Guy Clark - Old No. 1: 7 (B+)

#country

Randy Newman - Land of Dreams: liked

His “rap” song is one of the most ludicrous tracks I’ve ever heard. Update (April 2026): Collected, and awaiting possible upgrade.

Randy Newman - Little Criminals: 7.5 (high B+)

Randy Newman - Faust: liked

Might be a 7 (B+), but it's #broadway/showtunes anyway. I've listened to this many more than three times – I used to own it and sold it back. I may have done this twice over the decades.

Randy Newman - Born Again: 7 (B+)

Upped from "liked."

Various Artists - Heavyweight Sound: A Blood and Fire Sampler [honorable mention]

:-)

Time Zone - "World Destruction": 7 (B+)

7" and 12" single, so clearly not collecting this one. [Bill Laswell/Material and Afrika Bambaataa and John Lydon]

Afrika Bambaataa - Looking for the Perfect Beat 1980-1985: liked

"Liked" mainly for historical significance. Really a neutral. This has all the tracks on Planet Rock - The Album but two, which two I will not be tracking down since they were add-ons to that album anyway. I've either sold this off, or it's in my current sell pile, I'm not sure which. Of course, now I'm without "Zulu Nation Throw Down," but so be it. Twelve-inch seems the only true way to own that track anyway, but it sells for a fortune obviously.

White Lung - Paradise [honorable mention]

:-)

Tchico and the Officers of African Music - Full Steam Ahead! [liked]

:-) [4 listens. Soloist Denis "La Cloche" Loubassou also on Pablo! Pablo!.

Various - The Rough Guide to the Music of the Sahara: liked

With bonus disc Introducing Mamane Barka (see single listens - very repetitive).

The Roots - How I Got Over: 7 (B+)

Blue Oyster Cult - The Best of Blue Oyster Cult: Don't Fear the Reaper: 8.5 (high A-)

Blue Oyster Cult - Agents of Fortune: 9 (A)

Richard Lloyd - The Countdown: liked

:-)

Blue Oyster Cult - Tyranny and Mutation: 7.5 (high B+)

Blue Oyster Cult - Blue Oyster Cult: 7 (B+)

Red House Painters - Ocean Beach: liked

Outstanding track: “San Geronimo”

Big Star - Live at Lafayette's Music Room: 7 (B+)

As great as can be expected for a live trio. But given that it's #live and a trio and, like all Omnivore releases, it's overpriced, I'm going to skip it and save shelf space. This is the same show that's on the odds and ends box set, Keep an Eye on the Sky. I could get that, a four-disc box set, for less than twice what this is going for. #live

Tom Verlaine - The Miller's Tale: 3.5 stars

I downloaded this to hear the live concert on disc 1. CDs are ridiculously expensive. Read that the live show was "one of the best live albums of all time." It's absolutely not. I give it an A minus, and the "greatest hits" disc a B plus. So docked a quarter star to 3.5 stars for this strange compromise. They should release the live album on its own on disc. I'm not printing out an A minus live album.

Amy Winehouse - Back to Black: liked

:-)

Miranda Lambert - Wildcard: 8 (A-)

Upped from 7.5 (high B+) and purchased.

Bonnie "Prince" Billy [Will Oldham] - The Letting Go: neutral

:-|

Gang Starr - One of the Best Yet [honorable mention]

:-)

Aesop Rock - Float [Mush, 2000]: liked

Docked a notch for bloat (20 tracks, 1:09). Update (November 2025): Upped to "liked" on fourth listen, almost exactly six years later, but still docked a notch.