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
‘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.
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Steve Miller Band’s ‘Welcome to the Vault’ Reviewed
The album’s less-commercial and less-familiar material may prove revelatory to those who know Miller solely or primarily from the hits.
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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.
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Queen’s A Night at the Opera: Wonderfully Uneven
Their fourth album was “a showy spectacle that revels in its bombastic production” and gave us “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It’s also an indisputable classic.
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Van Morrison Grooves With the Street Choir
Morrison’s third official solo album in 1970 is largely about the spirit of soul/R&B, the feel and his singing. It features his biggest U.S. hit, “Domino.”
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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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Manassas: Stephen Stills’ Finest (Solo) Hour
Stills’ third full-length as leader showcased a collaborative ensemble flexible enough to cover a broad stylistic palette.
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‘Let It Bleed’: The Rolling Stones’ Turbulent Masterpiece
The album captures the band at its creative apogee through a dark masterpiece that mirrors the violent ’60s milieu in which it was created.
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Dylan in Nashville: ‘Travelin Thru’ Box Set Reviewed
Most amazing of all is Dylan’s voice, now a silky baritone. “When I stopped smoking,” he said, “my voice changed…I couldn’t believe it myself.”
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The Sex Pistols’ Era-Defining ‘Never Mind the Bollocks’
They only released one album but it sparked a musical revolution. We look back at a punk-rock game-changer four decades after its release
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