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
John Fogerty’s ‘Blue Ridge Rangers’: One-Man Band
With CCR having called it a day, Fogerty entered the studio alone and put together an album’s worth of tributes to his country, gospel and bluegrass heroes.
Read MoreJ. 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.
Read MoreBill Withers’ ‘Live at Carnegie Hall’: Soul Preachin’
He’d never even planned for a career in music. Before long, he found himself on stage at one of the most prestigious performance venues in the world.
Read MoreRoger Daltrey’s Solo Debut @50: Doing A Favor
He wasn’t even planning on recording a solo album. But one thing led to another and soon The Who’s lead singer found himself with 10 songs of his own.
Read MoreDr. John’s ‘Gumbo’: A New Orleans Master’s Thesis
For the sessions, instead of his own new material, he breathed authentic life into lively new versions of hometown classics.
Read MoreLoggins and Messina’s ‘On Stage’: The Peak of a Formidable Partnership
The album marked a successful coda in terms of a catalog that’s forever inscribed in the annals of radio-ready music and mainstream Americana.
Read MoreThe Doors’ ‘L.A. Woman’: Last Call
The Doors’ sixth and final studio LP re-energized the band through a return to their roots in American blues, and served as a tribute to their hometown.
Read More‘Late for the Sky’—Jackson Browne’s Confessional Masterpiece
Browne achieved a poetic force with the eight songs comprising the album, their lyrics demanding a closer listen.
Read MorePaul McCartney’s Solo Debut: Declaration of Independence
The 1970 album, his first outside of the Beatles, is a picture of Paul in transition, a historical document of quiet beauty.
Read MoreManassas: Stephen Stills’ Finest (Solo) Hour
Stills’ third full-length as leader showcased a collaborative ensemble flexible enough to cover a broad stylistic palette.
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