From ‘Livin’ Like Hustlers’ on, Above The Law pushed the limits of what gangsta rap could sound like, and became under-acknowledged trendsetters in rap music.
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 moreDolly Parton’s ‘The Bargain Store’ Turns 50 | Album Anniversary
Parton has never likened herself to feminist ideals, but her music, whilst not assuming this label, is very clearly rooted in women feeling empowered whether through vulnerability or strength.
Read moreWarren Zevon’s ‘Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School’ Turns 45 | Album Anniversary
Zevon’s fourth LP contains a triple-hit of noir novel (this time, in the south and the west), comedic storytelling, and tenderness at both the start and end of relationships.
Read moreDavid Ford’s ‘Let The Hard Times Roll’ Turns 15 | Album Anniversary
With creative autonomy and quite a lot of red wine, the album is somehow both reckless and meticulous, the result of a dedicated songwriter released from the musical machine.
Read moreThe Cure’s ‘Bloodflowers’ Turns 25 | Album Anniversary
Whereas its immediate predecessors were more collaborative group efforts, ‘Bloodflowers’ shows Robert Smith fully reclaiming the artistic reins, just as he had eleven years prior with ‘Disintegration.’
Read moreAmel Larrieux’s Debut Solo Album ‘Infinite Possibilities’ Turns 25 | Album Anniversary
Larrieux’s inaugural solo affair is a boundless exploration of transcontinental jazz-soul that defined her unique soundprint without losing itself in the currents of neo soul.
Read moreWhitney Houston’s Eponymous Debut Album ‘Whitney Houston’ Turns 40 | Album Anniversary
Houston’s breakthrough first album proved to the world that she was not your ordinary vocalist—she was a bionic belter with the power to shape and stretch her vocals as if they were liquid glass.
Read moreThe Black Crowes’ Debut Album ‘Shake Your Money Maker’ Turns 35 | Album Anniversary
What sets ‘Shake Your Money Maker’ apart from everything else on rock radio around its release in early 1990 is, quite frankly, its swagger.
Read moreDead Prez’s Debut Album ‘Let’s Get Free’ Turns 25 | Album Anniversary
There is no time for subliminal messages or beating around the bush on any of these songs, and such clarity makes every social issue touched upon feel sincere and full of compassion.
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