Middle Class - Homeland: 7.5 (high B+)

Might be an 8 (A-) but I’m not going to sweat that call unless someone undertakes a reissue program for the band, because anything they ever released (this and two EPs) costs a fortune. Actually, the two EPs are on Spotify, on a reissue with some demos and session work that is physicalized, although it also sells for a little too much, given the quality of those EPs and that it is cluttered with demos and session work. Anyway, see separate posts on the EPs.

Belle and Sebastian - Books [EP]: liked

:-)

Dijon - Baby: liked

:-)

Leaving Trains - Drowned and Dragged [EP]: 7.5 (high B+)

Too expensive used for a 12-minute EP at this grade to even put up an alert.

David Greenberger & The Hi-Ho Barbers - Ginger Ale: liked

:-)

Jimmy Page - Outrider: neutral

First side is "liked," and second side is "disliked," so it averages out to neutral.

Holy Modal Rounders - 1 & 2: 8 (A-)

Jimmy Cliff - The Best of Jimmy Cliff: 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: 7.5 (high B+)

I love these generally short comps, but because they’re short, if you even include one dud of a track (“Bongo Man," this means you), it docks the whole collection a notch, especially when there are other choices out there. #bestof

Herbie Hancock - Crossings: 7.5 (high B+)

#jazz/fusion

Various - DIY: We're Desperate: The L.A. Scene (1976-79) [Rhino, 1993]: 7.5 (high B+)

The least of the three compilations I was able to find on the early LA punk scene, in my view. The other two -- (Jon Savage presents) Black Hole: Californian Punk 1977-80 [Domino, 2010] and Punk 45: Chaos in the City of Angels and Devils (Hollywood From X to Zero & Hardcore on the Beaches: Punk in Los Angeles 1977-81) [Soul Jazz, 2016] -- are worth having. This one’s not bad -- it’s just not as good and seems to stray from “punk” in some places. Strange for Rhino not to get this exactly right, since they started in the midst of all this. Of course, maybe I’m taking the outsider’s (British) view of the scene. #mulitartistcomp

The O'Jays - The Ultimate O'Jays [2001]: [grade to come]

I wanted to update from the Love Train [1994] compilation, which was not only skimpy but was an early-CD era compilation, and it was either this or The Essential O'Jays [2005]. All of them are on Legacy.

Essential gives you these additional songs:

"Use ta Be My Girl"

"The Big Gangster"

"Message in Our Music"

Ultimate gives you these additional songs:

"Let Me Make Love to You"

"When the World's at Peace"

"Family Reunion"

"You Got Your Hooks in Me"

I played all of these songs three of four times, and you can see which one I went with. Interestingly, neither gives you "Rich Get Richer," which they should. It names names though, and I'm sure the labels owners didn't have the nerve.

John Fahey - Of Rivers and Religion: 8 (A-)

I have this shelved but also have a two-fer with After the Ball lying around awaiting evaluation. It will probably end up displacing this.

John Fahey - The Return of the Repressed: The John Fahey Anthology: 8 (A-)

The O'Jays - Love Train: The Best of the O'Jays: 8.5 (high A-)

10cc - The Very Best of 10cc: 8 (A-)

Amelia Barratt and Bryan Ferry - Loose Talk: liked

:-)

clipping. - Dead Channel Sky: liked

 Four plays

Dream Syndicate - Tell Me When It's Over [EP]: liked

:-)

Syran Mbenza - Rumba Africa: liked

Could be a 7 (B+), or perhaps even a 7.5 (high B+), but it's digital-only, so I'm not going to play it again to make the distinction.

John Lennon - Imagine: 9 (A)

John Lennon and Yoko Ono - Double Fantasy: 9 (A)

Odyssey the Band - Reunion: 7.5 (high B+)

Might be an 8 (A-) but not really available anyway. #jazz/fusion

Victoria Eleyson [Eleison] de King Kester Emeneya - Pas de Contact: 7.5 (high B+)

What I believe is a prime example of latter-day Parisian soukous - slick production with long songs (average length six minutes), the first half of which is a decent mellow ditty, followed by a blistering second half sebene which really bears little to no relation to the first half. #import

James Blood Ulmer - Are You Glad to Be in America?: 7.5 (high B+)

#jazz

Nakibembe Embaire Group and Naoyuki Uchida - Phantom Keys: 7 (B+)

#experimental/live/ethnographic/folkloric