구 블로그를 폐업한 이후 2019년 중순부터 2020년 9월까지의 기간 동안 감상한 앨범들 및 그에 대한 비평을 records.txt라는 텍스트 파일에 따로 기록해 왔다. 이후 새 블로그를 출범하게 되자 용도가 사라진 이 파일을 오랫동안 잊은 채 방치해 왔으나, 최근 바탕화면을 정리하는 과정에서 우연히 다시 발견하게 됐다. 애초 남에게 보일 생각이 없었던 개인적인 문서인지라 쓰다 만 내용, 민감하고 위험한 내용, 멍청한 내용 등 정돈되지 않은 엉망진창 상태라 그냥 죄다 소각해 버릴까 생각도 했지만, 어찌 됐든 내 일생의 소중한 일부이기에 그 전문을 이 블로그에 투척해 놓기로 결심했다. 물론 다듬을 부분은 다듬어서 말이다.
왜 영어로 썼느냐? 내 언어 구사의 한 가지 특이한 점은 말이든 글이든 일단 머릿속에서 영어로 표현한 다음 한글로 옮긴다는 것이다. 오랫동안 사회적으로 고립된 삶을 살다 보니 매일같이 드나드는 외국 인터넷 커뮤니티에서 사용하던 언어 습관이 현실로 차츰차츰 옮아와서 그렇게 됐다. 이렇게 언어 생활의 초벌을 늘 영어로 하다 보니 이젠 오히려 우리말을 구사하는 편이 의사 소통에 있어 더 답답하고 어색하게 됐다. 무슨 영어 좀 한다고 자랑하려는 게 아니라, 방구석에서 기나긴 세월을 보내다 보니 이런 모국어의 도치 현상도 발생할 수 있구나 하는 일종의 별난 사례로서 너그럽게 봐 줬으면 한다.
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1. Ornette Coleman - 2018 - Manchester Free Trade Hall 1966
2. [VA] - 2018 - Two Niles to Sing a Melody The Violins & Synths of Sudan
3. Neil Young - 2018 - Transmission Impossible: Legendary Broadcasts from the 1970s-1980s
4. Marshall Crenshaw - 1998 - The 9-Volt Years: Battery Powered Home Demos & Curios (1979-198?)
5. Richard Hell - 2005 - Spurts: The Richard Hell Story
6. Richard Hell and the Voidoids - 1982 - Destiny Street
almost essential; been going back and forth with this one
7. Richard Hell and the Voidoids - 2009 - Destiny Street Repaired
the absence of Robert Quine makes this remake lesser than the original
8. Joachim Kuhn - 2019 - Melodic Ornette Coleman: Piano Works XIII
9. Mahotella Queens - 2005 - Kazet
10. [VA] - 2018 - Battleground Korea: Songs and Sounds of America's Forgotten War
Mostly comprised of conservative country music with contrived nature that turns into annoyance real quick. Nice referential document but dreadful art, not to mention crappy entertainment. You'll feel just as miserable as the soldiers.
11. Akanni Animashaun and His Apala Group - 1983 - Akanni De Alawiye Orin
12. The English Beat - 1980 - I Just Can't Stop It [Sire, US version]
US version upgrades on the already pretty great UK counterpart by adding the excellent "Tears of a Clown/Ranking Full Stop" single. Thus making it the best Two-Tone Ska album ever released. *essential
13. Robyn - [mixtape] - Robyrt's Robyn
*essential
14. Marvin Gaye - 2019 - You're the Man
15. Nat King Cole - 2019 - Ultimate Nat King Cole
the great compromiser
16. Elton John - 1972 - Honky Chateau
I had the preconception that Elton John was not much more than a popular singer who sang sappy tunes for money, typical of its kind. Well, that preconception might still be true, but at least in this record he is very sharp. Wonder how he got so disastrous.
17. Franco - 1987 - Attention Na Sida
I was tempted to mark this as an essential, then I kinda got a bit tired with the record. Which can happen when the appeal of the music is all too physical.
18. [VA] - 2019 - Kankyō Ongaku: Japanese Ambient, Environmental & New Age Music 1980-1990
high-generic
19. 양희은 - 1971 - 고운 노래 모음
Joan Baez wannabe; unable to carry an LP with just her voice and a guitar
20. Franco & Rochereau - 2012 - Lisanga ya Banganga
too long on spoken words, too indigenous
21. [VA] - Okeh Western Swing
amazingly consistent collection in a spotty genre
22. 23. 24. King Sunny Ade - 1976 - The Late General Murtala Mohammed, 1979 - The Golden Mercury of Africa, 1979 - The Royal Sound
I'm probably the biggest fan of King Sunny Ade in Korea, at least among the ones who even recognize his name, but that does not mean I'm gonna settle for every pro forma record he ever made.
25. Bob Dylan - 1973 - Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid
another album that should have been a single
26. Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel & the Furious Five - 1989 - The Greatest Hits
27. Neil Young - 2019 - Tuscaloosa
Time Fades Away definitive, this providing some context into it
28. Prince - 2019 - Originals
I know he literally left a warehouse full of songs, so why are they already scraping the bottom of the barrel?
29. Pavement - 1989 - Slay Tracks (1933-1969)
a sign of great things to come: their shrewd sense of tunes and crappy sound quality reminds me of Husker Du
30. [VA] - 2019 - Would She Do That for You?!: Girl Group Sounds USA 1964-68
I miss James Jamerson
31. Lee "Scratch" Perry - 2019 - People Funny Boy: The Early Upsetter Singles
dancing in the face of adversity
32. [VA] - 1969 - Soul Explosion
after trying this one too many times, I found comfort in a notion that music should approach me, not the opposite
33. Thelonious Monk - 2001 - After Hours at Minton's
1941; too soon for Bebop, too soon for Monk
34. Julie Coker - 2019 - A Life in the Limelight: Lagos Disco & Itsekiri Highlife, 1976-1981
I've never found African disco attractive
35. Marvin Gaye - 1965 - A Tribute to the Great Nat King Cole
took Cole's laid-back delivery
36. Grateful Dead - 1969 - Live/Dead
not exactly the shining beacon of live rock music
37. Hank Williams - 2019 - The Complete Health & Happiness Recordings
95 minutes of radio show recordings. Redundant as hell, and his whining doesn't get better even if you try hard to sympathize
38. [VA] - 1992 - Jubilation! Great Gospel Performances, Vol. 1: Black Gospel
39. [VA] - 1992 - Jubilation! Great Gospel Performances, Vol. 2: More Black Gospel
40. [VA] - 1992 - Jubilation! Great Gospel Performances, Vol. 3: Country Gospel
41. Zakir Hussain - 2019 - The Rough Guide to Zakir Hussain
classical Indian music that really tries my patience
42. Abdullah Ibrahim - 2019 - The Balance
43. [VA] - 2005 - Whatever: The '90s Pop & Culture Box
moderate expectations, massive disappointment
44. [VA] - 2007 - The Heavy Metal Box
no expectations, no disappointment
45. Parquet Courts - 2015 - Monastic Living
goofy
46. Youssou N'Dour - 1987 - Kocc Barma: Edition Africaine, Vol. 13
47. Etoile de Dakar - 1983 - Daby, Vol. 7
I've heard some excellent cassette tapes from Youssou N'Dour and his Super Etoile de Dakar. So even though this one is forgettable my search is far from over.
48. Franco - 1987 - Ekaba-Kaba (Yo Moko Okabeli Ngai Ye Oh)
49. Franco - 1987 - Attention Na Sida
Joe Yanosik rates Ekaba-Kaba A+ while giving Attention Na Sida B, but they sound pretty much the same to me: transcendent title track accompanied by 2 high-generic genre workouts
50. Tom T. Hall - 2006 - The Definitive Collection
sparks of genius juxtaposed with mediocrities--the kind of an inconsistent compilation Xgau would've given B- or something and declare "useless"
51. John Zorn - 2019 - Tractatus Musico-Philosophicus
avant-garde cacophony
52. Augustus Pablo - 1982? - Healer Dub
automatic dub
53. Zeal Oniya - 1975 - Trumpet King Zeal Onyia Returns
African jazz done way too compromised
54. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - 2019 - Live at WOMAD 1985
consistently intense, intensely consistent, as always
55. [VA] - 2019 - Take Us Home: Boston Roots Reggae from 1979 to 1988
no big names, no recognizable singing/riddim either; second-rate stuff
56. Gregory Isaacs - 1978 - Mr. Isaacs
bonus dub disc from deluxe edition is unnecessary as usual, but the original album is one of those minor reggae gems spread throughout
57. [VA] - 2019 - Hallelujah: The Songs of Leonard Cohen
folkies should stay away from the tower of song
58. tUnE-yArDs - 2019 - Sorry to Bother You (Original Score)
I thought she finally came back, but this format hurts her so
59. [VA] - 2019 - Hitsville: The Making of Motown
60 tracks, all classic Motown, super obvious picks, so... got a problem with A+? *essential
60. [VA] - 2019 - The Rough Guide to World Jazz
lounge jazz; fast hand
61. [VA] - 1989 - Pathological Compilation
Style: Grindcore, Industrial, Hardcore, Experimental. Yes, they're fucking annoying.
