Chronicles of the Garden State

In the twilight of the ’70s, as the shrapnel of the punk explosion was still settling, the movement was already inspiring new groups. As New Wave unfurled, the post-punk movement represented a tortured, even radical turn. From pioneers Joy Division and The Fall to current bands Shame and Fontaines D.C., here’s a close-up on the landmark albums that electrified the entire music world and continue to fascinate the rock’n’roll underground.

It’s hard to shout “Rock’n’roll will never die!” without sounding like an idiot. But Neil Young can pull it off. Easily. For over half a century, the Canadian legend has proved himself to be one of the greatest songwriters of his generation, constantly renewing himself and taking rock’n’roll down both rustic and rougher paths. The proof lies in these ten albums.

Pink Floyd's ground-breaking album The Dark Side of the Moon was the result of a long creative process that began around 1968. A Saucerful of Secrets (the main track from the eponymous album) was, for Nick Mason at least, where it all began. Their next album Ummagumma (1969) gave each band member the opportunity to create a solo piece, though they would have to combine their talents if they wanted to hit the jackpot. Pink Floyd continued to search for the perfect record with Meddle, an album which highlighted their skills in the studio, and Atom Heart Mother, before they reached nirvana with The Dark Side of the Moon. And the album’s perfection hasn’t faded one bit.