The Manhattans - Super Hits [Sony/BMG, 2007]: 8.5 (high A-)

I don't know why I like this a couple notches better than Greatest Hits (1980). Could it be as simple as sound quality? Here are the only track differences (same number of tracks, but with two swapped songs):

Super Hits:

"Wish That You Were Mine"

"Am I Losing You"

Greatest Hits:

"I'll Never Find Another (Find Another Like You)"

"Do You Really Mean Goodbye?"

Various - Azagas & Archibogs: The Sixties Sound of Lagos Highlife [Original Music, 1991]: 7 (B+)

#multiartistcomp/folkloric/highlife

Al Green - The Definitive Greatest Hits [Capitol/Hi, 2007]: notation

This is the third edition of the man's Greatest Hits, from what I can tell. The first in 1975 with 10 tracks (vinyl-only), the second in 1995 with five additional tracks (CD-only), and this in 2007 with six additional tracks to the 15 in 1995. Here are the six:

"Take Me to the River"

"Keep Me Cryin'"

"Oh Me, Oh My (Dreams in My Arms)"

"Back Up Train" - from Back Up Train

"I Can't Stop" - from I Can't Stop

"Perfect to Me"- from Everything's OK

The last three are not on the two-disc The Absolute Best. I have noted above where those three are taken from. I have the latter two. I am evaluating the first album, Back Up Train, but will obviously not upgrade to this for that track alone, no matter where I come out on the album.

[Ronald] Shannon Jackson & The Decoding Society - Nasty: 7.5 (high B+)

Might be an 8 (A-), but #import anyway, so I'm not going to make the distinction. Five plays.

Ronald Shannon Jackson & The Decoding Society - Barbeque Dog: 8 (A-)

Vernon Reid on guitar.

Bettie Serveert - Palomine: 8.5 (high A-)

New Order - Low-Life: 7.5 (high B+)

The Delfonics - Platinum & Gold Collection [Arista/BMG Heritage, 2003]: 8.5 (high A-)

Aka The Very Best of the Delfonics [Arista/Legacy, 2005]. I like the cover of that one much better, but Gold & Platinum is the one I could find for the best price. The Very Best cover looks like this:

Th Faith Healers - Lido: 8 (A-)

Brian Eno - Before and after Science: 7.5 (high B+)

Dry Cleaning - New Long Leg: 8 (A-)

Pavement - Hecklers Choice: Big Gums and Heavy Lifters - A Pavement Collection: 9 (A)

Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force - Lost Generation: 7.5 (high B+)

#electro

Dry Cleaning - Secret Love: liked

:-)

Little Willie John - Fever: The Best of Little Willie John [Rhino, 1993]: X (X)

Christgau has this compilation dated 1995, which I believe is incorrect. #r&b

Various - Africa Dances: 8 (A-)

Al Green - The Lord Will Make a Way: 7.5 (high B+)

#gospel (while I'll override #r&b for Al, I won’t override #gospel for him)

The Pixies - Bossanova: 8.5 (high A-)

New Order - Power, Corruption & Lies: 8 (A-)

New York Dolls - New York Dolls [Mercury, 1977]: notation

Official UK, vinyl two-fer release of first two studio albums. As a Dolls semi-completist, I do have a copy.

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers - Rock 'n' Roll With the Modern Lovers: 7.5 (high B+)

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers - Back in Your Life: 7 (B+)

B.T. Express - Greatest Hits: 8 (A-)

Special AKA [The Specials]: In the Studio: 7 (B+)

Normally this would be #ska/2tone, but I saw this beautiful box set, 2 Tone: The Albums, for a ridiculously low price and snagged a copy. It contains this.

DJ Screw - 3 'n the Mornin', Part Two [blue]: liked

See the way "Part Two" is shaded blue? Apparently, an earlier version of this, with different tracks, was shaded red. And then he got sued by the more national artists whose tracks he was chopping and screwing, so he changed the whole thing to local artists and reissued it with a blue shade. Cover posted to avoid confusion about what I am posting about. This is #59 on the Pitchfork list of The 100 Best Rap Albums of All Time.