62. Scatman John - 1995 - Scatman's World
dream baby dream
63. [VA] - 2019 - The Time for Peace Is Now: Gospel Music About Us
Jesus renders politics redundant and the defeatist tone of the music cannot redeem itself
64. Abdallah Ag Oumbadougou - 1995 - Anou Malane
What's this random Nigerian guy showcasing here? Some kind of accidental Rai? Minor, but original and groovy. Worth the trouble for anyone curious enough.
65. Nahawa Doumbia - 2019 - La Grande Cantatrice Malienne, Vol. 1
20 year old girl with a huge voice and a single guitar accompaniment for some "intimate" music
66. N/A
67. Bob Dylan and the Band - 1974 - Before the Flood
I didn't know they could rock this hard. "Stage Fright", "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right", oh my god. Craziest motherfuckers. Could have been even more awesome if they didn't try too hard occasionally, but I'm nitpicking here. *essential
68. [VA] - 2002 - Like, Omigod!: The '80s Pop Culture Box (Totally)
Some songs I'd like to skip, but most I'd like to roll with, and nothing's too hideous. Guess it really was a golden age.
69. [VA] - 1998 - Have a Nice Decade: The '70s Pop Culture Box
too many novelties and soft ballads, not enough funk, disco and just good stuff
70. [VA] - 2018 - That’s Aught: The ‘00s Pop Culture Box
certainly not the worst of the series; just the most depressing one
71. New Order - 1982 - Temptation
12". A side: absolute classic, A+; B side: really solid throwaway, A- or A depending on my mood *essential
72. New Order - 1983 - Blue Monday
12". A side: A or A+; B side: an instrumental/dub/remix version of side A, pretty hypnotic nonetheless
73. New Order - 1984 - Thieves Like Us
74. New Order - 1986 - State of the Nation
12". Unnecessary and/or redundant.
75. Ramones - 1979 - It's Alive
2019 deluxe edition; 3 discs (163 minutes) more from their golden era. Those who still deny them are hopeless fools. But my head gets quite dizzy after consuming the whole package. Pain or pleasure? Probably both.
76. New Order - 2002 - Retro
a rather complacent box set
77. Ornette Coleman - 1965 - At the "Golden Circle" Stockholm, Vol. 1
78. Ornette Coleman - 1965 - At the "Golden Circle" Stockholm, Vol. 2
Tom Hull said these are great records, and I want to believe it too. But I feel this music is for specialists only.
79. John Coltrane - 2019 - Blue World
3 takes of "Village Blues", 2 takes of "Naima", as if the rip-off wouldn't be obvious enough
80. Laurie Anderson, Tenzin Choegyal, Jesse Paris Smith - 2019 - Songs from the Bardo
"And you will feel intense pain/Like the pain of a fish rolling in hot sand"
81. Manu Dibango - 1972 - African Voodoo
Festive Afro-jazz that rarely loses any momentum till the very end of a 37-min LP. Recommended to anyone.
82. Miriam Makeba - 1967 - Pata Pata
half-assed exploit though this record may be, this extraordinary singer's voice exudes pride both subtle and straightforward
83. [VA] - 1999 - The Last Soul Company: Malaco: A Thirty Year Retrospective
6 discs worth of mostly second-rate soul music
84. The Beach Boys - 1967 - Smiley Smile
great little record, but these boys were all fucked up inside
85. John Lee Hooker - 1966 - The Real Folk Blues
"The fuck are you sayin'? Folk? Now here's the deal: we're gonna brew some boogie first, then the blues."
86. [VA] - 2016 - The Rough Guide to Bottleneck Blues: Reborn and Remastered
raw like sushi
87. [VA] - 2016 - The Rough Guide to Gospel Blues
gravel voice showcase
88. ABBA - 2001 - The Definitive Collection
This is definitely too much ABBA, with disc 2 total drag and all. Quarantine those hooks and melodies into a more economical package and we can talk. RC's criticism seems uncharacteristically mean and harsh though. I didn't find much reason to be angry about them.
89. Bukka White - 1969 - Memphis Hot Shots
This barely remembered record is a real treasure. Blues as down-to-earth as it can get. Also proves that a steady beat can be hooky, not just monotonous.
90. ABBA - 1975 - Greatest Hits
Most likely the only ABBA I'll ever need. Their genteel nature can be mitigated by their cheerful optimism. Once again, RC's criticism seems uncharacteristically grumpy.
91. Van Dyke Parks - 1968 - Song Cycle
what may or may not have sounded groundbreaking in 1968 is just a dinner music in 2019
92 . Nick Lowe - 1978 - Jesus of Cool/Pure Pop for Now People
An undeniably great record that never meant anything to me personally--sounds fantastic no matter he's going soft or hard, but I cannot help but wince at its contrived lyrics
93. Lou Reed - 1982 - The Blue Mask
the zenith of Lou Reed the songwriter; new revelations: "Women", "Underneath the Bottle", "Waves of Fear", new bummer: "The Blue Mask", question mark: "The Gun", overall, eh, probably A+. *already essential
94. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - 2019 - Colorado
unmistakably frail, he/they ain't got no time nor use for subtlety anymore
95. [VA] - 2019 - The Rough Guide to the Music of Eastern Europe
string instruments were never my thing
96. Jody Harris/Robert Quine - 1981 - Escape
fuck you, this record literally gave me a headache
97. [VA] - 2006 - '60s Gold
98. [VA] - 2006 - '80s Gold
99. [VA] - 2007 - New Wave Gold
spunky but arrogant; really not too bad actually
100. The Melodians - 1970 - Rivers of Babylon
typical hit-plus-filler job
101. [VA] - 2019 - Anthology of Contemporary Music from Middle East
to my ears, not much to do with 'Middle East' or even 'Contemporary'; more to do with "Sister Ray"; minimal, ominous, crude
102. Bob Dylan - 2019 - The Bootleg Series, Vol. 15: Travelin' Thru 1967-1969
To no one's surprise this 3-disc compilation is for hardcore fans only. But my favorite period of his is this John Wesley Harding-Nashville Skyline era.
103. Johnny Cash - 2002 - American IV: The Man Comes Around
natural-born genre-hopping genius entertainer till his death
104. Lee "Scratch" Perry - 1997 - Arkology
mad scientist with too many crazy experiments
105 . The Stooges - 1969 - The Stooges
2019 reissue; contains all of the mythic "John Cale mix", which to me sounds too stiff on music that's ought to be a bit loose
106. Sid Vicious - 1979 - Sid Sings
jarring naivete/honesty
107. Shyamal Sinha - 1968 - Sarod Ragas
surprisingly solid Indian classical music; think it's better than Brian Eno's Music for Airports; low B+?
108. Brian Eno - 1978 - Ambient 1: Music for Airports
self-proclaimed background music
109. Omar Souleyman - 2019 - Shlon
less frantic, less hypnotic than most of his 500 albums catalogue
110. Graham Parker & the Rumour - 1980 - The Up Escalator
never reviewed by RC, no major songs as far as I can tell, band is still a really good one but this time they seem a bit disoriented though
111. Sonic Youth - 1988 - Daydream Nation
2007 deluxe edition, a great record/band that I always wished I liked it/them more
112. [VA] - 2002 - The Rough Guide to Gospel
utter disappointment
113. [VA] - 1989 - Siya Hamba!: 1950's South African Country and Small Town Sounds
not everything from Original Music label is great; too primitive and crude to make up for their joyful spirit
114. [VA] - 2019 - Sacred Sounds: Dave Hamilton's Raw Detroit Gospel 1969-1974
never thought I'd miss Bob Dylan
115. Ondigui and Bota Tabansi International - 1977 - Ewondo Rhythm
good-spirited and tepid; forgettable
116. Zaiko Langa-Langa - 1985 - Eh Ngoss! Eh Ngoss! Eh Ngoss!
soukous pro-forma
117. [VA] - 2019 - On the Detroit Beat!: Motor City Soul, UK Style 1963-67
These UK Motown covers are not here to prove Beatles was inevitable, just that it wasn't no accident. True, no particular performance in this comp stands out, but that's exactly the point.
