Posts From Mark Leviton

Strawbs’ ‘Bursting at the Seams’: Poetry and Pop

The band’s fifth album showed Dave Cousins and company turning firmly toward more complex material.

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Bob Dylan’s ‘Desire’: Story Time

Songs from the best-selling album continued to be heavily featured in the Rolling Thunder Revue live performances.

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Smokey Robinson & the Miracles’ ‘Going to a Go-Go’: Life of the Party

Their 1965 release was their only studio album to make the Billboard top 10 during the ’60s.

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Patti Smith’s ‘Horses’: Poetry In Motion

She said, “Of course I wanted to work in the rock ’n’ roll tradition. I didn’t know any other tradition existed.”

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Rockpile’s ‘Seconds of Pleasure’: One And Done

By any measure they were a great rock ‘n’ roll band, but their sole album under the group’s name didn’t always show why.

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Stevie Wonder’s ‘Talking Book’: Passion, Pain & Love

Said the Motown great of the groundbreaking 1972 album, “I wanted to express various things that I felt…the passions, emotion and love.”

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Genesis’ ‘Seconds Out’: From Paris With Love

Released in 1977, the 2-LP set showcased the band’s great live performances and was a major worldwide hit.

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The Who’s ‘Odds & Sods’: Beat the Boots

Fed up with the volume of unauthorized Who LPs on the market, the band put together this mixed bag of leftover tracks.

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Supertramp: ‘Crime of the Century’—Success at Last

Even before they set foot in the studio to begin recording, the band “knew we had a hit,” said Roger Hodgson.

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Frey & Souther’s ‘Longbranch Pennywhistle’: Not Ready for Prime Time Players

The sparks of genius are here and there in the songwriting, and especially in the deft singing and instrumental arrangements.

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