The Prodigy - Music for the Jilted Generation: 4 stars

The Chemical Brothers - Exit Planet Dust: 4 stars

One of my favorite album covers of all time. Also, band name and album title.

Best Coast - The Only Place: 7 (B+)

Upped from neutral.

Slick Rick - Behind Bars [honorable mention]

:-o

Rihanna - Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded [honorable mention]

:-) [this is Good Girl Gone Bad + some songs not on that]

Mbaraka Mwinshehe & Orchestra Super Volcano: Zanzibara 9: Masika: 7 (B+)

Not collecting this because it's a little too primitive and the horns veer towards ruining it. The main attraction is Mwinshehe's guitar of course. On a side note, Volumes 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 of this 9 volume Zanzibara series are Taarab or other non-muziki wa dansi comps. Volume 3 was a neutral by my estimation. I have Volumes and 5 and 7 but have not yet assigned them a final grade. [Volumes 5 and 7 ended up being the keepers in the series.]

Gilberto Gil - Um Banda Um: 7 (B+)

# [tropicalia]

Caetano Veloso e Gilberto Gil - Tropicalia 2: 7 (B+)

# [tropicalia]

Nona Hendryx & Gary Lucas: The World of Captain Beefheart: 3.5 stars

I won't be buying this at B plus, because it is all covers. Plus the vocals are annoying to me. Gary's guitar work is great as usual.

Grace Jones - Island Life: 4 stars

I honestly don't have a great reason for not putting this on the shelves. It is true that I over-heard this during my college days, but other things fall into that category and I have them. I guess I never 100% identified with it, and in fact associate it with some bad events. But mainly I'm relying on my general reluctance to get greatest hits at A minus. I have to really like them or think I need them in order to purchase. This is not in either category.

Buck 65 - 20 Odd Years: 9 (A)

Fatboy Slim - You've Come a Long Way, Baby: 7 (B+)

# [big beat] Completing my evaluation of big beat, which I've never been that into. What I'm doing with this is taking representatives of the top three artists: Fatboy, Prodigy and Chemical Brothers. With the first two, I won't get what are widely considered the best, but will instead take off-picks: With Fatboy, Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars instead of this, and with Prodigy, Music for the Jilted Generation instead of The Fat of the Land. With Chemical Brothers, whom I like the best of the three, I will stick with their first two, and so seem to be in general accord with the consensus on them. Propellerheads, the only other contender for top big beat, falls just short, although I based this on a single listen of their only release.

Al Green - Your Heart's in Good Hands: 4.5 stars

Good example of how I've learned to trust my heart in music criticism. When this came out, I remember loving it as much as any Al Green I had ever heard (quite a bit at that time). But the critics were panning it, or damning it with faint praise, so I stupidly sold it off. A quarter century later, some of those critics have come around to it, and I had to rebuy it, but I did so for a very reasonable price.

Lydia Lunch - Queen of Siam: 3.5 stars

Not collecting because it's too "cabaret-ish" and phony seeming in too many spots.

Naked City - Naked City: 3.5 stars

Listened to this and Spy vs. Spy more than three times each. I just can't get into collecting free/noise jazz. This one comes close because of how much other people love it, but I ultimately rejected it because the transitions are just too jarring and the songs don't hold together. It sounds more like a movie soundtrack.

Fatboy Slim - Better Living Through Chemistry [honorable mention]

:-) [on at least two of those 1000/1001 albums to hear before you die lists]

Thurston Moore - Trees Outside the Academy [honorable mention]

:-)

Lateef the Truthspeaker - Firewire [honorable mention]

:-)

Yellowman - Mister Yellowman

:-|

Frank Zappa/Captain Beefheart/The Mothers - Bongo Fury

:-|

John Zorn - Spy vs. Spy [honorable mention]

:-o [free jazz not my thing]

The Twilight Singers - Live in New York City: 4 stars

Only cover image I could find, since it's a digital-only release, effectively. There's a limited edition 2 cd version floating around but it's ridiculously expensive, so I'll make do with the digital files.

Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle: 3.5 stars

On the shelves, largely because of its cultural impact.

The Twilight Singers - Blackberry Belle: 4 stars

The Twilight Singers - Twilight: 4 stars

Elvis Costello - King of America: 3.5 stars

Never been a huge fan and not super into this, but it seems to be in the "mostly essential" category critically, so I'll keep it since I have it. Which means I probably have to add Blood & Chocolate now, so I have both of his dual putative "comeback albums" from 1986. That's the way this "collecting" disease works.

