With ‘Pet Sounds,’ Brian Wilson created a template for recording albums that many musical acts would follow for years to come.
Read moreCannibal Ox’s Debut Album ‘The Cold Vein’ Turns 20 | Anniversary Retrospective
‘The Cold Vein’ describes the artery of pain that flows through New York City, as well as the desperate hope of its denizens to find a way to transform into something that can rise above it all.
Read moreKMD’s Debut Album ‘Mr. Hood’ Turns 30 | Anniversary Retrospective
An underappreciated early ‘90s gem, KMD’s debut LP remains an intriguing musical artifact for many reasons, not least of which is that it introduces the lyrical gifts of Zev Love X (a.k.a. the late MF DOOM).
Read moreKenny Lattimore’s Eponymous Debut Album ‘Kenny Lattimore’ Turns 25 | Anniversary Retrospective
Contrary to the arguably more calculated aesthetics cultivated by his mid-‘90s contemporaries, Lattimore merely showed up as himself and brought his life with him, infusing it within his songs.
Read moreGeorge Michael’s ‘Older’ Turns 25 | Anniversary Retrospective
With his third solo album, Michael allowed himself to deep dive into an emotional whirlpool of experimentation, where new sounds were implemented and his artistry was challenged.
Read moreGeri Halliwell’s ‘Scream If You Wanna Go Faster’ Turns 20 | Anniversary Retrospective
The album’s genre hopscotching might have failed in the hands of a lesser artist, but its creator keeps everything together because of the superlative quality of its songwriting and performances.
Read moreRoy Ayers Ubiquity’s ‘Everybody Loves the Sunshine’ Turns 45 | Anniversary Retrospective
Decades later, the 'Sunshine' still shines and always will. Brandon Ousley explores why we have Mr. Ayers’ musical adventurism & evolution to thank for this.
Read morePaula Abdul’s ‘Spellbound’ Turns 30 | Anniversary Retrospective
Amidst high expectations and intense scrutiny following her breakthrough 1988 debut LP ‘Forever Your Girl,’ Abdul—ever the consummate professional—delivered another gem with ‘Spellbound.’
Read moreRun-DMC’s ‘Raising Hell’ Turns 35 | Anniversary Retrospective
Despite its more mainstream appeal and undeniable role in pushing hip-hop to greater global heights, Run-DMC’s third studio affair remains one of the rawest albums of the era.
Read moreDe La Soul’s ‘De La Soul Is Dead’ Turns 30 | Anniversary Retrospective
Anyone with a pulse can benefit from listening to the inspired ‘De La Soul Is Dead,’ the most masterful of De La Soul’s multiple album masterpieces.
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