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

Rod Stewart: ‘Every Picture Tells a Story’—Don’t It?

The man who once said, “I’m a rock star because I couldn’t be a soccer star,” broke through with his solo third album, which included the smash “Maggie May.”

Read More

Wings’ ‘Venus and Mars’ @50: What the Man Said

Following the breakup of the Beatles, McCartney just wanted to be another band member. He finally got his chance (sort of) with this 1975 LP.

Read More

Elton John’s ‘Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Only the Piano Player’: A High-Water Mark

The album marked a burgeoning ascent to superstardom and continued a solid streak of hits that are, to the present day, certified as classics.

Read More

Willie Nelson: ‘Red Headed Stranger’ & the Birth of Outlaw Country

The album defined him as an iconoclast comfortable on his own path, which he would follow in singular fashion for decades to come.

Read More

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s ‘Deja Vu’: A Volatile Chemistry

By any standard, it was an enormous success. But when CSN added a new member for their second album, it was an alliance that would both define and bedevil them.

Read More

Paul & Linda McCartney: ‘Ram’—Macca Magic

For all the criticism tossed his way, McCartney and his hired hands did an admirable job of conveying the mirth and merriment inherent in these songs.

Read More

Squeeze ‘East Side Story’: A Wily New Wave Classic

The album’s success underscores how the lively, kinetic pop-rock outfit was elevated by Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook’s artistry as storytellers.

Read More

Pete Townshend ‘Empty Glass’: The Who Album That Wasn’t

Although it’s fully satisfying on its own, the 1980 album, the most successful of his solo releases, has been called a Who record that never was.

Read More

Jethro Tull—’Aqualung’: The Ultimate Concept Album

It proved successful, with the rock press heralding the album for its variety, seriousness and the unmatched musicianship.

Read More

Chicago’s Eclectic Debut Album: With Authority

Their speedy ascent was fueled by a landmark debut that made an immediate splash with critics and listeners, but it was more than a hit record.

Read More