Rainy Day - Rainy Day: 7 (B+)

# [covers]

Man/Woman/Chainsaw - Eazy Peazy [EP] [liked]

:-)

Rich Gang [Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan] - Tha Tour Pt. 1: 8.5 (high A-)

Mixtape that's good enough that I had it printed out.

A. Savage - The Loft Sessions [EP]: 7.5 (high B+)

Appears to be digital-only.

Opal - Happy Nightmare Baby: 7.5 (high B+)

Unbelievably expensive for this one, so I won't even bother putting an alert up.

I-Roy - Truths and Rights [liked]

:-)

Ini Kamoze - Lyrical Gangsta [liked]

:-) [Slightly bloated, and songs are kind of samey. Also, his enunciation sounds like he's trying to be the new Eek-A-Mouse.]

Circle X - The Ivory Tower: 7 (B+)

# [limited edition; experimental]

Little Roy - Tafari Earth Uprising: 7.5 (high B+)

# [comp]

Cat Power - Moon Pix [liked]

:-) [I had this at one point, but I'm pretty sure I sold it off before starting this blog. I'll keep the album cover up though, since I did have it, and my grade could easily switch to 7 (B+). It really hovers between those two, and some people really love it.]

Johnny Cash - Songwriter: 7 (B+)

# [country]

Kieran Hebden [Four Tet] and Steve Reid - The Exchange Session Vol. 1: 7.5 (high B+)

# [live; electronic]

Toots & The Maytals - Pass the Pipe: 7 (B+)

Out of print and prices used as if it were a lost treasure, instead of this grade. So I won’t be on the lookout for reasonably-priced copies.

Material - Seven Souls: 7 (B+)

# [experimental]

Peter and the Test Tube Babies - Peter and the Test Tube Babies: 7 (B+)

Originally issued as the import-only Soberphobia, and this US-issued, self-titled version is prohibitively expensive used and was only reissued on remastered CDr, also unavailable for reasonable prices. At this grade, I will not be keeping an eye out for reasonably-priced copies.

Tucker Zimmerman - Ten Songs: 7 (B+)

# [folk/folk rock]

Halsey – Love and Power EP: Love [EP] [liked]

:-)

White Denim - Takes Place in Your Work Space [EP] [liked]

:-)

The Mountain Goats - New Asian Cinema [EP] [liked]

:-)

Happy Mondays - Rave On [EP] [liked]

:-)

Mk.gee - Two Star & the Dream Police [liked]

:-)

Magdalena Bay - Imaginal Disk: 7 (B+)

# [indie pop]

Margaret Glaspy - The Sun Doesn't Think [EP] [liked]

:-)

Massive Attack - 100th Window [liked]

:-)

Peter and the Test Tube Babies -The $hit Factory [liked]

:-)

Body Meta - Prayer in Dub: 7.5 (high B+)

# [jazz; experimental]

Jessica Pratt - Here in the Pitch [liked]

:-)

Orchestre Les Volcans Du Benin - Vol. 1: 7.5 (high B+)

# [Afro-Cuban] Vinyl-only reissue of 1980 release anyway, with original vinyl being ultra-rare and expensive.

I-Roy - Hell and Sorrow [liked]

:-)

Bopol Mansiamina - Innovation: 8.5 (high A-)

Early 1990s Parisian soukous at its finest. This was only released on vinyl and cassette, even though it was 1990. I have a beautiful vinyl copy. Dally Kimoko on solo, and Nyboma on vocals.

Julee Cruise - Floating into the Night

:-|

Daryl Johns - Daryl Johns [liked]

:-)

The Waterboys - This Is the Sea

:-|

Circle X - Celestial [liked]

:-) [Docked a notch for bloat. Could definitely have left off the last two tracks, and shortened the 2 other 7+ minute songs by a couple minutes each. That would have made it a 7 (B+) for me.]

Ornette Coleman - Chappaqua Suite: X stars

# [orchestral free jazz] Listened to this because the reviewer in the Spin guide gave it a 9 out of 10. Wife hates it.

Phelimuncasi & Metal Preyers - Izigqinamba: 8 (A-)

# [ampiano/gqom] Vinyl-only anyway, and "limited edition" [At least 7 listens] [Eventually upped to 8 (A-) and purchased, mainly because Christgau rated it 9.5 (high A), so sooner or later, I'll probably catch up with him, and then it won't be available.]

