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
Kansas’ ‘Leftoverture’: A Prog/Arena Rock Magnum Opus
Their fourth album made Kansas one of the top U.S. mainstream rock bands and helped pave the way for the style now known as “arena rock.”
Read More
Santana’s ‘Abraxas’: Post-Woodstock Latin Magic
When it came to recording their second album, the band wanted to expend more effort, and make a better-sounding record, than their somewhat rushed debut.
Read More
Stray Cats’ Debut Album & the Rockabilly Revival
The Long Island trio had to go to England to find success playing American rockabilly. By the time they returned home, they were stars.
Read More
Van Halen’s Debut Album: A Turning Point for Rock
It didn’t sound at first listen like something to change the course of rock music, but they opened doors for any number of rock acts.
Read More
Bad Company’s 1974 Debut: When Rock Fans Couldn’t Get Enough
Arising from the ashes of Free, Bad Company pursued a more stripped-down hard-rock vision. By the end of 1974, they had a #1 LP and were headlining arenas.
Read More
James Taylor’s Seminal ‘Sweet Baby James’ @50
It ushered in the singer-songwriter era and has endured as a beacon to listeners and like-minded musicians for half a century.
Read More
Vanilla Fudge’s 1967 Debut: Maximum Psychedelia
It was rock music pushed to its limits, with a radical use of soft-loud-soft dynamics and the emotional drama of rhythm and blues and soul.
Read More
Van Morrison at His Finest Live
The enhanced original ‘It’s Too Late to Stop Now’ and the added three discs and DVD are a treasure trove of live in-concert gems.
Read More
Al Stewart’s ‘Year of the Cat’: Musical Cinema
Stewart liked the title track, but didn’t consider it suitable as a single, until producer Alan Parsons and the record company convinced him of its destiny.
Read More
Traffic’s ‘Mr. Fantasy’ Debut Album: In Your Mind
In the hands of a lesser group than Traffic, the various musical styles represented on ‘Mr. Fantasy’ may well have been a mishmash.
Read More