Al Green - The Absolute Best: 9 (A)

Christgau rates this five stars in one location and four in another. I come out in the middle.

Flamin Groovies - Teenage Head: 8 (A-)

This was never issued on remastered CD without a slew of bonus tracks. This generally means I also would not go back and buy the original vinyl, which in this case is too expensive anyway. Great album though. Outstanding track: "Whiskey Woman"

Tapper Zukie - MPLA: 8 (A-)

The Modern Lovers [Jonathan Richman] - Precise Modern Lovers Order: Live in Berkeley and Boston: liked

:-)

The Manhattans - Super Hits [Sony/BMG, 2007]: 8.5 (high A-)

I don't know why I like this a couple notches better than Greatest Hits (1980). Could it be as simple as sound quality? Here are the only track differences (same number of tracks, but with two swapped songs):

Super Hits:

"Wish That You Were Mine"

"Am I Losing You"

Greatest Hits:

"I'll Never Find Another (Find Another Like You)"

"Do You Really Mean Goodbye?"

Various - Azagas & Archibogs: The Sixties Sound of Lagos Highlife [Original Music, 1991]: 7 (B+)

#multiartistcomp/folkloric/highlife

Al Green - The Definitive Greatest Hits [Capitol/Hi, 2007]: notation

This is the third edition of the man's Greatest Hits, from what I can tell. The first in 1975 with 10 tracks (vinyl-only), the second in 1995 with five additional tracks (CD-only), and this in 2007 with six additional tracks to the 15 in 1995. Here are the six:

"Take Me to the River"

"Keep Me Cryin'"

"Oh Me, Oh My (Dreams in My Arms)"

"Back Up Train" - from Back Up Train

"I Can't Stop" - from I Can't Stop

"Perfect to Me"- from Everything's OK

The last three are not on the two-disc The Absolute Best. I have noted above where those three are taken from. I have the latter two. I am evaluating the first album, Back Up Train, but will obviously not upgrade to this for that track alone, no matter where I come out on the album.

[Ronald] Shannon Jackson & The Decoding Society - Nasty: 7.5 (high B+)

Might be an 8 (A-), but #import anyway, so I'm not going to make the distinction. Five plays.

Ronald Shannon Jackson & The Decoding Society - Barbeque Dog: 8 (A-)

Vernon Reid on guitar.

Bettie Serveert - Palomine: 8.5 (high A-)

New Order - Low-Life: 7.5 (high B+)

The Delfonics - Platinum & Gold Collection [Arista/BMG Heritage, 2003]: 8.5 (high A-)

Aka The Very Best of the Delfonics [Arista/Legacy, 2005]. I like the cover of that one much better, but Gold & Platinum is the one I could find for the best price. The Very Best cover looks like this:

Th Faith Healers - Lido: 8 (A-)

Brian Eno - Before and after Science: 7.5 (high B+)

Dry Cleaning - New Long Leg: 8 (A-)

Pavement - Hecklers Choice: Big Gums and Heavy Lifters - A Pavement Collection: 9 (A)

Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force - Lost Generation: 7.5 (high B+)

#electro

Dry Cleaning - Secret Love: 7 (B+)

Upped from "liked" on fourth listen. In cart, awaiting a fair price.

Little Willie John - Fever: The Best of Little Willie John [Rhino, 1993]: X (X)

Christgau has this compilation dated 1995, which I believe is incorrect. #r&b

Various - Africa Dances: 8 (A-)

Al Green - The Lord Will Make a Way: 7.5 (high B+)

#gospel (while I'll override #r&b for Al, I won’t override #gospel for him)

The Pixies - Bossanova: 8.5 (high A-)

New Order - Power, Corruption & Lies: 8 (A-)

New York Dolls - New York Dolls [Mercury, 1977]: notation

Official UK, vinyl two-fer release of first two studio albums. As a Dolls semi-completist, I do have a copy.

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers - Rock 'n' Roll With the Modern Lovers: 7.5 (high B+)