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Sunday, July 30, 2017
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.
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.
Saturday, July 29, 2017
The Kinks - Lola versus Powerman and The Moneygoround, Part One: 3.5 stars
Harmonia - Musik von Harmonia: 3.5 stars
I would add this to the collection, but not at import prices.
Friday, July 28, 2017
Cluster & Eno - Cluster & Eno
:-| [four listens] [One of "Eno's ill-fated LPs with Cluster," per Christgau]
Echo & The Bunnymen - The First Four Albums (minus Porcupine)
Listened to all of these at least three times. They all sounded kind of the same, and I would put them at around 3.25 stars each. I can see someone thinking they were B+ or even A-, but they are just not to my taste. Given that, I will not be formally evaluating Porcupine, which appears to generally be considered the worst of the four, or at least about the same. I did try it once or twice though.
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.]
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.]
The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers: 7 (B+)
Marred, at least a notch, by claustrophobic production. [Outstanding track: "Wide Eyes"]
Sunday, July 23, 2017
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+)]
Lou Reed - Sally Can't Dance: 4 stars
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.
Sunday, July 16, 2017
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.
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."]
Friday, July 14, 2017
Tom Waits - Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards: 3.5 stars
Maybe only a B+, but I'll keep it because of his importance.
Sunday, July 9, 2017
Monday, July 3, 2017
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 - True Democracy: 3.5 stars
I thought for a long time about whether to add this and Earth Crisis to the collection, but ultimately decided against it. Streaming will do with these two for me. I'll stick with the original 3-album-run-in-3-years with this band.
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