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
‘Who’s Next’: Plan B Yields a Career Blockbuster
Born from the ashes of an abandoned project Pete Townshend called ‘Life House,’ the band’s 1971 masterwork triumphed through songcraft and performance.
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Linda Ronstadt ‘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.
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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.
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Genesis’ 1991 Blockbuster ‘We Can’t Dance’: Phil’s Farewell
It’s a significant album in the band’s discography, showcasing their ability to craft hit songs with broad appeal.
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‘The London Howlin’ Wolf Sessions’: When Clapton, the Stones, Winwood & Starr Helped Out a Blues Hero
When Eric Clapton was asked in 1970 if he’d like to record with a blues legend, it took him seconds to say yes. And so it began.
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Aretha Franklin’s ‘I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You’ LP: R-E-S-P-E-C-T
The 1967 album, her 10th, was her first for Atlantic Records and the start of her fruitful relationship with producer Jerry Wexler
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Dave Edmunds’ ‘Get It’: Forward Into the Past
The 1977 album, consisting mainly of treasured cover songs with help from Nick Lowe, hinted at what Rockpile would soon deliver.
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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.”
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The ‘Truth’ According to Jeff Beck: A Genre-Busting Masterpiece
The former Yardbirds guitarist’s 1968 solo debut signaled a half-dozen highways for the future of rock. Every track on ‘Truth’ is astonishing.
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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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