This one's not for you. Self contains no ballads, no tender laments. Its sinister groove rolls in slowly, as ping-pong guitar feedback punctures the mix. Johnson's split personalities call and respond. The keyboard swells and the agitated sound is discordant, stripped down.
Self offers no hint of optimism, only words to the wise.
Self 's lyrical focus is bleak. It doesn't fail as an album, but it sure isn't easy to listen to. It's not Steely Dan's best, but it's a good follow-up to Walter Becker and Donald Fagen's last album together, 1980's Gaucho . With its recognizable riffs and jazzy chops, the music is tight and precise but succeeds by keeping a loose feel. Even Two Against Nature 's most autobiographical songs are not about reminiscing and soul-searching as much as maintaining their cool.