Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters: 8 (A-)

Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um: X stars

Of course, one has this. And a street rat such as I does not dare to grade it.

Thomas Anderson - Blues for the Flying Dutchman: 8 (A-)

Best cover image I could find for this one. I'm trusting Christgau's ears on this artist, but note that Tom Hull likes alot more of his records at the A- level, so I hope I get around to listening to those one day.

Thomas Anderson - Alright It Was Frank ...: 8 (A-)

Big Black - Racer-X [EP]: 8.5 (high A-)

I have this on vinyl and remastered on CD as part of The Hammer Party reissue, with the Lungs and Bulldozer EPs.

Big Black - Atomizer: 8 (A-)

I have this on CD as part of The Rich Man's Eight Track Tape.

Nick Lowe - Basher: The Best of Nick Lowe: 8 (A-)

This is how I solve the "Nick Lowe" problem: After the first 2 must-haves, what to do about the following 5 good but not great releases? Not counting the single track from Nick the Knife (which probably edges in as an 8 (A-) and only has 1 (so-so) track on this), this gives you the following number of tracks from the other 4 (and 7 from debut; 7 from follow-up; 1 from Rockpile):

The Abominable Showman - 2 tracks

Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit - 2 tracks

The Rose of England - 4 tracks

Pinker and Prouder Than Previous - 1 track

Presumably, I will rate these 7 (B+) or 7.5 (high B+) but # [pub rock]. But we shall see.

Radiohead - My Iron Lung [EP]: 8 (A-)

I purchased the US edition which, unknown to me, contains only 5 of the 7 tracks that appear on "fuller" editions (some have 8? some extra version of "Creep"). Turns out the extra 2 tracks ("Punchdrunk Lovesick Singalong" and "Lozenge of Love") make it less of an EP, and are just acoustic ditties which would bring the grade down a notch, while the 4 tracks on the US edition are actual songs which sound great and clock in at 17 minutes (perfect), so I think I ended up with the right edition by accident and I'll be keeping it.

Radiohead - Airbag/How Am I Driving? [EP] and No Surprises/Running from Demons [EP] [placeholder]

Purchased as part of the reissue OK Computer OKNOTOK 1997 2017. Significant overlap between these 2 EPs. And "Bishop's Robes" (which I have heard) is the only track on these 2 EPs not on the OK Computer reissue. For reference, here are the tracks:

"Meeting in the Aisle"

"Melatonin"

"A Reminder"

"Polyethylene (Parts 1 & 2)"

"Pearly"

"Palo Alto"

"How I Made My Millions"

The first 3 songs on the second disc of the reissue appear only there. The other extra song, "Lull," was a B-side to the "Karma Police" single.

Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark: 8 (A-)

Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism: 8 (A-)

Death Cab for Cutie - The Open Door [EP]: 7 (B+)

Death Cab for Cutie - Forbidden Love [EP] [honorable mention]

:-) [A little slight]

Jeb Loy Nichols - Lovers Knot: 8 (A-)

Fugazi - In on the Kill Taker: 7 (B+)

As a DC resident for the largest part of my life, I've gone completist on Fugazi.

Minor Threat - Complete Discography: 8 (A-)

Contains the EPs Minor Threat, In My Eyes, and Salad Days, plus the "album" (at 22 minutes, really just a fourth EP) Out of Step. It also has their 2-song contribution to the Flex Your Head comp.

Rites of Spring - End on End: 7.5 (high B+)

Contains the first album, Rites of Spring (which confusingly has the same cover as this), and the EP, All Through a Life. Basically their entire body of recorded work.

Fishmans - Long Season: 7 (B+)

# [Japanese indie] I have also heard this album's sole track, "Long Season," on the live album, 98.12.28 Otokotachi no Wakare. So, studio version of this, 3 listens, plus live version, one listen.

Jay-Z/Linkin Park - Collision Course [EP]: 7 (B+)

# [DVD/CD sets] Not as bad as everyone would have you believe. But only available as a thick CD/DVD digipack (that is, with 2 discs), not as a simple music-only CD. And also, for this reason, overpriced.

Mayhem - Deathcrush [EP]: 7 (B+)

# [black metal] I almost made an exception, given its "historical" importance, but it's really not available in the proper format at the proper price. [At least 7 listens]

Fugazi - The Argument: 7.5 (high B+)

Fugazi - Repeater + 3 Songs: 8.5 (high A-)

Contains the 3 Songs EP, obviously.

Fugazi - 13 Songs: 8 (A-)

Contains the EPs Fugazi (a/k/a 7 Songs) and Margin Walker.

James Carter - Layin' in the Cut: 8 (A-)

Almost a "fusion/popular" album. But I'll still put it on my tiny jazz shelf with The Real Quietstorm and Conversin' with the Elders.

