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]