Kevin Abstract - American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story

😑

Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero: 7 (B+)

See review of The Fragile.

Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile: 7 (B+)

Not sure what genre this is. Since I have this in physical already, let's just call it rock and I'll keep it.

XTC - Skylarking: 4 stars

Thomas Mapfumo - Corruption: 4.5 stars

Dr. Nico et Orchestre African Fiesta - Merveilles du Passe 1967: 4 stars

This is 360.159, not 360.160 (which has a pink cover but appears otherwise indistinguishable physically). Forget finding this at anything approaching a reasonable price in physical. But easily streamable online.

Various Artists - Spécial Xème Festival National: 4 stars

Unavailable in physical.

Lou Reed - Coney Island Baby: 8 (A-)

The Kinks - Lola Versus Powerman and The Moneygoround, Part One [honorable mention]

Downgraded from 7 (B+), but kept the album cover in honor of the support this has on Allmusic. It's really not as bad as some critics would lead you to believe. Never been a huge fan of the Kinks (or the Beatles for that matter). Have long had the big four -- Face to Face, Something Else, Village Green, and Arthur (at some point, I will grade the first 3 of these) -- and pretty much stopped there. Well, except for Muswell Hillbillies. And of course the compilations.

Harmonia - Musik von Harmonia: 3.5 stars

I would add this to the collection, but not at import prices.

Cluster & Eno - Cluster & Eno

:-| [four listens] [One of "Eno's ill-fated LPs with Cluster," per Christgau]

UB40 - UB44

:-|

Depeche Mode - violater: 7 (B+)

# [synth-pop]

Macka-B: Sign of the Times

😑

Lorde - Melodrama: 7 (B+)

# [indiepop]

Various Artists - The Rough Guide to the Blues Songsters: 7 (B+)

# [blues/multi-artist]

Tacocat - Lost Time: 3.5 stars

# [indiepop]

Ali Farka Toure & Toumani Diabate - In the Heart of the Moon

:-|

Game Theory - The Big Shot Chronicles

😑

The Feelies - In Between: 7 (B+)

Upgraded from neutral.

Surfer Blood - Snowdonia

:-|

Echo & The Bunnymen - batch review

Honorable mentions:

Crocodiles

Heaven Up Here

Ocean Rain

Harmonia & Eno '76 - Tracks and Traces

:-| [late release album issued long after tracks recorded] [Marked as "Cluster" because Harmonia was 2/3 Cluster.]

Mighty Sparrow & Lord Kitchener - 16 Carnival Hits

😑

Migos - Culture [honorable mention]

:-) [Four listens. Number 54 on RS' top 200 rap albums. I would buy this despite the hm, but for some reason, only 5 years later, it's totally out of print.]

Kano - Made in the Manor: 3.5 stars

Never been a collector of grime, but this is pretty good.

The Mountain Goats - Goths

:-|

The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers: 7 (B+)

Marred, at least a notch, by claustrophobic production. [Outstanding track: "Wide Eyes"]

XTC - Drums and Wires [honorable mention]

Downgraded from 7 (B+) after fourth listen.

Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine [honorable mention]

:-)[at least four listens, including one of the 2010 remaster]

Buck 65 - Neverlove: 8 (A-)

His "divorce album." Took me awhile to appreciate it fully. It's also a little painful and so somewhat hard to focus on. [Upped from 7 (B+)]

Os Mutantes - Os Mutantes

😑

Todd Rundgren - Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren [honorable mention]

:-)

Todd Rundgren - A Wizard, A True Star

😑

Robbie Fulks - Gone Away Backward: 3.5 stars

Not an artist I collect B+ records for.

Stella Chiweshe - Talking Mbira

:-|

Lou Reed - Blue Mask: 9 (A)

Lou Reed - Live in Italy: 8 (A-)

Lou Reed - Legendary Hearts: 9.5 (high A)

Lou Reed - New Sensations: 10 (A+)

Lou Reed - Sally Can't Dance: 8 (A-)

I find this to be way better than almost all critics do, except Christgau, who gives it a B+. Not sure why this is so reviled.

Orchestre Les Noirs - Best of Orchestre Les Noirs: 4 stars

No physicals, but nice, almost classic.

Palace Music - Viva Last Blues: 7 (B+)

Unavailable for any kind of reasonable price in physical.

Starlito & Don Trip - Step Brothers Three [Yet another false hip hop lead from Christgau - except for the song "Remember," which is phenomenal]

😑

The New Pornographers - Whiteout Conditions [Concord, 2017]: 7.5 (high B+)

Appears that Christgau would have given this a 9.5 (high A) using my grading system, whereas this is the only one of their albums that Hull gave at least a 7 (B+). Overall, I consider this a notch better than Brill Bruisers, although none of its tracks come close to "Wide Eyes" on that one.

Priests - Bodies and Control and Money and Power: 3.5 stars

Not adding this B plus EP to the collection at near full-album prices, but good punk rock.

Four Tet/Burial - Moth/Wolf Cub

:-|

Afiliashun - The Perfect Time EP: 3.5 stars

No real physicals.

Fanfare Ciocarlia - 20: 7.5 (high B+)

# [Balkan brass] [For those without children, the Gummy Bear song is a cover of a hugely popular children's song. My daughter recognized it when it was playing and we had a great time bonding over Fanfare's version. My wife describes this as "circus music."]

Tom Waits - Closing Time: 4 stars

Tom Waits - Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards: 3.5 stars

Maybe only a B+, but I'll keep it because of his importance.

Various Artists - Battle Hymns: 3.5 stars

Very good. No physicals, so not in collection.

Craig Finn - We All Want the Same Things: 4 stars

Zeal & Ardor - Devil is Fine: 4 stars

Not paying full price for what is essentially a 25 minute EP. But it's good.

Steel Pulse - Earth Crisis: 7 (B+)

Decently-priced used version of the 2005 remastered CD. Beautiful reissue by Rhino.

Steel Pulse - True Democracy: 8 (A-)

This one grows on you. And the remastered Rhino edition from 2005 has a judicious number of bonus tracks (4), all of which are worthy additions. Nice set. Looking forward to the same for Earth Crisis. [1982]

Robert Cray - Shame + a Sin: 7 (B+)

# [blues]