Kevin Abstract - American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story

😑

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

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

XTC - Skylarking: 8 (A-)

Thomas Mapfumo - Corruption: 4.5 stars

Docteur Nico - Merveilles du Passe: 1967: 8 (A-)

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: liked

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 three 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: neutral

One of "Eno's ill-fated LPs with Cluster," per Christgau. Four plays.

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: 7 (B+)

#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

:-|

Harmonia & Eno '76 - Tracks and Traces: neutral

Late release album issued long after tracks were recorded. Marked as "Cluster" because Harmonia was 2/3 Cluster.

Mighty Sparrow & Lord Kitchener - 16 Carnival Hits: neutral

:-|

Migos - Culture [liked]

Four listens. Number 54 on Rolling Stone's top 200 rap albums. I would get a copy just for this reason, but somehow, only 5 years after initial issuance, 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: liked

Downgraded from 7 (B+) after fifth play. Six plays.

Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine: 7 (B+)

Upped from "liked" in March 2026. It ultimately just started to feel wrong not to have this as the decades went by. Seems surprising today that this came out as early as 1989. Getting close to half a century.

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: neutral

:-|

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: neutral

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: 7.5 (high B+)

Four Tet/Burial - Moth/Wolf Cub: neutral

:-|

Afiliashun - The Perfect Time EP: 3.5 stars

No real physicals.

Fanfare Ciocarlia - 20: 7.5 (high B+)

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." #balkanbrass

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: 8 (A-)

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 [Elektra, 1982]: 8 (A-)

This one grows on you. And the remastered Rhino edition (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.

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

#blues