Building on the style & sound he crafted on its precursor ‘Dirty Mind’ (1980), Prince’s fourth studio album examines themes of religion, sex, race, and even politics.
Read moreSaint Etienne’s Debut Album ‘Foxbase Alpha’ Turns 30 | Anniversary Retrospective
Evocative of time (early ‘90s) and emblematic of place (London), ‘Foxbase Alpha’ is a gorgeous pastiche of symbiotic sounds and expertly incorporated samples.
Read moreFreddie Hubbard’s ‘First Light’ Turns 50 | Anniversary Retrospective
With ‘First Light,’ the legendary trumpeter pushed the musical envelope to make something radically different from his previous works, as he distanced himself from the soul-jazz model.
Read moreGinuwine’s Debut Album ‘Ginuwine… The Bachelor’ Turns 25 | Anniversary Retrospective
Ginuwine’s breakthrough debut was a remarkable achievement during a very competitive year for R&B albums, amidst notable releases by the likes of Aaliyah, Blackstreet, and Maxwell, among others.
Read moreDepeche Mode’s Debut Album ‘Speak & Spell’ Turns 40 | Anniversary Retrospective
While their 1981 debut did not augur the stadium tours or multi-platinum LPs to come, it nevertheless offers little pieces of the band they would become.
Read moreThe Hold Steady’s ‘Boys and Girls in America’ Turns 15 | Anniversary Retrospective
The band’s third studio album doesn’t ask you for judgment or pity. It’s not interested. It just asks you to sing along.
Read moreThe Decemberists’ ‘The Crane Wife’ Turns 15 | Anniversary Retrospective
The Decemberists revel in excessive obscurities and oddities, and their fourth studio affair offers no exception to this rule.
Read moreThe Police’s ‘Ghost in the Machine’ Turns 40 | Anniversary Retrospective
'Ghost in the Machine' to The Police was what 'The White Album' was to The Beatles, as the band members were moving in three different directions musically.
Read moreScarface’s Debut Solo Album ‘Mr. Scarface Is Back’ Turns 30 | Anniversary Retrospective
Scarface's debut LP is not fueled by violence for its own sake. Instead, the album examines the repercussions and psychological toll of the gangster lifestyle.
Read moreBarbra Streisand’s ‘Je m'appelle Barbra’ Turns 55 | Anniversary Retrospective
Although it generated modest commercial returns, the impact of ‘Je m’appelle Barbra’ has lingered in other ways.
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