Irakere - Irakere: 7.5 (high B+)

# [live; Afro-Cuban jazz]

Dave Edmunds - The Best of Dave Edmunds: 7.5 (high B+)

#bestof/pubrock

Wolf Eyes - Dead Hills: liked

Posting cover, to avoid confusion because there seem to be several versions of this. Could be a 7 (B+), but it's ridiculously expensive anyway, for 3 songs.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Bringing It All Back Home - Again: liked

Sources call this an EP, but at 6 tracks and 30 minutes, it doesn’t seem to qualify.

Various - Wiser Dread: 8 (A-)

I am now the proud owner of the first three Nighthawk reggae comps. The other two being Calling Rastafari and Knotty Vision.

Ini Kamoze - Here Comes the Hotstepper: 8 (A-)

Contains the title single, plus apparently re-recorded versions of tracks from his first three releases. Christgau gives this a two-star honorable mention and calls it a "minor Sly & Robbie album." I don't think it's minor, although I'm not sure I would call it major either. I would just say "solid," and note that it's good to have for the big single and a nicely-produced digital sampling of his work during an early creative peak. Contains three songs from the debut, three from Statement, and five from Pirate.

Creation Rebel - Close Encounters of the Third World: 7 (B+)

Obtained as part of the High Above Harlesden box.

Steinski - What Does It All Mean? 1983-2006 Retrospective: 8.5 (high A)

Includes Nothing to Fear as a second disc, which I thought I had separately, but now I can't find it. I may have sold it off when I got this. Also includes The Payoff Mix/Lesson Two/Lesson 3 EP, as well as "The Motorcade Sped On." I have the EP on vinyl.

Eminem - Relapse: 8.5 (high A-)

I really got this one wrong when it came out. Like almost everyone else it seems, I thought it sucked, although I certainly gave it its three listens or more at the time. Years later, revisiting it, I'm hearing it as great and have listened over and over. One of his best, if not his best, in my view. So I had to re-buy it, but got the re-release Relapse: Refill with seven bonus tracks on a separate disc. The grade for that edition is the same. It has this cover:

Eminem - Recovery: disliked

Basically just the overprivileged rapper screaming self-pitying inanities at you for close to 1.5 hours straight. Lil Wayne appears on one track halfway through providing the album's only redeeming moment. Probably around half a dozen listens. Owned at one point; I think I sold it off. Docked a notch for bloat.

Creation Rebel - Psychotic Jonkanoo: 7 (B+)

Purchased as part of the High Above Harlesden box.

The Brides of Funkenstein - Funk or Walk: 9 (A)

Missy Misdemeanor Elliott - Supa Dupa Fly: 8 (A-)

James Brown - Live at the Apollo (1962): X (X)

I know it's sacrilegious to say this, but is this show really that great?

Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP 2: 7 (B+)

I have the standard edition. I streamed the 5 bonus tracks on the deluxe edition's second disc, and I would give them a 7 (B+) as a 24 minute EP. But I'm not buying it again to get those 5 tracks, even though I am seeing a near mint used copy selling for $8 shipped at the moment. I'd feel obligated if it was sold separately. I also note that he just released a 10th anniversary expanded deluxe edition that has 1 additional track of about equal quality ("Don't Front" featuring Buckshot of Black Moon) and 5 lame instrumentals.

Eminem - Encore: 7 (B+)

Eminem - The Eminem Show: 7 (B+)

Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP: 8 (A-)

Eminem - The Slim Shady LP: 8 (A-)

50 Cent - The Massacre: neutral

:-| [De-shelved]

Taj Mahal - The Natch'l Blues: 8 (A-)

Taj Mahal - The Taj Mahal Anthology, Vol. 1: notation

All tracks are on other comps in the collection.

Taj Mahal - The Best of Taj Mahal: 9 (A)

Taj Mahal - Taj's Blues: 8 (A-)

Taj Mahal/Toumani Diabate - Kulanjan: 8 (A-)