The Menacing, Grimy Weirdness of Melvins’ ‘Houdini’ at 30
Once Houdini dropped, all the agonizing over whether Melvins would debase themselves and compromise their sound petered out before we were halfway into “Hooch”.
Pop Past
Is Lo Fidelity Allstars Style Big Beat Back After 25 Years?
The current resurgence of Britpop could trigger nostalgia for late 1990s big beat like Lo Fidelity Allstars, while trip-hop remains a vital influence.
Everything’s a Dollar in This Box: Tom Waits’ ‘Swordfishtrombones’ at 40
Tom Waits’ 1983 album Swordfishtrombones signified a seismic shift in the singer-songwriter’s sound. His music would never be the same again.
‘Judgment Night’ Soundtrack Merged Rock and Hip-Hop 30 Years Ago
The Judgment Night soundtrack blazed the path that led the evolution of rock and roll into nu-metal of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Keepin’ the Faith: Billy Joel’s ‘An Innocent Man’ at 40
Billy Joel’s An Innocent Man laid the foundation for him to become a vessel for nostalgia that would far outlast the album’s 1950s references.
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Between the Grooves of Liz Phair’s ‘Exile in Guyville’
Liz Phair’s indie rock landmark Exile in Guyville is truly sui generis, a one-of-a-kind moment in history where everything aligned at just the right time and place.
The ‘Sophisticated’ Kiss Album: Ace Frehley’s Solo Debut Turns 45
Kiss’ four solo albums marked the beginning of the end of the band’s soaring popularity. But Ace Frehley’s electric 1978 solo debut has only grown in stature.
Jets to Brazil’s ‘Orange Rhyming Dictionary’ Is Crucial in Indie and Emo Canon
Jets to Brazil’s Orange Rhyming Dictionary received generally good-to-great reviews and is now considered a pivotal record in the evolution of emo and indie rock.
The Ultimate Lost Cause: Styx’s Orphaned ‘Serpent Is Rising’ at 50
The “anything goes, no guardrails” mentality of Styx’s The Serpent Is Rising is precisely what early 1970s rock and roll was supposed to be all about.
A Portrait of Rufus Wainwright As a Gay Pop-Rock Prophet
In 1998, Rufus Wainwright seemed like someone new: a pop-rock performer on a major label who didn’t have to come out because he had never been in the closet.
Just Growing Old? Steely Dan’s ‘Countdown to Ecstasy’ at 50
Steely Dan’s Countdown to Ecstasy reveals a progression toward ever more sheen and polish on a smooth shell, the source of the “yacht rock” label that defined them.
Liz Phair Knew Pop Was a Cultural Construct Before You Did
Liz Phair turned away from indie rock and toward teen-influenced pop-rock 20 years ago on her self-titled album. Critics were harsh, but the LP now seems prescient.