Frank Ocean - Channel Orange: 8 (A-)

This one the delicate genius deigned to release in physical. And a beautiful one it is. :-)

Los Thuthanaka - Los Thuthanaka: 7 (B+)

Docked a notch for bloat. #electronic

Thelonious Monk - Thelonious Monk Quartet With John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall: X (X)

Not qualified to grade.

Thelonious Monk - Monk.: X (X)

Not qualified to grade.

Thelonious Monk - Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane: X (X)

Not qualified to grade.

Thelonious Monk - Misterioso: X (X)

Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners: X (X)

Not qualified to grade.

Thelonious Monk - The Very Best: X (X)

Thelonious Monk - Standards: X (X)

I played this compilation because Christgau gave it a 10 (A+), which is obviously one's greatest endorsement. I didn’t quite fall in love with it like he seemed to. And he says in his review that it’s “not on a par” with a certain studio album by Monk. What? That makes no sense. #jazz

Docteur Nico - African Fiesta Sukisa 1966-1974: X (X)

Even if I were to grade this, I would dock it a notch for overdoing it. They could have eliminated almost the entire first LP in my view, plus a handful of other later tracks, and made this an excellent, much more affordable double LP comp, instead of the overpriced limited edition vinyl-only release it is. That would be somewhat the equivalent of eliminating all the non-Sukisa label and sub-100 Sukisa label tracks. Then it could have been a nice double LP and single CD release. I’d be tempted to just buy a selection of the digital files for the Sukisa releases numbered above 100 and burn my own, but the tracks must be bought in their entirety, and at a cost of 25 euros, which is ridiculous in my mind. #earlyrumba

The Mighty Diamonds - The Roots Is There: 7.5 (high B+)

John Lennon - Walls and Bridges: liked

All the good-to-great songs would be on any decent best of.

The Mekons - The Early EPs/Singles: 8 (A-)

Obviously, or maybe not, this does not exist, except in my abode. It's a disc I created with the Mekon's first four EPs/singles (front and back covers are pictured, the disc itself has the same image as the front cover, as always). Many of these songs are available elsewhere, but not all of them, and it's nice to have them all in the same place anyway - they're of a piece.

The Dream Syndicate - The Days of Wine and Roses: 8 (A-)

I have the remastered CD version with the first EP (The Dream Syndicate [Down There, 1982]) appended as bonus tracks.

Clem Snide - End of Love: liked

De-shelved

Clem Snide - The Ghost of Fashion: liked

De-shelved

John Lennon - Power to the People: The Hits [Capitol, 2010]: 9.5 (high A)

The best Lennon best of in my opinion. And I think he really does need one, given the highs and lows of his foreshortened solo career. Not overlong (15 tracks in 58 minutes), with spectacular remastering, flow, etc. This makes for a very powerful and enjoyable listen, although will I always be a little sad when listening to his music?

Al Green - Greatest Hits, Vol. 2: 8 (A-)

This one's on vinyl.

Al Green - Greatest Hits: 10 (A+)

I have the "Expanded Version," as well as the original.

Al Green - Gets Next to You: 8 (A-)

Al Green - Let's Stay Together: 8.5 (high A-)

Al Green - Livin' for You: 9 (A)

Al Green - One in a Million: 8.5 (high A-)

Al Green - Love Ritual: Rare & Unreleased 1968-76: 8 (A-)

Al Green - Don't Look Back: 8 (A-)

Al Green - I Can't Stop: 8 (A-)

Al Green - Higher Plane: 9 (A)

Outkast - Idlewild: 7 (B+)

Upped a notch for general regard. And because I have it and don't feel like letting it go, which says something.

Outkast - Speakerboxx/The Love Below: 8 (A-)

Outkast - Stankonia: 9 (A)

For some reason I have the release with this alternative cover, instead of the "standard" one:

Outkast - Aquemini: 8 (A-)

Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager: 8 (A-)

N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton: 7 (B+)

Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein: 7.5 (high B+)

XTC - King for a Day [maxi-single]: liked

This has two mixes of the title song, plus "Toys" and "Desert Island."