Previous Industries [Open Mike Eagle/Video Dave/Still Rift] - Service Merchandise

:-( [Terrible. Such pretentious enunciation. Sounds like a bunch of boring old men with nothing to say desperately trying to sound "hip" and "different" with their flow. And it's "aperture" not "aperature."] [4.5 listens, with the half-listen being because I was dozing off, which is inevitable with this]

Wussy - Cellar Door [EP] [liked]

:-) [Limited edition]

Wussy - The Great Divide [EP] [liked]

:-) [Limited edition]

The Royal Rasses - Humanity [liked]

:-) [Featuring Prince Lincoln Thompson]

Amyl and the Sniffers - Cartoon Darkness [liked]

:-)

Aretha Franklin - Who's Zoomin' Who?: 8 (A-)

The Stylistics - Let's Put It All Together [liked]

:-) [I think I did this one because it was on some list of the best albums of 1974]

Obtained, but not necessarily shelved or graded yet [some have provisional grades] 2025

List made in 2025, but purchases could have been made many years ago ... decades, a half a century, even:

New Order - Power Corruption and Lies [7.5 (high B+)]; Low Life [7 (B+)] [final listen shelf]

His Name Is Alive - Stars on E.S.P. [8 (A-)]

New York Dolls - Dancing Backward in High Heels [7 (B+)]

Soul Coughing - New York, NY 16.08.99 [7.5 (high B+)]

George Jones - The King of Country Music

Earth, Wind & Fire - Original Album Classics [That's the Way; Gratitude; Spirit; All 'n All; I Am]

Various - NOW That’s What I Call an Era: The Sound of the Suburbs 1977-1980 [8.5 (high A-)]

Sabrina Carpenter - Short n' Sweet [8 (A-)] [final listen shelf]

The Wild Magnolias - The Wild Magnolias [8.5 (high A-)]

The Neville Brothers - Treacherous: A History of ... [8.5 (high A-)] [final listen shelf]

Various - Totally Hits [8 (A-)] [4 listens] [Xgau 9.5 (high A-)]

Ata Kak - Obaa Sima [8 (A-)]

Various - Rough Guide to the Music of Ethiopia [2012] [final listen shelf]

Public Enemy - Power to the People and the Beats: Public Enemy's Greatest Hits [1 listen]

Public Enemy - Man Plans God Laughs [final listen shelf] 

Public Enemy - What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down? [final listen shelf] 

David Johansen - Sweet Revenge [9 (A)] [final listen shelf]

Maria Muldaur - Heart of Mine: Love Songs of Bob Dylan [final listen shelf]

La Cherga - Fake No More [8 (A-)] [final listen shelf]

The Steve Miller Band - Greatest Hits 1974-78 [8 (A-)] 

Various - The Sound of the City: New Orleans 

Joe Ely - The Best of Joe Ely [8.5 (high A-)]

Salif Keita - Papa [final listen shelf]

Madonna - True Blue

Lorde - Solar Power [8 (A-)]

Gil Scott-Heron - Original Album Classics [Real Eyes; Reflections; Moving Target]

Ray Charles - Ultimate Hits Collection

K'ss Dal - K'ss Dal [7 (B+) (docked a notch for bloat)]

Lucy Dacus - Forever Is a Feeling [8 (A-)]

The Strokes - The Modern Age [EP] [shelved]

Parquet Courts - Content Nausea [EP] [shelved]

Ted Nugent - Great Gonzos: The Best of Ted Nugent [final listen shelf]

Randy Travis - Trail of Memories

Pretenders - Original Album Series [Pretenders; Pretenders II; Learning to Crawl; Get Close; Last of the Independents]

Diblo Dibala - Mechant Garcon [7 (B+)]

The Reducers - Cruise to Nowhere

Diblo Dibala - Ca Passe ou ca Casse [7 (B+)]

Mekons - Horror [8 (A-)]

Sonic Youth - Sonic Death (Early Sonic - Sonic-Youth Live)

Pretenders - Loose Screw

Various - Rough Guide to the Music of Nigeria and Ghana 

Oh-OK - The Complete Recordings [incl, obviously, Furthermore What]

Tom Ze - Brazil Classics 5: The Return of Tom Ze: The Hips of Tradition [shelved]

Aurlus Mabele - Stop, Arretez!

