They're a love them or hate them band...very few people are neutral towards Steely Dan. I went from hating them when younger to loving them. The strengths are incredibly sharp, sarcastic, smarmy lyrics with a great musical counterpoint which often emphasizes the subtlety. They also have pretty...well...untraditional vocals which can grate on folks. They can also come across as soft jazz at casual listening levels. They get amazing studio muscians and their songs are a lot more complex and interesting than a casual listen might indicate.