118. Manfred Mann - 2006 - World of Mann: The Very Best of Manfred Mann & Manfred Mann's Earth Band
embarrassing Dylanesque title: "Semi-Detached Surburban Mr. James"
119. [VA] - 1988 - Reggae Dance Hall II
a style sampler, none keeper
120. [VA] - 2019 - Jon Savage's 1969-1971: Rock Dreams on 45
the worst one of Jon Savage compilations so far, marginal artifacts of a short period in which Velvet Underground was slowly permeating into hip rockers who can't help but sense something sinister was happening
121. [VA] - 2019 - The Rough Guide to World Music for Children
Confusing title; What kind of music for children features throat singing? For Tibetan children, I guess.
122. Alex Chilton - 2019 - My Rival
Once I was afraid Alex Chilton might be a forgotten name. I was completely wrong, as plenty evidence points out he's more or less immortalized at this point. Unfortunately, that also means more or less they'll try to release every single second he had committed to tape, like this one.
123. Alex Chilton - 1981 - Bach's Bottom
more than anything, his music was about liberation, which confused many people
124. Prince - 1982 - 1999
2019 deluxe edition; a disc containing original album, 3 discs of disposable stuff and an irresistible live disc I will gladly keep
125. [VA] - 2019 - The Rough Guide to a World of Guitar
"World of Guitar", a dubious-as-hell catch-all terminology
126. Billie Eilish - 2019 - Live at Third Man Records
Acoustic live versions of songs I'm skeptical about, by a very young artist I'm skeptical about.
127. [VA] - 2019 - Anthology of Persian Experimental Music
pan-universal abstract expressionism, for what it's worth
128. [VA] - 2019 - Strut My Stuff: Obscure Country & Hillbilly Boppers
my cheap sense of humor and lowbrow sensitivity delights at these silly ditties
129. Graham Parker & the Rumour - 2019 - Live at Trent Poly Sports Hall, Nottingham 1977
Excellent songs!
130. Graham Parker & the Rumour - 1977 - The Pink Parker
131. Amin Xaaji Cusmaan - 1987 - Jamiila: Songs from a Somali City
intriguing Afrobeat from one of the worst places in the world
132. [VA] - 2019 - Afro Exotique: Adventures in the Leftfield, Africa 1972-82
mundane electronica
133. R.E.M. - 1983 - Murmur
This one just keeps getting better. "Sitting Still", which I only just found out via some compilation, is a newcomer to my loved tracks list. So by my count that makes 4 great tracks out of 12. That's an A if I like the rest just a bit more, which might happen if this album, well, just keeps getting better.
134. R.E.M. - 2011- Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1982-2011
I haven't heard the much-praised, RC-panned Automatic for the People yet, but the samplers here suggests RC was right. He's always right.
135. Neil Young - 2018 - Roxy: Tonight's the Night Live
Thought this was quite awesome 2 years ago, nonetheless shelved it as I wasn't 100% sure, came back, and found out this album just faithfully plays the source material. It will never ever sound bad, but...
136. Rod Stewart - 1971 - Every Picture Tells a Story
Lately I've come to regard this as perfect a rock and roll record can ever get. I mean, who's gonna compete? London Calling? Exile on Main St.? *already essential
137. The Ronettes - 1964 - ...Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica
Rolling Stone recommended me this one as part of 500 best albums, and I gotta say: "what the fuck?" This is simply not a great record. A nice showcase for Phil Spector at least, but Phil always had his limits, and the same goes for Veronica (her tasteless "What'd I Say" is a real shame)
138. Tuareg - 1960 - Tuareg Music of the Southern Sahara
Saharan field recordings from the well-meaning archivist folks at Folkways, with ululations and chants and occasional screams and all that for your marginal cosmopolitan joy
139. Bobby "Blue" Bland - 1961 - Two Steps from the Blues
Rolling Stone 500 list bookkeeping; this might be his best studio album, which still doesn't make it my go-to Bobby Bland experience
140. Bruce Springsteen - 2018 - Springsteen on Broadway
A triumph. Armed only with his guitar and a voice, he nonetheless proudly proceeds to recontextualize his whole career, converting his signature overkill to grand humanism. What other rock superstar has the audacity, intelligence and heart to dare such a feat? *essential
141. Tanya Tagaq - 2019 - Toothsayer
Wonder how could RC tolerate this much annoyance; Is it another one of those pussy premium I've sadly begun to suspect lately? Hope I'm wrong--very wrong.
142. The Paranoid Style - 2019 - A Goddamn Impossible Way of Life
"I find that he suffers from Jackson Browne's syndrome--that is, he's a little boring. Often this malady results from overconcentration on lyrics and can be cured by a healthy relationship with a band."
143. Roswell Rudd - 2013 - Trombone for Lovers
this unfashionable piece of music promises obvious pleasure, but it can't compete with Willie Nelson's Stardust
144. Leonard Cohen - 2019 - Thanks for the Dance
You Want It Darker his epitaph, Thanks for the Dance his scattered after-notes -- "Listen to the Hummingbird"
145. Van Morrison - 1990 - The Best of Van Morrison
Whoever curated this still couldn't resist to include such smarmy ditties like "Have I Told You Lately", but Van has no trouble filling a CD to the fullest (79 minutes 45 seconds). *essential
146. [VA] - 1991 - The Motown Story: 25 Years of Great Original Hits
Label: Reader's Digest. 6-disc, too many sappy ballads and some omissions are inexcusable ("Superstition", for example). Glad it includes many of their 70s and 80s stuff but the reason Hitsville: The Making of Motown was so heavy on 60s was that it was simply better, much more influential times.
147. Van Morrison - 2017 - Versatile
Van does Sinatra, as old artists often do
148. Paul Simon - 1986 - Graceland
My years of exploring Afropop hasn't dulled the impact of Graceland at all. It's convenient to file this music as mbaqanga-influenced folk pop, but this is unlike any mbaqanga or folk pop I've ever heard. Sui generis, that's what they call it. *already essential
149. Dave Van Ronk - 1976 - Sunday Street
1 original title track and 10 covers ranging from "Jesus Met the Woman at the Well" to "Swinging on a Star". Watch out: Dave ain't the usual folkie. He can sing, he can wail, he can even rap. I greatly enjoyed his compilations RC reviewed, and if you don't know about him you don't know about music as much as you think you do.
150. Lee Konitz - 1961 - Motion
Regarded as a classic, although you better explain it to me if it's because of the wild but all too sublime deconstruction of the five jazz standards covered here or playing (sax/bass/drums with Elvin Jones on it) that gets all too sublime for ignoramus like me to notice. No, I wouldn't call this music bad or anything. That would be extremely dumb. It's just alienating.
151. Johnny Cash - 2005 - The Legend of Johnny Cash
Side piece to the 4CD box set Legend, this modest compilation is nonetheless probably the best Johnny Cash compilation I've ever heard except his Sun collection. Still, Johnny Cash remains both an enigma and a subject for further research for me.
152. Fats Domino - 2019 - I've Been Around: The Complete Imperial And ABC-Paramount Recordings
12-disc behemoth with at least 2 discs the usual box set paraphernalia; very consistent even though I can tell what's a hit and what's a throwaway; his American songbook interpretation a new find
153. Sonny Sharrock - 1969 - Black Woman
154. Sonny Sharrock - 1970 - Monkey-Pockie-Boo
littered with avant-cliches, devoid of any harmony or melody, bombarded with Linda Sharrock's incomprehensible shriek; think of John and Yoko's Unfinished Music series, now that's self-indulgency.
155. Sly Stone - 2014 - I'm Just Like You: Sly's Stone Flower 1969-70
Never knew Sly Stone had his pet label Wikipedia bio didn't bother to list. All 78 minutes his label ever put out are neatly packed on this compilation. Maestro Rhythm King MRK-2 drum machine sound at every corner, the music here all sound like a bunch of outtakes from There's a Riot Goin' On sessions. But it still captures that brief moment in which a disillusioned, fragile genius whose muse will shortly abandon him tries to make a stand.
156. Charlie Parker - 2020 - The Savoy 10-Inch LP Collection
Like Jimi Hendrix, you take whatever you can get with Parker. What's more, I'm never a guy who nitpicks about low fidelity, but this is the cleanest, most crisp sounding Parker I've ever heard. Joy to the earhole, enlightenment to the brain.
157. Arca - 2020 - @@@@@
could've been more engaging, more meaningful, more absurd, more lonesome
158. Them - 1965 - The "Angry" Young Them!
159. Them - 1966 - Them Again
This got me thinking; is Them the greatest garage rock band ever? In any case, these two studio albums are intensely listenable, worthy of Who if not Beatles or Stones.
160. Burial - 2019 - Tunes 2011-2019
not my fault if I can't concentrate on every second of this 150-minute decade wrap-up, though the poignant masterpiece "Rival Dealer" makes me choke up every time
161. [VA] - 2019 - Mogadisco: Dancing Mogadishu (Somalia 1972-1991)
I find that most of Afro-rock, Afro-disco are mere copies of Western style. Sterile, impotent, merely serviceable, forgettable. Have you ever heard of Juju music, baby?
