Tempted to get this at B plus, but it's basically a traditional blues album, which I don't collect. I think I'll end up with either Pious Bird of The Best of Peter Green's for this era of the band.
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Fleetwood Mac - Then Play On: 3.5 stars
Tempted to get this at B plus, but it's basically a traditional blues album, which I don't collect. I think I'll end up with either Pious Bird of The Best of Peter Green's for this era of the band.
Sunday, March 29, 2020
Schoolly D - Schoolly D: 7.5 (high B+)
Hard copies prohibitively expensive. Probably # [old-school] anyway.
The B-52's - With the Wild Crowd!: 3.5 stars
Today, I would probably not buy this (as a live album at B plus from a band that I have mixed devotion to) but since I did almost ten years ago (!), I will keep it.
Saturday, March 28, 2020
The B-52's - Party Mix [honorable mention]
:-) [Good remixes, but I'm generally not into collecting those. Plus, this is only available on CD with a version of Mesopotamia that contains remixes of some or all of those songs too. This is available alone on original vinyl, but see the first sentence.]
The B-52's - The B-52's: 4 stars
I know the critics will have us believe that the debut is better than the follow-up, but I disagree and always have.
Friday, March 27, 2020
Guelewars Band Of Banjul – Tasito: 3.5 stars
Might be an A minus but not worrying about it because it is only ridiculously over-priced used old vinyl or new vinyl-only on this. How about a new CD?
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Don Carlos - Day to Day Living [honorable mention]
:-) [See review of Just a Passing Glance. I have the exact same reaction to this.]
Sunday, March 22, 2020
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Boz Scaggs - Boz Scaggs: 3.5 stars
Might be an A minus (Duane Allman sideman work is great), but no latter-day CD remasters and original vinyl is too expensive. They need to reissue this. Not as good as top 500 Rolling Stone list (2012) would indicate, but very strong.
Roxy Music - Roxy Music: 3.5 stars
Agree with Xgau that side one is way better than side two, but I disagree that side one is A level. This album is barely a B plus in my view. Probably more or an honorable mention, but I'll give it a B plus in recognition of its impact.
Friday, March 20, 2020
Supertramp - Breakfast in America: 7 (B+)
# [prog/pop] There are three songs on here -- "Logical Song," "Breakfast in America," and "Take the Long Way Home" -- which are very good, and one which is good -- "Goodbye Stranger" -- all of which barely squeak it into B+ territory.
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Sunday, March 15, 2020
Syran Mbenza - Sisika: 4 stars
Not available used at reasonable prices, which means that maybe I just think it's more of a B plus. What a thrill to hear him in the Super Bowl halftime show (during a Shakira dance number especially).
Jean Papy (J.P.) Ramazani & Kass Kass - batch review
These are both B plus or maybe A minus, but I don't need to make the distinction because they are not available at reasonable prices. There's also an album named Kumbe Maria, which I can't locate but would definitely listen to if I could (Rigo Star on solo).
Lumingu Puati (Zorro) - Mosese: 3.5 stars
Not paying import prices for what is essentially an EP at B plus.
Miles Davis - Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud: 3.5 stars
Not buying jazz at B plus. Not even Miles, at least from this era.
Various Artists - Repo Man Soundtrack: 3.5 stars
I think most of us can agree that "Institutionalized" by Suicidal Tendencies is a classic track. But I won't be buying this B plus soundtrack which is not available on CD and is spotty.
Steve Reich - Radio Rewrite: 7 (B+)
# [neo-classical?] No reasonably priced copies anyway. Could very well be an A minus.
Young M.A - Herstory in the Making [honorable mention]
:-) [Docked a notch for way overstaying its welcome, with many similar sounding songs.]
Shakira live - batch review: 3.5 stars
All good, none great. I have all her major studio albums (other than the first two "underground" ones), and so won't be springing for these. See separate review for the famous MTV Unplugged.
Live & Off the Record
Oral Fixation Tour
Shakira in Concert: El Dorado World Tour
Live from Paris (this one may be more of a neutral)
Live & Off the Record
Oral Fixation Tour
Shakira in Concert: El Dorado World Tour
Live from Paris (this one may be more of a neutral)
Super Mama Djombo - Na Cambanca: 9.5 (high A)
This is superb. Was just reissued on vinyl/digital only. So stupid. If it weren't for that dumb-ass decision, I would definitely buy this. As it is, it is good enough to print out and put on the shelves.
Saturday, March 14, 2020
Friday, March 13, 2020
Soukouss Vibration - Pot Pourri: 3.5 stars
Like the label (Afro-Rhythmes), guitar is fantastic (Diblo and Nene - not sure how I missed this in my Diblo total search), and songs are good. But it sounds like one big track (ie, it's a little samey) -- in fact I think it is, with manufactured pauses between tracks -- it's almost impossible to find, and it has drum programming and cheesy keyboards, so I'll skip this in physical despite the grade. Really 4 stars for the guitar though.
Sunday, March 8, 2020
Grimes - Miss Anthropocene [honorable mention]
:-) [At least one phenomenal track, too lazy to identify it - towards the end.]
Saturday, March 7, 2020
Donita Sparks + The Stellar Moments - Transmiticate [honorable mention]
:-) [There are a couple very good songs on here, but mainly other plain ones. Almost convinced myself it was a B plus based on those very good ones.]
Friday, March 6, 2020
Fleshtones: Roman Gods: 3.5 stars
# [junk rock] Only could find 8 out of 11 tracks on YouTube, but that's enough to grade in a pinch.
Sunday, March 1, 2020
Shakira - MTV Unplugged: 4 stars
All but one track is from Donde Estan Los Ladrones, so essentially a live remake of that. Plus one song form Pies Descalzso. Also, this is really a live show and has to be seen to be fully appreciated. For all those reasons, I am not shelving this live one. Plus, it only appears to be available at this time as a German import. Watched the DVD from Netflix and loved it. Maybe if they had ever put it on blu-ray.
Ismael Lo - Jammu Africa [honorable mention]
:-) [Pretty sure I had this at one point. Ass Malick Diouf [Gestu de Dakar] on guitar.]
Steve Reich - Different Trains [Kronos Quartet] / Electric Counterpoint [Pat Metheny] [honorable mention]
:-) [On Pitchfork's best 200 albums of the 1980s list.]
The Brains - The Brains: 3.5 stars
At this point, I probably would not have bought this on vinyl (never been re-issued since it came out in 1980), but I have a near mint vinyl copy and will keep it.
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