Album Reviews5.2/10
Squeeze Still Sounds Like a Band Learning to Be a Band, and That’s the Appeal
A review of The Velvet Underground's Squeeze, a pale imitation of Loaded that never quite finds its own voice.
CLAY TRIBUNE / THE ARCHIVE
Tag: classic rock
Album Reviews8/10
The Velvet Underground’s Complete Matrix Tapes: Forty-Three Live Tracks, Seven Years Later
A review of The Complete Matrix Tapes, forty-three live songs by The Velvet Underground, including rare tracks and full versions of classics.
Album Reviews6/10
Velvet Underground Cover Album Preserves a Name Without the Man Behind It
A strange beast of covers and originals, this Velvet Underground album struggles to live without its departed scribe.
Album Reviews9.3/10
The Great Banana at 32: How the Velvet Underground Refused to Compromise
A review of The Great Banana, a landmark 1994 reissue of the Velvet Underground's 1967 debut, ranking it among the finest albums of its era.
Album Reviews7/10
The Clash Traded Scrappy Noise for Studio Shine on Give ‘Em Enough Rope
The Clash's second album traded raw punk for studio polish. A 1978 record caught between ambition and energy, with 'Stay Free' as its classic core.
Album Reviews8/10
The Clash Traded Punk Purity for Stadium Pop on Combat Rock — and Made It Work
Combat Rock is the Clash's odd, confident commercial breakthrough — a tense mix of radio hits, jagged experiments, and political fury that still rocks.
Album Reviews8/10
Prince Review: Nine Tracks, One Man’s Ambition
Prince's 1979 self-titled album review: a confident step forward with standout funk tracks, but ballads stall the momentum. An 8/10.
Album Reviews5/10
Dylan at 5/10: The Voice Survives an Album Nobody Wanted
Bob Dylan's 1973 outtakes album is a cobbled-together stopgap of covers, but his voice makes it a fascinating time capsule. We rank the tracks.
Album Reviews9/10
Bob Dylan and The Band Prove the Basement Tapes Were Worth the Bootleg Wait — 9/10
Bob Dylan & The Band's legendary 1967 basement sessions, finally released in 1975, capture a loose, essential moment in rock history. Reviewed.
Album Reviews5/10
How Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm Traded Confessional Folk for Star-Studded Synth Experiments — and Only Half Pulled It Off
Joni Mitchell's 1988 album is an uneven mix of guest stars and dated production, with standout tracks amid weaker moments.
Album Reviews8/10
On Night Ride Home, Mitchell Strips Away the ’80s Studio Gloss and Rediscovers Her Own Voice
Joni Mitchell's 1991 album Night Ride Home marks her return to acoustic intimacy, with sharp lyrics and a quiet confidence. Our track-by-track review.
Album Reviews7/10
Joni Mitchell’s ‘Taming the Tiger’: A Quiet Record That Rewards Patience
Joni Mitchell's 1998 album Taming the Tiger is a quiet, mature work that rewards patience with intricate detail and subtle melodies. Our review rates it 7/10.