Miles Davis - Cookin' at the Plugged Nickel: 8 (A-)

I really like this one, which is saying something given that I don't relate to much jazz. I also listened to Highlights from the Plugged Nickel a couple times, and was not moved to buy it. I actually went with the At Plugged Nickel, Chicago import set. I think it's a nice compromise from the single CD sets from this stand in Chicago, and the "Complete" set which Penguin loves so much. I will listen to that once just to be thorough, but I think it's a bit too much. The import set is the perfect 2 CD compromise, in a nice slim case, and I'll probably give it 9 (A).

Pop-O-Pies - The White EP: 3.5 stars

Definitely worth getting familiar with. Definitely not worth paying ridiculous prices for OOP copies, or printing out for the shelf.

Bembeya Jazz [National] - Defi & Continuite: 8 (A-)

As the title indicates, this is a combination of the individual releases Le Defi and La Continuite. They dropped the track "Sina Mosso" from the first album in making this, presumably for reasons of space. The cover of the original release of La Continuite has on it the top photo above with the guy holding the tenor saxophone (I think it is) on the left edge of the photo. The other photo is the photo used on the cover of Le Defi.

My 8 (A-) grade covers both albums as a whole at this point. I don't think one album is two full grades higher than the other -- that is, 7 (B+) for one and 9 (A) for the other -- because I have to believe I would have noticed such a significant drop off between halves of this album, and I also would have noticed one half of the album operating at a 9 (A) level, which would have been unmistakable (it would mean I would have wanted to play that half of the album over and over for a good long time). I might grade them individually if I ever have the time or inclination in the future, to determine if one is a 7.5 (high B+) and the other an 8.5 (high A-), which is possible. But, as it is, neither individual album, nor this combination, are findable anywhere for a reasonable price, so the distinction is purely academic.

Fever Ray - Plunge: 3.5 stars

Never really been into her solo work or with The Knife, so this won't be going on the shelves at B+.

Super Biton de Segou - Afro Jazz du Mali: 4.5 stars

This album is so obscure that the above crappy image is the best I could find (and it's from Amazon). This is one of Muzikifan's Africa Top 50 that I agree belongs on the list. The CD has nine songs, while the LP only has six. I think the LP got it right, because it's perfect, and the last 3 tracks on the LP cheese things up just slightly. I printed this one out. The great Mamadou Sissoko on guitar.

Future - DS2: 4 stars

Ciccone Youth - The Whitey Album: 3.5 stars

Normally, I would buy any album of theirs that is a B+, but I'm going to pass on this, because it's a goof of a side project, and I'm trying to save money and shelf space.

Martin Phillipps - Live at The Moth Club [Cheated and only listened twice - just him in a club live with an electric guitar, what?]

😐

Ezra Furman - Transangelic Exodus

😐

Jean Baron et Le Groupe Loketo - Comme Un...: 3.5 stars

Dally Kimoko on solo, not Diblo. Quite good, but overpriced used copies.

Langa Langa Stars - Les meilleurs Success de Langa Langa Stars, Vol. 1

Got this one from Gary Stewart's book. It's nice, but the songs are very similar (almost seems like the same song), so not buying over-priced used copies. Plus, do all the songs have to be 10 minutes long?

L'Orchestre Shakara Gagna-Gagna - Nelly-Kally Mayassa: 3.5 stars

Another in my long list of Diblo sideman albums. He plays solo on track 1, Rigo Star on all others. Not springing for a high-priced used vinyl, but if you see it a yard sale, snap it up.

Trio Da Kali And Kronos Quartet - Ladilikan

😐

Youssou N'Dour - Raxas Bercy 2017: 3.5 stars

Not sure what the deal is with this recording. It purports to be live, or at least is generally portrayed that way, but several of the tracks have zero crowd noise and definitely seem like studio recordings. I also am not crazy about it, but it's an official bootleg, so I took the trouble to burn it, put it in a slim CD case, print out a cover and stick it on the shelves, most likely never to be heard again. I wouldn't do that for an official "digital only" release, but I will for a bootleg I guess.

The Guess Who - The Greatest of the Guess Who: 3.5 stars

Not collecting B+ greatest hits -- not unless there's some special reason.

Crass - Penis Envy [honorable mention]

:-) [Possibly a 7 (B+), but not worth parsing out. Vocals are extremely irritating, and not in a good way.] [Rolling Stone's 40 Greatest Punk Albums of All Time]

Vodka Collins - Tokyo-New York: 3.5 stars

Might even consider buying if it was available at decent prices.

Youssou N'Dour - Seeni Valeurs: 4 stars

Download only. Not physicalizing.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! [honorable mention]

:-) [I might be underrating a 7 (B+)]

Junior Murvin - Police & Thieves [honorable mention]

:-) [Possibly a B+, but not worth parsing out. Strangely out of print on CD. Says alot. Four listens.]

