R.E.M. - New Adventures in Hi-Fi: 8.5 (high A-)

Homeboy Sandman - Anjelitu [honorable mention]

:-)

King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black

:-|

Can - Soon Over Babaluma [honorable mention]

:-)

Faces - Good Boys... When They're Asleep: The Best of Faces: 8.5 (high A-)

Also listened to the two-disc The Definitive Rock Collection, which has 9 additional Faces songs, plus the Rod Stewart b-side “Jodie” and the Rod Stewart song “Losing You." I listened to the whole thing once, and the extra songs 3 times. The single disc is a better option in my view.

I also note that three songs from the early Snakes and Ladders comp are not on here: “Pineapple and the Monkey,” “Around the Plynth” and “Silicone Grown." Fine to do without those. The first is a disposable instrumental, the second an overlong jam, and the third appears to be criticizing women who get breast implants (I looked it up, and it appears this surgery was being done at that time, which was a surprise to me). I see why all these were left off the modern compilation.

Alice in Chains - Jar of Flies [EP]: 7 (B+)

Lucy Dacus - Home Video [liked]

:-) [Upped a notch on 4th listen]

Rina Sawayama - Sawayama

:-|

Various Artists - Mojo Rocksteady: 7.5 (high B+)

# [rock steady/multi-artist]

Kip Hanrahan - Desire Develops an Edge: 7 (B+)

# [jazz]

Tyler Childers - Live on Red Barn Radio I & II [liked]

:-)

Radio Birdman - Radios Appear [honorable mention]

:-) 

The Mekons - The Mekons [a/k/a Devils, Rats & Piggies -- A Special Message from Godzilla]: 7.5 (high B+)

In the market for a reasonably-priced used copy, any issue or format. I doubt I will ever see one. Maybe they will reissue this one day.

The Goon Sax - Mirror II [honorable mention]

:-) [Four listens. First two, or perhaps three, tracks are outstanding, but it doesn't keep up at that level.]

Various Artists - Strictly for Lovers: 7 (B+)

I don't buy various artists comps at B+.

Future - Monster: 7 (B+)

Digital mixtape only.

Grant McLennan - In Your Bright Ray [honorable mention]

:-)

The Wailing Souls - The Wailing Souls: 7.5 (high B+)

Totally unavailable.

Conjure - Music for the Texts of Ishmael Reed [Christgau entitles this simply "Conjure"]: 7 (B+)

# [jazz] Kip Hanrahan

John Simon - John Simon's Album: 7.5 (high B+)

CD reissue is unremastered, and original vinyl is too expensive for B+.

Nas - King's Disease II [honorable mention]

:-)

Tom Ze - Cancoes Eroticas Para Ninar [honorable mention]

:-) [Reviewed twice by accident, so six listens.]

Future - Hndrxx [honorable mention]

:-) [Accidentally reviewed twice. Gave neutral first time. Six listens obviously, so neutral was probably the better grade, since I didn't even remember listening to it the first three times.]

Los Lobos - By the Light of the Moon: 7 (B+)

# [chicano rock] [4 listens]

The Meditations - Message From the Meditations: 8 (A-)

 

Upped from 7.5 (high B+). Never released on CD. Found a vinyl copy selling for $20 from a bulk sale and took a chance. [Nice copy, but less cool cover if you ask me:

Oh well, you get what you can.]

Jeff & Jane Hudson - World Trade: 7.5 (high B+)

Would definitely pick up a copy if it was selling for a reasonble price in vinyl. There is a "limited edition" CD released in 2020 in Germany that I will not be picking up. A six song EP for $22 shipped, in a slipcase, and non-remastered, plus a "limited edition"? No thanks.

Jeff & Jane Hudson - Flesh [honorable mention]

:-) [Comp of everything they put out in their original, early '80s run. The best of this by far to me is the World Trade EP. I will give that a separate review.]

Yoko Ono - Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band: 8 (A-)

# [experimental/Japanese lady shrieking?] [I would buy it anyway if there were one that matched my CD of John's release. But there were only two of these, both having bonus tracks.] [Update: I ended up caving, bought this on the 1997 Rykodisc reissue, bonus tracks and all. And then upgraded to 8 (A-).]

Franco and Rochereau: Choc Choc Choc 1983 [Lettre a Mr. Le Directeur General] [honorable mention]

 

This one goes by so many titles, I'm putting the cover down. This has "Lettre a Mr. Le Directeur General" plus Suite Lettres Nos. 1-3. Very repetitive. Could be a 7 (B+) but it's too expensive to buy anyway so I'm not making that distinction.

Various Artists - Directions In Music 1969 to 1973: 7 (B+)

# [jazz/multi-artist comp]

Kevin Morby - City Music

:-(

Jason Isbell - Southeastern [honorable mention]

:-)

Faces - Long Player: 7 (B+)

 # [blues rock]

Uncle Tupelo - Anodyne [honorable mention]

:-)

Emily Duff - Razor Blade Smile: 7 (B+)

# [country]

Tyler Childers - Country Squire: 7 (B+)

# [country]

Adele - 21: liked

:-)

Anthony Joseph - The Rich Are Only Defeated When Running for Their Lives: 7 (B+)

# [poetry/free jazz] Upped from neutral.

Joseph Spence - Encore: Unheard Recordings of Bahamian Guitar and Singing: X

 

Not qualified to grade.

Mach-Hommy - Pray for Haiti

:-|

Prince Far I - Under Heavy Manners: neutral

:-|

The Tony Williams Lifetime - Emergency!: liked

:-)

The Grateful Dead - The Grateful Dead: 7 (B+)

 

# [blues rock]

Rod Stewart - Never a Dull Moment: 8 (A-)

 

Horace Andy - Dance Hall Style: 9 (A)