Jon Langford & The Men of Gwent - President of Wales: 7.5 (high B+)

Apparently, there were a few copies pressed to CD, but they appear to have been snatched up pretty quickly.

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers - Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers: 8 (A-)

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers - Jonathan Sings!: 8 (A-)

Proteje - Ancient Future [honorable mention]

:-) [Might be 7 (B+), but no reasonably-priced used copies available anyway]

Bad Moves - Wearing out the Refrain: 7 (B+)

Outstanding track: "A Lapse in the Emptiness." Ended up buying it because it's a Philly band, even though it's #indiepop.

Bembeya Jazz National - Bembeya Jazz National [Disques Esperance, 1993]: notation

I'm not sure how to grade this. They picked the obvious best songs to put on African Classics/Classic Titles. I have highlighted the tracks that are unique and would say that they are "liked" or perhaps 7 (B+). Obviously not springing for those four tracks.

1 "Telegramme"

2 "Lan Naya"

3 "Moussokoro"

4 "Sukabe"

5 "Gbapie"

6 "Yekeke"

7 "Sabu"

8 "Koumba Tenin"

9 "Yelema Yelemaso"

10  "Yarabi"

Jon Langford & The Men of Gwent - Lost on Land & Sea: 8.5 (high A-)

Jon Langford & The Men of Gwent: The Legend of LL: 7.5 (high B+)

Vinyl-only

Fontaines D.C. - Skinty Fia: 8.5 (high A-)

Christgau thinks this is their "dullest" album. I think it's their best, and not dull. I do, however, think he's become quite dull himself.

Dim Stars - Dim Stars [Ecstatic Peace!, 1991] [EP]: 7 (B+)

Unusual issuance. Only US version consists of three 7-inches (?). Putting aside that, the 12-inch, and the reissue on Caroline in a clunky jewel box, you're left with the original UK issue on Ecstatic Peace!, but it's nowhere to be found. There does appear to be another UK release on Paperhouse (?), but the prices on that for a 4-song EP at this grade (nothing historic) are ludicrous. So I'll be skipping this.

Wimps - City Lights: liked

Could be a 7 (B+), but #indiepop anyway. Four listens.

The Clean - Mister Pop [honorable mention]

:-)

Tokyo Police Club - Champ: 8 (A-)

Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell: 8 (A-)

Tokyo Police Club - A Lesson in Crime [EP]: 8 (A-)

A great post-post-punk EP. I love EPs.

The Hard Quartet - The Hard Quartet [liked]

:-) [Upped from neutral]

Coco & Clair Clair - Girl [EP]: 7.5 (high B+)

 

At barely 24 minutes and 9 tracks, I'm calling this an EP. # [r&b] Vinyl- and digital-only anyway.

Bembeya Jazz National - Classic Titles [aka African Classics]: 9 (A)

Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore - TexiCali: 7.5 (high B+)

# [country]

Thurston Moore - Flow Critical Lucidity [honorable mention]

:-)

Harold Budd - The Pavilion of Dreams

:-|

Chappell Roan - The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess: 7.5 (high B+)

Got a copy anyway, since it scored so high on year-end lists. #synthpop

Slayer - Live: Decade of Aggression: 7.5 (high B+)

Normally this would be #live/metal, but I made an exception for Slayer. And I de-fatboxed it.

Slayer - Reign in Blood: 8 (A-)

Slayer - Haunting the Chapel [EP]: 7.5 (high B+)

Normally this would be #metal, but I have a weakness for EPs, and this one is supposed to be seminal in its genre.