162. [VA] - 2000 - Disco Not Disco: Leftfield Disco Classics from the New York Underground
This one is a find. Contains a definitive Yoko Ono, a decent Ian Dury and many other names I haven't heard of. Successful at separating chaff from wheat, which is easier said than done in art rock where 'art' too often dominates over 'rock'.
163. [VA] - 2019 - The Rough Guide to the Roots of Country Music: Reborn and Remastered
need some context; blind listening won't do
164. [VA] - 2002 - Disco Not Disco 2: Leftfield Disco Classics from the New York Underground
165. [VA] - 2008 - Disco Not Disco: Post Punk, Electro & Leftfield Disco Classics 1974-1986
less successful
166. Jon Hassell - 1978 - Vernal Equinox
167. [VA] - 2020 - Bob Stanley & Pete Wiggs Present the Tears of Technology
early synthpop collectorama
168. Eba Aka Jerome - 1980s - La Verite
From Cote d'Ivoire. Listenable.
169. Professor Rhythm - 1991 - Professor 3
From Johannesburg. Songs per se aren't much of course, but the celebration of optimism which is mbaqanga's greatest attraction to world is especially palpable.
170. Lee Dorsey - 2014 - The Essential Lee Dorsey
1. It's a 2-disc comp. 2. Despite title contains a bunch of superfluous oddities while omitting classics like "Yes We Can Can". 3. I already own so many Dorsey compilations, probably more than any artist of his caliber.
171. [VA] - 2018 - The Rough Guide to World Music: 25th Anniversary Edition
embracingly catch-all, inevitably docile
172. [VA] - 2019 - Nigeria 70: No Wahala: Highlife, Afro-Funk & Juju 1973-1987
173. A Flock of Seagulls - 2003 - Platinum & Gold Collection
They were smart and brave enough to never take themselves serious. So came the lightweight pop gems: "Wishing", "Space Age Love Song", "Heartbeat Like a Drum". Something else is "The Story of a Young Heart", deep, reflective and intoxicating. Now all I ask for is a shallow, campy, hypnotic "Who's That Girl (She's Got It)" *essential
174. The Beatles - 1969 - Abbey Road
I've gone every directions with this album: overrated it, then underrated it, then consciously distanced myself from it, then came back to it. And finally I can see things clearly: Every tune other than the unbearable "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" has its charms, cheeky and witty no matter whatever the already defunct band were singing about. Good enough for an A. *essential
175. The J.B.'s - 2019 - More Mess on My Thing
36-minute demo tape, recorded by Bootsy Collins in 1969 to impress James Brown. And I'd be damn impressed too.
176. Weather Report - 1977 - Heavy Weather
Too mushy on texture, too soft on rhythm, not much on composition--Yep, just like they warned me.
177. Weather Report - 1971 - Weather Report
Forget Heavy Weather. Here is a proof they actually earned their reputation. "Milky Way", "Umbrellas" are as good as any '70s Miles, and the rest ain't too bad, either.
178. Brian Eno & David Byrne - 1981 - My Life in the Bush of Ghosts
Remain in Light outtakes? Sure sounds like 'em, but not as rich.
179. [VA] - 1993 - Sly and Robbie Presents the Best of Lovers Rock, Vol. 1
Apparently Gregory Isaacs was the great exception. This is the worst, most schmaltzy incarnation of Reggae I've ever encountered. Simply dreadful.
180. John Coltrane - 1991 - Live in Japan
Deep into avant-garde mode at this point, Coltrane and his band are in great shape all through this 4-disc live set culled from 2 concerts in 1966. But as the barely audible bass solo of first 15 minutes of disc 4--which consists of single track, 57 mintues of "My Favorite Things"--portends, this is for fanatics only. I don't need it, you probably don't, too. A better deal is One Down, One Up from 1965, which is much more economical, much more vivid, much more intense.
181. Albert Ayler - 2005 - Slugs' Saloon
portrait of the artist as a possessed visionary
182. Anthony Braxton - 1975 - New York, Fall 1974
I think B+ is a bit too generous for a record this solipsistic.
183. Eric Dolphy - 1964 - Out to Lunch!
Willful.
184. Eminem - 2013 - The Marshall Mathers LP 2
and you thought Jim Morrison sounded like an asshole?
185. Imani - 1983 - Out of the Blue
One of the most mysterious record I've ever heard. From the warm singing of "Just Another Love Song" to the well-rehearsed funk/rock jam on "Byrd's House", the quality of their work suggests these guys were just too damn good to disappear out of the blue, privately pressing only 500 EPs away. Who were they?
186. John Coltrane - 1997 - The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings
Diligent listening makes me certain the best of these performances are all captured on the original album.
187. X - 1981 - Wild Gift
A plus or not, there's no way I'll get around to it. They sing so fucking ugly.
188. John Coltrane - 1963 - Impressions
-- "India"
189. Frederic Rzewski - 1974 - Coming Together/Attica/Les Moutons de Panurge
But "Coming Together" is the most inspirational music piece I've ever encountered, up there with Heart of the Dog. I'm not just impressed, I'm mesmerized. Perhaps I'll write something about it in the future.
190. Kanye West - 2005 - Late Registration
Finally got around to playing this one and oh boy, ain't this hip hop tour-de-force. It's like Prince's Sign "O" the Times, but that one had duds. It might be the best hip hop record I've ever heard, competing directly with the likes of Nations of Millions or Kala. *essential
191. Eric Dolphy - 2018 - Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions
This includes two discs of studio albums--Conversations and Iron Man. Both are solid, welcome addition to my library. And there's a disc of alternate takes which is every bit as useful as studio albums. Dolphy was a virtuoso who may have found his calling in polymodality and tense discord. Or may not. He died way too soon to know. But he still left a ton of mind-boggling, ear-opening music, making others figure it out along the way.
192. Bill Evans - 1961 - Sunday at the Village Vanguard
"Technical competence was extraneous, and it still is. Take Bill Evans's Further Conversations with Myself. Evans, we are informed by the lady who wrote the notes, is a master of "inspired craftsmanship," and I'm sure he is, although the same lady did once warn me that Sgt. Pepper was "a little"--and I swear she wrinkled her nose--"outsy-outsy." Anyway, all I get from Evans here is lamentable attenuation of feeling. I'm not qualified to appreciate his subtle skills. Nor are most of his fans. Even if they are too hip for Mantovani, they buy Evans because he's pleasant. On the popular level this record really is trivial, and what's worse, doesn't admit it."--RC.
193. Sheer Mag - 2017 - Need to Feel Your Love
I played this record once again to check if I'm overrating this. Ended up loving the album a bit more. *essential
194. Kronos Quartet - 1985 - Monk Suite: Kronos Quartet Plays Music of Thelonious Monk
195. Kronos Quartet - 1986 - Music of Bill Evans
Yes, these aren't jazz, they're chamber music, whatever that means, but my best guess is strings, mostly. Monk's tunes are jagged, so they fare better.
196. World Saxophone Quartet - 1981 - W.S.Q.
I'll just put it this way--I don't have much use value for this album.
197. World Saxophone Quartet - 1986 - World Saxophone Quartet Plays Duke Ellington
At first listening session, I couldn't make out a single tune. What is this, another disposable avant-garde object? But RC granted it A- so I listened again. Then I realized "In a Sentimental Mood" is an original, daring and gorgeous rendition. Then I also realized "Lush Life" aimlessly wanders for 6:36. So what, should I try more?
198. World Saxophone Quartet - 2006 - Political Blues
the kind of a record that comes out when you are kinda obliged to make one without much inspiration behind it
199. Evan Parker - 1986 - The Snake Decides
This review from allmusic though, is pretty neat: "Six years after Six of One, Evan Parker proposed another solo album. The Snake Decides features the man, his soprano saxophone, and a gifted sound engineer in Michael Gerzon, to whom Parker pays tribute in the liner notes to the CD reissue (a reissue that sticks to the original album, no bonus material on this one). Six of One is hard to beat, especially since at the time (1980) it represented a thunderous introduction to Parker's solo playing. But The Snake Decides manages to raise the ante, if only slightly. Parker's circular breathing has grown more flexible and frantic. One pictures a mad snake charmer, playing multiple melodies at once to make the snakes stretch into different directions and move in interlocking patterns. In "Buriden's Ass" and "Haine's Last Tape," the number of notes per minute hits a peak. But Parker's music has never been about keeping score. The flurry is necessary to mesmerize the listener, to hypnotize him, to make everything else within earshot fade away. All that remains is this kaleidoscope of multiphonics. The title track, 20-minutes long, can seem like something of an ordeal, but the absence of a pause or break in the flow of notes obliterates time. But the best, most impressive pieces are the shorter ones; they are brighter, friskier. Recommended."
