# [folk/country]
Sunday, August 27, 2017
Bunny Wailer - Rootsman Skanking: 8 (A-)
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. Update (2024): Finally found a good used copy on CD for a reasonable price. At least eight plays - upped from 7.5 (high B+).
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: 7.5 (high B+)
I admire this admittedly monumental work, but it goes on for f*cking ever. Docked a notch for that, and also for being from multiple shows. #live
Thursday, August 24, 2017
Sonny Rollins - Alfie: X (X)
I actually don't much trust myself with '60s jazz either. Originally rated this 8 (A-) but decided to back that out. #jazz
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 (X)
What I want is the original album, with six tracks, none of them repeats, on remastered CD, which doesn't seem to exist domestically and/or for a reasonable price. Therefore, I would default to original vinyl. That is, vinyl from 1957 to around 1986. These sell for a fortune in near mint condition, or even very good plus. In this case, I am always tempted to go with a Japanese import, but for an American artist, I refuse to do that, generally. So I'll try to put up an alert when I have time for the ultimate version (there are so many), once I figure that out.
Randy Newman - Randy Newman: liked
Normally, I wouldn't collect this, but I have it as part of the Original Album Series boxlet, and I'm glad I do.
Sunday, August 13, 2017
Eminem - Fuckin !yzarc: 7.5 (high B+)
The Doors - The Best of the Doors: 9 (A)
See prior Doors reviews for thoughts on this band. I also listened to Legacy: The Absolute Best to hear the gestalt.
The Doors - The Very Best of the Doors: 8.5 (high A-)
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. This one has spectacular remastering. I of course de-fatboxxed the earlier comp.
Various - Streets: 7 (B+)
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: 7.5 (high B+)
Upped a notch on fourth listen. I note that Tom Hull gives this a 10 (A+) and Christgau gives it an 8 (A-), possibly an 8.5 (high A-). But even if I were to up it another notch and therefore search for a used copy, it's not available at reasonable prices. Maybe if they reissue it one day? #powerpop
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.
Franco & Sam Mangwana - Les Rumeurs: 8 (A-)
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, aka soukous).
The Mountain Goats - All Hail West Texas [honorable mention]
:-) [upped from neutral after 4th listen; poorly-recorded (on a boombox) solo acoustic songs]
Harry Nilsson - Personal Best: The Harry Nilsson Anthology: 7.5 (high B+)
Various Artists - Studio One Dub: 7 (B+)
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: 7 (B+)
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. #folk
John Prine - Diamonds in the Rough: 7 (B+)
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. Update: Picked this up as part of the Crooked Piece of Time box, which I could not resist, otherwise, it would be #folk.
Bembeya Jazz National - The Syliphone Years: 7 (B+)
# [best of] They should have culled this down to the one 8 (A-) disc I know is in here. This was originally issued with this cover:
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!: 7 (B+)
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. Physicals too expensive to even put on the wantlist at this grade.
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