R.E.M. - New Adventures in Hi-Fi: 8.5 (high A-)

Homeboy Sandman - Anjelitu [honorable mention]

:-)

King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black

:-|

Can - Soon Over Babaluma [honorable mention]

:-)

Faces - Good Boys... When They're Asleep: The Best of Faces: 8.5 (high A-)

Also listened to the two-disc The Definitive Rock Collection, which has nine additional Faces songs, plus the Rod Stewart B-side “Jodie” and the Rod Stewart song “Losing You." I listened to the whole thing once, and the extra songs three times. The single disc is a better option in my view.

I also note that three songs from the early Snakes and Ladders comp are not on here: “Pineapple and the Monkey,” “Around the Plynth” and “Silicone Grown." Fine to do without those. The first is a disposable instrumental, the second an overlong jam, and the third appears to be criticizing women who get breast implants (I looked it up, and it appears this surgery was being done at that time, which was a surprise to me). I see why all these were left off the modern compilation.

Alice in Chains - Jar of Flies [EP]: 7 (B+)

Lucy Dacus - Home Video: liked

Upped a notch on fourth listen

Rina Sawayama - Sawayama

:-|

Various Artists - Mojo Rocksteady: 7.5 (high B+)

# [rock steady/multi-artist]

Kip Hanrahan - Desire Develops an Edge: 7 (B+)

# [jazz]

Tyler Childers - Live on Red Barn Radio I & II: liked

:-)

Radio Birdman - Radios Appear [honorable mention]

:-) 

The Mekons - The Mekons [aka Devils, Rats and Piggies: A Special Message from Godzilla]: 8 (A-)

In the market for a reasonably-priced used copy, any issue or format. I doubt I will ever see one. Maybe they will reissue this one day. Update (May 2026): Found a beautiful copy of the 1997 CD reissue on Quarterstick, the one with two bonus tracks - "Killer Ken" and "Another Set of Teeth." And upped a notch - this album was ahead of its time (1980) and takes some getting used to. Very experimental/arty.

The Goon Sax - Mirror II [honorable mention]

:-) [Four listens. First two, or perhaps three, tracks are outstanding, but it doesn't keep up at that level.]

Various Artists - Strictly for Lovers: 7 (B+)

I don't buy various artists comps at B+.

Future - Monster: 7 (B+)

Digital mixtape

Grant McLennan - In Your Bright Ray [honorable mention]

:-)

The Wailing Souls - The Wailing Souls: 7.5 (high B+)

Totally unavailable.

Conjure - Music for the Texts of Ishmael Reed [Christgau entitles this simply "Conjure"]: 7 (B+)

Kip Hanrahan. #jazz

John Simon - John Simon's Album: 7.5 (high B+)

CD reissue is unremastered, and original vinyl is too expensive at this grade.

Nas - King's Disease II [honorable mention]

:-)

Tom Ze - Cancoes Eroticas Para Ninar: liked

Reviewed twice by accident, so six listens.

Future - Hndrxx: liked

Accidentally reviewed twice. It got a "neutral" the first time. Six listens obviously, so that was probably the more accurate reaction, since I didn't even remember listening to it the first three times.

Los Lobos - By the Light of the Moon: 7.5 (high B+)

#roots

The Meditations - Message From the Meditations: 8 (A-)

 

Upped from 7.5 (high B+). Never released on CD. Found a vinyl copy selling for $20 from a bulk sale and took a chance. [Nice copy, but less cool cover if you ask me:

Oh well, you get what you can.]