Mighty Diamonds - Get Ready [honorable mention]

:-) [One of those albums that sounds pretty fine each time you play it, but nothing sticks; and then you keep noticing the '80s synths. Really # [dancehall] anyway.]

Dave - Psychodrama: 3.5 stars

UK rap. Not paying import prices. The last 3 songs drag on.

Judee Sill - Heart Food: 3.5 stars

People are charging way too much for this used. Otherwise unavailable new, other than as part of a two-CD set with her first album (Abracadabra) and a bunch of garbage padding. Rhino two-CD sets are similarly too much of a good thing. Never realized that Liz Phair got her whole shtick from somewhere though. Still love her, but she's nowhere near the original I once thought she was.

Judee Sill - Judee Sill

:-| ["Jesus Was a Cross Maker" is a great song, and "My Man of Love" is very good. I originally thought they should pick the best songs off both her albums and make a shorter single disc greatest hits, even though both in their entirety would fit on a single CD. But these are really the only two good songs on here.]

Oumar Konate - Love You Inna [honorable mention]

:-) [Could be 7 (B+), but not paying import prices (even though it’s not an import) for standard Malian guitar rock - which is getting a little repetitive anyway.] [4 listens]

Slowthai - Nothing Great About Britain [honorable mention]

:-) (could be 7 (B+), but not paying import prices for # [grime] anyway)

Youssou N'Dour et Le Super Etoile - Lii!: 3.5 stars

Could be A minus, but completely unavailable at non-astronomical prices, as you might guess from the limited image.

Jealous of the Birds - Wisdom Teeth [honorable mention]

:-)

100 gecs - 1000 gecs [honorable mention]

# [electronic] (Also, 23 minutes long, an EP in my book no matter how many tracks, and full-priced) [5 listens] [Downgraded from 7 (B+) on 5th listen - but I'll keep the cover to avoid confusion. What do people hear in this?]

Kalie Shorr - Open Book: 7.5 (high B+)

Could be an A-, but digital only anyway.

Winston Hussey - Ghettoman Problem [honorable mention]

:-)

Del the Funky Homosapien - Both Sides of the Brain: 4 stars

Donna Summer - The Wanderer: 7.5 (high B+)

# [r&b]

L7 - Scatter the Rats [honorable mention]

:-)

Transplants - In a War Zone [honorable mention]

:-)

Jon Hassell - Aka/Darbari/Java: Magic Realism: 7 (B+)

Only on expensive used vinyl, plus a first generation CD (not a transfer, it's from 1983) that sells for ridiculous prices. His works put out on the same label even just a couple years later are still easily available, but not this one. I'll buy the vinyl if I ever see a reasonably priced one, but I'm not going to go searching for it.

BaianaSystem - BaianaSystem: 4 stars

Another very worthy album that is not for sale.

Kwi Bamba & L’Orchestre de Gama Berema - Kwi Bamba & L’Orchestre de Gama Berema: 3.5 stars

LP/digital only.

Star Band de Dakar - Psicodelia Afro​-​Cubana de Senegal: 3.5 stars

Digital only.

New Order - Republic [honorable mention]

:-) [See my review of Music Complete]

[Wolfgang] Riechmann - Wunderbar: 7 (B+)

# [krautrock]

Jody Harris/Robert Quine - Escape: 7 (B+)

Upped a notch because it's one of only two "solo" albums by one of the leading punk/post-punk/experimental guitarists, by which I mean Quine, not Harris -- although this is absolutely no dig on Harris -- love his work when I've heard it (Golden Palominos, Contortions, Lester Bangs), but I just need to brush up on him more. I also have this on my wantlist in case a reasonably priced vinyl copy ever surfaces, even though probably # [experimental]. Never reissued domestically. [1981]

Various Artists - Dabke: Sounds of the Syrian Houran: 7 (B+)

# [dabke] But I bought it and will be keeping it, especially given that Christgau put it on his 25 best of 2010s list. Especially unusual because I bought it online in vinyl, when I thought I was buying a CD. So I've got it in sealed vinyl.

Charly Bliss - Young Enough [honorable mention]

:-)

Diabel Cissokho - Rhythm of the Griot: 7 (B+)

See review for Routes by Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba. Same logic applies, but even more so.

Rush - Hemispheres: 4 stars

Various Artists - Two Niles to Sing a Melody: The Violins and Synths of Sudan [honorable mention]

:-) [Could have made it a strong B plus or even an A minus if they had edited it down to one disc. Goes on forever and is very samey.]

Rush - A Farewell to Kings: 3.5 stars

Thelonious Monk - It's Monk's Time [honorable mention]

:-)

Joe Cocker - Joe Cocker's Greatest Hits [honorable mention]

:-)

Backstreet Boys - Backstreet Boys

:-|

J.J. Cale - Special Edition: 7 (B+)

# [folk]

New Order - Music Complete [honorable mention]

:-) [About half of this is B plus and half is neutral at best - averages out to honorable mention. A couple A minus songs. This and then Republic are the worst user-rated New Order albums on Allmusic, and I have to agree completely.]

