The two hundred and fourty-fifth album: #245 Steely Dan - Can't Buy A Thrill
Sometimes you don't really realise what you're missing in the albums until you hear them, and Steely Dan is just hitting that spot - a pleasant soft rock album, nothing extravagant but just cruising along to a gentle sound. That doesn't mean there's no energy to the performance - it's there, and something like Reelin' In The Years really adds some pep to your step, but it's not as extravagant. The poppy sound, with some country influences, is incredibly pleasant to listen to and I'd happily have kept it on for longer.
It sounds like this is a sound that might get more elaborate, and I've got three more albums to see how it goes, but at this point the lack of big production, a focus on simpler lyrics and sounds, is welcome.