:-) [4 listens] [No one except the Spin guide seem to like this above the 7 (B+) level. I grant it might be that, but I'm not inclined to view it that way, and it can't be purchased for a reasonable prince anyway.]
What you get here is not a greatest hits, but rather, 80% of her Compass Point trilogy, plus some other things. You get all this in a single case, for $10. No-brainer, although you don't get the original formations. Here are the songs you don't get (out of 24):
A Rolling Stone (Warm Leatherette)
Bullshit (Warm Leatherette)
Art Groupie (Nightclubbing)
Everybody Hold Still (Living My Life)
Inspiration (Living My Life)
Listened to the last two 3x, because I will not be separately grading that album. All 5 of these are clearly leave-off-able. And the only additional song from the regular greatest hits currently available that I wouldn't have would be La Vie en Rose, which is a good song, but I can do without it in physical - kind of an outlier. And here's what additionally I wouldn't have from Island Life:
I Need a Man (mediocre)
Do or Die (a little better, but not a must have)
Bottom line: I'm not shelving this as a best-of per se, but as a slim collection of almost all of her three best works.
As the cover says, this contains Uhuru in Dub and Osbourne in Dub - both featuring Sly & Robbie. I have the former on my copy of Uhuru's Black Sounds of Freedom, so maybe I'll grade it separately when I grade Black Sounds. I would give Osbourne in Dub a 7 (B+) or an honorable mention. At the first grade, I would buy it, if it were available for a reasonable price, which it's not. I could get a copy of this two-fer for a reasonable price, but I'm not going rebuy the Uhuru one just to get the 7 (B+) Osbourne.
:-) [Listened because Tom Hull gave it an A-.]
:-) [Contains most but not all of the albums Seizure and Croaker.]
:-( [Terrible. Also did not like the part where he gloats at the thought of Trump supporters dying. I'm sure Christgau upped it a notch for that while giggling along.]
:-) [Sounds pretty okay. Christgau once again over-rates it because Carll has some anti-Trump lyrics. Guaranteed A-level grade from him if you do that, fyi.]
:-) [Definitely better than the other one. Digital only.]
:-) [Not sure how on earth Christgau thought this bootleg was the best album of 1989, but I notice it wasn't even in his 80's book when it came out in 1990.]
One long track on side 1, which goes on a little too long. The best song on here by far ("Guiné-Cabral") leads off side 2, and is on the essential comp, along with "Djuana." One more non-notable song on side 2 ("Flnala"). Since this is just as unavailable as all of their work, I'm going to skip it.
I spent way too much time looking for a file of this online and came up empty. I spent this time because it is the only thing rated 8 or above in the Spin guide that I haven't heard. I did find two or three songs online, and they did sound good. And I did find copies for normal import prices (~$25 or so), but decided not to spring for it without hearing it first.
Update: Found a new copy in 2025 for $20 shipped and went for it. Grade to come later, but it's shaping up to be an 8 (A-).
I'm with AllMusic users (and the last Rolling Stone album guide) on this rapper: Blueprint; Reasonable Doubt; The Black Album; and this. Also, the Watch the Throne collaboration with Kanye.
There are so many of these Taxi comps that you can't have them all. They are essentially best ofs. I think I've heard at least all the major ones, and the Present Taxi one from 1981 still seems like the best to me, so I'm sticking with that one. # [comp] anyway. And this one does go on for a very long time. [ps, None of the longer, more recent ones seem to contain all of Present Taxi either.]
I don't buy live Hendrix at this level. Not a diehard fan. I think the Winterland set will end up being my only one. Skipping the expanded BBC Sessions.
:-( [There are one or two excellent tracks ("Don't Like You Talking," for example), but many that are atrocious, and the rest are blah at best.]
:-( [That Fantano character thinks this is a perfect album?]
Listened to all three of his "major" works three times. I like them. They sound good.
:-) [Honestly, not qualified to rate this, but I feel comfortable with the hm for some reason.]
:-| [They only issues they's physical output on vinyl and cassette! They is so cool and hip and mod! They also has no talent, so it doesn't matter anyway.]
I think most people over-rate this for historical importance. I almost bought it myself for the same reason. Anyway, I don't buy live Jimi at B+. Even high B+.
Good toasting. Scientist and Roots Radics involved. Good luck finding it for a non-fortune, other than on re-issued vinyl.