George Jones - The Grand Tour/Alone Again

George Jones - I Am What I Am

The Three Johns - Volume [with Brainbox EP and everything else]

Kate Bush - Hounds of Love

Low Cut Connie - Get Out the Lotion; Call Me Sylvia [final listen shelf]

Yung Wu - Shore Leave 

John Langford - Gold Brick [8 (A-)]

Bright Eyes - Five Dice, All Threes

Robert Wyatt - Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard [8 (A-)]

Jon Langford & Skull Orchard - Old Devils

Roky Erickson - You're Gonna Miss Me [8 (A-)]

Nicky Minaj - Beam Me Up Scotty [8 (A-)]

Amadou & Mariam - La Vie Est Belle [8 (A-)]

Lokassa et Soukous Stars - Megamix, Vol. 1 [8 (A-)] [shelved]

David Bowie - Aladdin Sane; The Man Who Sold the World; "Heroes"; Lodger; Scary Monsters

Bob Mould - Sunshine Rock [7 (B+)] [final listen shelf]

Gang of Four - What Happens Next [7.5 (high B+)] [final listen shelf]

Gang of Four - Happy Now [7.5 (high B+)] [final listen shelf]

Vincent Gallo - When [7 (B+)] [shelved]

Miranda Lambert - Postcards from Texas [8 (A-)]

FACS - Wish Defense [8 (A-)]

The Chills - Spring Board: The Early Unrecorded Songs [7.5 (high B+)]

Modogo Gian Franco Ferre et L'Orchestre Viva la Musica - Statue de la Liberte [8 (A-)]

Taylor Swift - Folklore [8 (A-)]; Evermore [8 (A-)]

Aesop Rock - Spirit World Field Guide [7 (B+)]; Integrated Tech Solutions [7 (B+)]

Carly Pearce - Hummingbird [8 (A-)]

Manu Chao - Viva Tu [8 (A-)]

Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday; Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded: Deluxe Edition; The Pinkprint; Queen; Pink Friday 2

The Pixies - Best of Pixies: Wave of Mutilation [9 (A)]

Blondshell - Blondshell [8 (A-)]

The Band - Cahoots

The Jackson 5 - The Ultimate Collection [8 (A-)]

Michael Jackson - Bad [8 (A-)]

Pistol Annies - Interstate Gospel

Beyonce - Cowboy Carter; Beyonce

Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud

Hop Along - Painted Shut

Sky Ferreira - Night Time, My Time

Gorillaz - Demon Days

Robyn - Body Talk Pt. 1; Body Talk; Robyn

Lady Gaga - Born This Way [8 (A-)]

Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit [8 (A-)]

Miguel - Kaleidoscope Dream [8 (A-)]

Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass; Skelethon

Various - Angola Soundtrack 2

Ohio Players - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Ohio Players [9 (A)]

Dieuf-Dieul de Thies - Dieuf-Dieul de Thies [8 (A-)]

Kendrick Lamar - GNX [7 (B+)]

Africa Negra - Antologia Vol. 2

Atmosphere - Talk Talk

Aretha Franklin - Original Album Series; Original Album Series Vol. 2

Pepe Kalle and Rochereau - Lisanga Ya "Banganga" [a/k/a "Feu d'Artifice"] [8.5 (high A-)]

Rosali - Bite Down [8.5 (high a-)]
Social Distortion - Social Distortion [7 (B+)]

Dennis Brown - Brown Sugar [liked]

:-)

Amen Dunes - Death Jokes II

:-(

Aretha Franklin - A Rose Is Still a Rose: 7.5 (high B+)

# [r&b] [De-shelved in 2022]

Aretha Franklin - Greatest Hits (1980-1994): 7.5 (high B+)

# [comp; r&b] [De-shelved in 2022]

At the Drive-In - Relationship of Command: 8 (A-)

At the Drive-In - Vaya [EP]: 8 (A-)

Aretha Franklin - 30 Greatest Hits: X Stars

Of course this is a classic, and everyone must have this and be familiar with it. Apparently, this has never been remastered since 1986 domestically, so I still have the old fatbox on the shelves.

Fake Fruit - Mucho Mistrust: 8 (A-)

# [indie noise pop] Upped from 7.5 (high B+) and purchased.

White Denim - Let's Talk About It [EP]: 8 (A-)

Grade is for the 5-song version on Spotify, which I can't seem to find in physical. In fact, all physicals appear to be promos or vinyl limited editions? Weird.

Orchestra Baobab - batch review/placeholder

I have several Baobab releases. On the final listen shelf (ie, had at least 3 listens already but need one final one before being graded and shelved) are the following, all with provisional grades of 8 (A-):

N'Wolof

La Belle Epoque: Volume 2 1973-1976

Tribute to Ndiouga Dieng

Already shelved, which means they got at least 4 listens and were shelved prior to me starting to formally grade albums, are the following, which I will grade if I ever play them again (but they are clearly at least 7 (B+) or I would not have shelved them):

On Verra Ca

Pirates Choice

Made in Dakar

And I have the following two albums lying around, which I have heard less than 3 times and will eventually get around to hearing some more:

African Classics (also called Classic Titles, and on AllMusic as African Nights for some reason)

A Night at Club Baobab

And finally, on my listening list for some day is Roots and Fruit. [AllMusic also has a Volume 3 for the La Belle Epoque series, which is also on Discogs, as a digital release. This is just the second disc of the 2-disc Volume 2.]