200. King Sunny Ade - 1983 - Conscience
I like every album he ever made, and they do vary sonically. This one shares similar production chops with my beloved Explosion! and Bobby.
201. Rick James - 1981 - Street Songs
A classic. Really straightforward and easy one, too. "Give It to Me Baby", "Ghetto Life" and "Super Freak" are instant classics. The rest are fillers, with funky ones tasty and ballads corny. Yet another human garbage with immense talent.
202. Ornette Coleman - 1972 - Skies of America
Ugliest music he ever committed to record. Ornette's harmolodics makes much more sense in the context and texture of natural dissonance provided by Master Musicians of Jajouka than the restraint of London Symphony Orchestra.
203. Fatboy Slim - 2000 - Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars
Very rare that a techno album gains its own lyricism, conceptualization and philosophy. (Hint: pay attention to where the sunlight shines through in the cover art) I love this record. *essential
204. [VA] - 2002 - Rough & Tough: The History of Ska 1960-1966
Disc 1 is too primitive. Disc 2 is where things get ruder, wilder, funkier. Paving the way to Reggae hegemony.
205. The Everly Brothers - 1993 - Walk Right Back: The Everly Brothers on Warner Bros. 1960-1969
This one took many tries to fully fathom. Recorded right after their golden Cadence years, their material got thinner, their angelic harmony worn down. The result is that these boys occasionally sound feeble, sometimes downright depressed. I think disc 1 is almost completely wasted. But their guitars get audibly louder, rougher especially towards the end of disc 2, suggesting resurgence that portends a new thing: country-rock. A decent single-disc compilation of their Warner Bros. years would tell the story much more clearly. -- "Cuckoo Bird", "Love Hurts", "T for Texas/I Wonder If I Care as Much", "I'm on My Way Home Again"
206. [VA] - 2020 - Pacific Breeze 2: Japanese City Pop, AOR & Boogie 1972-1986
"Japan’s bubble years feel like a fantasy in 2020. During that period, which played out over the course of the 1980’s, the country’s economy soared and the mood was jubilant. It was a decade defined by opulence, neon-soaked nightscapes, and persistent optimism. Thirty years on, and images from this time function as a kind of nostalgia for better days that younger people all over the world haven’t actually experienced. The same goes for music-specifically a style dubbed “city pop,” referring to glitzed-out songs borrowing from funk, R&B, and disco designed to be blasted out of a high-end car system. City pop has served as the building blocks for niche genres such as vaporwave and future funk, inspiration for young Japanese creators and the source for surprise YouTube hits." -- optimism that's not a slight hint of doom and gloom is part of the reason why this music's humdrum, as it lacks what fuels and motivates rock and roll
207. Moby - 2020 - All Visible Objects
208. Ramones - 2005 - Weird Tales of the Ramones
209. Gang of Four - 1998 - 100 Flowers Bloom
210. The Replacements - 1997 - All for Nothing/Nothing for All
Wish I had the physical copies and liner notes. Without context it's difficult to grasp much connotations, as they are riddled with live versions, previously unreleased stuff, remixes and track listings that completely ignores chronology. RC rates GoF one A and Replacements A-; no way these box sets are the usual rip-offs. And my ears agree too. But I'm confused. Confused with pleasure, of course.
211. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - 1979 - Live Rust
To me it's a culmination of '70s Neil Young; just how much ass he kicked back then. Not a single song or performance drags, although RC rightfully points out there's nothing new here either. Question: do live albums need to contain new materials to be considered great i.e. essential?
212. Neil Young - 1968 - Neil Young
unfocused, irrelevant; perhaps he didn't quite know what to do with his massive talents and flaming youth -- "The Loner", "I've Been Waiting for You"
213. Lou Reed - 1973 - Berlin
Nah.
214. Lou Reed - 1993 - Between Thought and Expression: The Lou Reed Anthology
total waste
215. [VA] - 1973 - Africa Dances
This one only gets better and deeper with time as I pay Afropop my due. Because you get to pick up how idiosyncratic this watershed compilation really is. *already essential
216. [VA] - 1982 - Stars of Ghana
another regional music sampler from Global Groovers
217. Neil Young - 2000 - Road Rock, Vol. 1: Friends & Relatives
Perhaps 2018's Roxy: Tonight's the Night Live sounded better, but this one's a real live album with new musicians and new (performed live) songs, not just converting studio settings into live music.
218. Joey Ramone - 2002 - Don't Worry About Me
"Sittin' in a hospital bed/Sittin' in a hospital bed/I, I want life/I want my life/It really sucks/It really sucks"
219. Iggy Pop - 2020 - The Bowie Years
more precisely, it was the Bowie YEAR--1977, when all of these 2 studio albums (each A-), 1 live album (C+), 1 rarities disc and 3 additional live discs were churned out
220. MC Hawking - 2004 - A Brief History of Rhyme: MC Hawking's Greatest Hits
Amateur/semi-pro stuff rarely, if ever, get this good, and this is livelier, wittier and funnier than most of professional music out there. Just what happens when you got a great fucking concept and stick with it.
221. Lou Reed - 1980 - Growing Up in Public
Like RC pointed out, it's so painfully obvious Lou's worked his ass off with no particular place to go--you can actually hear it. By the way, the two tracks RC mentioned are track 5 and 10--I worked on that.
222. Lou Reed - 2000 - Ecstasy
Got rid of "Like a Possum", a second-rate "Sister Ray" wannabe. "Turning Time Around" too, an insipid tune only good in certain context. That still leaves me with 54 minutes of music to endure. I don't know--let's just say this is not how typical A records go.
223. Flamin' Groovies - 1969 - Supersnazz
Tom Hull: A+, Robert Christgau: B+ (1969) then A (2013). I mean, what are these boomers smoking? The only song I'll remember here is "Laurie Did It", so simple yet poignant Bob Dylan probably already stole it.
224. Albert Ayler - 1980 - The Hilversum Session
fragments of precarious transcendence he tirelessly pursued; thinly recorded sadly
225. Cecil Taylor - 1987 - For Olim
Cecil explores musical ideas like the stubborn noncomformist he is, but for me I'll take somewhat conservative Monk.
226. The Undertones - 1979 - The Undertones
Apparently, the original 1979 14-track copy RC reviewed and rated B+ lacks both "Teenage Kicks" and "Get over You", a huge deal. My copy, a 2000 reissue, boasts whooping 26 tracks, with 14 original LP songs plus 2 aforementioned punk anthems and 10 bonus tracks that came from somewhere. All in all, way better than the grade suggests. Hard to get enough of their sweet if a bit simulated ingenuousness. Ditto for Feargal Sharkey's one-way singing.
227. Neil Young - 1977 - American Stars 'N Bars
Feels like a prequel to Comes a Time, which only came a year after. But I guess prerequisite is more like it. Neil often sounds wimpy, and the thinly recorded "Like a Hurricane" is a shame; I've heard many people were blown away in concerts.
228. Fine Young Cannibals - 1988 - The Raw & the Cooked
Just like A Flock of Seagulls, Gang of Four, M.I.A., Thelonious Monk, etc., FYC embodies my kind of pop; funky, hooky, soulful, well-rehearsed, eccentric, damn righteously campy.
229. Al Bilali Soudan - 2012 - Al Bilali Soudan
Mostly instrumental music from Tuareg that I wish it would mean more to me. But I'm eager to hear Tombouctou, a fresh reviewed record from Consumer Guide which sadly I can't locate right now. -- "Abak Kakok"
230. Princess Nokia - 2017 - 1992 Deluxe
Yeah, this music is mediocre. That's how I thought back in 2017. Then I quickly forgot about this record. With the new Consumer Guide batch reviewing Princess Nokia I came back to this record only to find that my opinion stays the same. Once again I suspect some sort of female-favor: putting feminine spunk/feminist rhetoric over musicality. Is RC losing his touch? I sure hope not. he should live forever.
231. Gregory Isaacs - 1974 - In Person
His first album, and not a great one. But "Sweeter the Victory" for example sounds like a classic while retaining that offhand feel of a spontaneous throwaway, which Gregory was excellent at. When you're so talented at something you can do stuff without much thought or care and sometimes it will turn out surprisingly excellent, which is what talent actually means.
232. [VA] - 2019 - Congo Revolution: Revolutionary and Evolutionary Sounds from the Two Congos 1955-62
Most, if not all, of my music consuming is done without any provided context. That could seriously hinder my understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of music. So I don't claim to know anything about nothing. Still, without any info, I'd wager this particular compilation could've been made with random shuffle of generic songs from the catalogue of pioneering African rumba bands. I know it when I hear it.
