View source for Two Against Nature

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name         = Two Against Nature
| type         = studio
| artist       = [[Steely Dan]]
| cover        = Steelydan-twoagainstnature.jpg
| alt          = A photo of two men's shadows cast onto concrete near grass
| released     = {{start date|2000|02|29}}
| recorded     = 1997–1999
| venue        = 
| studio       = River Sound (New York City) <br> Clinton Sound (New York City) <br> Hyperbolic Sound (Maui) <br> [[Electric Lady Studios]] (New York City)
| genre        = * [[Rock music|Rock]]
* [[jazz pop]]
* [[funk|post-funk]]

| length       = 51:25
| label        = [[Giant Records (Warner)|Giant]]
| producer     = * [[Walter Becker]]
* [[Donald Fagen]]
| prev_title   = [[Alive in America]]
| prev_year    = 1995
| next_title   = [[Plush TV Jazz-Rock Party]]
| next_year    = 2000
| misc         = {{Singles
 | name        = Two Against Nature
 | type        = studio
 | single1     = [[Cousin Dupree]] (promo)
 | single1date = 2000
}}
}}

'''''Two Against Nature''''' is the eighth [[studio album]] by American [[rock music|rock]] band [[Steely Dan]]. Their first studio album in 20 years, it was recorded from 1997 to 1999<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Tingen|first=Paul|author-link=Paul Tingen|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/people/steely-dan|title=Steely Dan: Recording Everything Must Go|magazine=[[Sound on Sound]]|location=Cambridge|date=August 2003|access-date=June 7, 2020}}</ref> and released on February 29, 2000, by [[Giant Records (Warner)|Giant Records]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=[ARCHIVE] Steely Dan {{!}} Official News|url=https://sdarchive.com/newspage.html|access-date=2021-12-29|website=sdarchive.com}}</ref>

A critical success, ''Two Against Nature'' won the group four [[Grammy Award]]s: [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]], [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album|Best Pop Vocal Album]], [[Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical|Best Engineered Album – Non-Classical]], and [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals|Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals]] (for the single "[[Cousin Dupree]]"). Commercially, it peaked at number six on the U.S. [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart and sold more than one million copies,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.stltoday.com/two-against-nature-steely-dan/article_cced7c6d-84a6-5677-84ff-a2d26bf9888d.html|title='Two Against Nature,' Steely Dan|newspaper=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]|date=January 15, 2020|access-date=June 7, 2020}}</ref> earning a [[RIAA certification|Platinum]] certification from the [[Recording Industry Association of America]].<ref name="RIAA"/>

== Reception and legacy ==
{{Music ratings
| MC = 77/100<ref name="metacritic">{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/two-against-nature/steely-dan|title=Two Against Nature by Steely Dan Reviews and Tracks|publisher=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=September 25, 2021}}</ref>
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/two-against-nature-mw0000257938|title=Two Against Nature – Steely Dan|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=June 21, 2012}}</ref>
| rev2 = [[Robert Christgau]]
| rev2score = A<ref>{{cite web|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|url=https://robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=11647|title=Steely Dan: Two Against Nature|publisher=robertchristgau.com|access-date=February 11, 2013}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''
| rev3score = A<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Willman|first=Chris|url=https://ew.com/article/2000/03/06/two-against-nature/|title=Two Against Nature|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|location=New York|date=March 6, 2000|access-date=June 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603220858/https://ew.com/article/2000/03/06/two-against-nature/|archive-date=June 3, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[The Guardian]]''
| rev4score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Cox|first=Tom|author-link=Tom Cox (writer)|title=Steely Dan: Two Against Nature (Giant)|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|location=London|date=February 25, 2000}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''
| rev5score = {{Rating|4|4}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Cromelin|first=Richard|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-feb-27-ca-2993-story.html|title=Rested Steely Dan Reels in '70s on 'Nature'|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=February 27, 2000|access-date=June 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140928004421/http://articles.latimes.com/2000/feb/27/entertainment/ca-2993|archive-date=September 28, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[NME]]''
| rev6score = 7/10<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Mulvey|first=John|url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/20000302132632.html|title=Steely Dan – Two Against Nature|magazine=[[NME]]|location=London|date=March 2, 2000|access-date=June 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000615182639/http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/20000302132632.html|archive-date=June 15, 2000|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev7 = ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]''
| rev7score = 1.6/10<ref name="pitchfork">{{cite web|last=DiCrescenzo|first=Brent|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/7486-two-against-nature/|title=Steely Dan: Two Against Nature|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|date=February 29, 2000|access-date=June 4, 2019}}</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]''
| rev8score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Blake|first=Mark|author-link=Mark Blake (writer)|url=http://www.qonline.co.uk/reviews/server.asp?id=18774|title=Steely Dan: Two Against Nature|magazine=[[Q (magazine)|Q]]|location=London|issue=163|date=April 2000|access-date=June 4, 2019|page=94|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001203174300/http://www.qonline.co.uk/reviews/server.asp?id=18774|archive-date=December 3, 2000|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev9 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
| rev9score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Wild|first=David|author-link=David Wild|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/two-against-nature-2-255255/|title=Two Against Nature|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|location=New York|date=March 16, 2000|access-date=June 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190929025750/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/two-against-nature-2-255255/|archive-date=September 29, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
| rev10 = ''[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]''
| rev10score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine|last=MacDonald|first=Ian|author-link=Ian MacDonald|title=Steely Dan: Two Against Nature|magazine=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]|location=London|issue=34|date=March 2000|page=90}}</ref>
}}

