Lou Reed - Live: Take No Prisoners: liked

This would have made a 7 (B+) one-disc album, if they had left off the long, sneering, unfunny monologues and "I Want to Be Black," and even one or two others. Christgau's C+ reads to me like phony outrage for being negatively name-checked.

Eric Clapton - Backless: 7 (B+)

Possibly a 7 (B+), but the traditional blues songs and some of the dreckier material holds me back. It does tempt me to have Glyn Johns' back-to-back productions with Clapton (including Slowhand). Update (January 2026): Ultimately gave into temptation several years later, upon reconsidering Clapton's middle period and growing to appreciate it more and more. Love the cover to. Upped a notch.

Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending

:-|

Bauhaus - 1979-1983, Vol. 1: liked

:-)

Soulja Boy Tell 'Em - Souljaboytellem.com

:-(

Neil Young - Unplugged: liked

Not much of a live album person, especially of the "unplugged" variety. Also see review of Are You Passionate?.

Robert Calvert - Lucky Leif and the Longships: neutral

Eno produced and played. A couple good songs, and some really terrible ones. The good ones, not surprisingly, sound like Eno. Four plays.

Neil Young - Are You Passionate?: neutral

I'm on the fence with Christgau's three-star honorable mention albums for Neil. I really like Greendale, especially after seeing it live, and also went for Harvest Moon because it's so loved. But this, Unplugged and Peace Trail are a pass. This is consistent with Allmusic users and critics alike (although less so for Unplugged, but I'm also biased against that one because it's live, and especially acoustic). Tom Hull gives this one an 8 (A-), so maybe I'm missing something a little here.

John Prine - Aimless Love: 7 (B+)

#folk

Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters: disliked

Lyrics are the same line repeated over and over and over and over and over and over and over.... What do people hear in this? One of the most unpleasant albums I have ever heard. At least 6 listens, so you can't say I didn't try. Maybe one day I will open up and get it?

Kassa Overall - I Think I'm Good: liked

:-)

Serengeti and Kenny Segal - Ajai: 7.5 (high B+)

Digital only. Update: Well, then limited edition vinyl and CD were put out. And then a further limited edition, with a couple EPs appended to make it a double, was put out. I don't like limited editions of anything, although the vinyl is still available. So ultimately, I will continue to pass on this. Further update: Actually bought digital and paid Kunaki to turn it into a CD. They did a great job. I'm sure I'll be using that service again in the future. Also upped from 7 (B+) upon listening to the custom CD. And my cover looks like this:

Beastie Boys - Hello Nasty: 7 (B+)

Not sure what some people hear in this. Not on a par with their 2-4 classic trilogy.

The Grateful Dead - Aoxomoxoa: 8 (A-)

Upped from 7 (B+) upon further listening (and rescued from the sell pile).

Shabazz Palaces - The Don of Diamond Dreams: liked

:-)

Morrissey - I Am Not a Dog on a Chain [honorable mention]

:-)

The Strokes - The New Abnormal: 7.5 (high B+)

Upped from "liked" upon getting slightly wiser as I aged. I think I always resented them for being over-privileged New York City kids, when I was a graffiti-writing, acid-taking Manhattan gutter rat from the immediately prior generation. But that's just bitterness, and was like rejecting James McMurtry because he has a famous father. Awesome album cover too, speaking of NYC graffiti from the immediately prior generation. I think Casablancas even named one of his kids Zephyr, although maybe not after the great vandal I ran slightly behind and idolized when these guys were pampered tots in the crumbling metropolis.

Eno, Moebius, Roedelius, Plank ‎– Begegnungen: 7.5 (high B+)

Try finding this at anything approaching a reasonable price. If I could find a box set of all the early Sky records releases (After the Heat, etc.), I'd buy it. #ambient/krautrock

The Grateful Dead - Reckoning: 7 (B+)

#live/acoustic/bluesrock/folkrock

The Grateful Dead - Blues for Allah: liked

Downgraded from 7 (B+) upon further listening, but kept the cover image because it's so great. A very spotty album. First few songs are amazing, and then it descends into jazz-rock schmaltz. As for getting it, the choices are bad: first generation CD transfer, ridiculously overpriced used vinyl, or a remastered CD loaded with bonus tracks which I'm sure are crappy. #bluesrock/folkrock

Theoretical Girls - "U.S. Millie" b/w "You Got Me" [single] [honorable mention]

:-)

Kitaro - Oasis [honorable mention]

I think this is the Kitaro album I played fairly often in the late 1980's, but I can't be sure. I'm pretty sure it was orange anyway, and this seems to be the only orange record of his from around that time. But it doesn't look or even sound familiar. Posting a cover for this one so I know which one I ended up settling on.

Glenn Branca - The Ascension: 7 (B+)

I'd probably buy this just as a Sonic Youth precursor, or at least for the picture of a young Lee Ranaldo on the back cover, but it's ridiculously expensive, so I'll pass.

The Grateful Dead - Dozin' at the Knick: 8 (A-)

If I didn't fear I was biased, I would call this my favorite Dead recording after Cornell. I only saw them live once, at this same arena two years after this was recorded. It was a great show, and 3 years later Garcia was dead.

Robert Sarazin Blake with Jefferson Hamer and the Powderkegs - Put It All Down in a Letter: 8 (A-)

This one grows on you.