233. James Brown - 2019 - Live at Home with His Bad Self
The original/"intended" version of the great 1970 Sex Machine, and while Sex Machine will always dazzle me, it does occasionally sound a bit too much for my liver health. Excessive, you could call it. But this new one feels just right for me, as exhilarating a JB record as I've ever heard. Even the instrumentals are wonderful and they all beat Sex Machine versions. Wonder why this didn't get the CG review it deserves, and what all of this means for the history of pop music. *essential
234. Lee "Scratch" Perry - 2019 - Rootz Reggae Dub
sparks of brilliance beset by Perry's unassuming approach; he's got nothing to prove, so he doesn't try hard -- "Rewind"
235. UB40 - 2007 - Labour of Love (Deluxe Edition)
236. [VA] - 1989 - The Bridge: A Tribute to Neil Young
"They parody, they imitate, they cover, sometimes two or three at once, not because they're complex but because they've never figured out what they're doing." -- Perfect analysis by RC. To add my opinion, their parodies are pathetic, imitations are mechanical and covers are ok -- Soul Asylum: "Barstool Blues", Victoria Williams: "Don't Let It Bring You Down", Sonic Youth: "Computer Age", Henry Kaiser: "The Needle and the Damage Done/Tonight's the Night"
237. Bob Dylan - 2020 - Rough and Rowdy Ways
neither rough nor rowdy, this reeks of yet another scam by Mr. Dylan, who's arguably the most respected musician in the world, but not for me, at least when he's inert like this
238. Wire - 2020 - Mind Hive
239. Wire - 2020 - 10:20
I know since '77 they've done nothing but slow down, but since when did they start to camouflage their vocals?
240. Neil Young - 2020 - Homegrown
better than 2020 Dylan, but only because Neil was 30 here, not 79
241. The Stooges - 1973 - Raw Power (1997 Iggy remaster)
I've gone back and forth with this one many times, but today it has finally won me over. It's certainly bigger than the sum of its parts, the fact which I didn't realize in the past--the parts themselves can be hasty, petty, or plain dumb; enough to make you suspect if you are being deceived. But as a whole the exhilarating force of their protopunk propulsion was unprecedented, and never stops being threatening except when Iggy's doing slow numbers. Historic, and bloody enjoyable. *essential
242. Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band - 1979 - James Monroe H.S. Presents Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band Goes to Washington
Whatever formula that imbued their 1976 debut with magic was so subtle, so transient, so buoyant that it should almost be miraculous that it worked once again, albeit on a minor scale.
243. Eagles - 1976 - Hotel California
In a recent interview Bob Dylan revealed these songs are in his mind: "New Kid in Town", "Life in the Fast Lane" and especially "Pretty Maids All in a Row". "That could be one of the best songs ever." he said. But except for "New Kid in Town", a masterpiece whose only drawback is a bit too mellow, they merely sound (and read) OK to me. About "Hotel California", I have doubts about its lyrics but it's good enough for guitars alone. -- "New Kid in Town", "Victim of Love", "Hotel California"
244. Augustus Pablo - 2020 - Ancient Harmonies
4 LPs in 2 discs spanning 1986-1990. Somehow I found out my love for childish, esoteric Rockers Comes East has diminished.
245. Albert Ayler - 1997 - Bells/Prophecy
bootleg quality
245. Augustus Pablo - 1987 - Rockers Comes East
So I checked. No better than high A-. God damn it.
246. Augustus Pablo - 1986 - Rising Sun
247. Augustus Pablo - 1988 - One Step Dub
248. Augustus Pablo - 1990 - Blowing with the Wind
Also checked individual albums that were bundled into Ancient Harmonies and they were not particularly interesting.
249. Neil Young - 1970 - After the Gold Rush
Even after 10 years of relentlessly absorbing every kind of music imaginable, the angelic beauty of After the Gold Rush is still intact, while many other classics that have impacted me in the early years have diminished at least a bit. *already essential
250. Augustus Pablo - 2000 - El Rocker's
Elvis Costello should have known better
251. The Persuasions - 1970 - Acapella
Ladysmith Black Mambazo themselves would've sound crummy too if Frank Zappa shat on a record like this
252. The Persuasions - 1971 - We Came to Play
253. The Persuasions - 1972 - Spread the Word
254. The Persuasions - 1977 - Chirpin'
This obscure acapella group is listed as one of the "weirdos" in RC's 70s wrap-up piece. So I tried to check what's up with them. But so far these B+ albums strike me as fairly insignificant. Always the wisest, RC points out many things I would never have noticed, but even his analysis can only go so far. This music's neat--that's for sure. But weird? That's a highly sought-after adjective.
255. Shirley & Company - 1975 - Shame, Shame, Shame
Ironically, this is one of the most shameless record I've ever heard, and I've added a new word to my vocabulary: expedient.
256. The Crusaders - 2000 - The Crusaders' Finest Hour
They're rarely as icky as the term 'soul jazz' or 'muzak' usually connotes. But generally their sentiment is banal, their funk mushy, their belief populism not democracy. -- "Chain Reaction", "Stomp and Buck Dance", "Put It Where You Want It"
257. [VA] - 2003 - No Thanks!: The '70s Punk Rebellion
Acquired it 10 months ago when I was digging for some Rhino box sets and since then this one never stopped giving me pleasure. Simply the finest, sharpest piece of punk rock compilation I've ever heard. The Best Punk Album in the World... Ever! was great too, but I prefer my find. *essential
258. Nancy Sinatra - 1966 - Boots
2 Lennon-McCartneys, 1 Jagger-Richard, 1 Dylan, 1, Knickerbockers (?!), 4 or 7 Hazlewoods; she was desperately looking for hits, and if fortune wouldn't have granted her a song, her father would've made it sure it will. -- "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'", "Lies"
259. Arca - 2020 - Kick I
Perhaps Mutant was just as much about him/herself too, but if this record is some form of communication, its message is unintelligible.
260. B.B. King & Eric Clapton - 2000 - Riding with the King
261. Boz Scaggs - 2015 - A Fool to Care
carefully picking forgotten gems from Al Green, Huey Smith, Curtis Mayfield, Womack & Womack and singing them with warm delicacy
262. Kid Creole - 2008 - Going Places: The August Darnell Years 1974-1983
No use trying to dispute August Darnell was a genius, a true visionary. Pet Shop Boys couldn't have existed without him, for example.
263. Hole - 1992 - Live Through This
I'm still trying my best to keep up with grunge, riot grrrl and all that '90s stuff, but I just can't get excited over bands like Nirvana and Sleater-Kinney. Sometimes I feel like I'm a Boomer.
264. Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis
Method-acting singer Dusty Springfield plays a girl who's had her share of heartbreak but still determined to love some more cause she's got so much of it. Really, how do you respond to a girl who says "You don't have to say you love me"? *already essential
265. Womack & Womack - 1996 - Greatest Hits
-- "MPB (Missing Person Bureau) (remix)"
266. Sophie - 2018 - Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides
Bless those nonconformists like Sophie who won't stop trying 'til they create disturbance in our mind. + Sophie died on 21/01/30. Rest in peace . . . Shit, Shit, Shit.
267. M People - 1991 - Northern Soul
Debut album from this UK dance-pop/house band. RC never reviewed it. At 60 minutes this is too long and doesn't feature gorgeous Heather Small enough.
268. M People - 1993 - Elegant Slumming (US version)
I know damn well that the UK version, which until now I blindly believed was the one RC reviewed, doesn't deserve the A rating, because for years I tried to force myself into liking the humdrum latter parts and never succeeded. Well, Wikipedia tells me Northern Soul never got released in the States and instead they replaced three of its best songs with UK Elegant Slumming's three worst ones and released it as US Elegant Slumming, which RC reviewed. Not sure this finally makes Elegant Slumming A in my book, but no more confusion.
269. Willie Nelson - 2019 - Ride Me Back Home
270. Willie Nelson - 2020 - First Rose of Spring
RC, who probably followed every Willie Nelson releases since '70s, said every once in a while Willie nails a fluke. I bet these ain't 'em.
271. Neil Young - 1983 - Everybody's Rockin'
A very straightforward, short (less than 25 mins) album that merits mechanical dissection: Track 1, 2: obscure covers, lazily done. Track 3: original, RC choice cut, need some background knowledge to comprehend, best song in the album. Track 4, 6, 8. 10: origInal, simple and crude '50s rockabilly hoedown. Track 5: origInal, RC choice cut, nonsense wordplay '50s hoedown. Track 7, 9: famous covers, lazily done. Review: Captures Neil Young at a turbulent era when he's obsessively self-deconstrucing. If he looks and sounds like a self-indulgent asshole, well, maybe that's probably how he was.