''Two Against Nature'' was met with both commercial and critical success.<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book|editor-last=Larkin|editor-first=Colin|editor-link=Colin Larkin|chapter=Steely Dan|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|title-link=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|publisher=[[Omnibus Press]]|edition=concise 5th|year=2011|isbn=978-0-85712-595-8}}</ref> At [[Metacritic]], which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional critics, the album received an [[weighted arithmetic mean|average score]] of 77, based on 13 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".<ref name="metacritic"/> Writing in March 2000 for ''[[The Village Voice]]'', [[Robert Christgau]] applauded the music as an excellent "rock comeback" and a "jumpier and snappier, sourer and trickier and less soothing" iteration of the [[jazz pop]] featured on Steely Dan's 1977 album ''[[Aja (album)|Aja]]'', describing it as "postfunk". Thematically, he found it unified by fictitious yet revelatory accounts of "dirty old men" seeking "validation" and "excitement" in their sex lives, which are "full of heady infatuations and random acts of cruelty, self-interest and self-hate, vicious cycles blowing hot and cold", all conveying "the urgency of attraction".<ref>{{cite news|last=Christgau|first=Robert|url=https://robertchristgau.com/xg/rock/steely-00.php|title=Doing It Again|newspaper=[[The Village Voice]]|location=New York|date=March 14, 2000|access-date=June 7, 2020|via=robertchristgau.com}}</ref> [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] of [[AllMusic]] appreciated the "sharp humor" in the lyrics, but was especially impressed by the music's "depth and character", as he observed "nearly endless permutations within their signature sound".<ref name="allmusic"/> A dissenting view came from ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' reviewer Brent DiCrescenzo, who dismissed the songs as "lengthy, indistinguishable" and "glossy bop-pop" while suggesting Steely Dan lack "soul".<ref name="pitchfork"/>

At the [[43rd Annual Grammy Awards|2001 Grammy Awards]], ''Two Against Nature'' earned Steely Dan won in the categories of [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]], [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album|Best Pop Vocal Album]], [[Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical|Best Engineered Album – Non-Classical]], and [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals|Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals]] (for the single "[[Cousin Dupree]]"). For these awards, the band was in competition with younger, more popular recording acts such as [[NSYNC]], [[Britney Spears]], [[Radiohead]], [[Beck]], and [[Eminem]]. According to ''[[Stereogum]]'' writer Zach Schonfeld, Steely Dan's success at the Grammys represented a "revenge of the [[baby boomers|<nowiki>[baby]</nowiki> boomers]]" and contributed to resentment among younger listeners toward the band: "[T]he sight of two smug jazz-rock nerds collecting their Grammy from [[Stevie Wonder]] as Radiohead and Beck went home nearly empty-handed—helps explain why so many [[Generation X|Gen X]]-ers and old [[millennials]] grew up loathing both Steely Dan and the Grammys in equal measure. Needless to say, Steely Dan's elliptical character studies set to [[yacht rock]] sleaze didn't speak to disaffected American youth the way, say, ''[[The Marshall Mathers LP]]'' did."<ref>{{cite web|last=Schonfeld|first=Zach|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2074658/steely-dan-two-against-nature-turns-20/reviews/the-anniversary/|title=Two Against Nature Turns 20|website=[[Stereogum]]|date=February 28, 2020|access-date=June 8, 2020}}</ref>

Steely Dan's supporting tour of North America, Europe, and Japan was equally successful, encouraging them to record the 2003 album ''[[Everything Must Go (Steely Dan album)|Everything Must Go]]''.<ref name="Larkin"/>

