Jerry Lee Lewis - The Knox Phillips Sessions: 7.5 (high B+)

# oldies/misc. articles [4 listens]

Nene Tchakou - Soto: 8 (A-)

Dally Kimoko on guitar. Excellent underappreciated soukous album.

Protomartyr - Under Color of Official Right: 8 (A-)

El Hadji Faye/Etoile 2000 de Dakar - Cheikh Ibra Fall [Dakar Audio Diffusion, 1998]: 8.5 (high A-)

Most sources don't seem to have Cheikh Ibra Fall as the title of this one, but that's what it appears to be to me. That's how Muzikifan files it, anyway, and who knows better than he? The common filing is Etoile 2000 de Dakar, but that does not seem right to me. Anyway, I've got this on my wantlist but doubt one will ever come up for a price I am willing to pay. Slightly too salsa-ish on some songs for my tastes, and the keybs, although beautiful in many ways, can get a little cheesy sometimes, but overall, there is a timeless vibe to this.

I don't think the "Djirime" on this is the same song played by Gestu de Dakar, but it's almost as good. I can't even get a translation of the word, except maybe it means "Thank You" in Wolof? How beautiful if so. What a magical culture. How can there be such genius in the world? I don't think any of these songs are on the Stern's Etoile de Dakar four volume series, which are somehow linked to Dakar Audio Diffusion in a way I can't determine.

The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground: 45th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition [Disc 4]: 8 (A-)

Not into all the different mixes etc. of this classic album, but I thought disc 4 was worth checking out, so I did. Anything with "Foggy Notion" on it has to be worth a few listens. I also plan on listening to the two Live at the Matrix discs at some point. I realize they are from the same performances chronicled on the Quine bootlegs, the regular issue 1969 live album, and The Complete Matrix Tapes, but maybe I'll like this particular selection/presentation. I will probably only listen once though, since I've heard so many different versions of the Matrix performances so many times. Enough already. They are not that great.

Various - Champeta Criolla: A New African Music from Colombia: 8 (A-)

Digital-only. Please see post on Volume 2.

Various - Champeta Criolla Vol. 2: Visionary Black Music from Underground Colombiafrica: 8 (A-)

Digital-only. Update (2024): This and the first volume are from the days when I would buy digital files and burn to disc things which were digital-only, which I stopped doing long ago. But I have these in that format. I think these were eventually released on CD, and I may have alerts up for them. I'm not sure.

Afghan Whigs - Black Love: 10 (A+)

Withered Hand - New Gods: 8 (A-)

Shouldn't it be "New Goods"?

Withered Hand - Good News: 8 (A-)

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers - batch review

I would say these are each "liked" or maybe 7 (B+):

Rock 'n' Roll With the Modern Lovers [4 listens]

Back in Your Life

I should listen to them both at least one more time. # proto-anti-folk?

Serengeti - Dennehy (Lights, Camera, Action!): 10 (A+)

The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main St.: 10 (A+) plus

Best album ever recorded, in my view, and the greatest work of art of the 20th century that I am aware of.

Common Sense - Resurrection: liked

I'll keep the cover, because I originally graded it at 7 (B+) and then docked it a notch for overstaying its welcome. [4 listens]

Derek & the Dominos - In Concert: 8 (A-)

Mike Doughty - Stellar Motel: 8.5 (high A-)

Kate Tempest - Everybody Down: 9 (A)