The Connells: Ring (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) [Classic Album Revisit]

The ConnellsRing (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)Craft Recordings [2023] Released: September 1, 1993/Reissue: May 26, 2023Producer: Lou Giordano | The Connells | Tim HarperLength: 50:15/Reissue: 2:10:00 Released in 1993, The Connells’ album Ring remains a quintessential find of the indie rock scene, showcasing the band’s masterful songwriting and distinctive sound. With its melodic hooks and introspective … Read more

The Exploding Hearts: Guitar Romantic (Expanded & Remastered) [Classic Album Revisit]

The Exploding HeartsGuitar Romantic (Expanded & Remastered)Third Man Records Released: April 1, 2003/Reissue: May 26, 2023Producer: The Exploding Hearts, Pat KearnsLength: 29:00/Reissue: 38:00 In a world where punk and power pop collide, The Exploding Hearts’ debut album Guitar Romantic emerged as a timeless gem that pays homage to the past while infusing a youthful and … Read more

Rufus Wainwright: Rufus Wainwright (25th Anniversary) [Classic Album Revisit]

Rufus WainwrightRufus Wainwright (25th Anniversary Edition)UMe Released: May 19, 1998/Reissue: May 19, 2023Producer: Jon Brion, Pierre MarchandLength: 53:26/Reissue: 1:36:00 When the self-titled debut, Rufus Wainwright came out in 1998 it won high praise from numerous music critics for its uniquely romantic piano balladry but sold very modestly. The son of established musical artists, Wainwright was … Read more

Velvet Crush: Teenage Symphonies To God [Classic Album Revisit]

Velvet CrushTeenage Symphonies To God550 Music/Epic Records Released: July 5, 1994Producer: Mitch Easter, Velvet CrushLength: 46:00 Velvet Crush’s Teenage Symphonies To God is an album that deserves to be held in high esteem by fans of power pop and classic rock alike. Released in 1994, the album is a tour de force of catchy hooks, … Read more

Ryan Adams: Heartbreaker [Classic Album Revisit]

Ryan Adams Heartbreaker Bloodshot Records Released: September 5, 2000 Producer: Ethan Johns Length: 51:57 I remember picking up this record 15 years ago and being really excited as I was already into alt-country at the time and familiar with Whiskeytown, so buying frontman Ryan Adams’ solo record debut seemed like a no-brainer. Then the first … Read more

Cardinal: Cardinal [Classic Album Revisit]

Cardinal Cardinal Flydaddy (Original) / Fire (Reissue) Released: 1994 Producer: Tony Lash Length: 30:32 (Reissue 57:01) Appearing as it did in the middle of the grunge era, Cardinal’s debut LP was definitely an anomaly. Instead of gritty guitars and gruff vocals, Cardinal is full of quieter sounds: acoustic guitars, strings, piano, even the occasional trumpet, … Read more

Guided By Voices: Bee Thousand [Classic Album Revisit]

Guided By Voices Bee Thousand Scat Records Released: June 21, 1994 Producer: GBV Length: 36:30 I don’t think that anyone back in June of 1994 could have predicted the impact of this little lo-fi record from Dayton, Ohio band Guided By Voices. At the time, I was still in college and working in a music … Read more

July: July [Classic Album Revisit]

July July Rhino Records (2014 Reissue) Released: 1968 Producer: Tommy Scott Length: 36:12 Part of what we hope becomes a regular reissue program of psych classics, Rhino records re-released three of England’s best psychedelic rock albums for Record Store Day 2014: The Yardbirds’ Little Games (their only album with Jimmy Page as the main guitarist … Read more

At The Drive-In: Relationship Of Command [Classic Album Revisit]

At The Drive-In Relationship Of Command Fearless Records Released: September 12, 2000 Producer: Ross Robinson Length: 45:31 At The Drive-In didn’t invent the post-hardcore scene. But did they have impeccable right place/right timing with one of the most important works of the last decade. Their third and final LP Relationship Of Command couldn‘t be any … Read more

Nine Inch Nails: Pretty Hate Machine [Classic Album Revisit]

Nine Inch Nails Pretty Hate Machine TVT Records Released: October 20, 1989 Producer: Trent Reznor, Flood, Adrian Sherwood, Keith LeBlanc, John Fryer Length: 48:42 Trent Reznor did not invent industrial music. But with his 1989 debut as Nine Inch Nails he might as well have. When I first heard Pretty Hate Machine I was floored. … Read more

Neutral Milk Hotel: In The Aeroplane Over The Sea [Classic Album Revisit]

Neutral Milk Hotel In The Aeroplane Over The Sea Merge Records Released: February 10, 1998 Producer: Robert Schneider Length: 39:55 It‘s really hard not to bring up the Elephant 6 Music collective without one name and band coming to mind: Jeff Mangum/Neutral Milk Hotel. While many brilliant and underappreciated artists (Elf Power, The Olivia Tremor … Read more

Matthew Sweet: Girlfriend [Classic Album Revisit]

Matthew Sweet Girlfriend Zoo Entertainment Released: October 22, 1991 Producer: Fred Maher & Matthew Sweet Length: 60:19 In October 1991, singer/songwriter Matthew Sweet released Girlfriend to a very unexpecting music scene. He had recently been dropped by A&M Records after two underperforming records, was newly divorced and made the move to a newly created label … Read more

Teenage Fanclub: Bandwagonesque [Classic Album Revisit Review]

Teenage Fanclub Bandwagonesque Creation Records [1991] Fan Reviewer: Scot Location: Bellefontaine, OH Age: 50 Nineteen Ninety-One. It was the age of grunge. The year of Nirvana’s Nevermind, Pearl Jam’s Ten and Soundgarden’s Badmotorfinger. A nascent indie scene was forming around records like Loveless, Spiderland and Screamadelica. Even established acts like REM and U2 rebooted in … Read more