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

Patti Smith’s ‘Horses’: Poetry In Motion

Smith said, “Of course I wanted to work in the rock ’n’ roll tradition. I didn’t know any other tradition existed.”

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Elton John ‘Honky Chateau’: New Heights

“I find it hard to comprehend just how prolific Bernie and I were during the early days,” Elton has said. “The songs just poured out of us.”

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Cheap Trick ‘Heaven Tonight’: They Just Seemed a Little Weird

Our look back at the band’s third album, released in 1978.

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Neil Young & Crazy Horse’s Debut: Of Rivers and Cowgirls

The 1969 album’s streamlined band sound offered a direct connection to his emerging power as a live musician, and launched a career-long partnership.

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Steely Dan ‘The Royal Scam’: Rock on a Grand Scale

The 1976 LP proved divisive, augmenting the leaner ensemble core of prior albums with more aggressive ensemble arrangements.

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The Guess Who’s ‘American Woman’ Album: Distant Roads Are Calling

The Canadian band had been scoring with ballads like “These Eyes” and “Laughing.” Now they wanted to rock. The 1970 album introduced a new Guess Who.

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Paul Simon ‘There Goes Rhymin’ Simon’: American Tunes

With classic songs such as “American Tune,” “Kodachrome” and “Loves Me Like a Rock,” his third solo album sealed his reputation as a major solo artist.

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John Fogerty’s ‘Blue Ridge Rangers’: One-Man Band

With CCR having called it a day, he entered the studio alone and put together an album’s worth of tributes to his country, gospel and bluegrass heroes.

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‘Electric Mud’: When Muddy Waters Went Psychedelic

While the album would find itself the object of critical scorn, it served its purpose: introducing a new generation to blues.

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J. Geils Band’s ‘Live—Blow Your Face Out’ Revisited

It wasn’t their first live album, but ‘Blow Your Face Out’ took the band’s manic rock ‘n’ soul energy to another level entirely.

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