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
Genesis’ ‘A Trick of the Tail’: A New Beginning
The album proved that Genesis was set to achieve commercial and artistic successes beyond what they’d accomplished during the Peter Gabriel years.
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The David Crosby Solo Debut—Well Worth Remembering
For the 1971 release, Croz gathered a superb supporting cast, one that featured the communal contributions of friends and fellow travelers.
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Yes’ ‘The Yes Album’: Brilliance Under Pressure
Their record label was looking for commercial progress in order to justify keeping them under contract. This 1971 classic put the band on the prog map.
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Boz Scaggs’ ‘Silk Degrees’: Game-Changer
Looking back at the recording of the album, Scaggs said that while listening to the playbacks in 1975 he had the sense that something special had happened.
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Andrew Gold’s ‘What’s Wrong with This Picture?’: All In the Family
His singing fit in well with the laid-back L.A. singer-songwriter milieu, but it took him a while to find his first real pop hit.
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Stray Cats’ Debut Album & the Rockabilly Revival
The Long Island trio had to go to England to find success playing American rockabilly. By the time they returned home, they were stars.
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The Van Halen Debut Album: A Turning Point for Rock
It didn’t sound at first listen like something to change the course of rock music, but they opened doors for any number of rock acts.
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Flying Burrito Bros.’ Seminal Country-Rock Debut, ‘Gilded Palace’
Gram Parsons had envisioned the Burritos as “his” band, but The Gilded Palace of Sin underscores the partnership between Parsons and Chris Hillman.
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“What’s Shakin’”: The LP That Featured Pre-Fame Clapton, Winwood, Butterfield & Spoonful
Little known at the time of its release, the album proved to be a significant repository of rare recordings by acts that were still on the rise.
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Strawbs’ ‘Bursting at the Seams’: Poetry and Pop
The band’s fifth album showed Dave Cousins and company turning firmly toward more complex material.
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