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
Graham Parker ‘Squeezing Out Sparks’: Simple As a Heartbeat
The 1979 album doesn’t have a weak song or performance, and continues to be cited as the British singer-songwriter’s greatest achievement.
Read MoreBonnie Raitt Rebounds in the ‘Nick of Time’
Just when her career needed a boost, Raitt switched labels and came up with her biggest hit album, which took her all the way to number one
Read MoreNeil Young ‘Harvest’: Keep Me Searching
Partnering with a new band he called the Stray Gators, Young recorded one of his most popular albums of all-time, and it gave him his only #1 single
Read MoreThe Who’s ‘Face Dances’: After Tragedy, Transition
Somehow, after Keith Moon’s death, they were able to direct their energy into a fine studio effort that explored new and varied styles
Read MoreKiss’ ‘Destroyer’: Where the Music Finally Equaled the Image
Everyone knew the makeup, the blood and that tongue, but their records weren’t selling. Then came ‘Destroyer’ and a single that almost didn’t make the cut.
Read MoreJoni Mitchell ‘Ladies of the Canyon’: Painting the Canvas
The album sets out clearly the direction Mitchell would take for the rest of her career, leaving behind the constraints of folk music.
Read MoreGenesis’ ‘Seconds Out’: From Paris With Love
Released in 1977, ‘Seconds Out’ showcased the band’s great live performances and was a major worldwide hit.
Read MorePretenders Reborn: ‘Learning to Crawl’
With hits like “Back on the Chain Gang” and “My City Was Gone,” the band successfully rebounded from tragedy.
Read MoreThe Allman Brothers Band’s ‘Eat a Peach’: Farewell to a Brother
Started before the death of Duane Allman, and completed after he was gone, the album served as a poignant, multifaceted farewell to the guitar great.
Read MoreWhen Zappa Was ‘Only In It for the Money’
The third album from the genius and his motley band lampooned society and the hippies escaping it. We look back at a ’60s masterpiece
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