272. Neil Young - 1985 - Old Ways
Unlike Everybody's Rockin', this is far from a scam, inspired melodies and all. But even though he's dabbling in country music this time, the title track makes it very clear he was already trying to leave. -- 3 RC songs, "Get Back to the Country"
273. Edith Piaf - 1991 - The Voice of the Sparrow: The Very Best of Edith Piaf
"As a vocalist, he [Tim Hardin] ranks alongside Billie Holiday and Edith Piaf as one of the most emotionally compelling singers in all of popular music" says Joseph F. Laredo in liner notes at Tim's 20th Century Millenium Collection series. Now that's laughable, but who really was Edith Piaf? Born in conditions almost as harsh as Billie's, she became a national treasure of France singing Chansons at Cabarets. Indeed, it's undeniable she was a gifted singer who is able to hit high notes. But it's also undeniable that her singing reeks of pomposity and sentimentality, rendering her beautiful voice irrelevant. + Did you know the famous "kick" theme in Inception was by her?
274. The Louvin Brothers - 2018 - Love & Wealth: The Lost Recordings
"the simple songwriter demos they had produced to help the publisher sell their songs to other artists" that got buried and dug up some 60 years later for profit. They're much more relaxed than their studio recordings I've heard. But relaxed or not they still harmonize as if Satan is real. Were they really delusional enough to believe it or was it all just a gimmick?
275. Neil Young - 1986 - Landing on Water
No one's gonna deny these songs and lyrics are haphazard, almost as shameless as Everybody's Rockin'. But Mr. Heart of Gold never failed at concocting a good melody or two, just like Paul McCartney. -- 3 RC songs, "Hard Luck Stories"
276. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - 1987 - Life
At this point the greatest rock and roller of the '70s completely sabotaged his career, but to quote RC, "Make no mistake, there's plenty of life left in the son of a bitch." I don't think many people would've shared that notion but in the end it became a prophecy. I have no idea how he came to that conclusion. -- "Prisoners of Rock 'N' Roll", "Around the World"
277. Robert Wyatt - 1974 - Rock Bottom
sounds like a marginally interesting prog-art-bullshit-rock that punk rockers detest
278. Neil Young - 1993 - Unplugged
gotta prove something if you 'unplug'
279. [VA] - 1994 - If Deejay Was Your Trade: The Dreads at King Tubby's 1974-1977
typical Tom Hull A-
280. The Louvin Brothers - 1959 - Satan Is Real
Kanye West, meet your seniors
281. Neil Young - 1988 - This Note's for You
more of what he did for David Geffen--meaningless experiments and half-assed throwaways -- "Coupe de Ville"
282. Neil Young - 1993 - Lucky Thirteen
Now I've listened to them all; Neil's '80s oeuvre was so disastrous that when I read David Geffen sued Young for not being commercial enough, I can't help but sympathize with him. Maybe Neil really was fucking with him on purpose, maliciously releasing the previously unavailable "Depression Blues" and "Get Gone" here, which to me ranks with the best of anything he had done in the decade.
283. Patsy Cline - 1967 - Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits
despite title, not the place to start nor finish
284. Bing Crosby - 1998 - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Bing Crosby
285. Bing Crosby - 2003 - A Centennial Anthology of His Decca Recordings
"The essence of his art was an illusion of naturalness that fails if people notice it" is a statement I would've felt someone's making shit up if that someone wasn't RC.
286. Nina Simone - 1969 - The Best of Nina Simone
Nina Simone is such a hugely respected musician and I could never figure out why. Even though she definitely surprised me here ("See-Line Woman" for selection, "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" for singing), I believe she should've stick to classical music which she grew up with and was probably best at.
287. Sam Cooke - 1963 - Night Beat
No single track stands out, but this is a pretty amazing album. What Night Beat does is nothing less than defining blues as lounge pop while staying away from schmaltz. It's really impressive, and no compilation of him I own informed me of this.
288. Terry Riley - 1969 - A Rainbow in Curved Air
How much worth is music this minimal and abstract is entirely up to the listener. But at least I know this music is free from the bullshit sentiments genre definitions like Classical, New Age or (even) Electronic inherently entail, so I dig. So should everyone else with an inquisitive mind.
289. Frank Sinatra - 1959 - No One Cares
His greatness is beyond any doubt, but sometimes I find him so impenetrable it frustrates me, which makes me doubt his greatness.
290. Frank Sinatra - 2010 - The Essential Frank Sinatra: The Columbia Years
Frank Sinatra is an enigma. I tried so hard, and I do admire him a ton, but I just don't love him half as much as I love Billie Holiday, who is supposedly at the same pantheon.
291. Neil Young - 2016 - Peace Trail
2 RC cuts are the deepest, most complex, most contemplative ones. My pick is just a idiosyncratic tune I'm too fond of to discard. -- 2 RC songs, "Terrorist Suicide Hang Gliders"
292. The Marvelettes - 1970 - The Return of the Marvelettes
a de facto Wanda Young solo album with ready-made Hitsville sound
293. A.B. Crentsil - 1984 - Tantie Alaba
294. A.B. Crentsil - 1986 - Abrokyiri Abrabo
295. Jon Hassell - 1983 - Aka/Darbari/Java
amorphous: with no clear shape, design, or structure; means shapeless, not necessarily a compliment
296. Buju Banton - 2020 - Upside Down
his first album in 10 years after he was imprisoned for 6 years reminds me why back in the '90s everybody copied him
297. [VA] - 2020 - The Rough Guide to African Beats
298. [VA] - 2019 - Electro Acholi Kaboom from Northern Uganda
"exploring . . . the electronic re-interpretation of traditional Acholi courtship songs . . . between 2003-2008". With its roots in wedding music, this resembles Dabke in many ways.
299. Louis Armstrong - 1955 - Ambassador Satch
one of those fake "live" albums they used to produce pre-1970; pretty mediocre
300. Louis Armstrong - 1958 - Louis and the Good Book
I asked for gutbucket blues--he gave me choir music
301. Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington - 2000 - The Making of the Great Summit
302. Yabby You - 2015 - Dread Prophecy: The Strange and Wonderful Story of Yabby You
a kind, wise and very much sane(!) Jesus Dread concocts loads of roots reggae, King Tubbys, 12" mixes but not that much "eccentric" stuff I've been promised -- "Carnal Mind", "Praise Jahoviah", "Fire Deh a Mus Mus Tail"
303. Madonna - 1983 - Madonna
a glorious coronation of the queen of pop who keeps flirting with everybody (man or woman? I don't think she minds) to spend some more time in bed with her
304. [VA] - 2020 - Carola 75
Not a single song maybe except The 3 Friends is no less than a classic and the selection is anything but obvious. (Etta James: "Cigarettes & Coffee"?!, M.I.A.: "Mango Pickle Down River"?!, The Beatles: "Girl"?!) Yet still, I don't find this "long-tailored playlist" as mind-boggling as other great mixtapes, like RC's own '50s: The Singles, however blasphemous it may sound like. I somehow suspect the reason is that this playlist is geared a bit too much to please her husband, which is why I feel detached with it. Still, one of a kind compilation money can't buy.
305. Madonna - 2009 - Celebration
menstruating Michael Jackson -- "Erotica", "Beautiful Stranger", "Don't Tell Me"
306. [VA] - 2020 - Saint Etienne Present Songs for the Fountain Coffee Room
contains exactly the kind of music that plays in a 'Fountain Coffee Room', whatever that is
307. [VA] - Love Saves the Day: A History of American Dance Music Culture 1970-1979, Pt. 1
308. [VA] - Love Saves the Day: A History of American Dance Music Culture 1970-1979, Pt. 2
In an accompanying book, Tim Lawrence tells "the definitive story of American dance music culture in the 1970s". Wish I had some inkling about what that story is; might help me digest these engaging but wildly incoherent dance tunes. -- Laura Lee: "(If You Want to Try Love Again) Remember Me", Wilson Pickett: "Don't Knock My Love, Pt. 1"
309. Madonna - 1986 - Papa Don't Preach
"Papa don't preach, I'm in trouble deep/Papa don't preach, I've been losing sleep/But I made up my mind, I'm keeping my baby/I'm gonna keep my baby" No, the theme is not anti-abortion. It's about courage of a proud teenage girl who's determined to face what comes her way.
310. [VA] - In the Red Zone: The Essential Collection of Classic Dub
admit it--most dubs are nothing more than by-products, and these picks don't beat the odds
311. Augustus Pablo - 2008 - The Mystic World of Augustus Pablo: The Rockers Story
recycled melodies, distant echoes, conquering melodica -- The Heptones: "Love Won't Come Easy"
312. Bob Marley & the Wailers - 2005 - Gold: 1967-1972
Compare this collection of early Wailers when Marley was striving for prominence in Jamaica to any other ska-to-reggae artists and marvel at how this genius was already miles ahead. It was only inevitable the international fame and deification followed. (about A-, could be A if I try harder--I find Marley's songs always require some time to sink in)
313. Lester Young - 1998 - Ultimate Lester Young
Except when he was enjoying a musical romance with Billie Holiday, I've never found a record of/about him that I was eager to play again, not even Ken Burns Jazz. Something about his playstyle being too introvert puts me off, if that's a valid criticism at all.
