The Streets - The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living: 7.5 (high B+)

The Streets - Original Pirate Material: 8 (A-)

Nirvana - Incesticide: 7.5 (high B+)

Nirvana - MTV Unplugged in New York: 8 (A-)

Nirvana - From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah: 7.5 (high B+)

Nirvana - Hormoaning [EP]: 7 (B+)

Nirvana - Nirvana: 9 (A)

I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is the best Nirvana album. I think they were a singles band, and this is the album I queue up when I want to hear them. I also like how they don't fill it up to the brim, just because they could.

Gap Band - The 12" Collection and More: 9 (A)

I also have the original version of this, on vinyl, which I regard as a minor treasure:

Gap Band - Gap Band IV and Gap Band V: Jammin': 7.5 (high B+)

Normally would be # [funk], but this nice twofer (on separate discs! even), tempted me, so I sprung for it.

The Streets - The Darker the Shadow the Brighter the Light: liked

:-)

Mother Earth - Living with the Animals: 7 (B+)

# [blues/folk]

Mother Earth - Presents Tracy Nelson Country: 8 (A-)

Mother Earth - Make a Joyful Noise: 8 (A-)

Martin Rev - Sum of Our Wounds: liked

:-)

Silkworm - Libertine

:-|

David Murray - Shakill's Warrior: 7.5 (high B+)

I listened to this album countless times when it came out, trying to hear the A+ that Christgau had given it. I could never get there, or even close. Then, three decades later, he casually says something like “obviously not an A+.” How can you give something an A+ unless you’ve listened to it over and over and never want to stop listening and even still have agonized over bestowing the grade? To me, that’s what an A+ is. His jazz grades to me are somewhat suspect.

Big Black - Lungs [EP]: 7 (B+)

On The Hammer Party w/Racer-X EP.

Big Black - Bulldozer [EP]: 8 (A-)

On The Hammer Party w/Racer-X EP.

Big Black - Heartbeat [EP]: 7 (B+)

On Rich Man's with Atomizer. I guess this is technically filed as a single, with two songs on the second side.

Big Black - Headache [EP]: 7 (B+)

On Rich Man's w/Atomizer.

Big Black - “He’s a Whore” b/w “The Model” [honorable mention]

:-) [A single. Total time: 5:07]

Big Black - “Il Duce” b/w “Big Money” [honorable mention]

:-) [A single. Total time: 5:42]

Marvin Gaya - In the Groove: 7.5 (high B+)

# [r&b]

Ekko Astral - Pink Balloons: 8 (A-)

Only physicals are vinyl and cassette. Moronic.

Wayne Kramer - Citizen Wayne: 8 (A-)

I bought this when it came out and played it over and over because I had only recently gotten into Christgau, and I didn’t like it much and was trying to hear what he heard in it. I waffled and eventually sold it off, although I remember loving the track “No Easy Way Out.” Playing it now, I do remember all the tracks, which is a really great sign, and impelled me to give it a 7.5 (high B+), and then an 8 (A-). These songs felt like old friends this time around. So I felt compelled to pick it up again, almost 25+ years later; and there is a reissue version with a video on it, which gives me an excuse to buy it again. May rate this video after I play it.