Steely Dan - Gaucho - White Hot Stamper

*NOTE: This record was not noisy enough to rate our M-- to EX++ grade, but it's not quite up to our standards for Mint Minus Minus either. If you're looking for quiet vinyl, this is probably not the best copy for you. Every instrument taking part in this complex, richly imagined sonic tapestry sits perfectly in its own place, and, more importantly for us audiophiles, its own space. The average pressing we auditioned was somewhat opaque and compressed, throwing a veil over the vocals and setting them further back on the stage. Not this copy -- the transparency and dynamics are superb, highlighting Donald Fagen's moody, emotive singing while his ensemble of hand-picked studio cats wails away behind him with abandon (but not too much abandon; can't lose our Steely Dan cool don't you know). Add a handful of oh-so-sultry female vocalists to sex it up and you have one transcendent musical experience. What The Best Sides Of Gaucho Have To Offer Is Not Hard To Hear The biggest, most immediat