Orchestra Baobab - Bamba: 8 (A-)

This contains most of the below two albums, which I will not grade separately. Each album has 6 tracks, and this one contains in each case 5 of the 6 tracks. The album titles are Mouhamadou Bamba and Viva Bawobab S1 / Si Bou Odja, or something like that in the latter case. It is sometimes listed as Sibou Odia and is credited to "Baobab Gouye-Gui De Dakar." Actually, I think the first one is credited to the same, with an extra hyphen. I did listen to the 2 deleted tracks thrice each.

Mouhamadou Bamba

Viva Bawobab S1 / Si Bou Odja

Kool Keith - El Dorado Driven: 7 (B+)

# [import (Canada)] Presented by "Teddy Bass." Sounds like Keith's electro move. Besides being an import, and priced as such, this was also issued in a cardboard sleeve. I refuse to buy those.

Material - Temporary Music (1979-1981): 8 (A-)

This grade is for the "expanded edition," with the first two Temporary Music EPs and 4 extra tracks from 2 of their singles -- "Ciquri"/"Detached" (with Robert Quine on guitar) and "Discourse"/"Slow Murder." Also released as Secret Life. I have this as part of a 3-disc reissue with One Down and SXL's Into the Outlands.

Radiohead - Drill [EP]

:-| [3 songs rerecorded for Pablo Honey]

Saccharine Trust - Paganicons [EP] [liked]

:-)

Been Stellar - Scream from New York, NY [liked]

:-)

Honor Role - Album: 7.5 (high B+)

# [comp] [Docked a notch for bloat]

Catalog Scrubs Complete 2025

New Order

Average White Band

X-Ray Spex

His Name Is Alive

Garland Jeffreys

Astor Piazzolla

Wild Magnolias

Guy Clark

Marshall Crenshaw

Raspberries/Eric Carmen

The Verve

Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band

Kid Creole [and the Coconuts]/August Darnell/The Coconuts

Public Enemy

Chuck D/Peeps of Soulfunk

David Johansen/Buster Poindexter

Bill Orcutt

Soft Machine

Blood, Sweat & Tears

Local H

Maureen "Moe" Tucker

Jimmie Rodgers

David Murray

En Vogue

Supertramp

Steve Miller

Madonna

Lorde

John Anderson

The Housemartins

Django Reinhardt

Moe Bandy

Action Bronson

Charly Bliss

2 Black 2 Strong [MMG]

The Romantics

Califone

Red Crayola [Krayola]/Art & Language/Mayo Thompson

Spring Heel Jack

Yaz/Yazoo

New York Dolls

Johnny Thunders/Heartbreakers

Carolina Chocolate Drops

Randy Travis

The Reducers

Khalid

Ducks Deluxe

Pretenders

Channel 3/CH3/CH 3

Gogol Bordello

The Alarm

George Jones

A Flock of Seagulls

Neville Brothers

Divinyls

Kate Bush

T-Bone Burnett/Alpha Band

Hamell on Trial

Low Cut Connie

Yellowman

Charlie Chaplin

Meat Puppets

The Move

Mogwai

Penguin Cafe Orchestra

Gary Numan

Tyler Childers

William Tyler

Congo Natty/Rebel MC/Conquering Lion

Roky Erickson/13th Floor Elevators

Rush

Earth, Wind & Fire

Non-Prophets

Lokassa Ya Mbongo/Soukous Stars

Dally Kimoko/Soukous Stars

Lucy Dacus

Portishead

Low

Aurlus Mabele

Diblo Dibala/Loketo/Matchatcha

Zitany Neil

Fede Lawu

The Handsome Family

Three 6 Mafia

Terry Allen

Little Axe

Vincent Gallo

Gang of Four

Guns N' Roses

Pablo Lubadika Porthos

Allen Ravenstine

Bob Mould/Sugar

John Hiatt

Nicki Minaj

Taylor Swift

Billy Idol

Emmylou Harris

Sandy Denny

George Winston

Keith Jarrett

Aesop Rock

Robert Wyatt

Dead Moon

The Band

The Jacksons/The Jackson 5

The Weeknd

King Sunny Ade

Swearin'

The Sex Pistols

Peaches & Herb

Broken Social Scene

George Michael

Erykah Badu

Sleater-Kinney

Dead Can Dance

Toots and The Maytals

Charlie Rich

Opal

Populous

Little Roy

I-Roy

Popul Vuh

Amen Dunes

At the Drive-In/Mars Volta/Sparta

Aretha Franklin

Orchestra Baobab

Saccharine Trust

Mars

Circle X

Circle X - Circle X [EP]: 7 (B+)

Never reissued on remastered CD, and original vinyl sells for too much.

