Common’s fourth album is not just an exercise in the cerebral. Far from it. Sonically, it’s his most fully realized and dynamic album to date.
Read moreTricky’s Debut Album ‘Maxinquaye’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary
What ultimately makes ‘Maxinquaye’ such an unforgettable debut is that it is an album of marked contrasts—both sonically and vocally—that play off of each other to extraordinary effect.
Read moreThe Ahmad Jamal Trio’s ‘The Awakening’ Turns 55 | Albumism Anniversary
‘The Awakening’ remains an essential LP for any jazz record library and a highly recommended introduction to the piano master’s prolific musical footprint for the uninitiated.
Read moreFreddie Hubbard’s ‘Red Clay’ Turns 55 | Album Anniversary
A veritable feast for the ears, Red Clay is an excellent showcase of Hubbard’s legacy of progression as a composer and one of the very finest jazz recordings of the 1970s.
Read moreMary J. Blige’s ‘My Life’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary
‘My Life’ is a prime example of substance over artifice, released in the middle of a decade that found many R&B artists succumbing to the latter in their quest to curry favor with radio and MTV.
Read moreFleetwood Mac’s ‘Tusk’ Turns 45 | Album Anniversary
Critical over-analysis be damned, ‘Tusk’ remains an immersive and fascinating listen, imperative for an expanded understanding and appreciation of the band’s musical history.
Read moreThe Cranberries’ ‘No Need To Argue’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary
With another strong set of songs, ‘No Need To Argue’ solidified the global success that its precursor ‘Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?’ had primed its creators for.
Read moreTori Amos’ ‘To Venus And Back’ Turns 25 | Album Anniversary
A fitting and fetching end to a hyper-productive first decade of recording, the two-disc, 24-track ‘To Venus And Back’ was a generous gift to Amos’ loyal legion of devotees.
Read moreLiz Phair’s ‘Whip-Smart’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary
Not necessarily an all-out assault to secure mainstream acceptance, Phair’s second album is a perceptibly more polished affair with a crisper, bigger sound than its precursor ‘Exile in Guyville.’
Read moreEdie Brickell’s Debut Solo Album ‘Picture Perfect Morning’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary
Reinforcing once again that her talent extends far beyond her most ubiquitous hit single (“What I Am”), ‘Picture Perfect Morning’ endures as an essential component of Brickell’s oeuvre.
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