acoustic Sounds and not an article from Tracking Angle.
- 2025-01-08 11:23:30 PM
  
  Michael Fremer wrote:
  
  well I have heard it, but this is as it's identified at the top A PRESS RELEASE!
  - 2025-01-09 01:31:53 AM
    
    Jeffrey Puckett wrote:
    
    Just so you know, it's only identified as a press release on the Tracking Angle home page. On this page, it is not. Probably a formatting issue.
    - 2025-01-13 09:28:40 AM
      
      tim davis wrote:
      
      Was it Friedrich Nietzsche, philosopher and critic or perhaps Nigel Tufnel who once said, "That's nitpicking, isn't it?"
2025-01-07 02:44:38 PM

PeterG wrote:

YAY! In general the Steely Dan UHQRs have been great, and this should be a beauty. But after the Pretzel Logic debacle, I need a review from Fremer or other trusted sources before pulling the trigger. On the edge of my seat...
- 2025-01-07 04:22:25 PM
  
  Come on wrote:
  
  Grundman already made a great sounding 33 RPM test pressing for Alto of this album many years ago, so although I’m not sure what could get better than this test pressing, I have high hopes. And I’m sure Chad compared them.
2025-01-07 05:10:27 PM

Marshall Gooch wrote:

I wonder what made this album “groundbreaking“. I’m a Dan fan, but I don’t hear any ground being broken on this album - it was yet another great Steely Dan album, yes. But let’s hold the superlatives back for when they really are meaningful. I mean, unless the author happens to think Katy Lied is their best work. In which case, I’d say Countdown to Ecstasy was groundbreaking.
- 2025-01-08 11:24:44 PM
  
  Michael Fremer wrote:
  
  This was identified at the top as a PRESS RELEASE...thus the superlatives. I'll have a review shortly..
- 2025-01-13 09:18:44 AM
  
  tim davis wrote:
  
  As I understand it, the ground being broken was Becker & Fagen moving away from recording with an established lineup of their "band" towards an ever expanding group of studio session musicians. I confess I myself am unable to detect much difference in shifts from (for example) one drummer to others, Porcaro, Blaine, & later on Gadd but I believe real musicians would have no trouble detecting such things. Coincedentally (or not) the year of Katy Lied was also the year for the formation of The Alan Parsons Project who went on to make major use of a constantly rotating door of (session & otherwise) musicians. Having said all this, I confess that Katy is my favorite Steely Dan recording.
2025-01-08 01:40:14 AM

Sloan Lamb wrote:

Is there a picture of a “katydid” grasshopper on the cover because it — kind of — rhymes with “Katy Lied”?
- 2025-01-08 03:15:59 AM
  
  Robert German wrote:
  
  Wikipedia is your friend: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katy_Lied#Title_and_packaging
2025-01-08 08:09:11 AM

Mark wrote:

The capitalist vinyl adventure continues. I purchased the re-released Countdown to Ecstasy for GBP27.99 on Amazon. The 2025 Katy Lied is being advertised on Amazon for GBP37.99. Quite a jump.

Does anyone know why there was such a big gap between Aja/Gaucho and Katy Lied for the reissues?
- 2025-01-08 08:25:34 AM
  
  Mark wrote:
  
  Pesky duplication bs!
  
  When I refer to gap, I mean time wise.
2025-01-08 08:09:13 AM

Mark wrote:

The capitalist vinyl adventure continues. I purchased the re-released Countdown to Ecstasy for GBP27.99 on Amazon. The 2025 Katy Lied is being advertised on Amazon for GBP37.99. Quite a jump.

Does anyone know why there was such a big gap between Aja/Gaucho and Katy Lied for the reissues?
- 2025-01-08 05:09:13 PM
  
  Steamboat Broadway wrote:
  
  I don't know about the whole gap because a few release dates were tentatively released, but the last one was a label decision, and I was told it had something to do with sales of either the previous UHQRs or the standard reissues that are coming out.
- 2025-01-08 11:26:27 PM
  
  Michael Fremer wrote:
  
  UMe has control of release dates and sometimes they act capriciously
  - 2025-01-13 09:51:58 AM
    
    tim davis wrote:
    
    Hell yes they do, even with paying customers. They once cancelled a huge online order I placed (17 lps) stating the order was "attempted fraud" despite me using the same verified & reliable payment method I've used for years for hundreds of purchases without any other problems. UMe customer service further refused to hear me out or reinstate my order through email responses that looked to me like AI versions of form letters.
2025-01-08 06:49:27 PM

José Jacob wrote:

This album is for me the less prefered of Steely Dan, from the initial 7. Let's see how Chad managed this release. I intend to buy this one too, to have this collection complete.
2025-01-08 07:01:44 PM

Tim wrote:

In my opinion, as a non-Dan fan, these continued Steeley UHQR releases are taking up valuable pressing plant capacity for cooler UHQR releases.

Just yawn...
- 2025-01-09 01:20:45 AM
  
  Silk Dome Mid wrote:
  
  Acoustic Sounds is what's known as a "business". An odd feature of capitalist economies, businesses exist for the purpose of acquiring transferrable assets in the form of "money". These Steely Dan releases are considered to be highly desirable by a subset of recorded music enthusiasts sometimes called "audiophiles", who value what they consider to be interesting music in a high quality form. Since they are desirable, these Steely Dan LPs sell, and Acoustic Sounds has every reason to release them in whatever quantity and time frame they feel to be appropriate. Perhaps they will get around to releasing the Manchester Marching Kazoo and Triangle Band music you prefer in the near future.
  - 2025-01-09 01:33:57 AM
    
    Jeffrey Puckett wrote:
    
    Smarmy much?
    - 2025-01-09 04:31:59 AM
      
      Silk Dome Mid wrote:
      
      Yawn at Steely Dan and you get smarmed.
      - 2025-01-09 05:36:24 AM
        
        Silk Dome Mid wrote:
        
        Actually, I don't care what anyone thinks of Steely Dan. It's that "I have better taste than you...yawn" that gets to me. And the implied suggestion that a company selling LPs shouldn't be concerned with people actually buying them.
        
        2025-01-10 08:25:43 AM
        
        Mark wrote:
        
        Are you still enduring that 'profound feeling of sadness' you experienced with Woodland, or does the hairshirt need a minor tweak?
        
        2025-01-10 06:28:29 PM
        
        Silk Dome Mid wrote:
        
        Aah, all is well in Silk Dome world. Even my Katy Lied annoyance has subsided, and avoiding mournful music has helped. The hairshirt got itchy, too. It's hard to be down when shoveling a literal ton of snow is SO much fun! Thanks for asking.