Various - That's the Way I Feel Now: A Tribute to Thelonious Monk [A&M, 1984]: 7.5 (high B+)

A Hal Willner production. Normally, this would be #multiartistcomp, but I bought a nice copy for a fantastic price because there was no other easy way to hear this, and I want to keep it. So I will.

Garth Brooks - The Hits: 8 (A-)

The Ex - Too Many Cowboys: liked

So long and bloated, it became a little bit of a chore to listen to. A “see also” in the Rolling Stone 2026 list of the 100 Greatest Punk Albums of All Time.

The La's - The La's: 8 (A-)

Too Much Joy - Cereal Killers: 8 (A-)

Boredoms - Vision Creation Newsun: liked

:-)

Downtown Science - Downtown Science: 9 (A)

Slept-on classic

Serengeti - Kenny Dennis LP: 8 (A-)

Serengeti - KennyV: 8 (A-)

Digital-only. Kenny Dennis V

Judas Priest - Stained Class: liked

Might be 7 (B+), but #metal anyway. I'm tempted, because copies are cheap.

Ice Cube - Lethal Weapon: liked

Docked a notch for bloat/weak second half/long Parliament rip.

Boredoms - Soul Discharge: neutral

:-|

Various - Black Havana: 7.5 (high B+)

#dance/electronica/house

Garland Jeffreys - Escape Artist: 7 (B+)

I like the songs on this a little more than on Ghost Writer, but it's slightly more derivative (he sounds like he's trying to do his best Elvis Costello impersonation), so it evens out at the same grade. I like the EP that came with this, Escapades, a little more, and would give it 7.5 (high B+), mainly for the two reggae songs on the second side, but it's still #singersongwriter/folk/blues like the album proper. Too bad, because it looks like it sold as a separate seven-inch EP as its own separate release, at least in the UK/Europe. I'll probably cave on this and/or Ghost Writer one day, because it seems wrong to only have King of In Between by this artist.

Moe Tucker - Playin' Possum: neutral

:-|

John Lennon - Mind Games: 8 (A-)

Yet another one where Christgau's ridiculous grade (C+) kept me away unreasonably for decades.

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-)