The Smiths - "Panic" b/w "Vicar in a Tutu/"The Draize Train"

This is really the only way to get "The Draize Train." I have the 12" version. I would buy the CD single, but sellers are price gouging on that.

Bang on a Can - Renegade Heaven: 7 (B+)

# [experimental]

Surfer Blood - 1000 Palms [honorable mention]

:-)

Missy Elliott - Miss E ... So Addictive [honorable mention]

:-) [Almost got it because it was on Rolling Stone’s list "200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time" at #7. Highest charting album I don’t have, but there’s a total of 4 in the top 20.}

Various - Leve Leve: Sao Tome & Principe Sounds 70s-80s Vol.1: 8 (A-)

Not paying high import prices for a multi-artist comp at this grade. Almost bought it for the Sangazuza tracks, but there are only two of them, and one of them is merely okay.

Michael Prophet - Serious Reasoning: 7.5 (high B+)

Completely unavailable for reasonable prices used. Otherwise OOP.

Homeboy Sandman - I Can't Sell These: 7 (B+)

Digital-only, free mixtape [4 listens]

Various - Voices of the Rainforest [honorable mention]

:-) [Tbis is the Smithsonian one]

The Mountain Goats - Get Lonely [honorable mention]

:-)

The Mountain Goats - Getting Into Knives [honorable mention]

:-)

Black Sabbath - Mob Rules

:-|

AC/DC - Powerage [honorable mention]

:-)

Fox Green - Holy Souls

:-|

Dio - Holy Diver

:-|

Santigold - 99¢ [honorable mention]

:-)

Britney Spears - The Essential [placeholder]

I have 13 out of 32 songs on here (40%). The remaining 19 are 15 from her first four albums, 3 from two of her greatest hits albums, and 1 from that will.i.am album. Having just the first disc would get me there with its 15 tracks, minus the 3 from two of her greatest hits and the 1 from the will.i.am. But a better alternative would be getting Greatest Hits: My Prerogative with its 17 tracks, which would get me to the same place as the first disc, minus “From the Bottom of My Broken Heart” (from her first album) but plus two from her greatest hits on Essential disc 2 and 1 unique to this (“I’ve Just Begun (Having My Fun)”) . From Essential, with what I already own, I would be missing only “From the Bottom of My Broken Heart,” one of the greatest hits (“3), and the will.i.am (“Scream & Shout”). I listened to My Prerogative once to see if I should go for it, but it didn't strike me as necessary. I've listened to all those songs at least 3 times before in rating those albums, and I didn't necessarily like them condensed in this configuration any better.

Shikamoo Jazz - East African Legends Live: 7.5 (high B+)

Some of these tracks are outstanding (especially the ones with Sam Mangwana); however, the ones with the guests (almost half the tracks) are most definitely not. I wouldn't get this at this grade for a live album, but it's digital only anyway.

Yugen Blakrok - Return of the Astro-Goth: 8.5 (high A-)

Another excellent Iapetus/Kanif production that is digital only.

Witchcraft Books [Kanif the Jhatmaster and Shorty Skilz] - Witchcraft Books Vol. 1 - The Sundisk: 9 (A)

Digital only. Might even be a 9 (A), but I'm feeling too lazy to have one printed up. Maybe if I keep feeling drawn to play it. [upped to 9 (A) and printed]

Grateful Dead - Road Trips Vol. 1 No. 2: October '77: 8 (A-)

Might even be an 8.5 (high A-). I won't be buying this for several reasons though: It's a mix of three shows; it's way too expensive used; and I would want the bonus disc -- which is not available on the 2022 reissue (which still costs $45!). But this is another top-notch 1977 set. I also scrubbed the official catalog for any other '77 shows. Really, none of them seem to get to the Cornell/Buffalo level to me.

Various Artists - Tropicalia: A Brazilian Revolution in Sound: 8 (A-)

Not available at reasonable prices.

Boukman Exsperyans - Revolution: 7 (B+)

# [mizik rasin]

Randy Travis - Old 8X10: 7 (B+)

# [country]

Dixie Chicks - Wide Open Spaces: 7 (B+)

# [country]

The Mountain Goats - All Externals Deck [honorable mention]

:-)

Burning Spear - Burning (A)live: 8 (A-)

I actually purchased this off the internet from his website. It never arrived, and follow up communications went unanswered. Then, a few months later, I saw him live, for the second time in 30 years. The show was atrocious.

U-Roy - The Lost Album - Right Time Rockers: 7 (B+)

# [toasting]

Randy Travis - Storms of Life: 7 (B+)

# [country]

Waylon Jennings - Dreaming My Dreams: 7 (B+)

# [country]

Dixie Chicks - Fly: 7.5 (high B+)

# [country]

Pavement - Stuff up the Cracks [side note]

[Bootleg, and all available tracks except for last 6 live ones (from 3 different shows) are on reissues]

K.C. and The Sunshine Band - Greatest Hits [side note]

This is the T.K. release from 1980 that Christgau graded A-. All songs are on the 1990 Rhino release entitled The Best of KC and the Sunshine Band, which I have.

Garth Brooks - Ropin' the Wind [placeholder]

I just bought this off eBay (have the receipt, obviously), but now I can't find it. Looked all over for it, but it must have fallen behind some piece of furniture or other. I would listen to it on Napster to grade it, but he's not on any streaming services. So I can't grade it until I find it, and I'm not buying it again. Anyway, I'm 95% sure I owned it in the 90s. Anyway, when it turns up, I'll grade it formally.

Shikamoo Jazz - Chela Chela Vol. 1 [honorable mention]

:-)

The Master Musicians of Jajouka featuring Bachir Attar - Apocalypse Across the Sky: 7 (B+)

# [folkloric]

Super Mamo Djombo - Ar Puro: 7.5 (high B+)

Nowhere to be found for a reasonable price.

Lyrics Born - Mobile Homies Season 1: 7 (B+)

Digital only

The Mountain Goats - Dark in Here: 7 (B+)

Tommy Womack - Circus Town: 7 (B+)

#

Various - Brazil Classics 2: O Samba: 7 (B+)

# [samba/multi-artist comps]

Various - Heart Of The Forest: The Music Of The Baka Forest People Of Southeast Cameroon [honorable mention]

:-)

The Flatlanders - More a Legend Than a Band: 7 (B+)

# [once-owned]

Kanda Bongo Man - Kekete Bue [honorable mention]

:-) [Three listens to new songs: Kekete Bue, Jessy, I Will Sing, Rose Rose, Kumisa Ye. Basically an EP at five tracks and 19 minutes. As an EP, I would give it 7.5 (high B+). Title track sounds like classic soukous. Vinyl only.]