Serengeti - KDIV: 9.5 (high A)

Various - Roots of Jazz Funk Volume One

Bought this when it came out in 1997, having just moved to LA. Christgau gave it an A+, so I can remember being hopeful that this would be the comp that finally got me to claim jazz as my own. I played it many times, and was able to recognize its objective greatness, but never really got any pleasure from it. I eventually deshelved it a couple decades later when trying to thin the heard. Rescued from the pile in 2024. I think Christgau is overly fond of comps. For comparison, Hull gives this an A-. I probably would give this a 7.5 (high B+), and then not get it (# [jazz/multi-artist comp]), but since I have it, I feel like keeping it for now. Maybe that means I think it's an 8 (A-).

Prince Jammy - In Lion Dub Style: 7.5 (high B+)

I'm pretty sure these tracks are all on Black Uhuru in Dub. This is vinyl-only anyway (with original vinyl being ridiculously expensive).

Firehose - Ragin', Full-On [honorable mention]

:-) [Cannot fathom how Christgau got this at C+]

Nick Lowe - Nick the Knife: 7 (B+)

# [pub rock]

Arca - Xen: 7 (B+)

# [experimental]

Irakere - Irakere: 7.5 (high B+)

# [live; Afro-Cuban jazz]

Dave Edmunds - The Best of Dave Edmunds: 7.5 (high B+)

# [best of; pub rock]

Wolf Eyes - Dead Hills [honorable mention]

:-) [Including cover, to avoid confusion because there seem to be several versions of this. Could be a 7 (B+), but it's ridiculously expensive anyway, for 3 songs.]

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Bringing It All Back Home - Again [honorable mention]

:-) [Sources call this an EP, but at 6 tracks and 30 minutes, it doesn’t seem to qualify.]

Various - Wiser Dread: 8 (A-)

I am now the proud owner of the first three Nighthawk reggae comps. The other two being Calling Rastafari and Knotty Vision.

Ini Kamoze - Here Comes the Hotstepper: 8 (A-)

Contains the title single, plus apparently re-recorded versions of tracks from his first three releases. Christgau gives this a 2-star honorable mention and calls it a "minor Sly & Robbie album." I don't think it's minor, although I'm not sure I would call it major either. I would just say "solid," and note that it's good to have for the major single and a nicely-produced digital sampling of his work during an early creative peak. Contains 3 songs from the debut, 3 from Statement, and 5 from Pirate.

Creation Rebel - Close Encounters of the Third World: 7 (B+)

Obtained as part of the High Above Harlesden box.

Steinski - What Does It All Mean? 1983-2006 Retrospective: 8 (A)

Eminem - Relapse: 8.5 (high A-)

I really, really, really got this one wrong when it came out. Like everyone else, I thought it sucked, although I certainly gave it it's 3 listens or more at the time. Years later, listening again, I heard its greatness and listened over and over. One of his best, if not his best.

Eminem - Recovery

:-( [Basically just the overprivileged rapper screaming self-pitying inanities at your for close to an hour and a half straight. Lil Wayne appears on one track halfway through providing the album's only redeeming moment. Probably around half a dozen listens. Owned at one point; I think I sold it off. Docked a notch for bloat.]

Creation Rebel - Psychotic Jonkanoo: 7 (B+)

Purchased as part of the High Above Harlesden box.

The Brides of Funkenstein - Funk or Walk: 9 (A)

Missy Misdemeanor Elliott - Supa Dupa Fly: 8 (A-)

James Brown - Live at the Apollo (1962): X stars

I know it's sacrilegious to say this, but is this show really that great?

Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP 2: 7 (B+)

I have the standard edition. I streamed the 5 bonus tracks on the deluxe edition's second disc, and I would give them a 7.5 (high B+) as a 24 minute EP. But I'm not buying it again to get those 5 tracks, even though I am seeing a near mint used copy selling for $8 shipped at the moment. I'd feel obligated if it was sold separately. I also note that he just released a 10th anniversary expanded deluxe edition that has 1 additional track of about equal quality ("Don't Front" featuring Buckshot of Black Moon) and 5 lame instrumentals.

Eminem - Encore: 7 (B+)

Eminem - The Eminem Show: 7 (B+)

Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP: 8 (A-)

Eminem - The Slim Shady LP: 8 (A-)

50 Cent - The Massacre

:-| [de-shelved]

Taj Mahal - The Natch'l Blues: 8 (A-)

Taj Mahal - The Taj Mahal Anthology, Volume 1 [placeholder]

All tracks are on other comps in the collection.

Taj Mahal - The Best of Taj Mahal: 9 (A)

Taj Mahal - Taj's Blues: 8 (A-)

Taj Mahal/Toumani Diabate - Kulanjan: 8 (A-)

Eramus Hall - Gohead: 8 (A-)

Took me awhile to realize that it's not "Erasmus."