Jesse Winchester - Jesse Winchester: 3.5 stars

I remember owning this on vinyl many years ago, but I can no longer find it and also vaguely remember selling it back. So I listened to it again to give it a formal grade. Appropriate that I don't have this in the collection -- too folksy/bluesy for me to collect at this level.

Loketo - Choc a Distance: 3.5 stars

Dally Kimoko on solo instead of Diblo, who had apparently left to start Matchatcha. Fairly generic but nice soukous, possibly 4 stars. Used prices are ridiculous though, so I'm not going to worry about it. Not printing a copy, just short of that, but I would buy if they re-released.

Grand Kalle et l'African Jazz - Merveilles Du Passe 1958-1959-1960: Volume 1: 3.5 stars

Gary Stewart pick. Too old to collect, and have the new collection anyway.

The Reds - The Reds: 3.5 stars

Not shelving such an obscure piece or devoting the time to assess the used market on a basically tuneless work; still, a nice one to know about. Vocals get a little irritating after a few plays too.

Diblo Dibala & Le Groupe Loketo: Mondo Ry [honorable mention]

:-) [Diblo’s guitar is always good, but two out of 6 songs are on Extra Ball, and there is a way-too-up-front drum machine, and so its charm is basically limited to Diblo noodling away, beautifully of course, but still just noodling.]

Viktor Vaughn - Vaudeville Villain (Gold Edition): 4.5 stars

Best MF Doom album in my book. This Gold Edition has the instrumental bonus CD.

Various - L'Afrique Danse Nos. 1-3: 8.5 (high A-)

Not springing for expensive physicals of these at this grade. Someone should remaster all 3 and put them on a 2-disc set.

Sakis - Salamalikoum: 3.5 stars

I understand this has Diblo on guitar, but I can't remember how I know this or which tracks he is on. Anyway, sounds good, but marred as is typical with cheesy keybs, plus physicals are too expensive to buy at this level.

Papa Wemba et Viva La Musica - Foridoles [honorable mention]

:-) [Gary Stewart pick]

Nico, Rochereau, Roger & l'African Fiesta: Volume 1 1962-1963: 3.5 stars

 Very old and folkloric, so not going in the collection at B+.

Lateef and Z-Trip - Ahead of the Curve: 7 (B+)

Digital-only [plus Japanese-only, continuous-mix limited edition CD]

Modest Mouse - Sad Sappy Sucker [honorable mention]

:-) [Purchased because I'm a MM completist.]

Modest Mouse - Night on the Sun: 7 (B+)

# [alternate versions] [tracks from The Moon & Antarctica and Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks] [4 listens]

Modest Mouse - The Fruit That Ate Itself [honorable mention]

:-)

Modest Mouse - Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks [honorable mention]

:-)

Modest Mouse - Baron von Bullshit Rides Again [honorable mention]

:-) [Not an official release]

God and the State - Ruins: The Complete Works of God and the State [honorable mention]

:-)

Bhundu Boys - The Shed Sessions: 9 (A)

Contains the entirety of their first two albums, The Bhundu Boys and Hupenyu Hwepasi, which were reconfigued on Shabini and Tsvimbodzemoto: Sticks of Fire and their first EP, The Bhundu Boys and African Herb.

NOFX: War on Errorism [honorable mention]

:-)

2018 Single Listens (unless otherwise noted)

The Proletariat - Soma Holiday
Pinhead - Where Are You?
Yellowman - Live at Reggae Sunsplash
Propellerheads - Decksandrumsandrockandroll
African Connexion - African Connexion
Soul II Soul - Keep on Movin'
Modern Mal - The Misanthrope Family Album
Thomas Mapfumo - Chimurenga '98 [two listens]
Bach - Mass in B Minor [John Eliot Gardiner; English Baroque Soloists; Monteverdi Choir (2015)]
Little Feat - Little Feat
Red Pill - Instinctive Drowning
Diet Cig - Swear I'm Good at This
Handsome Family - Live at Schuba's Tavern [two listens, but live, plus not big fan]
Various Artists - Dance! Cadence! [listened to most of these tracks scattered on YouTube]
Yy - An Uneven Eleven
Natacha Atlas - Gedida [two listens]
Various Artists - Special Best of Vol 1 [spotty soukous comp]
Various Artists - Soukous en Or
Jeff Tweedy - Warm
Neil Young - Songs for Judy
Sonido Gallo Negro - Mambo Cósmico
Lenine - Em Trânsito
Various Artists - Billboard Greatest Christmas Hits (1955-Present)
Various Artists - A Christmas Record
Snail Mail - Lush
Sister Sledge - We Are Family
Ibibio Sound Machine - Uyai [two listens]

Docteur Nico - Merveilles Du Passé: 1967: 3.5 stars [Sonodisc CD36516]

Kind of samey, doesn’t seem as good as the green one [360.169], except for 'Kiri-Kiri Mabina Ya Sika," so I won't be seeking out used copies.

