Saturday, June 20, 2026
Friday, June 19, 2026
James Blood Ulmer - No Escape from the Blues: The Electric Lady Sessions: 7 (B+)
w/Vernon Reid. #jazz/blues
Mott the Hoople - Backsliding Fearlessly: The Early Years [Rhino, 1994]: 8.5 (high A-)
Excellent collection of tracks from the pre-Columbia years (which started with All the Young Dudes in 1972). In other words, great tracks drawn mostly from their four initial studio albums for Island/Atlantic. Absolutely essential for any kind of fan of the band (other than fanatics who would have those four albums anyway). The period is mostly ignored on the Retrospective compilation.
Jeffrey Lewis & the Junkyard - 'Em Are I: 8.5 (high A-)
His best in my view. Makes me wish I had an 8.75. I could round up, but I reserve 9 (A) for albums that, at least for a time, I don't want to stop playing.
Monday, June 8, 2026
Sunday, June 7, 2026
The Undertones - Teenage Kicks [EP]: 8 (A-)
All tracks are on my version of the debut, but I wanted to listen to it as an EP to see how it hit me, given its importance in punk history. I would buy a copy just for that, but copies are too expensive.
The Replacements - Boink: notation
Contains cuts from Hootenanny and Stink, plus two songs that I did play three times -- "If Only You Were Lonely" and "Nowhere Is My Home."
DNA - DNA on DNA: 8.5 (high A-)
This includes their seminal EP from 1981, A Taste of DNA, plus I believe everything else they ever recorded. The great Arto Lindsay on guitar.
Buzzcocks - Love Bites/Another Music in a Different Kitchen: 8 (A-)
This is the twofer I have. Grade applies to both albums. Not really the ideal way to hear these (too much at once), but this is what I have.
Monday, June 1, 2026
Les Ambassadeurs - Dance Music From West Africa [Rounder, 1984]: 8 (A-)
Christgau has this as self-titled. It was also released as Best of Ambassadeurs.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
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Descendents - Two Things at Once: 8.5 (high A-)
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As depicted, contains Milo Goes to College and Bonus Fat.
Liliput - LiLiPUT [Off Course, 1993]: 8 (A-)
Two-disc compilation, which contains, among other things, their self-titled studio debut [Rough Trade, 1982].
Flipper - American Grafishy: liked
Might be a 7 (B+) (what’s so wrong with this that it gets panned by almost everyone?), but I owned it once and sold it off, and I’m not buying it again for more than a few bucks, which isn’t possible, so….
Les Ambassadeurs du Motel de Bamako - Les Ambassadeurs du Motel de Bamako: [8 (A-)]
This is on final listen shelf, so grade is provisional. Posted so I don't get confused about it.
Various - Rock 'n' Roll High School (Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack): notation
I couldn’t find this to stream in its entirety, so I pieced together the songs I might not already have: “I Want You Around” (Ramones), “Come On Let's Go” (Paley Brothers/Ramones), “Ramones Medley” (Ramones), “Rock 'n' Roll High School” (P.J. Soles), and “A Dream Goes on Forever” (Todd Rundgren). I did listen to these three times each and won’t be assigning a grade to a partial album. I also played the Ramone's single “Carbona Not Glue” b/w “I Can’t Be” in the same way as part of this exercise for some reason.
Bopol Mansiamina [Masiamina]/Syran Mbenza - The Best African Sound: 7 (B+)
Copies too expensive to worry about. Too bad. [also M'Benza]
Gladys Knight & The Pips: Love Finds Its Own Way: The Best of Gladys Knight & The Pips: 7 (B+)
Gets pretty schlocky as it goes on. #r&b/bestof
Gladys Knight & The Pips - Greatest Hits [Soul, 1970]: 7.5 (high B+)
I’m more disposed to her Buddah period, on which I will post later. #r&b/bestof
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