Articles by: Mark Saleski

Why Todd Rundgren’s ‘Back to the Bars’ Remains So Powerful

Why Todd Rundgren’s ‘Back to the Bars’ Remains So Powerful

Let’s take one more warped spin through ‘Back to the Bars,’ an album Todd Rundgren released 45 years ago that still feels brand new.

Reevaluating Bruce Springsteen’s ‘The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle’

Reevaluating Bruce Springsteen’s ‘The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle’

Record buyers stayed away in droves when Bruce Springsteen’s sophomore LP arrived 50 years ago today. Here’s why it’s actually one of rock’s perfect albums.

How Neil Young’s Complex, Hypnotic ‘Greendale’ Revived the Concept Album

How Neil Young’s Complex, Hypnotic ‘Greendale’ Revived the Concept Album

Neil Young and Crazy Horse’s ‘Greendale’ arrived 20 years ago this week as an exploration of murder, art and intrigue in a mythical coastal California town.

Why I Actually Didn’t Like Some of Those Huge ’70s Records

Why I Actually Didn’t Like Some of Those Huge ’70s Records

Cheap Trick recorded ‘At Budokan’ 45 years ago this month, creating another in a string of LPs that were simply everywhere back then.

Why Patti Smith’s Resiliency Leads Me Back to ‘Easter,’ Time and Again

Why Patti Smith’s Resiliency Leads Me Back to ‘Easter,’ Time and Again

I was completely unaware of Patti Smith’s story when she released ‘Easter’ 45 years ago this month.

How Van Halen’s Jaw-Dropping First Album Ruined My Sex Life (Again)

How Van Halen’s Jaw-Dropping First Album Ruined My Sex Life (Again)

Van Halen’s self-titled debut arrived 45 years ago this week with a cover photo that was kind of primal and unhinged. I just knew I had to have it.

Back to Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.,’ and Greasy Lake

Back to Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.,’ and Greasy Lake

Mark Saleski finds new meaning during a track-by-track return to Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.,’ released 50 years ago today.

How ‘Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols’ Changed Everything For Me

How ‘Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols’ Changed Everything For Me

I’d never heard anything like ‘Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols’ when it arrived 45 years ago today. My parents hoped they never would again.

Why ‘Big Generator’ Failed to Build on Yes’ Amazing ‘90125’ Breakthrough

Why ‘Big Generator’ Failed to Build on Yes’ Amazing ‘90125’ Breakthrough

Released 35 years ago today, ‘Big Generator’ took a step back after Yes’ complete reinvention with ‘90125.’ What went wrong?

Bruce Springsteen’s Complex and Challenging ‘The Rising’: Gimme Five

Bruce Springsteen’s Complex and Challenging ‘The Rising’: Gimme Five

Five key tracks from Bruce Springsteen’s ‘The Rising,’ which arrived 20 years ago this week. Some are well-known, some less so, some weirdly controversial.