Terry Nelson revisits The Smiths’ watershed album and examines why, relative to other long players of the same era, it still resonates so profoundly today.
Read moreChaka Khan’s ‘Destiny’ Turns 35 | Anniversary Retrospective
‘Destiny’ is full of saturated colors, big brawny beats, exaggerated flourishes, skyscraper-tall pop-rock, and Khan’s voice dwarfs them all.
Read morePhyllis Hyman’s ‘Prime of My Life’ Turns 30 | Anniversary Retrospective
Hyman’s final studio LP before her tragic death remains a bright portrait of her masterful use of pathos to create beauty from chaos.
Read moreBelle and Sebastian’s Debut Album ‘Tigermilk’ Turns 25 | Anniversary Retrospective
Initially considered an underground indie classic, the reverence for ‘Tigermilk’ has rightfully become more widespread over time.
Read moreCarly Simon’s ‘Another Passenger’ Turns 45 | Anniversary Retrospective
Circumstances seemingly aligned to prevent ‘Another Passenger’ from finding the larger audience it deserved, but it has gone on to gain an ardent following with Simon loyalists.
Read moreLost Boyz’ Debut Album ‘Legal Drug Money’ Turns 25 | Anniversary Retrospective
Although the group’s debut LP was both a critical and commercial success, the album was considered among the sleeper gems of 1996, one of hip-hop’s most competitive years.
Read moreDigital Underground’s ‘Future Rhythm’ Turns 25 | Anniversary Retrospective
The group’s fourth studio affair is as convincing a testament to the genius of the late Shock G and the rest of the members of the group as their “golden age” material that preceded it.
Read moreAlicia Keys’ Debut Album ‘Songs in A Minor’ Turns 20 | Anniversary Retrospective
Keys’ inaugural effort is a masterfully executed hybrid of classic and contemporary soul, replete with an acute streetwise sensibility to balance its creator’s musical intelligence and passion.
Read moreAretha Franklin’s ‘Sparkle’ Turns 45 | Anniversary Retrospective
The fruitful success of ‘Sparkle’ gave Franklin the rebound hit she yearned for, however, its commercial viability tells only part of the album’s greater story.
Read moreN.W.A’s Second & Final Studio Album ‘Efil4zaggin’ Turns 30 | Anniversary Retrospective
The fast and immediate commercial success of N.W.A’s second studio affair helped remind labels that there was a lot of money to be made in hip-hop.
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