The Strokes - Future Present Past EP [Cult EP, 2016]: 7.5 (high B+)

Vinyl-only. I would buy the 10-inch vinyl, but used copies are being price-gouged, and I wasn’t clever enough to buy it on release.

Various - Pimps, Players & Private Eyes: 7.5 (high B+)

#multiartistcomp/soundtrack/r&b

Various - Ragga Ragga Ragga! 2003: 7 (B+)

Normally, this would be #multiartistcomp, but I have it and will keep it, because I miss reggae.

Funkrust Brass Band - Make a Little Spark: 7 (B+)

#balkan/neworleans/brassband

Gurf Morlix - Bristlecone: 7 (B+)

#roots/blues/country

Various - Big Rock'n Beats: 7 (B+)

#electronic/dance/multiartistcomp

Los Lobos - Ride This: The Covers EP: liked

Not really an “EP” since it’s 29 min 45 sec. Could be a notch higher, but I don’t think so at this point, and it’s #covers anyway, so I’m not going to sweat the distinction and play again to qualify to make that determination. The cover of the Richard Thompson song strikes me as misguided.

GloRilla - Glorious: liked

Possibly I’m one notch low on this, but it’s effectively vinyl-only anyway, like so many hip-hop albums are these days. Four plays, because Christgau A-listed it (albeit very low down). I'll give her her camel case.

Primus - Pork Soda: liked

:-)

Sudan Archives - The BPM: 7 (B+)

#r&b/electronic/dance

Eddy Current Suppression Ring - In Light of Recent Events: 7.5 (high B+)

Vinyl-only

Gurf Morlix - Cut 'N Shoot: liked

:-)

The Close Readers - Trees of Lower Hutt: liked

:-)

Tricky - Different When It's Silent: liked

:-)

Various - Ragga Essentials: Ina Dancehall Style [Hip-O, 2000]: 8 (A-)

Psychic TV - The Magickal Mystery D Tour EP: liked

This is the four-track version.

Serengeti - Shark Attack [EP]: liked

This is almost certainly at least a 7 (B+), possibly even an 8 (A-) or slightly higher. But it is not streamable more than three times for free, and I refuse to pay for digital tracks in almost all circumstances, so it will sit here at "liked" for now. Seven tracks at 20 minutes. He indicates that this is part of a full album to come on vinyl.

Bettie Serveert - Tom Boy [Matador, 1992]: notation

I'm a semi-completist with this band/her. This is a CD single/maxi-single with four tracks: the title track of the single (same version that appears on Palomine), the B-side of the single ("Smile"), a demo of a song that appears on Palomine ("Balentine"), and what appears to be a demo from the Palomine sessions that never made it onto the official release ("Maggot"). So the B-side is the real draw here, but I did not get a copy of this just for that.

The Strokes - The Modern Age [EP]: 8 (A-)

The Strokes - First Impressions of Earth: 7 (B+)

The Strokes - Room on Fire: 7.5 (high B+)

The Strokes - Is This It: 8.5 (high A-)

Ass Ponys - The Okra Years [Shake It, 2005]: 8 (A-)

Normally, I would get this, but copies are so expensive that I'm not even going to bother with an alert. This is presumably the best way to hear their first two albums -- Mr. Superlove [1990] and Grim [1993] -- since Cleaver picked the best of the 26 tracks on those two and remastered them for this two-disc, 24-track set, with some other add-ons. I wish I had had the sense to pick up a copy when it was released. Oh well. I'm not going to play or listen to the two original album configurations, since this is basically offered as a better alternative. Who am I to second-guess their judgement?

The Jelly Bishops - Kings of Barstool Mountain: 8 (A-)

Langford/Mekons/Three Johns side project. My copy skips on the first track on both sides, but I got it sealed for almost nothing, so.... What am I going to do, return it? I'll just deal. Still glad to have it.

Four Tet - [Wingdings album, 2026]: liked

:-)