Graham Parker - The Mona Lisa's Sister: 8.5 (high A-)

A very fine album. Not sure why Christgau crapped on it when it came out, but that terrible review kept me away for decades. I can't really find a thing about it not to like. There were always indications that there was something here (eg, it was in that little Rolling Stone album guide on the 1980s, the new Rolling Stone album guide grade), but I took the lazy way out and relied on the "Dean," to my detriment. The kind of album I'm always happy to play again after it ends.

Marti Jones - Unsophisticated Time [A&M, 1985]: 8.5 (high A-)

This is a mid-eighties, near-classic bit of proto-Americana or something like that. Maybe the female version of Thomas Jefferson Kaye a decade later. I know that's a strange and possibly useless comparison but it's what came into my head. And I despise comparisons. I'm not really comparing them so much as trying to locate them in some kind of genre, which is difficult. Anyway, I lean towards 8.25 but round up in that case. Got a sealed vinyl copy for a ridiculously good price, so a bit of a treasure. It was released originally on CD but only in Germany. Then there was some Don Dixon boutique CD reissue in 2000, but essentially, this is vinyl-only. Very happy to discover this, 41 years after its release.

Mekons - Horrorble (Mekons vs Tony Maimone in Dub Conference): 7 (B+)

This is the double-CD deluxe version with the original Horror album included, so now I have two copies of that. Bought this at a Mekons show in Portland, Maine to support the band, and because I am a Mekons fanboy and completist. Grade is for the dub version.

Soukous Stars - Rumba Soukous: The Heartbeat of Africa [Cassava, 2001]: notation

I would like to listen to this if I ever find a streamable version. The only review I have seen is lukewarm (Christgau at two-star honorable mention), so I do not want to buy it sound unheard. For some reason, he has this listed as artist "Rumba-Soukous" -- a band which I do not think exists. Discogs credits this to Soukous Stars. So does AllMusic. Here is the cover to avoid confusion:

Motorhead - batch review

I've had these forever, and will post on them individually as I play them again:

     No Remorse

     Ace of Spades

     No Sleep 'til Hammersmith

Elvis Costello and the Attractions - Trust: 9 (A)

Queen - Greatest Hits [Hollywood, 1992]: 8 (A-)

Upped a notch for general regard. AllMusic says this: "Not to be confused with 1981's Greatest Hits, 1992's Classic Queen, or 1992's reissue of 1981's Greatest Hits, 2004's Greatest Hits is a superb 20-track sampler of Queen's best, eclipsing all of the aforementioned packages." Taking a pass on Classic Queen, I have the 1992 issue, as noted above.

The 1981 issue has the same number of tracks as the 1992 issue (17), but "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Flash" instead of "Body Language" and "I Want to Break Free." I did play "Flash" three times, just to be thorough, although I've obviously heard it many times before. Definitely a good one to leave off. (I also obviously have "Bohemian Rhapsody.") Discogs actually has 2004 as being a reissue of 1981, which seems to be more accurate given the same 17 songs and cover image, and the 1992 issue as its own release. Anyway, the 2004 issue adds two live tracks and "I'm in Love with My Car" to get to 20. I can also do without those.

Chumbawamba - Uneasy Listening: 7.5 (high B+)

Could be an 8 (A-), but no copies available for reasonable prices anyway, so not sweating the distinction. #bestof

Eddy Current Suppression Ring - Eddy Current Suppression Ring: 8 (A-)

David Bowie - Changesonebowie: 9.5 (high A)

Less is definitely more in this case.

Marti Jones - Match Game: neutral

:-|

Ice Cube - Amerikkka's Most Wanted: 8 (A-)

Ice Cube - Greatest Hits: 8 (A-)

Ice-T - The Iceberg: Freedom of Speech . . . Just Watch What You Say: 7.5 (high B+)

Ice-T - Original Gangster: 9 (A)

Schoolly D - Adventures of Schoolly D [Rykodisc, 1987]: 7 (B+)

Christgau seems to incorrectly list this as The Further Adventures of Schoolly-D (ie, adding “The Further”). This combines the self-titled debut and the original seven-track version of the follow-up Saturday Night! - The Album [Schoolly-D, 1986] (with “We Get Paid” appearing to be re-titled as “Get 'n' Paid” -- AI says these are different songs, but I’m not going to bother trying to verify that). I give the debut an 8 (A-) and the follow-up a 7 (B+). So this hits in the middle, and gets docked a notch because it goes on for just too long and is less than the sum of its parts. Not the way to hear this artist. Early CD-era move. Reminds me of that Mission of Burma release. #bestof

Mahotella Queens - Buya Buya: 8 (A-)

#import

Graham Parker - Struck by Lightning [RCA, 1991]: 7 (B+)

I have a long and complicated history with this release. It came out during the time that I was really discovering the true, vast depth of rock music. I liked the album, but some critics, who had opened me up to, and were helping me navigate, these overwhelming depths did not share my appreciation, and I let them sway me and sold it off. Now I will re-collect it, even though, at this grade, at this point in time, I might try to otherwise categorize it as #pubrock or something and skip it. Add to these considerations that, while I'm not a GP completist, I'm an outright fan, probably more so than with respect to any pub rocker I can think of.

I note that the vinyl issues of this in the UK were accompanied by a bonus 12-inch EP, which contains songs appearing on the CD that could not fit on the otherwise single-sided vinyl. There are also two extra tracks on the EP, one of which appears on the Passion Is No Ordinary Word compilation, about which I will post separately.

Lee "Scratch" Perry - Dub Fire: neutral

Not sure why this got **** in the new Rolling Stone album guide, but that’s why I played it three times.

Nurse With Wound - Soliloquy for Lilith: liked

Even if I wanted to up this a notch for mere historicity, which I don’t, it would be #experimental/drone. And even if I wanted to up it three notches, which I really don’t, it would be too expensive, although if the two-CD version were selling for anything approaching a reasonable price, I might be tempted to pick it up as a novelty/collector’s item. In fact, as it is, I have probably already upped it a notch for one thing or another. Try The Disintegration Loops instead.

Algiers - Shook: 7 (B+)

Algiers - The Underside of Power: 7.5 (high B+)

Ice Cube - Kill at Will [EP]: 8.5 (high A-)

Two Nice Girls - Like a Version [EP]: 7.5 (high B+)

Can't even find a decent cover image to purloin. I owned this once but think I sold it off. I kind of wish I hadn't, even though it's #indiepop/covers, because it feels a little like a collector's item at this point. And it came out in the same year as Slay Tracks, although this one did get a CD release. Good year for EPs, as I remember.

Robert Johnson - King of the Delta Blues, Vol. II [Columbia, 1970]: X (X)

See post re: the original volume.