The Fall - Live at the Witch Trials: 8 (A-)

The Fall debut, studio album (despite the title). Upped from 7 (B+) upon multiple additional listens. The only remastered CD version is the two-disc "deluxe" edition -- which is absolutely swamped in crappy, worthless extra tracks, in my opinion. I listened to the extra tracks only once to make this determination. Terrible. (Well, there is a three-disc Cherry Red issue from 2019, which has the same tracks, but has the original album on its own disc, which is good. This pushes it out to three discs.)

U2 - Easter Lily [EP]: liked

:-)

Moby Grape - Moby Grape: 8 (A-)

Ray Charles - Volcanic Action of My Soul: 7.5 (high B+)

#r&b

Archers of Loaf - EPs/singles batch review

I don't typically grade singles, but I have all the following, which says something how much I love this band (and how good they are):

The Loaf's Revenge [EP]

The Results After the Loafs Revenge [EP]

"Jive Kata" b/w "Slow Worm"

"Vocal Shrapnel" b/w "Density"

I kind of wish I had been able to purchase these two 2020 singles, but I never got around to it after streaming them, and now they're gone and selling for way too much:

"Talking Over Talk" b/w "Cruel Reminder"

"Raleigh Days" b/w "Street Fighting Man"

Archers of Loaf - Vitus Tinnitus [EP]: 8 (A-)

I have this on 10" vinyl, even though it was issued on CD at the time. I think it's in one of those damn CD wallets.

Curtis Mayfield - Back to the World: 7 (B+)

 

Essentially collected as party of Original Album Series.

Bettie Serveert - Dust Bunnies: liked

 Very close to 7 (B+)

Trinity - Shanty Town Determination: liked

 Listened to the Blood & Fire reissue.

Fripp & Eno - The Equatorial Stars: liked

:-)

Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby: A Working Museum: 7 (B+)

Gavin Bryars - Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet (with Tom Waits): notation

I have the first, 26-minute version on this on a release together with The Sinking of the Titanic. I think that's enough versions of this piece, but I did listen to this (with six versions at 74 minutes total) once for good measure. I will post about that one day.

Last Exit - The Noise of Trouble: 7 (B+)

#jazz/live

Zani Diabate et la Super Djata Band du Mali - Volume 2: liked

Cover posted to avoid confusion with similarly-titled releases on Numero Group. Might be a 7 (B+), but digital/vinyl-only anyway.

Kid Cudi - Have U Bn 2 Heaven @ Nite [EP]: liked

:-)

Fede Lawu et Matchatcha - Souci: 8 (A-)

Great Diblo Dibala lead guitar on this one. Probably bumped up a notch for that, but #import anyway. The CD version adds four out of five songs from the Fede Lawu solo album Soukous Non Stop, which does not have Diblo on guitar. I did not hear those songs, and so this grade obviously does not apply to them.

Bettie Serveert - Pharmacy of Love: liked

:-)

Average White Band - AWB: 8 (A-)

Average White Band - Show Your Hand: 7 (B+)

Aka Put It Where You Want It. #r&b

Patrice Rushen - Straight From the Heart: liked

Definitely drops off on side two.

The Dandy Warhols - Earth to Dandy Warhols...: lilked

:-)

Ray Charles - True to Life: 7.5 (high B+)

#r&b

Cracker - Low [EP]: notation

All songs on Garage d'Or

Abdallah Oumbadougou - Amghar: The Godfather of Tuareg Music, Vol. 1: 8 (A-)

Digital/vinyl-only

Super Djata Band de Bamako - Authentique, Vol. 2: Feu Vert 81-82: 8.5 (high A-)

Digital/vinyl-only