==Track listing==
{{Track listing
|headline=''Two Against Nature'' track listing
| all_writing = [[Walter Becker]] and [[Donald Fagen]]

| title1 = Gaslighting Abbie
| length1 = 5:53

| title2 = What a Shame About Me
| length2 = 5:18

| title3 = Two Against Nature
| length3 = 6:18

| title4 = Janie Runaway
| length4 = 4:09

| title5 = Almost Gothic
| length5 = 4:10

| title6 = Jack of Speed
| length6 = 6:17

| title7 = [[Cousin Dupree]]
| length7 = 5:29

| title8 = Negative Girl
| length8 = 5:34

| title9 = West of Hollywood
| length9 = 8:22
}}

==Personnel==

===Steely Dan===
* [[Donald Fagen]] – [[lead vocalist|lead vocals]] (all tracks), [[Fender Rhodes]] (1–3), [[Clavinet]] (1), [[piano]] (2, 3,8), [[Wurlitzer electronic piano|Wurlitzer piano]] (4–7), [[organ (music)|organ]] (9)
* [[Walter Becker]] – [[bass guitar|bass]] (2–7), [[guitar]] (1, 2, 4, 6, 7), [[lead guitar]] (3, 9)

===Additional musicians===
{{div col}}
* Ted Baker – Fender Rhodes (4, 5, 7–9), piano (9)
* [[Jon Herington]] –  [[rhythm guitar]] (3, 7–9), [[steel-string acoustic guitar|acoustic guitar]] (5)
* [[Hugh McCracken]] – guitar (5)
* [[Paul Jackson Jr.]] – guitar (8)
* [[Dean Parks]] – guitar (8)
* [[Tom Barney]] – bass (1, 8, 9)
* [[Ricky Lawson]] – [[Drum kit|drums]] (1)
* Michael White – drums (2, 6)
* [[Keith Carlock]] – drums (3)
* Leroy Clouden – drums (4, 5, 7)
* [[Vinnie Colaiuta]] – drums (8)
* [[Sonny Emory]] – drums (9)
* Gordon Gottlieb – [[percussion instrument|percussion]] (2, 3, 5, 6, 9)
* Daniel Sadownick – percussion (3), [[timbales]] (3)
* [[Will Lee (bassist)|Will Lee]] – percussion (6)
* Steve Shapiro – vibraphone (3, 8)
* [[Amy Helm]] – [[whistling|whistle]] (7)
* Lawrence Feldman – [[clarinet]] (1, 5), [[tenor saxophone]] (4, 6), [[alto saxophone]] (5), [[saxophone]] (3)
* Roy Hitchcock – clarinet (3)
* [[Lou Marini]] – alto saxophone (4, 6), tenor saxophone (2)
* [[Chris Potter (jazz saxophonist)|Chris Potter]] – tenor saxophone solo (1, 9), alto saxophone solo (4)
* [[Dave Tofani|David Tofani]] – tenor saxophone (1) saxophone (3)
* Roger Rosenberg – [[bass clarinet]] (1, 3–5), [[baritone saxophone]] (2, 6)
* [[Michael Leonhart]] – trumpet (1–6), Wurlitzer (3, 8)
* [[James E. Pugh|Jim Pugh]] – [[trombone]] (1–3, 5, 6)
* Cynthia Calhoun – [[backing vocalist|background vocals]] (1–3, 6, 8, 9)
* [[Carolyn Leonhart]] – background vocals (1–5, 7–9)
* Michael Harvey – background vocals (1–3, 5, 6, 9)
{{div col end}}

===Production===
{{div col}}
* Producers: Walter Becker, Donald Fagen
* Executive engineer: [[Roger Nichols (recording engineer)|Roger Nichols]]
* Engineers: Phil Burnett, Per-Christian Nielsen, Johan Edlund, Anthony Gorman, Roger Nichols, Ken Ross, Dave Russell, Jay A. Ryan, [[Elliot Scheiner]], Peter Scriba
* Mixing: Roger Nichols, Dave Russell
* Mastering: [[Scott Hull (mastering engineer)|Scott Hull]]
* Assistants: Suzy Barrows, Reaann Zschokke
* Technician: Roger Nichols
* Editing: Jan Folkson
* Horn arrangements: Walter Becker (1), Donald Fagen (1, 2, 4–6), [[Michael Leonhart]] (1, 3)
* Project manager: Jill Dell'Abate
* Project coordinator: Suzana Haugh
* Consultant: Michael Leonhart
* Piano tuner: Sam Berd
* Electric piano technician: Edd Kolakowski
* Design: Carol Bobolts
* Photography: Michael Northrup/[[Jason Fulford]]
* Copyist: Michael Leonhart
{{div col end}}

