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
Pete Townshend/Ronnie Lane’s ‘Rough Mix’: An Overlooked Gem
The collaboration between the Who mastermind and Faces great was sadly overlooked at the time of its release, but is now considered a minor masterpiece.
Read More
‘Who’s Next’: Plan B Yields a Career Blockbuster
Born from the ashes of an abandoned project Pete Townshend called ‘Lifehouse,’ the band’s 1971 masterwork triumphed through songcraft and performance.
Read More
Linda Ronstadt’s ‘Hasten Down The Wind’: Right Songs, Right Singer
The 1976 release became Ronstadt’s third platinum album in a row, and earned her the second of her eventual 13 Grammy awards.
Read More
Big Brother’s ‘Cheap Thrills’: Behind R. Crumb’s LP Cover
It would be the only rock album for which the cartoonist would do the art. It continues to serve as a psychedelic timestamp of one crazy summer.
Read More
‘Buffalo Springfield Again’: An Embattled Creation
A volatile mix of talent and dysfunction percolates beneath the surface of the California band’s second and best album, cobbled together amidst rivalries.
Read More
Maria Muldaur’s Solo Debut: Smart, Sassy and Seductive
The album, which included the top 10 hit “Midnight at the Oasis,” is a potent blend of country, blues, folk and pop, and it still sounds fresh.
Read More
Pat Benatar’s ‘Crimes of Passion’: Her Best Shot
She has remained the thing she set out to be, an artist who made her own seat at the table and turned it into a remarkable rock music legacy.
Read More
Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ Album: Crazy Man, Crazy
The 1984 album yielded 5 hit singles and became the fourth-best-selling soundtrack album of all time. It was his first LP to hit #1
Read More
Talking Heads’ ‘Fear of Music’: A Transitional Gem
“The first step in David Byrne’s assumption of power, moving Talking Heads from a band to his band… It was dance music that reflected the time.”
Read More
Stray Cats’ Debut Album & the Rockabilly Revival
The Long Island trio had to go to England to find success playing American rockabilly. By the time they returned home, they were stars.
Read More