Diblo Dibala - Amour et Souvenir: notation

This is on Discogs and Spotify with different covers, like this, respectively:

This is the French issue of Super Soukous, although the Spotify version has an extra song, “Mabele Simarro,” which is unremarkable.

M.I.A. - Kala: 8 (A-)

M.I.A. - Arular: 8 (A-)

Rod Stewart - The Rod Stewart Album: 8 (A-)

Rod Stewart - Gasoline Alley: 8 (A-)

Rod Stewart - Every Picture Tells a Story: 9.5 (high A)

The Rolling Stones - Live/Compilations: batch review and notation

As I've posted before, I think the Stones are the greatest band in rock history, although this is mainly on the strength of their Taylor-era work. I like their early and later work, but to me it pales in comparison. For this reason, I guess I am not a Stones completist (although I obviously have all their studio albums). Also because they release so many titles -- same thing with Dylan and Neil Young. Anyway, these are the live ones I have and have not yet posted about:

Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!

Stripped

Live Licks

Brussels Affair: Live 1973

Some Girls: Live in Texas '78 [Blu-ray]

Ladies & Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones [Blu-ray and bootleg DVD]

These are the live ones I do not have but am still evaluating or have evaluated in the past but haven't posted about:

Got Live If You Want It!

Love You Live

Still Life

Flashpoint

The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus [saw video; only six Stones tracks]

No Security

Shine a Light [saw ideo - I would stream the audio, but I'm not seeing it on Spotify]

I also have You-Know-What Blues on bootleg DVD.

These are the compilations I have:

Big Hits: High Tide and Green Grass

Flowers

Through the Past, Darkly: Big Hits Vol. 2

More Hot Rocks: Big Hits & Fazed Cookies

Metamorphosis [I have this on vinyl]

Sucking in the Seventies

Rewind: 1971–1984

Jump Back: The Best of the Rolling Stones

Forty Licks

Randy Newman - Bad Love: 7.5 (high B+)

Randy Newman - Harps and Angels: 7 (B+)

Randy Newman - Trouble in Paradise: 8.5 (high A-)

John Lennon - Rock 'n' Roll: 7.5 (high B+)

#covers

The Rolling Stones - GRRR!: notation

I thought about buying the three-CD digipack version of this 50th anniversary collection, just as the collector's piece that it is, but decided against it. Even though their my favorite band, I'm not a completist with respect to them. (I skipped several live albums, the dreaded and awful Hot Rocks, that singles collection, etc.) But I couldn't find it for a good price anywhere at this late stage and just lost interest. And it's not on Spotify so I couldn't even check out the flow.

Shabazz Palaces - Exotic Birds of Prey [EP]: liked

:-)

Imperial Teen - Seasick: liked

At least four plays

Imperial Teen - The Hair the TV the Baby & the Band: liked

:-)

Imperial Teen - What Is Not to Love: liked

:-)

Super Rail Band de Bamako - Kongo Sigui: 8.5 (high A-)

Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton - Play the Blues: Live From Jazz at Lincoln Center: 7.5 (high B+)

#live/jazz/blues

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Party - The Supreme Collection, Vol. 1 [Caroline, 1997]: placeholder

As noted on Discogs, this is a combined reissue of Greatest and Latest Hits, Vol. 1 [Sirocco, 1988] (minus track "Milate Rahen") and Greatest and Latest Hits Vol. 2 [Sirocco, 1988].

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Rapture [Music Club, 1997]: 8 (A-)

Underwritten as "An essential selection from the genius of Qawwali". Music Club is a fantastic reissue label.

Howlin' Wolf - Ain't Gonna Be Your Dog [Chess, 1994]: 8 (A-)

Volume 2 in the Chess Collectibles series. I stupidly had this in the de-shelve box. Then I pulled it out, gave it another listen, de-fatboxxed it, put it back on the shelf and am now even checking out the first volume in this series, One More Mile, by Muddy Waters. Just this side of what I like to call the early CD era, still fatboxxed as noted but at least digitally remastered.