Album Reviews2/10
‘The Electrizing Aretha Franklin’: Promise, Not Achievement
A look back at Aretha Franklin's 1962 debut album, a promising start that hints at the greatness yet to come.
CLAY TRIBUNE / THE ARCHIVE
Tag: 1960s music
Album Reviews8/10
Aretha Franklin’s ‘Yeah!!!’: Twelve Tracks, Thirty-Five Minutes, and a Voice Finding Its Own Weight
A look back at Aretha Franklin's 1965 album Yeah!!!, weighing its highs against its lesser moments.
Album Reviews8/10
Fifty-Nine Years On, Between the Buttons Still Sounds Like the Stones Between Two Identities
A look back at the Rolling Stones' Between the Buttons, a curious 1967 record caught between rock and pop.
Album Reviews6/10
Stones Cover Album From 1964 Scores 6 Out of 10
A review of the Rolling Stones' 1964 album 12 x 5, a collection of covers with three originals, including Time Is on My Side and It's All Over Now.
Album Reviews5/10
Stevie Wonder Made a Surf Album at 14, and It Mostly Missed
A look back at Stevie Wonder's 1964 surf-rock misfire, a brief curiosity in a legendary career that's less embarrassing than he claims.
Album Reviews8/10
Clouds at 57: Joni Mitchell Finds Her Voice — 8/10
Joni Mitchell's 1969 album Clouds marks her transformation into a singular voice, with stark arrangements and timeless songs like Both Sides, Now.
Album Reviews7/10
Before Motown Made Him a Legend, Marvin Gaye Was Still Figuring Out Who He Was
Marvin Gaye's 1961 debut shows a remarkable voice still searching for identity. A solid standards record worth hearing for its best ballads.
Album Reviews7/10
In the Groove: Marvin Gaye at the Crossroads, With One Towering Peak
Marvin Gaye's 1968 album In the Groove is an uneven but thrilling set, anchored by the towering 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine' and his remarkable vocal range.
Album Reviews7/10
20/20 at 57: The Beach Boys’ Mixed Bag of Brilliance and Filler
The Beach Boys' 1969 album 20/20 is an uneven mix of outtakes and gems, from the lush 'I Can Hear Music' to the ambitious 'Cabinessence.'
Album Reviews9/10
The Beatles’ Second Album at 62: Eleven Tracks, Zero Ballads, and the Band’s Hardest 26 Minutes
The Beatles' Second Album is a 26-minute blast of pure rock and roll. A US-only compilation that never slows down, it's the band at their rawest.