Recordings

Best Classic Bands offers smart, informed and unbiased assessments of the latest rock album releases and reissues to offer readers guidance on what sounds they might enjoy.

Gordon Lightfoot Goes ‘Solo’ on 1st New Studio Set Since ’04: Review

The new release, the legendary Canadian singer-songwriter’s first since 2004, occasionally sounds like a collection of demos.

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Paul Young Live CD/DVD: Exhilarating and Exuberant

His light shone much brighter in Europe than in the U.S., but most of the performances on this set hold up well, and Young’s vocals remain exhilarating.

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NRBQ’s ‘Turn On, Tune In’ Review: Virtually Unclassifiable

Although it’s not their most diverse set, you can tell they are having a lot of fun with this music. You probably would, too.

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Woodstock ’69 Complete on 38 CDs: Review

The box is well worth considering: It gives you just about everything from the festival except the mud, the rain and the traffic jams.

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Rolling Stones ‘Bridges to Bremen’ Review

In this 1998 show, Mick Jagger is at the top of his stage-prancing form throughout, and the rest of the band delivers the goods as well.

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Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Western Stars’: Review

Every number on this disc is ear candy, thanks partly to indelible melodies and to the moody, perfectly attuned instrumentation.

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Dylan’s ‘Rolling Thunder Revue’ Box Set: Review

Evidence of Bob Dylan’s genius is all over the place on these 14 discs. If his music means a lot to you, so will this box.

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Barclay James Harvest 50th Anniversary: Review

The quartet does a good job of recreating the original group’s sound, which has often been compared to that of the Moody Blues.

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Bob Dylan ‘More Blood, More Tracks’ Review

The latest release in the acclaimed bootleg series focuses on 1975’s Blood on the Tracks album, a fan and critical favorite

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Led Zeppelin’s ‘Song Remains the Same’: Review

If you have the previous reissue, you can probably skip the new one. If you don’t, here’s a chance to experience a much better recording than the original.

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