Category: Classic Revisiting

The Doors, ‘The Doors,’ 1967 The world spun on as it always had—wars raged, oil spilled, revolutions simmered—but the true heartbeat of 1967 pulsed in its social and cultural rupture. The year is known for Torrey Canyon, the first oil spill, Mao’s Cultural Revolution massacre, the Vietnam War, Cuba, or the disappearance of Che Guevara,…

King Crimson, ‘In The Court Of The Crimson King,’ 1969 The wall on which the prophets wroteIs cracking at the seamsUpon the instruments of deathThe sunlight brightly gleamsWhen every man is torn apartWith nightmares and with dreamsWill no one lay the laurel wreathWhen silence drowns the screams God listened In the Court of the Crimson…

Radiohead, ‘In Rainbows,’ 2007 I’m a moth who just wants to share your lightI’m just an insect, trying to get out of the nightI only stick with you because there are no othersYou are all I needYou are all I needI’m in the middle of your pictureLying in the reeds What was once revolutionary is…

The Beatles, ‘Abbey Road,’ 1969 Here comes the sun, and I sayIt’s alright Abbey Road is The Beatles’ farewell—an elegy wrapped in harmony, its second side a breathtaking suite that feels like a final bow. Sensing the end, they reunited with George Martin, their longtime producer, and the result is nothing short of miraculous. When the…

King Crimson, ‘Red,’ 1974 Did you ever anticipate such brilliance from an album birthed as the band neared its end? From the outset, everyone in King Crimson knew Red would be their final bow. Robert Fripp was stepping away from the music world, and the palpable tension among the members had already driven David Cross…

Genesis, ‘Selling England by the Pound,’ 1973 Now as the river dissolves in seaSo Neptune has claimed another soulAnd so with gods and menThe sheep remain inside their penUntil the shepherd leads his flock awayThe sands of time were eroded bythe river of constant change It begins without any music, with Peter Gabriel’s voice asking…

Camel, ‘Mirage,’ 1974 A masterpiece of progressive rock if ever there was one—Mirage stands as Camel’s first artistic pinnacle, transforming the promising foundation of their debut into something truly transcendent. From the punchy opening of Freefall to the sublime Lady Fantasy, this album delivers everything a discerning prog enthusiast could desire: musical ideas brimming with…

Yes, ‘Close to the Edge,’ 1972 If anyone asks me what progressive rock sounds like, Close to the Edge is THE definitive statement of this genre, and it’s a towering achievement that encapsulates the genre’s boundless ambition, technical mastery, and emotional depth. The album unfurls with its namesake opus—an 18-minute revelation that begins in nature’s…

Wu-Tang Clan, ‘Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers),’ 1993 Wu-Tang Clan’s debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), is one of the most pivotal and transformative albums in hip-hop history. This project introduced the world to the gritty, raw, yet refreshingly novel sound that encapsulated the socio-cultural realities of urban youth in early ’90s New York City….

Stevie Wonder, ‘Innervisions,’ 1973 Stevie Wonder’s 1973 album Innervisions stands as a towering achievement in the pantheon of modern music. Innervisions is perhaps most notable for its unflinching examination of the social and political landscape of the early 1970s. The album’s title— a clever portmanteau of “inner” and “visions”—aptly reflects Wonder’s introspective approach as he…