==Charts==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Weekly charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ Weekly chart performance for ''Two Against Nature''
! Chart (2000)
! Peak<br />position
|-
!scope="row"| Australian Albums ([[ARIA Charts|ARIA]])<ref>{{cite Ryan|page=266}}</ref>
|style="text-align:center;"| 51
|-
{{Album chart|Flanders|16|artist=Steely Dan|album=Two Against Nature|access-date=June 30, 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{Album chart|Canada|6|chartid=9752|access-date=June 30, 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{Album chart|Netherlands|19|artist=Steely Dan|album=Two Against Nature|access-date=June 30, 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{Album chart|Finland|22|artist=Steely Dan|album=Two Against Nature|access-date=June 30, 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{Album chart|Germany4|11|id=17935|artist=Steely Dan|album=Two Against Nature|access-date=June 30, 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{Album chart|Ireland2|17|artist=Steely Dan|access-date=June 30, 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
! scope="row"| Japanese Albums ([[Oricon]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/94683/products/music/54129/1/|title=トゥ・アゲインスト・ネイチャー スティーリー・ダン|publisher=[[Oricon]]|access-date=June 30, 2020|language=ja|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130625120044/http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/94683/products/music/54129/1/|archive-date=June 25, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 24
|-
{{Album chart|New Zealand|39|artist=Steely Dan|album=Two Against Nature|access-date=June 30, 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{Album chart|Norway|7|artist=Steely Dan|album=Two Against Nature|access-date=June 30, 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{Album chart|Scotland|19|date=20000305|access-date=June 30, 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{Album chart|Sweden|17|artist=Steely Dan|album=Two Against Nature|access-date=June 30, 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{Album chart|UK2|11|date=20000305|access-date=June 30, 2020|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{Album chart|Billboard200|6|artist=Steely Dan|access-date=June 30, 2020|rowheader=true}}
|}
{{col-2}}

===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Year-end chart performance for ''Two Against Nature''
! Chart (2000)
! Position
|-
! scope="row"| US ''Billboard'' 200<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2000/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2000|work=Billboard|access-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref>
| 127
|}
{{col-end}}

==Certifications==
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for ''Two Against Nature''}}
{{Certification Table Entry|title=Two Against Nature|type=album|artist=Steely Dan|relyear=2000|region=Canada|award=Gold|certyear=2001|access-date=June 30, 2020}}
{{Certification Table Entry|title=Two Against Nature|type=album|artist=Steely Dan|relyear=2000|region=United Kingdom|award=Silver|certyear=2013|certmonth=07|id=12426-1004-2|access-date=June 30, 2020}}
{{Certification Table Entry|title=Two Against Nature|type=album|artist=Steely Dan|relyear=2000|region=United States|award=Platinum|certyear=2001|access-date=June 30, 2020|refname="RIAA"}}
{{Certification Table Bottom}}

==Awards==
'''2001 Grammy Awards'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!align="left"|Winner
!align="left"|Category
|-
|align="left"|"Cousin Dupree"
|align="left"|[[Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal|Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal]]
|-
|align="left"|''Two Against Nature''
|align="left"|[[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]]
|-
|align="left"|''Two Against Nature''
|align="left"|[[Grammy Award for Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical|Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical]]
|-
|align="left"|''Two Against Nature''
|align="left"|[[Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album|Best Pop Vocal Album]]
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite magazine|last=Vain|first=Madison|date=February 29, 2020|url=https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/music/a31136473/steely-dan-two-against-nature-album-20th-anniversary/|title=Music Fans Have Spent 20 Years Loving and Hating Steely Dan's Two Against Nature|magazine=[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090415183741/http://www.steelydan.com/2vn.html Official site]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090330144237/http://steelydan.com/2vntracks.html Complete lyrics]
* {{Discogs master|type=album|17120}}

{{Steely Dan}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for ''Two Against Nature''
|titlestyle = background: lightblue
|list1 =
{{Grammy Award for Album of the Year}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:2000 albums]]
[[Category:Giant Records (Warner) albums]]
[[Category:Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album]]
[[Category:Grammy Award for Album of the Year]]
[[Category:Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical]]
[[Category:Steely Dan albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Donald Fagen]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Walter Becker]]