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
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
The Paul McCartney Solo Debut: His Declaration of Independence
The 1970 album, his first outside of the Beatles, is a picture of Paul in transition, a historical document of quiet beauty.
Read More
Willie Nelson ‘Stardust’: Reimagining the American Songbook
His record label was reluctant to issue it, but the album defied expectations and revived interest in the classic songwriting of the mid-20th century.
Read More
Manassas: Stephen Stills’ Finest (Solo) Hour
Stills’ third full-length as leader showcased a collaborative ensemble flexible enough to cover a broad stylistic palette.
Read More
Bob Seger ‘Live Bullet’: Old Time Rock ‘n’ Roll
Although he was a star locally, the Detroit rocker had been struggling for years to break out nationally—until he formed the Silver Bullet Band.
Read More
Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass’ ‘Whipped Cream & Other Delights’: Sweet & Swinging
The faux mariachi-style LP spent three years on the charts and appealed to seemingly every category of record buyer.
Read More
Ray Charles’ Soulful Country Music’: ‘It’s Got to Move Me’
Charles: “The words to country songs are very earthy like the blues, very down.”
Read More
Jim Croce ‘You Don’t Mess Around With Jim’: An Everyman Arrives
With more time, he might have taken his place as an equal of James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Paul Simon, etc.
Read More
Loggins and Messina ‘On Stage’ @50: The Peak of a Formidable Partnership
The album marked a successful coda in terms of a catalog that’s forever inscribed in the annals of radio-ready music and mainstream Americana.
Read More
The Lifesaving Eric Clapton ‘Rainbow Concert’
It’s widely believed that Pete Townshend’s successful efforts to bring the guitarist out of his self-imposed musical exile marked a turning point.
Read More