Courtney Barnett / Kurt Vile - Lotta Sea Lice [honorable mention]

:-) [Possibly squeaks in as a 7 (B+), but not worth parsing out]

St. Vincent - Masseduction [Possibly a B+, but not worth parsing out]

😐

Jlin - Black Origami

😐

Open Mike Eagle - Brick Body Kids Still Daydream

:-|

Sylvan Esso - What Now

😐

Kelela - Take Me Apart

😐

Bobby Brown, Bell Biv DeVoe, Ralph Tresvant - New Edition Solo Hits

😐

Miles Davis - Sketches of Spain [honorable mention]

:-) [Could be a B+, I'm not qualified to rate. See Getz/Gilberto review for further analysis.]

Franco et l'Ok Jazz ‎– 1970/1971/1972

:-|

Deltron 3030 - Event 2: 3.5 stars

The Chills - The BBC Sessions

[Haven't heard it, just a note to self that one day I would like to, especially the three early tracks from Submarine Bells from the 1988 session] [Update: purchased and awaiting a post]

Hail Mary Mallon - Bestiary: 3.5 stars

I might give this an A-, and put it on the shelves, if it weren't for Rob Sonic's raps, which I'm personally not a fan of. Aesop Rock is phenomenal on this one. So it's really an honorable mention, if fully docked for Rob Sonic.

Ice Cube - Death Certificate: 4 stars

Eric Agyeman - Highlife Safari: 3.5 stars

Not going on the shelves at used prices.

M'Bilia Bel - Eswi Yo Wapi [Another Muzikifan "Africa Top 50" album I'm not that into]

😐

Various Artists - The Subtle Distinctions: 3.5 stars

I made myself a digital copy of this informal mixtape by Jonathan Lethem. Very time-consuming. I won't by physicalizing it. I think it's been overrated.

Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030: 5 stars

Miles Davis - Birth of the Cool: 4.5 stars

Not really qualified to rate jazz albums, but there it is.

Tricky - Mixed Race: 8 (A-)

The Chills - Soft Bomb: 9.5 (high A)

The Chills - Submarine Bells: 10 (A+)

The Chills - Brave Words: 4 stars

Deerhunter - [Untitled first album, sometimes called "Turn It Up [deleted]"]

😐

Dr. Dre - The Chronic: 7.5 (high B+)

I'm almost certainly overrating this because it's considered a "classic" by so many.

Remmy Ongala & Orchestre Super Matimila - Sema: 3.5 stars

Has some tremendous songs on it, but is also very spotty, hence the grade. Luckily, I don't have to worry about whether to buy it or not, because it's deeply OOP and used prices are ridiculous.

Various - Street Music of Panama: Cumbias, Tamboritos, Mejoranas

:-|

Spiral Stairs [Scott Kannberg] - Doris & The Daggers: 8 (A-)

Always convinced he was the real genius in Pavement. Bonus tracks on one vinyl edition are "Pig City" and "Vultures of Cabooture," and another vinyl edition was packaged with a separate 7" containing "Vulcan Hands" and "Part Time Alien." The 7" was not sold separately. Ironically, the first two singles above were packed on a separate 7" but since it's out of print, I'm not going to bother.

Peter Perrett - How the West Was Won: 4 stars

Tricky - Ununiform: 8 (A-)

Anderson .Paak - Malibu: 4 stars

Overstays its welcome in my book, but I'll give it its A-.

Burning Spear - Creation Rebel: The Original Classic Recordings From Studio One: 8 (A-)

Contains most of his first two albums, recorded at Studio One: his eponymous debut, Burning Spear (a/k/a Studio One Presents Burning Spear) and Rockin' Time. Each had 12 tracks. This has 8 from each, so two-thirds each. This album also contains three other songs not on the first two albums ("This Population," "New Civilization," "Zion Higher"), plus an alternate version of "Rocking Time." The four songs from the debut not presented are "Fire Down Below," "Don't Mess With Jill," "Journey," and "Them A Come," and from the second album are "Girls Like You," "Old Time Saying," "Walla Walla" and "Mamie." Not sure why they didn't include a few more of those songs, since there's a good 20 minutes or so of space left on the disc. Maybe they're bad. I'm not going to take the time to try to find out.

Joy of Cooking - Joy of Cooking: 4 stars

Definitely wouldn't buy this today, but I have a pristine vinyl copy, bought back when that was the only way to hear something like this, and I'm going to keep that.

Shad - TSOL: 3.5 stars

This is one of those rap albums I could have gone either way on. The second half is noticeably better than the first. B+ versus A-ish. Averages out to a high B+ or low A-. Decided on the former but keeping it just in case.

Harold Budd/Brian Eno - The Pearl: 4 stars

Belle and Sebastian - Tigermilk [honorable mention]

:-) [Maybe it's B plus. Never been a huge fan of the band, so I'm sticking with Arab Strap and Sinister.] [5 listens]

Blink-182: Take Off Your Pants and Jacket: 3.5 stars

Enema of the State is more of a punk touchstone of the late 90s early 00s, so I'll keep that one, but this one is not going on the shelves even though it's about of equal quality in my view.

Burning Spear - People of the World: 8 (A-)

Fripp & Eno - No Pussyfooting: 4 stars

The Jam - In the City: 4 stars

Thundercat - Drunk

😐

Slowdive - Slowdive

😐

Daddy Issues - Deep Dream

😐