Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority

😑

The Doors - Strange Days: 3.5 stars

Pretty good, but I'm a first-album plus greatest hits guy with this band.

Kendrick Lamar - Damn [honorable mention]

:-) [I actually come close to despising this album. The "honorable mention" is for other people's honorable mentions of it. With all the accolades, and A- grades from both Christgau and Hull, topping Pazz & Jop, the Pulitizer, etc. I don't see how I can't own this. So I put it on the shelves.]

Donovan - Sunshine Superman

😑

U2 - Under a Blood Red Sky: 3.5 stars

 

Not a huge fan of the band, or the live album in general, so not going in the collection, but nice.

Juana Molina - Segundo: 3.5 stars

Sounds good. Again, not my style. Beautiful hair though. I'll give Tres Cosas at least one listen, and if I post nothing further on her, then that will be that.

The Bangles - All Over the Place: 3.5 stars

See prior entry. And this completes my research into this band.

The Bangles - Greatest Hits: 3.5 stars

Sounds good, but not going in the collection -- not really my type.

Bang on a Can - Terry Riley: In C: 7 (B+)

# [experimental] [4 listens]

Khaled - Liberté [goes on forever]

😑

John McLaughlin - Extrapolation: 3.5 stars

This has been a "crown" album in all editions of the Penguin Guide, so I'm keeping it. I have it on vinyl as a bequeathal from a friend who passed away, and so it also has that special relevance to me. I'm also happy I have it on vinyl, because the only CD version available looks to be a 1st generation transfer.

Tears for Fears - The Hurting: 4 stars

Way better than Songs from the Big Chair in my opinion.

Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair

😑

Koffi Olomide - Tcha Tcho: 7 (B+)

 

Selling used for ridiculous prices.

Caetano Veloso - Livro: 3.5 stars

# [tropicalia]

Japandroids - Post-Nothing: 4 stars

Japandroids - Celebration Rock: 4 stars

Papa Wemba - L'Esclave: 4 stars

This is the Gitta LP, not the Soneca Zaire CD, which only shares the title track. I have the latter but have not graded it yet. I have this as a downloaded file, but have printed it out and am putting it on the shelves, at least partially because Christgau gave it a full A.

Sampha - Process

😑

Tegan and Sara - Heartthrob

:-|

Eno Moebius Roedelius - After the Heat

:-| [four listens] [One of "Eno's ill-fated LPs with Cluster," per Christgau] [Half of this and half of Cluster & Eno are compiled on Old Land.]

(The Original) Black Sabbath - The First Six Studio Albums - batch review

First, everyone please stop using the tiresome term "sludge" to describe this band's sound. Enough with that. It's not even that accurate, just a huge, lazy cliche at this point.

I will include Paranoid in the collection, because I like it the best, and it seems to be their acknowledged classic. I also ended up getting the debut. Here are the grades/designations:

Black Sabbath - 7 (B+)
Paranoid - 7.5 (high B+)
Master of Reality - honorable mention
Vol. 4 - honorable mention
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - neutral
Sabotage - neutral

Various Artists - Sound d'Afrique II: Soukous: 4 stars

The Rolling Stones - Blue & Lonesome: 3.5 stars

If this weren't the Stones, my halfheartedness w/r/t pure blues would result in this not being added to the collection.

Mbilia Bel - Phénomene: 4 stars

Syd - Fin [Listened to one extra time for good measure]

😑

Ramiro Musotto - Sudaka: 7 (B+)

 

# [ethnotechno dance, per Christgau]

Vijana Jazz Band - The Koka Koka Sex Battalion: 3.5 stars

Not paying import prices for a B+ of older African music, but this is nice.

David Bromberg Band - The Blues, the Whole Blues, and Nothing but the Blues: 3.5 stars

Not a great fan of "traditional" blues, so not going on the shelves.

Frank Zappa - Hot Rats

😑

Kool & Kass - Peaceful Solutions: 4 stars

Digital only.

Various Artists - Arabic Groove: 8 (A-)

[Almost de-shelved this in 2022. It's probably more of a 7.5 (high B+), but Muzikifan put it on his Africa top 50, so I guess I'll keep it after all and bump it up a notch. The fact that I'm reluctant to de-shelve it up indicates that I probably like it more than I realize. Several more than 3 listens.]

Was (Not Was) - What Up, Dog?: 4 stars

Was (Not Was) - Are You Okay?: 7 (B+)

# [dance-pop]

PJ Harvey - The Hope Six Demolition Project

:-| [Everything's a fucking "project." It would have been better if they had made an album.]

The National - Trouble Will Find Me [honorable mention]

:-) [4 listens]

Late of the Pier - Fantasy Black Channel

😑

Life Without Buildings - Any Other City: 3.5 stars

Has alot going for it, but not putting it in the collection. Just not quite there for me, but solid.

Les Amazones de Guinee - Au Coeur de Paris: 3.5 stars

Talk about ridiculously priced physicals. Only a B+ so I'm not going to worry about printing this out and shelving it.

Four Tet - There Is Love in You: 4 stars

Another brilliant release from Kieran Hebden. Guy is an unsung genius.