Black Uhuru - Positive Dub: 7 (B+)

Normally I would pick this up at this grade. However, half of this is on the CD version of Positive, which I have. So I'd be getting this for the other 4 tracks. The other 4 tracks are good, certainly, but not worth the prices being asked (unless you don't have the other 4 tracks).

Mobb Deep - The Infamous: 8 (A-)

AC/DC - For Those About to Rock: 7 (B+)

 

# [metal]

Young Dolph & Key Glock - Dum and Dummer 2 [liked]

:-)

Charlie Parker - Yardbird Suite: The Ultimate Charlie Parker Collection: X stars

No good full-cover images on the web that I could find. The subtitle on this one seems like it could very well be the truth. In a desperate grab for cash in my youth, I sold this off to buy something else, I don't remember what, and have regretted it ever since. Just picked up a like-new copy for $10 shipped to replenish my collection. Rhino did an absolutely beautiful job on this one.

Be Your Own Pet - Summer Sensation [EP]: 7 (B+)

Black Uhuru - Sinsemilla: 8 (A-)

Black Uhuru - Chill Out: 7 (B+)

Black Uhuru - The Dub Factor: 7 (B+)

Black Uhuru - The Ultimate Collection: 9 (A)

I'm also in the market for a copy of The Best of Black Uhuru: 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection, which is strangely hard to find. [Found one 8/24]

Missy Elliott - The Cookbook: 7 (B+)

Missy Elliott - This Is Not a Test: 7 (B+)

Material - Secret Life [placeholder]

This contains all the songs on the Temporary Music comp (ie, the first two Temporary Music EPs), plus the 4 songs on 2 of their early singles ("Discourse," "Slow Murder," "Ciquri," and "Detached").

Giant Sand - Ramp: 8 (A-)

Slick Rick - The Art of Storytelling: 8 (A-)

Sufjan Stevens - Michigan: 8 (A-)

Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise: 8.5 (high A-)

The Gutter Twins [Greg Dulli/Mark Lanegan] - Saturnalia: 7 (B+)

Margaret Glaspy - Echo the Diamond: 8 (A-)

The Skatalites/King Tubby - The Legendary Skatalites in Dub: 7.5 (high B+)

See post of Heroes of Reggae in Dub. # [import]

The Skatalites/King Tubby - Heroes of Reggae in Dub: 7 (B+)

Alternate versions of tracks from Herb Dub - Collie Dub, so I'll skip it. Released by Motion Records, which also re-released the latter on vinyl a few years after this. Finally, after this one, Motion released The Legendary Skatalites in Dub, the CD version of which contains all of Herb Dub - Collie Dub, together with other tracks from the sessions, so I would go for that, but it's import-only and prohibitively expensive. So I end up with nothing.

Jason Moran - From the Dancehall to the Battlefield: 7.5 (high B+)

# [jazz/marching band] Anyway, import prices ($33 shipped!) are prohibitive.

Morrissey - Beethoven Was Deaf: 7 (B+)

# [live] Docked a notch for inutility, it just being Your Arsenal Live… Plus 4 from Bona Drag and 3 B-Sides.

Charlie Parker - The Genius of Charlie Parker: X stars

Please see The Legendary Dial Masters for my compulsive Charlie Parker comp buying habit.

Angry Samoans - Darbys Dead [honorable mention]

:-) [Playing's obviously tighter than the Rhino set, which was recorded 4 years earlier, in 1979, whereas this is from 1983. But that doesn't make up for the atrocious sound. I'll stick with the Rhino set for live Angry Samoans (plus the live tracks on Return to Samoa. This one's only semi-official anyway.]

Angry Samoans - Fuck the War [EP]

:-| Basically a joke. The EP is about 21 minutes long, but 12 minutes of it is bar background chatter (?), followed by a short joke song and a 2 minute "radio spot." If you do the math, it's about 6 minutes and 4 half-decent songs. Piece of crap, essentially.

Big Black - The Hammer Party

See grades for individual components.

The Twilight Singers - Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair: 7.5 (high B+)

Technically a CD single, but more of an EP. I have it, anyway, and will keep it.

Angry Samoans - Live at Rhino Records: 8 (A-)

Upped a notch for historical importance. Recorded in May 1979, when I was finishing up 7th grade. I wish I had been cool enough. On the other side of the country anyway.

Teen Idles - Anniversary: 7.5 (high B+)

And around this time, on the West Coast, the Angry Samoans were playing live at Rhino. Normally # [hardcore; demos], but I'm in the market for this CD at a good, punk rock price, because of its historical importance to the DC hardcore scene.

Various - Four Old Seven Inches: 7.5 (high B+)

Contains the 4 EPs: Teen Idles Minor Disturbance; S.O.A. No Policy; Government Issue Legless Bull; and Youth Brigade Possible. I thought about getting the CD "update" of this, called Dischord 1981: The Year In Seven Inches (with the same cover), which also contains the first 2 Minor Threat EPs, but I already have those, and when this was updated to CD it wasn't remastered, which the later vinyl reissue of this that I have was. The CD of this appears in fact to have never been remastered. I have this for the same reason I have the Flex Your Head comp, even though # [multi-artist comp; hardcore].

Various - Roots of Jazz Funk Volume Two: X stars

Can't have just One.

Gap Band - The Best of Gap Band: 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: 8.5 (high A-)

I have The 12" Collection also. I also listened to the follow comps once each just to see if they struck me as better/essential additional comps. They did not.

Shellac - The Rude Gesture: A Pictorial History: 7.5 (high B+)

Unavailable at reasonable prices. Plus it seems to be designated as a 3-track single, rather than an EP. 8+ minutes.

Ride - Going Blank Again: 7.5 (high B+)

Ride - Nowhere: 8 (A-)

Various - Rockers Almighty Dub: 7 (B+)

Never officially released on CD. Original vinyl too expensive, and I generally don't do vinyl reissues, although this one tempted me. The great Tony Chin on rhythm.

The Skatalites/King Tubby - Herb Dub - Collie Dub: 7.5 (high B+)

Nowhere to be found. See review of companion release Heroes of Reggae in Dub.

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts - Album: 7 (B+)

Unlike most of her other albums, which are available nicely remastered for $7 shipped, this one appears out of print and sells for a fortune. I'm not inspired to wait in the bushes for a reasonably-priced copy. 

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts - Mindsets [EP]: 7 (B+)

Digital-only (although there is a Record Store Day copy on 12” vinyl with each of the 6 tracks live on the B-side)

LFTR PLLR [Lifter Puller] - Soft Rock: 8.5 (high A-)

Contains all of the albums Lifter Puller and Half Dead and Dynamite, plus more.

Everlast - Eat at Whitey's: 7.5 (high B+)

Everlast - Whitey Ford Sings the Blues: 8 (A-)

The Adverts - Crossing the Red Sea with the Adverts: 8 (A-)

Waxahatchee - Tigers Blood: 8 (A-)

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

# [best of]

Billie Holiday/Lester Young - A Musical Romance: X stars

Not going to grade but it's on the rack.

Count Basie - The Best of Early Basie: X stars

Not going to grade but it's on the rack.

Thelonious Monk - Ken Burns Jazz: X stars

Not going to grade but it's on the rack.

Sonny Rollins - Ken Burns Jazz: X stars

Not going to grade but it's on the rack.

Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis: 9 (A-)

Also listened to 4 songs on ... Plus, all of which are from Brand New Me.