The Bundles - The Bundles: 3.5 stars

Peters out a little towards the end. Not really an anti-folk guy, so this won't be going on the shelves.

Defao - Bana Congo Vol. 2: 7 (B+)

Not the dance mix Christgau gave a B+ to. That one's impossible to find though, so this will have to do. [Found in March 2023]

Midnight Oil - Diesel and Dust [honorable mention]

:-)

Margo Price - Midwestern Farmer's Daughter: 7 (B+)

# [country]

Daddy Issues - Can We Still Hang: 3.5 stars

Standard-issue girl punk. Not going in the collection for stated reasons, but nice.

Various Artists - Before Benga 1: Kenya Dry

:-|

Anna Domino - East and West: 4 stars

The EP is great. I bought it on CD with Live in Japan, which also seems very solid, is of a piece, and is just about the only way not to mess up the EP, which is perfect in and of itself. I paid import prices for this one.

Blakroc - Blakroc: 4 stars

Man, did this get overlooked. On the other hand, physicals are ridiculously over-priced, so I'm not going for it.

Diblo & Matchatcha - Boum Tonnerre: 3.5 stars

Can't even find a decent cover image on this one it's so rare. Needless to say, physicals are not really an option.

Dramarama - Everybody Dies

:-| [Four listens]

Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto - Getz/Gilberto: 3.5 stars

I've gone back and forth over whether to get a physical of this. I've never been too into jazz, let alone bossa nova. In the end, the prices were the deciding factor. It should be selling at budget prices like its peers.

The Replacements - Stink [EP]: 8 (A-)

Upped a notch for being an EP.

Anna Domino - Rythm

😑

Rigo [Ringo] Star - Ne Refuse Pas: 8 (A-)

The album looks to be called Star but is often listed as Ne Refuse Pas, the name of the lead and longest track. Anyway, this appears to be his first solo album, and it has Diblo listed as playing guitar as well as Rigo. This has to be one of the earliest appearance of Diblo on record (1985), aside from the Aurlus Mabele and Kanda Bongo Man albums. Anyway, it is the same year Diblo recorded the incomparable Malika on Ami Eh! Bougez!, so he was clearly on fire at the time. Tried to find this on vinyl (never reissued) for a reasonable price and could not. The sebenes are classic, although the underlying songs are all pretty empty vehicles therefor.

Bob Mould - Patch the Sky: 3.5 stars

I'm not keeping any more B pluses from Mr. Mould, but if you really like him, you will surely like this.

George Michael - Faith: 3.5 stars

Solid, but not exactly my type of album, so not going in the collection.

Matt North - Above Ground Fools: 3.5 stars

If you like country more than a little, which is all I can usually muster, you will probably think this is an A-. But for me a B+ and not going in the collection.

Dramarama - Live at the China Club: 3.5 stars

Great EP, but too small to go in the collection, especially because it's a live one. Again, not a big fan of live albums.

James Blood [Ulmer] - Tales of Captain Black: 3.5 stars

Probably more like an A minus, based on the grades of listeners with better ears for this stuff than mine. But since my ears aren't good for this, and I hear a B plus, not going in the collection. Very solid though and the cover is a thing of beauty.

Khaled - Sahra: 8 (A-)

Yes, it's poppier and more Yurropean than N'ssi N'ssi, and so not as good, but little else is.

Khaled - N'ssi N'ssi: 10 (A+)

One of the best albums out of Africa I have ever heard.

Yeasayer - Amen & Goodbye

😑

Wire: A Bell is a Cup ... Until It Is Struck: 4 stars

I would buy this in physical if it were available at reasonable prices. I might eventually download it from somewhere just to put a copy on the shelf as a marker, but 4 out of its 10 tracks are on The A List compilation too. Classic Wire anyway. Wish I were smart enough to understand the horse head/file cabinet juxtaposition. Also, how that relates to a bell. Finally, how the cup-ness of a bell is important. Something to do with objects and context I'm sure. These guys always were beyond me anyhow. Saw them live once in LA, and they were fantastic. Surprisingly threatening though. I wasn't expecting that.

Wire - 1985-1990: The A List: 4.5 stars

Wire - Pink Flag: 5 stars

Wire - Snakedrill: 3.5 stars

Three out of the four songs (all except Up to the Sun) are on 1985-1990: The A List, which is a must have, so I won't be hunting down old vinyl on this one.

Homeboy Sandman - Actual Factual Pterodactyl: 7.5 (high B+)

Zaiko Langa Langa - Sans Issue: 3.5 stars

I've always wanted to add some Zaiko to the collection, but it won't be this (recommended by Gary Stewart). Great soukous guitar, but it goes on way too long and is hard to find.

Priests - Nothing Feels Natural: 3.5 stars

In the normal course, I would buy this, but it's selling at import prices for some reason. One of those overly-expensive "boutique" releases which I'm not going to spring for at B plus. [Listened four times]

Bang on a Can - Music for Airports: Brian Eno: 7 (B+)

# [experimental] I like this a hair better than the Terry Riley one. [4 listens]

Ash Ra Tempel - Schwingungen: 7 (B+)

# [krautrock] By all accounts, just shy of being essential krautrock.