2025 Single Listens (unless 2 otherwise noted)

Lifeguard - Ripped and Torn

The Bluebells - The Bluebells [EP]

Various - Roots Rocking Zimbabwe - The Modern Sound of Harare' Townships 1975-1980

This Is Lorelei - Box for Buddy, Box for Star

Bill Orcutt - Made out of Sound

The Animals - Animalization

Repetition Repetition - Fit for Consequences: Original Recordings, 1984–1987

Charly Bliss - Supermoon

Khalid - Sincere

Joanna Wang - Modern Tragedy [Xgau B+]

Various - African Connection, Vol. 2: West Africa [9 of 12 tracks]

Ducks Deluxe - Box of Shorts [EP]

David Murray - Birdly Serenade

Alice Coltrane - Universal Consciousness

The Alarm - Declaration; The Alarm [EP]

Beirut - The Flying Club Cup 

Here We Go Magic - A Different Ship

Perfume Genius - Glory

Deafheaven - Lonely People with Power

Destroyer - Dan’s Boogie

Sleigh Bells - Bunky Becky Birthday Boy

Various - Super Guitar Soukous

clipping. - Dead Channel Sky

4 Etoiles - Adama Coly

Slowdive - Holding Our Breath [EP]

Various - World Beat Vol. 1 - Afrique De L'Ouest/West Africa

Various - World Beat Vol. 2 - Afrique Centrale/Central Africa

Ghost Mountain - October Country

Talking Heads - Live on Tour ’78 [Live at The Agora, Cleveland, OH, 12/18/1978]

Glenn Mercer - Incidental Hum

Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou - Echos Hypnotiques: From the Vaults of Albarika ...

Gloorp - Gloorp 'Em Up

William Tyler - Time Indefinite [2 listens]

Mamalarky - Hex Key

Bladee - Cold Visions

Chief Keef - Back from the Dead [mixtape]

Roger Knox/Pine Valley Cosmonauts - Stranger in My Land [w/Jon Langford]

Squid - Cowards

Sam Fender - People Watching

Florence Adooni - A.O.E.I.U.

Gnonnas Pedro - La Compilation Vol. 1 [Afro-Cuban]

Bootsy Collins - Album of the Year #1 Funkateer

Jane Remover - Revengeseekerz

Future Islands - Singles; The Far Field

Gang of Four - Tattoo [EP] [one sound clip; one new song]

Low/Spring Heel Jack - Bombscare [EP]

Scott Walker [Engel] - Scott 4

Beak - 2 [>>]

Lambchop - Nixon

PremRock - Did You Enjoy Your Time Here...?

John Lennon - Live in New York City [2 listens]

Yo La Tengo - Nuclear War [EP] [at least one listen]

John Lennon - Shaved Fish; The John Lennon Collection; Lennon Legend: The Very Best

Guns N' Roses - Greatest Hits

Backxwash - Only Dust Remains

Yo La Tengo - Merry Christmas from Yo La Tengo [EP]

Wganda Kenya - Africa 5.000 [afro-funk]

Nicki Minaj - Queen Radio: Volume 1

Neil Young + Promise of the Real - Earth

For Against - Coalesced

Horsegirl - Phonetics On and On

OsamaSon - Jump Out

LP - Lost on You

The Space Lady - Greatest Hits

Bashy - Being Poor Is Expensive

Jackson 5 - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of The Jackson 5

Pierce the Veil - Collide with the Sky

Exodus - Bonded by Blood

Movietone - The Blossom Filled Streets

White Denim - 12

Prostitute - Attempted Martyr

The Rolling Stones - Welcome to Shepherd’s Bush [Live]

Jaeychino - Artwork III

NLE Choppa - SLUT SZN

Ricardo Villalobos - Alcachofa

Cameron Winter - Heavy Metal

Zapsign Deebo - The Yeoville Papyrus

Plastikman [Richie Hawtin] - Musik

DJ Krush - Meiso

Messiah in Glytch - Geisha in the Machine

The Bug Club - On the Intricate Inner Workings of the System