Astor Piazzolla - The Rough Guide to Astor Piazzolla: X (X)

Not sure I hear in this what the great critics hear. I guess I'm just a lowbrow at heart (maybe a middlebrow)? # [Roma]

Comet Gain - City Fallen Leaves: 8.5 (high A-)

New York Dolls - Night of the Living Dolls: 9 (A)

First official domestic New York Dolls compilation. Contains "Give Her a Great Big Kiss," in a version that I can't easily identify. It doesn't sound as rudimentary as the one on the 1973 Planet Studios demos. Maybe they fixed that one up and faded it out early?

New York Dolls - Red Patent Leather: 7 (B+)

Famous live set recorded at the Little Hippodrome in NYC in 1975. I was living nearby in the city at the time (UES), but not at the show unfortunately, given that I was nine. Of course this is a must listen for any fan of the Dolls, because of all the songs that are unavailable anywhere else. I don't actually think the sound is as bad as people make it out to be, but of course I'm probably listening to later versions where the label tried to clean up the sound at least somewhat from the original release. At least 4 plays. Update: I ultimately purchased New York Dolls: Live in NYC - 1975: Red Patent Leather [Trojan, 2001], pictured above, largely because it's on Trojan (!). At the same time, I upped it a notch from "liked." The last three tracks on this issue were recorded at the Bataclan in Paris on December 23, 1973.

Gil Scott-Heron/Brian Jackson/The Midnight Band: The First Minute of a New Day: 7 (B+)

#poetrywithjazz?/r&b?

Trinity - Three Piece Suit: liked

:-)

The Verve - Storm in Heaven: liked

:-)

John Anderson - 2: 7 (B+)

#country

Marshall Crenshaw - Marshall Crenshaw: 8 (A-)

Marshall Crenshaw - Field Day: 9 (A)

Listened to the remaster of this once and did not hear an appreciable difference.

The Verve - Urban Hymns: 8 (A-)

Pinhead - Where Are You? [EP] [liked]

:-) [I looked for their other EP, You Don't Like Me, Do Ya?, just to give it a listen, but it’s nowhere to be found.]

The Verve - All in the Mind [EP]: 8 (A-)

Commonly designated as a "single," but I consider that a mis-characterization. This is the band's first release in any event, and it's fairly great. "A Man Called Sun" is an outstanding track. Apparently the band was tripping when they recorded this, and that sounds about right.

The Verve - A Northern Soul: liked

Docked a notch for bloat

Wide Boy Awake - Wide Boy Awake [EP]: liked

:-)

Mott the Hoople - The Ballad of Mott: A Retrospective: 9 (A)

Tony Scott - Music for Zen Meditation: X (X)

Not qualified to grade. Tony Scott was a legitimate American jazz clarinetist and this is on Verve, but my primary motivation for getting a copy is that it's generally regarded as “the first new age album.” Some might consider that a dubious distinction. Basically a Japanese flute, Japanese zither, and clarinet album. I actually like it, and would generally consider it a 7.5 (high B+) or 8 (A-), but again, I don't consider myself qualified to grade this. I have a nice vinyl copy.

KC and the Sunshine Band - The Best of KC and the Sunshine Band [Rhino, 1990]: 9 (A)

Sleaford Mods - T.C.R. [EP]: 8 (A-)

Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band - Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band: 7 (B+)

I must be a dirtbag, because I do not hear these guys. Upped a notch for critical regard.

Public Enemy - The Evil Empire of Everything: 7.5 (high B+)

Public Enemy - New Whirl Odor: 7 (B+)

Public Enemy - Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamp: 8 (A-)

Public Enemy - How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul???: 8 (A-)

Public Enemy - Rebirth of a Nation: 8 (A-)