Scientist/Hempress Sativa: Scientist Meets Hempress Sativa in Dub: 8 (A-)

 

Digital- and vinyl-only, so thanks for letting me keep my money!

Siouxsie and the Banshees - A Kiss in the Dreamhouse: liked

 :-)

Thurston Moore - By the Fire [honorable mention]

:-)

Digital Underground - Sons of the P [liked]

 :-) [Too many of the songs are too repetitive.]

Atmosphere - The Day Before Halloween

 :-|

Tall Dwarfs - Hello Cruel World: 7 (B+)

Contains their first four EPs: Three Songs, Louis Likes His Daily Dip, Canned Music, and Slugbucket Hairybreath Monster. Some seriously annoying songs are mixed with some good ones. I would pick up a copy, but not for the prices being charged at this grade.

The Roots - Do You Want More?!!!??!

 :-(

Mikey Dread - World War III: 7 (B+)

 

Also put out as Beyond World War III, I think, with some bonus (dub?) tracks. Would definitely pick this up if it were selling for reasonable prices.

Unsung Heroes - Unleashed: liked

Docked a notch for overstaying its welcome. It's #grime anyway. [De-shelved in 2021]

Muddy Waters - His Best, 1947 to 1955: X (X)

This will end up being the only Muddy compilation I will retain. It contains all the tracks from The Best of Muddy Waters. I could supplement it with the 1956-1964 companion, or replace it with The Anthology, which amounts to the same thing, but the latter day singles just aren't as essential. I know it's sacrilegious to say this, but with the second set, or The Anthology, do I really need two and a half hours of Muddy? I could also keep Trouble No More: Singles (1955-1959), but the only essential songs on that I would be missing are "Got My Mojo Working" and "Forty Days" ("Sugar Sweet" and "Trouble No More" are on this). Likewise, I will lose the 20th Century Masters compilation. The only songs that would give me are the ones I note for Trouble No More, with the rest overlapping with this. I'm also selling Real Folk Blues, which is not a 5-star album on Allmusic and Hull gives a B+. It was never re-issued alone on remastered CD, although it is in Christgau's now-defunct "Core Collection."

Update: I decided to keep Trouble No More, because it's a properly shorter disc of his later period (35 minutes vs. His Best's 60), I should have at least this small amount of that, Tom Hull gives it an A+ (his only one for Muddy), Rolling Stone gave it five stars, and Christgau put it in his Core Collection. I also changed my mind on the 20th Century Masters compilation. Please see separate post about that.

Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak: liked

Way better than Christgau's ridiculous grade led me to believe all these years.

Mott the Hoople - Mott the Hoople: liked

:-)

Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour: X (X)

Not qualified to critically assess. Owned it once and sold it off. At least 6 plays. # [Roma]

R.A.P. Ferreira - Purple Moonlight Pages: neutral

Digital-only. Upped to neutral on fourth play.

Joe Jackson - Look Sharp!: liked

:-)

Siouxsie and the Banshees - Once Upon a Time: The Singles: notation

Listened three times to the tracks not on The Scream or Juju. Probably give this a 7.5 (high B+) and #bestof.

Siouxsie and the Banshees - Juju [honorable mention]

 :-)

Big Youth - A Reggae Collection: notation

Tom Hull gave this an A minus, so I looked into it. I have all its songs, with the exception of two from Hit the Road Jack! ("Hit The Road Jack" and "What's Going On"), which I already reviewed, plus "Medicine Doctor" and "A So We Stay" -- which are fine.

Mott the Hoople - The Hoople 7.5 (high B+)

Might be an 8 (A-), but CDs that aren't cluttered with almost as many bonus tracks as original tracks are unavailable. There was one issued in 2000 with only 3, but it costs a fortune. In any event, two-thirds of the original tracks are on the 2-CD Retrospective compilation I have posted separately about ("Trudi's Song," "Alice," and "Pearl 'n' Roy (England)" are the ones that didn't make the cut), so I'm passing on a physical.

Atmosphere - Southsiders: 8 (A-)

 

Brandy Clark - Big Day in a Small Town: 7 (B+)

 

# [country]

Super Mama Djombo - Mandjuana: 8.5 (high A-)

 

Currently one copy on Discogs, selling for $420. Not printing out at 8.5.

Dinosaur Jr. - Where You Been: liked

:-)

Public Image Ltd. - Happy?: liked

:-)

Startisha - Naeem

:-|