Album Rewinds
Given the test of time and the wisdom of hindsight, how do significant albums from the past sound and play today? Our critics take a second look from a fresh perspective
Neil Diamond ‘Hot August Night’: Renowned Hits & Self-Indulgent Gems
So revered was the vibe—and all those hits—that you can’t really tell the 1972 release is a live album.
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The 1981 Blasters Album: Roots Music Finds Its Place in the Punk Revolution
They came out of Downey, California, mashing together blues, country, rockabilly, jazz and good ol’ rock & roll into something all their own.
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When the Christopher Cross Classic ‘Yacht-Rock’ Debut Went Sailing to the Top
After kicking around the Austin, Texas, scene for several years, the singer found his way to success with a 1st album that sold millions.
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The Traveling Wilburys’ ‘Vol. 3’: More Fun
Two years after their great 1988 debut, Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and George Harrison assembled to record a new edition, dedicated to Roy Orbison.
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The Kinks’ ‘One for the Road’: That’s Entertainment!
Ray Davies had found a new, commercial groove that appealed to American audiences that barely remembered the Kinks of the ’60s.
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The Beach Boys’ Sweet ‘Wild Honey’ Beat: A Masterpiece of the Fading Year
The 1967 album emphasizes the collective and its vision, rather than that of an auteur with attendants helping to carry out his grand design.
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ELP ‘Brain Salad Surgery’: A Brainstorm of the Highest Order
The combination of high concept, grandiose execution and the trio’s usual artistic ambition made the 1973 album a mind-blowing effort.
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Traffic Plays Us a Tune On Debut Album, ‘Mr. Fantasy’
In the hands of a lesser group, the various musical styles represented here may well have been a mishmash.
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Band on the Run: The LP That ‘Saved’ McCartney
The recording sessions were plagued with problems, but Paul McCartney and Wings made the best of it. The result: one of his most beloved LPs.
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Bob Marley and the Wailers’ ‘Live!’ Album: Reggae Rocks Babylon
The 1975 London concert provided validation that they had breached the rock market with their potent strain of reggae.
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