Young Fathers - Cocoa Sugar: 7.5 (high B+)

I skipped this one at this grade because it's sold in one of those cheapo card wallets which I refuse to purchase.

Young Thug - Beautiful Thugger Girls: 7 (B+)

Spin #22 album of the year. Digital- and vinyl-only.

Papa Wemba - Ekumani [a/k/a Love Kilawu or Amour Kilawu or Amour Fou]

:-| [Recommended by Christgau. I listened to extended version with 9 tracks. The 4 track version might be an honorable mention.]

Tabu Ley Seigneur Rochereau - Muzina [honorable mention]

:-) [Recommended by Gary Stewart. Way more than 3 listens.]

Asher Roth - RetroHash [honorable mention]

:-)

Super Biton - Belle Epoque [honorable mention]

:-)

Pepe Kalle & Nyboma - Moyibi: 3.5 stars

Dally Kimoko solo guitar on all but one track get this a B plus, but overall the album is marred by terribly cheesy synths and so I will not be seeking out physical copies.

NOFX - Punk in Drublic

:-| [I owned this once and sold it back, and just listened again. Never been a big fan of Green Day, snotty-vocals type pop punk bands, and not changing my view.]

Papa Wemba - Papa Wemba: 3.5 stars

This is the release on Stern's Africa circa 1989 and recommended by Gary Stewart. Not recommended by Christgau, because it "synths up songs I prefer electric." Electric versions of some of these songs are on L'Esclave. I'm not buying this at B+ only for the songs that aren't on L'Esclave in better, electric versions.

Ramones - Animal Boy [honorable mention]

:-) [Four listens]

Rachid Taha - Live: 4 stars

Rachid Taha - Zoom: 4 stars

Orchestra Marrabenta Star de Mocambique - Independance: 7 (B+)

# [marrabenta] The horns and especially the vocals are intermittently annoying, although the guitars are great. This is probably more of an honorable mention.

Various Artists - Knotty Vision: 8 (A-)

I have a scratchy digital file from vinyl, and I am in the market for a reasonably priced vinyl copy of this. If one pops up on Discogs, I will buy it. [Found]

Shaba Kahamba - Bitumba: 4 stars

Underappreciated soukous album from the early 1990s. I like this enough to print out and put on the shelves -- could be a full A -- but not enough to pay ridiculous prices for used copies. Muzikifan Africa Top 50. Huit Kilos on solo.

Various Artists - The "King" Kong Compilation: 4 stars

Not a huge fan of early reggae/ska, so I won't be paying ridiculous prices for a used copy of this, especially since it might be a B+.

Al Green - Lay It Down: 4 stars

J. Cole - Truly Yours [honorable mention]

:-)

Thelonious Monster - Stormy Weather/Next Saturday Afternoon: 4 stars

I would actually give Next Saturday Afternoon a 4.25 and Stormy Weather a 3.75. Averages out to 4 stars.

Wire - 14 Sept 2002 Metro, Chicago: 4 stars

As a live "legal bootleg," I'm keeping the downloaded files, but not printing this out. It cries out for shelving, quality-wise, but it seems to cut against the concept of the release.

Serengeti - Kenny Dennis EP: 8 (A-)

Digital-only EP [actually it was on CD but is crazy expensive in that format now]. Printed and shelved in a slim case.

JJ Doom - Bookhead EP: 4 stars

Did a very rare thing, mainly because of the cover, and bought a new release on vinyl, because it's not available on CD other than as a bonus disc on the "Butter Edition" of Key to the Kuffs, which is now overpriced used. Really only doing this because it's great, will be a collector's item, the cover is awesome, and I found a sealed used copy for a relatively reasonable price.

Buzzcocks - Lest We Forget: 3.5 stars

I might have considered buying this, if it were selling for budget prices used. It's definitely a budget release - so terribly recorded, it's hard to justify adding to the collection.

Al Green - The Belle Album: 5 stars

Al Green - Is Love: 4 stars