Phil Alvin - Un "Sung Stories"

:-|

BaianaSystem - O Futuro Nao Demora: 4 stars

Great band, with all great albums. They should release them in physical form.

Dave Alvin - Blackjack David [honorable mention]

:-)

Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore - Downey to Lubbock [honorable mention]

:-)

The Who - Who

:-|

Franco & Son T.P.O.K. Jazz ‎– 3eme Anniversaire De La Mort Du Grand-Maitre Yorgho: 4 stars

Vinyl only way too expensive.

Franco & Son T.P.O.K. Jazz ‎– Ekaba-Kaba (Yo Moko Okabeli Ngai Ye Oh) [honorable mention]

:-)

Psychic TV - Allegory and Self: 3.5 stars

# [industrial] Not sure why I chose this particular one. Must have seen it on some list or other. [Actually credited to Psychick TV]

Donna Summer - She Works Hard for the Money [honorable mention]

:-)

Rush - Permanent Waves: 4.5 stars

Rush - Moving Pictures: 4.5 stars

I like this one a hair better than Permanent Waves, but not enough to give it 5 stars.

Mudhoney - Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge [honorable mention]

:-)

The Close Readers - Group Hug [honorable mention]

:-)

Kid Cudi - Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven: 3.5 stars

Over-priced because it's padded out to a double CD with a second disc of trash. Otherwise I would buy it.

Jerry Garcia - Garcia: 3.5 stars

See review for Weir's Ace. Same reasoning applies, although I like this one better and it might even be an A minus.

Holger Czukay - Movies

:-|

Superchunk - Foolish

:-|

Superchunk - No Pocky for Kitty

:-|

The xx - I See You

:-|

Thelonious Monk - The Thelonious Monk Orchestra at Town Hall [honorable mention]

:-) [five listens] [Interesting dichotomy: Moon gives this an A+ (his only one for Monk) and Christgau just utterly dismisses it as "underrehearsed," saying he is "not a fan."]

Stephen Malkmus - batch review

I stopped paying much attention after the first couple albums, but have now caught up. All of these are honorable mention:

Face the Truth
Real Emotional Trash
Mirror Traffic
Wig Out at Jagbags
Sparkle Hard
Groove Denied

Traditional Techniques

I continue to believe that Scott Kannberg was the true genius in Pavement.

Tinariwen - Elwan [honorable mention]

:-) [Many of the songs are just too slow.]

Burial - Burial [honorable mention]

:-) [Might be a 7 (B+) but it's an # [import] anyway.]

Cloud Nothings - Cloud Nothings [honorable mention]

:-)

Robert Ashley - Perfect Lives (Private Parts): The Bar: 4 stars

Leonard Cohen - Thanks for the Dance: 3.5 stars

2020 Single Listens (unless otherwise noted)

Robert Ashley - Automatic Writing
Africa Negra - Alia Cu Omali
Kiss - Music from "The Elder" [2 listens, surprisingly]
Mamadou Kelly - Les Bateaux
Houssam Gania - Mosawi Swiri
Rich Gang - Tha Tour Pt. 1
Various Artists - Kinshasa 78 (didn’t listen to all of the “reconstruction” disc)
Sault - 5
Sault - 7
Ekiti Sound - Abeg No Vex
A-Wa - Bayti Fi Rasi
Mal Blum - Pity Boy
Mr Eazi - Life is Eazi, Vol. 2: Lagos to London
Popul Vuh - Nosferatu
Ballake Sissoko & Baba Sissoko - Sissoko & Sissoko [2 listens]
Vortex - Special Request
Nils Frahm - Spaces [neo-classical/new age piano music]
Norman Greenbaum - Spirit in the Sky: The Best of ... [few tracks I could find - really not for me]
Laurie Spiegel - Unseen Worlds
Mike Oldfield - The Songs of Distant Earth
Rupa - Disco Jazz
Caterina Barbieri - Ecstatic Computation
Hayes Carll - What It Is
Mdou Moctar - Blue Stage Session
Kel Assouf - Black Tenere
K.A.A.N. - Subtle Meditations
Add-2 - Jim Crow: The Musical
Murs - The Iliad Is Dead and the Odyssey Is Over
Syran M'Benza [Mbenza] - Kouame [pretty terrible recording] [2 listens]
Ramones - Loco Live
Various Artists - Soukouss Vibration Volume 2
Bruce Hornsby and the Range - The Way It Is
King Krule - Man Alive!
Various Artists - Bibi Den's Tshibayi "The Best Ambiance"
The Dust Brothers - Fight Club Original Motion Picture Score
Asap Rocky - At Long Last Asap
Carlene Carter - Little Love Letters
Lil Uzi Vert - Eternal Atake
Faraon Bantu & Champetaman - Pantera Picotera en la Cuidad de las Piramides
Snotty Nose Rez Kids - Trapline
Randy Newman - The Natural (soundtrack)
The Grateful Dead - Sunshine Daydream: Veneta, OR, August 27th, 1972
The Grateful Dead - Dick's Picks Vol. 3 [Pembroke Pines, FL, 5/77]
The Grateful Dead - Dick's Picks Vol. 8 [Binghamton, NY, 5/70] [2 listens]

