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

‘Slowhand’: Eric Clapton’s 1977 Platinum Balancing Act

‘Slowhand’ offers a lucid balance of technical mastery and artistic modesty. It became his best-selling studio album to date upon its release.

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‘Hums of the Lovin’ Spoonful’ & The Evolution of Their Good-Time Music

For their third studio album, the band knew that it wanted no two songs to sound alike. The result: no two songs sounded alike.

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The Beatles’ White Album: Facts and Trivia

At the same time they were maturing, they were leaving behind the Beatles. Here are some fascinating details on all 30 tracks on their ’68 masterpiece.

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Queen ‘A Night at the Opera’: A Fancy Blockbuster

Their fourth album was “a showy spectacle that revels in its bombastic production” and gave us “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It’s also an indisputable classic.

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Don Henley ‘Building The Perfect Beast’: Don’t Look Back

The 1984 album, recorded with ace musicians, yielded four hit singles, making the Eagles’ drummer/singer even more ubiquitous on the AM and FM radio dials

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The Moody Blues’ ‘Seventh Sojourn’: A Journey All Its Own

Whereas their earlier albums were bathed in day-glo tones, imagery, Mellotrons and mystique, their eighth release was decidedly down-to-earth in comparison.

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Stephen Stills’ A-List Solo Debut Revisited

A balance of DIY proficiency and top-tier talent gave the 1970 release an early head start in the race for most popular solo album by a member of CSN&Y.

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Van Morrison Grooves With the Street Choir

Morrison’s third official solo album in 1970 is largely about the spirit of soul/R&B, the feel and his singing. It features his biggest U.S. hit (no, not that one)

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Dan Fogelberg’s ‘Souvenirs’ — A Keepsake That Was Part of the Plan

The 1974 LP features a star-studded cast of musicians, chief among them Joe Walsh, who not only oversaw its production, but also played guitar on 10 of its tracks

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‘Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations’: When Motown’s His & Hers Cadillacs Met Again

The LP was a perfect indicator of Motown’s growth, offering proof that Berry Gordy’s operation was quickly becoming a major Black-owned business.

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