James Stafford
Cover Stories: Public Image Ltd., ‘Metal Box’
Public Image Ltd. didn't just raise the bar for unconventional album covers with 1979's 'Metal Box,' they ignored the bar entirely.
30 Years Ago: Love and Rockets Evolve From Bauhaus With ‘Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven’
In the wake of iconic goth outfit Bauhaus, three former members revealed a more psychedelic and glam-informed aesthetic with their influential 1985 debut.
16 Years Ago: Placebo Fuse Glam and Punk Into ‘Without You I’m Nothing’
With gender-bending swagger and millennial malaise, British trio Placebo became heirs to the glam rock throne with their breakthrough second album.
Cover Stories: The White Stripes, ‘Elephant’
Jack White is the master of the hidden treasure. What surprises lurk in the cover of the White Stripes' 2003 album 'Elephant'?
12 Years Ago: Death Cab for Cutie Release ‘Transatlanticism’
The unofficial follow-up to the Postal Service's only album found footing in the mainstream thanks in part to Seth Cohen (from 'The O.C.').
10 Years Ago: Fiona Apple Makes a Dramatic Reentrance With ‘Extraordinary Machine’
Fiona Apple's first album in six years seemed destined for "lost album" status, then suddenly existed in two disparately interesting incarnations.
Cover Stories: The Smiths, ‘The Smiths’
Who does the torso on the cover of the Smiths' 1984 debut album belong to? And how does Andy Warhol work into all of this?
23 Years Ago: Stone Temple Pilots Release Their Divisive Debut ‘Core’
Although Stone Temple Pilots were initially written off by many as Pearl Jam imposters, their debut, 'Core,' was vital in ushering the '90s into the post-grunge era.
20 Years Ago: Sonic Youth Return to Their Experimental Roots with ‘Washing Machine’
After the relatively pop-friendly 'Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star,' Sonic Youth returned in 1995 with their most innovative album in years.
24 Years Ago: Nirvana Turned ‘Alternative’ Into the Mainstream With ‘Nevermind’
One writer who lived in Hollywood during the dying days of '80s hair metal recalls how Nirvana's 'Nevermind' instantly redefined pop culture in the '90s.