The Grateful Dead - Dick's Picks Vol. 14 [Boston, 11-12/73] [worst live Dead I've heard]

The Grateful Dead - Dick's Picks Vol. 18 [2/78] [Dead at their noodly, overlong worst]

The Grateful Dead - Dick's Picks Vol. 29 [Atlanta, GA & Lakeland, FL 5/77] [2 listens]

The Grateful Dead - Dave's Picks Vol. 1 [Richmond, VA 5/77]

The Grateful Dead - Dave's Picks Vol. 29 [San Bernardino, CA, 2/26/77] [2 listens]
The Grateful Dead - Winterland 6/9/77

The Grateful Dead - Alabama 5/17/77
The Grateful Dead - Veterans' Memorial Coliseum 5/5/77
The Grateful Dead - Madison Square Garden 9/18/87
The Grateful Dead - Red Rocks: 7/8/78
The Grateful Dead - History of the Grateful Dead, Vol. 1 (Bear's Choice)
The Grateful Dead - To Terrapin: Hartford '77 [2 listens]
The Grateful Dead - June 1976 [Each of five "Listening Parties" on dead.net (one per show)]
The Grateful Dead - Go to Nassau [5/15-16/80; terrible]
The Grateful Dead - Download Series Vol. 1: Palladium, New York, NY 4/30/77

The Grateful Dead - Saint of Circumstance [Giants Stadium, 6/17/91. Tinkly keyboards.]

The Grateful Dead - Philadelphia, PA, 4/26/83 [half of each set]

Sonic Youth - Blastic Scene (Live in Lisbon 1993)
Sonic Youth - Live At Cabaret Metro Chicago, IL 2002
Y Pants - Beat It Down [played single "That's the Way Boys Are" three times - difficult]
Moby - All Visible Objects
Drakeo the Ruler - Thank You For Using GTL
Fun Lovin' Criminals - Another Mimosa
Khruangbin - Con Todo El Mundo
Errol Dunkley - Darling Ooh
Various Artists - Pure Moods [1997; 17-track version]
Keleketla! - Keleketla!
Siti Muharam - Siti of Unguja (Romance Revolution On Zanzibar)
Brian Eno - The Shutov Assembly
Brian Eno - January 07003: Bell Studies for the Clock of the Long Now
Busdriver - Perfect Hair
The Stooges - Live at Goose Lake: August 8th, 1970

The Heliocentrics - Infinity of Now

Beverly Glenn-Copeland - Keyboard Fantasies

Various Artists - Pimpin' in Mellow [Mike D mixtape from PB era]

Bobby Whitlock - Bobby Whitlock

Ebo Taylor - Palaver

Manu Chao - Radio Bemba Sound System

Various Artists - Daora: Underground Sounds of Urban Brasil

Soft Machine - Third

Biyolo Le Grand - Dans Salubrite

Ngatamaare - Ngalu Fouta

The Isley Brothers - The Isleys Live

The Isley Brothers - It's Your Thing: The Story of [De trop 3 CD best of; no way >B+]

Serengeti - The Gentle Fall

Luciano - One Way Ticket

The Cables - What Kind of World

Delroy Wilson - Good All Over

Various Artists - Harder Shade of Black

Various Artists - Rebel Music: A Reggae Anthology

Yabby You - Meets Mad Professor & Black Steel

Yabby You & The Prophets - Beware Dub: An expanded version of the classic album

Ras Allah [Prince Alla] - Heaven Is My Roof [no one told him he was out of tune?]

Tetrack - Let's Get Started

Mikey Dread - African Anthem: The Mikey Dread Show Dubwise

Baby Queen - Medicine [EP]

Various Artists - This Is Trojan Dub

Mr. Lif & Brass Menazeri - Resilient [rap and Balkan brass - nice idea]

Maalem Mahmoud Gania - Aicha

Various Artists - Guasa, Cununo y Marimba

Qwanqwa - Volume 3

Culture - Culture in Dub [1978] [2 listens]

Amaarae - The Angel You Don't Know

Various Artists - From the Grass Roots of Jamaica

Papa Wemba et Strervos Niarcos - dans Champs-Elysees: Firenze

Blu & Exile - Miles [way overstays its welcome - goes on and on and on]

Joe Strummer - Assembly [greatest solo hits]

Rick Danko - Rick Danko [honorable mention]

:-) [Might be a low B plus, but it's impossible to find so I'm not sweating the distinction.]

Sudan Archives - Athena: 7 (B+)

# [electronica? R&B?]