I don't have the contempt for this album that so many critics appear to, but neither am I inclined to have it on the shelves.
Sunday, August 27, 2017
Emmylou Harris - Pieces of the Sky: 3.5 stars
I don't have the contempt for this album that so many critics appear to, but neither am I inclined to have it on the shelves.
Bunny Wailer - Rootsman Skanking: 7.5 (high B+)
Used copies too expensive at this grade. This one was issued on CD one year after the original vinyl release. Contains all tracks that are on Rock 'n' Groove. See review of that album for more info. I've got an alert up for this on CD. [At least 7 listens]
Saturday, August 26, 2017
Bad Brains - Rock for Light: 3.5 stars
Not too sure what to do with this one. Ultimately, given the overlap with the self-titled debut, and that this one doesn't hang together nearly as well, I'm going to stick with the debut. [Also, original vinyl is ridiculously expensive, the original CD issue on PVC is impossible to find, and the later CDs are sped up, so there's no way to really buy this.]
Friday, August 25, 2017
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: Live/1975-85: 7 (B+)
# [live] I admire this admittedly monumental work, but I'm not putting it on my shelves, for a couple reasons. The main one is that the thing goes on for f*cking ever. Docked a notch for that, and also for being from multiple shows.
Thursday, August 24, 2017
Marty Robbins - Gunfighter Ballads: 3.5 stars
Not going to add this: Not a huge country collector, or a pre '70s collector either.
Sonny Rollins - Alfie: X stars
# [jazz] I actually don't much trust myself with '60s jazz either. Originally rated this 4 stars but decided to back that out.
Peter Tosh - Bush Doctor: 3.5 stars
This is really an honorable mention, which I'm buying, even in the form with a slew of worthless bonus tracks, because of the Stones.
John Prine - Storm Windows: 8.5 (high A-)
My favorite Prine album. Just a hair above The Missing Years.
Sunday, August 20, 2017
Neu! - Neu! '75: 3.5 stars
About as good as the debut, but I'm sticking with that one, because it's more liked, and it came out in '72 -- ground zero for rock and roll in my opinion.
Neu! -Neu!: 3.5 stars
Okay, I'm breaking down and putting some Neu on the shelves, to go with Faust IV. Capitulating to the importance of Krautrock.
Wire - Silver/Lead: 3.5 stars
Great latter-day Wire album. Not going to pay for physical at B+ and the going high import prices though.
Sonny Rollins - A Night at the Village Vanguard: X stars
# [jazz] I think I'm going to go for the remaster they just released, with the complete set of tapes from this gig.
Randy Newman - Randy Newman [honorable mention]
:-) [Normally, I wouldn't have bought this at this grade, but I got it as part of the Original Album Series box, and I'm glad to have it.]
Sunday, August 13, 2017
Eminem - Fuckin !yzarc: 7.5 (high B+)
The Doors - The Very Best of the Doors: 4 stars
I started to agonize over whether to keep both this and the legendary 1985 double CD "The Best of the Doors" -- and then I thought just keep them both. The earlier comp is still for me the best (and only way) to consume this band's music (with the debut being also necessary as a cultural object). But I decided to keep this too, if only for the spectacular remastering.
Various Artists - Streets: 3.5 stars
I probably wouldn't keep this, except I've got it on vinyl, and I searched for it for years before I found it. It was a great day in the pre-digital era, when I could have no idea what it sounded like beforehand. What a disappointment when I got it home.
Saturday, August 12, 2017
Nnamdi Ogbonnaya - Drool
:-| [Another Christgau hip hop miss, plus no CD. "Me 4 Me" is a fantastic track though]
Friday, August 11, 2017
Raspberries - Starting Over: 3.5 stars
I could see someone giving this an A-, and maybe I would if I just listened to it a couple more times. But I'm not going to do this. Too '60s-ish.
The Vulgar Boatmen - You and Your Sister: 3.5 stars
Not going to buy this since it's a B+, and most of the good songs are on Wide Awake.
Serengeti - Gasoline Rainbows: 7.5 (high B+)
Upgraded from neutral. Totally unavailable on CD/physical.
Franco & Sam Mangwana - Les Rumeurs: 4 stars
This is excellent. The only single album of Franco's that I have heard so far that I can recommend. Thanks to the venerable Gary Stewart for singling this out in his phenomenal Rumba on the River (must-read for any fan of Congolese rumba).
Harry Nilsson - Personal Best: The Harry Nilsson Anthology: 7.5 (high B+)
Various Artists - Studio One Dub: 3.5 stars
Got this as a present from my brother-in-law many years ago. Great gift, because I would not have gotten it for myself, or put it in the collection, otherwise.
Sunday, August 6, 2017
Crosby, Stills & Nash - Crosby, Stills & Nash: 7 (B+)
I almost gave in to this album's obvious importance by adding it to the collection, but when I saw it is only available for "full price," with bonus tracks, I decided against it. [And then I gave in and bought it.]
John Prine - Common Sense: 3.5 stars
# [folk] [See post on Diamonds in the Rough] [Actually, picked this up as part of the Crooked Piece of Time box, which I could not resist.]
John Prine - Diamonds in the Rough: 7 (B+)
# [folk] I'm with Christgau when he calls the debut, Sweet Revenge, and Storm Windows "durable favorites." I'm sticking with that for his pre-comeback (The Missing Years) output. [Actually, picked this up as part of the Crooked Piece of Time box, which I could not resist.]
Bembeya Jazz National - The Syliphone Years: 3.5 stars
Not going in the collection, because too highly priced and spotty to justify two discs. They should have culled it down to one.
Le Seigneur Rochereau et l'Orchestre African-Fiesta National - L'Afrique Danse No. 4: 8.5 (high A-)
One of the classic early African 360 releases, but used vinyl is too expensive at this grade. I think this was the first single-artist African 360 release.
Fang - Landshark!: 3.5 stars
As recent entries show, I've spent some probably ill-advised time listening carefully to items on Cobain's top 50 albums list that I wasn't already familiar with. Almost none of them seemed worthwhile, except for maybe this, which is not going in the collection because it's a B+ and it's too expensive.
Various Artists - Panama! 2: 3.5 stars
Various - God Don't Never Change: The Songs of Blind Willie Johnson
:-| [I've begun to despise Lucinda Williams' vocal style]
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