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
Bob Dylan’s Masterful ‘Blood on the Tracks’ Revisited
After finishing the recording sessions for his new album, the artist decided he didn’t like some of it and went back into the studio. A classic emerged.
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Pretenders’ Debut: Chrissie Hynde Takes No Prisoners
Released at the edge of the ’70s punk and new wave assaults, ‘Pretenders’ traded on Chrissie Hynde’s substantial punk bona fides–but there was more to it.
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Joni Mitchell’s ‘Court and Spark’: A Significant Pivot
Her 1974 best-seller was adorned by a sophisticated sonic sensibility that would define her career from that moment forward.
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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.
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Pink Floyd’s ‘Later Years’ Box: We Don’t Need No Roger Waters
‘The Later Years’ isn’t for casual fans. But if you’re a serious Floyd follower, it’s probably time to hand over your credit card.
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Elvis Costello’s ‘Armed Forces’: What’s So Funny?
The band’s third album was a leap forward in songcraft and sonic ambition, a song cycle weaving the personal and political.
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Pete Townshend’s ‘Empty Glass’: The Who Album That Wasn’t
Although it’s fully satisfying on its own, the album, the most successful of Townshend’s solo releases, has been called a Who record that never was.
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Jimi Hendrix @ Fillmore East (Nearly) Complete: Review
The Fillmore shows were the new group’s first live gigs, and they produced the first and only concert LP authorized by Hendrix during his lifetime.
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‘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.
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The Band’s 2nd Album: A Rustic Masterpiece
Following up their debut Music From Big Pink, Dylan’s former backup band made a transcendent, self-titled masterpiece in 1969. Here’s the story.
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