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
The Moody Blues’ Masterpiece, ‘Days of Future Passed’
It was a new concept: a rock band would play its new songs, read some poems and be backed up by an orchestra. Today it’s considered a landmark recording
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‘Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations’: When Motown’s His & Hers Cadillacs Met Again
The LP was a perfect indicator of Motown’s growth, offering proof that Berry Gordy’s operation was quickly becoming a major Black-owned business.
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Quincy Jones’ ‘Back on the Block’: A Movie for the Ears
Recognized as one of the most unusual and kaleidoscopic albums ever produced, the 7x Grammy-winner featured an all-star cast.
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Steely Dan’s ‘Can’t Buy a Thrill’: All Systems Go
Their debut is tuneful and literate, and the musicianship can be exuberantly loose or scarily precise, perched midway between jazz, rock, and rhythm and blues.
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‘Desperado’—Eagles’ Sagebrush Country-Rock Opera
With its sophomore effort, the band tethered its polished country-rock to a concept album driven by a Wild West narrative.
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Gregg Allman Solo Debut ‘Laid Back’: Trauma and Survival
The LP was intended to go in a different direction than the ABB: softer, more contemplative, acoustic-based, a statement of gratitude in the face of loss.
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Elton John’s ‘Madman Across the Water’: A Blue Jean Baby
He was everywhere in 1971 but still hadn’t quite found his way. Then he released the first album that defined his singular gifts.
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‘Disraeli Gears’: When Cream Rose to the Top
On their second album, the trio honed their virtuosic interplay to a sharper edge and added a more modern sensibility spiked with psychedelia.
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‘Ringo’: His 1973 Solo Breakthrough, With a Little Help From You Know Who
Although he’d had a couple of solo hits post-Beatles, the albums just weren’t happening. Then he reached into his phone book and made a few calls.
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‘Wildflowers’: Tom Petty’s Heartbroken Solo Masterpiece
Petty called it his favorite album. Its generous song list only hinted at the virtual torrent of material he was creating during this period.
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