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
AC/DC’s ‘Highway to Hell’: You Want Blood?
The 1979 release by the Australian mega-band is not an album you come to for variety; it’s a monument to single-minded rock.
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When the Moody Blues Found Their ‘Lost Chord’
If you’ve been listening to this music on a scratchy vinyl LP for the last 50 years, you’re bound to find the surround-sound version to be a real trip.
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‘Graceland’—Paul Simon’s World Music Reset
The album that would become Simon’s grandest statement came into view when he was gifted with a tape of South African music.
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When John Mayall’s ‘Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton’ Broke Down Boundaries
The 1966 album featuring a 21-year-old Clapton helped establish a blues-rock template that would linger long after in the popular music firmament
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Rod Stewart’s ‘Never a Dull Moment’: Another Step Forward
Collaborating with Ronnie Wood and his other mates in the Faces, the singer’s formula of mixing original tunes with covers proved successful.
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The Doors’ ‘Soft Parade’: Still Rockin’
The album’s pop leanings notwithstanding, the Doors were still very much a rock and roll band at the time of its release.
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Eric Clapton’s Solo Debut LP: A Long Way From Home
With help from a some of rock’s greatest songwriters and musicians, the former Cream/Blind Faith guitarist launched his solo career with a gem of an LP.
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Traffic’s ‘John Barleycorn Must Die’: Forward into the Past
Begun as a Steve Winwood solo project, the album morphed into a Traffic reunion with the addition of Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood to the fold.
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Santana’s 1977 ‘Moonflower’: Healing Power
After several years without a hit single or album, this top 10 hybrid studio/live LP featured a cover of the Zombies’ “She’s Not There.”
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Dave Edmunds’ ‘Repeat When Necessary’: Where the New Wave Met the Old
The Welsh rocker’s fifth solo album, made with the great Rockpile, captures him at the pinnacle of his influence as an architect of late ’70s new wave.
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