Diary of a Melomaniac

Before 11/2020, grades range from 5 to 3.5 stars. After that, grade range is: 10 (A+), 9.5 (high A), 9 (A), 8.5 (high A-), 8 (A-), 7.5 (high B+), and 7 (B+). Ungraded albums are noted as liked :-) (honorable mention), neutral :-|, and disliked :-(. At least 4 listens per graded album and 3 listens per ungraded album. Search "Grade Post" for more info. I sold/shelved ~10,000 albums after at least 3 or 4 listens, respectively, before starting this blog and will add entries for those as they arise.

Sunday, May 31, 2026

Misfits - Misfits [Plan 9, 1986]: 7.5 (high B+)

Aka Collection. #bestof

Buck 65 - The Birth Of Henry Krinkle: liked

Might be a 7 (B+), but I was restricted from playing it a fourth time to find out. Restricted bandcamp-only.

Flipper - Live: TargetVideo77 - 1980-81 [DVD]: notation

Great footage of very early Flipper playing live in the Bay Area. Essentially two shows, one 10 months after the other, both before the release of their first full album. You can see dramatic improvement in those 10 months. Easy to find on YouTube for streaming.

Saturday, May 30, 2026

Corook - Committed to a Bit: 8.5 (high A-)

They never releases their albums in physical. This one grew on us. We has to admit, they has a beautiful voice.

Monday, May 25, 2026

L7 - Pretend We're Dead [Warner, 2019]: notation

Digital-only, 25-track comp. From Tom Hull: "10/11 tracks from Bricks Are Heavy, 8/12 from Hungry for Sink, and 7/12 from The Beauty Process." No reason to even listen, as all those albums are easily available and essential in my book.

L7 - Hungry for Stink: 8 (A-)

L7 - The Beauty Process: Triple Platinum: 8 (A-)

L7 - Smell the Magic: 9 (A)

Dinosaur Jr. - Green Mind: 7.5 (high B+)

Elvis Costello - batch review

All the following have been shelved for years. I will grade them as I play them in the future, but they would range from 7 (B+) to possibly 9 (A):

My Aim Is True

This Year's Model

Armed Forces

Get Happy!

Trust

Imperial Bedroom

I also have had Blood and Chocolate on the final listen shelf for years and posted separately about King of America. Never been a big fan, personally. He was a bit of a snot to me once at Tower Records in LA in the 1990s, but I swear I'm not holding it against him. We were both picking through some recent Dylan re-issues.

Jubal Lee Young - Squirrels: 7 (B+)

Guy's got a real squirrel problem. #country

The Only Ones - The Peel Sessions Album: 8.5 (high A-)

Aka simply The Peel Sessions on some releases.

Pablo Moses - Reggae Greats: 7.5 (high B+)

Normally, I would skip this as #bestof, and because I have five out of eight tracks (the ones from A Song), so it only gives me three from Pave the Way. I should have just gotten Pave the Way. But I have a copy and will retain it for now.

Swamp Dogg - Best of 25 Years... Or F*** the Bomb, Stop the Drugs: 7.5 (high B+)

Had this when it came out and eventually sold it off. #r&b/oldies/bestof

Todd Snider - High, Lonesome and Then Some: 7 (B+)

Upped a notch and collected in memoriam, despite being #folk.

Body Type - Expired Candy: 7.5 (high B+)

Very close to 8 (A-), but #import even if so. #indiepop

Go-Betweens - Metal and Shells: notation

Seven songs from Spring Hill Fair and five from Before Hollywood. Never issued on CD. Listened once for flow. See separate posts re: each of the constituent albums.