Kool A.D. - 63: 3.5 stars

Digital only.

The Who - Quadrophenia: 3.5 stars

Have this one in physical as a nod to it's importance and how beloved it is by many.

The Who - Who's Next: 5 stars

Not a huge fan of this band, but this album is perfect.

Burial - Street Halo/Kindred: 3.5 stars

Not paying import prices for this at B+. I've got two other EPs by him (Truant and Rival Dealer), but it turns out Truant was cheaply (and properly) priced, and Rival Dealer I would give an A-, and Christgau gave it a full A, and so on that basis I overpaid for physical. Even so the latter was still cheaper than this. And that's all the thought I intend to give to the matter. [On 12/8/29, realized it is essentially a full-length (~50 minutes) and so purchased it for my regular price, even as an import.]

Lil Wayne - The Leak: 7 (B+)

Digital only, although a deluxe edition of Tha Carter III had this as a bonus disc. For whatever reason, I don't have that deluxe version (only the standard), but I do have a download of this, which is the only other way it was officially released. Not going to correct the error and trade up to deluxe, for a 7 (B+) bonus disc that I already have in digital.

Chic - Believer: 7 (B+)

Billy Joel - The Stranger: 7 (B+)

# [pop] I still know every word of this, 40 years after it first came out. I can't bring myself to rebuy it though, even given its Diamond status (just squeaked in at 10x Platinum). [Caved and bought it when I saw it selling for around $9. Added for personal significance, as well as in honor of its Diamond status.]

Various Artists - African Music: 4 stars

Way too expensive to add to the collection (even if it wasn't highlife, one of the African music styles I don't relate to that well).

Various - The Sound of Kinshasa: Guitar Classics from Zaire: 8.5 (high A-)

This is one of those comps that ranges over a very long period of time. From the liner notes: "from the semi-traditional acoustic guitar of the early 50s ... to the full maturity of the 1970s." Less of an "album" than an historical study/survey. I have only the digital files of this one because of that. Outstanding track, anthologized elsewhere and well known to us all by now: "Kiri Kiri Mabina Ya Sika." Here's the single cover for that one:

[4 listens]

Def Leppard - Hysteria: 4 stars

One of two of their Diamond status albums. I rate Pyromania at B+, and would put it on the shelves for its Diamond status, but they need to remaster it for CD. It was released before the CD era proper, so I'm not buying a first generation transfer, and it somehow seems wrong to go for a vinyl collectible on that one.

The Who - Tommy: 3.5 stars

A little bloated. I listened to this many times when I was young, and could never get into it. Just re-listened for the first time in 40 years or so and it sounded familiar and still inessential. Not collecting B+ rock operas.

George Strait - Greatest Hits: 7.5 (high B+)

One of the biggest-selling music artists of all time. More than Madonna, Springsteen, the Stones, Metallica, U2, Eminem, etc. Hard not to respect that. # [country; best of] [upped from honorable mention]

David Thomas - More Places Forever [honorable mention]

:-)

Methodist Hospital - Giants: 3.5 stars

Digital only.

Various - Ngoma: The Early Years, 1948-1960: 7.5 (high B+)

# [folkloric]

Joy of Cooking - Castles: 4 stars

Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba - Routes: 8 (A-)

# [import/kora-led Western fusion]

Jason Derulo - Everything Is 4: 7 (B+)

# [R&B]

Perfume Genius - No Shape: 3.5 stars

This kind of art pop is not my area, but I'm glad to have gotten to know this. Better than the last one in my opinion. Gave this one a fourth listen for good measure.

Jon Hopkins - Immunity [honorable mention]

:-|

Chic - Take It Off: 8 (A-)

Have this on vinyl, but also on CD as part of the Original Album Series box.

Chic - Tongue in Chic: 8 (A-)

Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip - Logic of Chance: 3.5 stars

See review of Angles.

Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip - Angles: 3.5 stars

This and Logic of Chance might be A minuses, I'm not sure. Something about UK rap is hard for me to appreciate. In any event, not paying import prices for either of these.

Various Artists - Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-6: 7 (B+)

# [highlife]

The Meat Purveyors - All Relationships Are Doomed to Fail: 3.5 stars

# [alt-bluegrass]

The Rattlers - Rattled!: 3.5 stars

I'm keeping this B+ because it's classic punk/new wave, and it's Joey's little brother.

Royal Trux - Twin Infinitives

:-o

Rosanne Cash - Seven Year Ache: 3.5 stars

I'm torn on this one. I love Rosanne Cash, I just don't know if I want to put her B+ albums on the shelf, and then head down the slippery slope of Rosanne Cash completism. I think I'll pass and pick her up with Rhythm and Romance.

Elza Soares - Deus e Mulher: 7.5 (high B+)

# [samba] [also, basically digital-only]

Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell

Only one modern listen, but I must have suffered through this 1,000,000 times in the late '70s. As painful a listen for me today as it was back then.

Various Artists - Variete Africaine Vol. 6: 3.5 stars

In the early days of digital files, I printed out a beautiful copy of this, but I can't justify the shelf space for it at B+ so it'll end up in the trash.

AD the Voice - Maxi-Single

:-|

James Talley - Tryin' Like the Devil: 3.5 stars

Under my current collecting standards, I probably would not put this in the collection, but I already own a pristine vinyl copy and I'm keeping it.

Boyd Rice and Friends - Music, Martinis and Misanthropy [honorable mention]

:-|

Superorganism - Superorganism: 3.5 stars

A little twee for the collection.

George Clinton - The Cinderella Theory: 8 (A-)