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
James Taylor’s ‘Sweet Baby James’: Fire and Rain
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
‘Astral Weeks’: Van Morrison’s Masterpiece
A “feverish poetic intensity persists” throughout the cycle of songs that comprise Morrison’s 1968 work, even as those songs shift in pace and tone
Read More
Queen’s ‘Sheer Heart Attack’: The Breakthrough
Wildly theatrical, straddling the worlds of hard rock, pop, prog and Broadway, the album was an eclectic triumph. Now, Queen sounded like a true band.
Read More
Harry Nilsson’s Ambitious ‘Schmilsson’ LP Revisited
Noteworthy for its scope and ambition, the album was justifiably rewarded with worldwide success that took Nilsson to the next level of stardom.
Read More
The Rascals’ ‘Time Peace’: A Greatest Hits LP That Foretold the Future
While the collection could be considered a document detailing the end of an era, it also marked a makeover: Time was marching on for the band.
Read More
‘Slowhand’ Revisited: Eric Clapton’s 1977 Platinum Balancing Act
‘Slowhand’ offers a lucid balance of technical mastery and artistic modesty. It became his best-selling studio album to date upon its release.
Read More
Dire Straits’ ‘Making Movies’: Mark Knopfler’s Widescreen Ambitions
The album restored the band’s platinum stature with a more expansive style verging on prog rock while retaining retro accents
Read More
The Beatles’ White Album: Facts and Trivia
At the same time they were maturing, they were leaving behind the Beatles. Here are some fascinating details on all 30 tracks on their ’68 masterpiece.
Read More
Dr. John’s ‘Gumbo’: A New Orleans Master’s Thesis
For the sessions, instead of his own new material, he breathed authentic life into lively new versions of hometown classics.
Read More
The Allman Brothers Band’s ‘Eat a Peach’: Farewell to a Brother
Started before the death of Duane Allman, and completed after he was gone, the album served as a poignant, multifaceted farewell to the guitar great.
Read More