314. Thelonious Monk - 2020 - Palo Alto
A janitor recorded this live event at Palo Alto High School in 1968, with the tape being finally released some 52 years later. And Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall it ain't, even if there were no bass and drum solos intruding. The two highlights, however, are as intoxicating as any Monk I can recall: his typically unduplicatable solo of "Don't Blame Me" and a brief, brutal deconstruction of "I Love You Sweetheart of All My Dreams". -> expecting at least A- and hey, I was right!
315. Public Enemy - 2014 - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (Deluxe Edition)
remixes, instrumentals and other bottom-of-the-barrels of the greatest hip hop album ever, so be a sucka one time and make an exception -- "Fight the Power (soundtrack version)", "Bring the Noise (No Noise version)", "The Edge of Panic", "Night of the Living Baseheads (Anti-High Blood Pressure Encounter mix)"
316. Kanye West - 2019 - Jesus Is King
His genius for aural sensation is still palpable, but that's about as much praise anybody outside of his cult will ever grant to this crappy product. Yes, the intent is malicious. Fuck this guy, bipolar or not. -- "Every Hour"
317. Kanye West - 2019 - Yandhi
Seeking a rational explanation of how he lost his mind, I was compelled to find out this leak of "late-December 2018 session", a few months before Kanye aborted and reannounced it as dreadful Jesus Is King. Exploring through spare, unfinished production accompanied with TTS guide vocal like ruins of an ancient empire once thrived, I couldn't find much evidence about anything, only to realize later that there's a harrowing omen of "West replacing Yandhi with Jesus Is King due to him having vowed to only put out Christian hip hop after going through a new birth experience." Ohh, shit.
318. Kanye West - 2018 - Ye
"I Thought About Killing You"--selfish, willful, contradictory. Some might find it offensive but well, that's how contemplating suicide can be. I think it's one of the deeper, better suicide songs out there, not to mention aurally superior. It's also the only song here I'm moved enough with Kanye or any rapper completely obsessed with his or her ego to care, not even sweet "Wouldn't Leave" or "Violent Crimes". -- "I Thought About Killing You"
319. Sister Rosetta Tharpe - 2019 - Bring Back Those Happy Days: Greatest Hits and Selected Recordings (1938-1957)
I've seen YouTube videos of her playing some mean guitars that'll evoke nonexistent-penis envy of many guitarists with balls. One could never guess any of that, listening to this collection of anodyne gospel music. The most competent music here is the last 3 songs, a proof she eased up as she got older, but none of those get close to her "Up Above My Head" on American Epic: The Collection. I play it whenever I wanna be reminded of how nonexistent-penis envy feels. -- "Ninety-Nine and a Half Won't Do", "Let's Be Happy", "I've Done Wrong"
320. Rhoda Dakar - 1982 - The Boiler
Hey, I dig the ironic funky sound; reminds me of Lennon's "Crippled Inside". And Rhoda's tale of date rape is especially meaningful in this time and age. And those horrible screams could be good education. Not a great single per se, but I'm glad to own it. Play it loud for maximum effect.
321. James Brown - 1973 - Slaughter's Big Rip-Off
don't care about this soundtrack, but I'm simply awestruck at how much work he'd been doing in those days: "The consumerist-conservationist in me is appalled by the whole idea of J.B.'s records, which are basically another way for James Brown to spread himself thin. The title riff is the best he's come up with since There It Is--two soundtracks, a compilation, a studio double, and another J.B.'s album ago--and might have been put to better use elsewhere." -- from RC's Doing It to Death review -- "People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul" + 1 RC tune
322. Nat King Cole - 1961 - The Nat King Cole Story
323. Nat King Cole - 1994 - The Greatest Hits
Insufferable crap like "Mona Lisa" or any song where he tries to speak foreign language makes it tempting to hold contempt. And what was all that about necromancy on 1991's "Unforgettable"?
324. Nat King Cole - 1990 - Jumpin' at Capitol: The Best of the Nat King Cole Trio
325. Nat King Cole - 1956 - After Midnight: The Complete Session
He hasn't changed his style a bit, but on these RC picks he is pure jazz, which means he swings more and sings less of those terrible pop songs that please lowest common denominator. I still can do without him perfectly fine, but these are Nat King Cole to listen.
326. [VA] - 1951 - Folk and Classical Music of Korea
anthropological document rendered kitsch curiosity 70 years later
327. [VA] - 1950 - Folk Music of Ethiopia
I was going to repeat what I wrote above, but upon closer hearing this is more than kitsch; There's natural dissonance to both their playing and singing, as if it's in their blood. Their music is also rough, harsh, downright ugly when it wants and/or needs to. Isn't that what they call rock and roll?
328. The Specials - 1984 - In the Studio
An underrated one. This album offers at least 3 great songs: "Racist Friend", "Nelson Mandela", "Bright Lights"--all political, all offbeat, all funky. And the lesser songs aren't that bad. This was one of the last 2 Tone records. It was too good to last long it seems.
329. [VA] - 2010 - Jon Savage Presents Black Hole: Californian Punk 1977-80
DIY punk nuggets which for better or worse (usually worse) share one great virtue: sincerity -- Dead Kennedys: "California Uber Alles"
330. Linton Kwesi Johnson - 1998 - More Time
-- "Reggae Fi Bernard", "More Time" + 1 RC song
331. Linton Kwesi Johnson - 1998 - Independant Intavenshan: The Island Anthology
You're liable to make bad decisions if you're a fan of the musician. So even though this compilation is obsolete in almost every way, I'm keeping it just for the enhanced sound on 1984's Making History, which sounds even worse than early Husker Du.
332. James Brown - 1967 - James Brown Sings Raw Soul
a formulaic JB album in the transitional phase between soul and something more rhythmic that did not know its name yet in the year of Sgt. Pepper -- "Bring It Up", "Tell Me That You Love Me"
333. Justin Hinds & the Dominoes - 1984 - Travel with Love
-- "The Rainbow"
334. Justin Hinds & the Dominoes - 2005 - Carry Go Bring Come: The Anthology '64-'74
Jamaican homeboy
335. Justin Hinds & the Dominoes - 1976 - Jezebel
-- "Natty Take Over"
336. Gilberto Gil - 2002 - The Definitive Gilberto Gil: Bossa Samba & Pop
Gilberto Gil contains multitudes; he can be many things, which inevitably includes tedious folkie with predictable rhythms, which sadly is also how he's most frequently presented, like here. And his discography, which has been tirelessly expanded just about every year with new albums since 1967, is as impenetrable as Franco Luambo's. I just hope someday there come a single-disc overview worthy of the MPB miracle I witnessed in first half of Um Banda Um. -- "Palco"
336. Dark City Sisters - 1976 - Best of the Dark City Sisters
Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens get all the attention if there's any spotlight at all on mbaqanga, but Wikipedia tells me Dark City Sisters were the original hit makers before them. Even though low fidelity hurts their vocal clarity and harmony, this music nonetheless pulsates with austere sense of joy and almost gullible sense of optimism that catch me off-guard every time. It's a great gift to the world that hardly anyone knows.
337. [VA] - 1988 - Sheshwe: The Sound of the Mines
the place is called Lesotho, an enclaved country within the border of South Africa -- Sebata Sebata: "Selomo ke Motjhonoke"
338. [VA] - 1999 - Chuck D Presents Louder Than a Bomb
"Any revolution that does not include dancing ain't worth waging."
339. Lee "Scratch" Perry - 2019 - Heavy Rain
his 3rd studio album of 2019/Rainford dub/"Here Come the Warm Dreads" features Brian Eno, who stopped making interesting music a long time ago -- "Drown Satan"
340. Souzy Kasseya - 1985 - The Phenomenal
Congolese guitarist who backed Sam Mangwana provides generic soukous whose, strangely, best groove comes from a bonus track -- "La Vie Continue"
341. [VA] - 1993 - The Compact 2 Tone Story
Jerry Dammers thinks this is their worst, and with the 4CD box set of A-side and B-side of every single released on the label he's just being honest, but I think it's a testament to how excellent the 2 Tone movement was that even excess stuff is this good. For once, I wouldn't mind a record label story being verbose, not compact. -- The Specials: "Longshot Kick the Bucket/Liquidator/Skinhead Moonstomp", The Friday Club: "Window Shopping"
342. [VA] - 2019 - Black & Blue, Vol. 1
343. James Brown - 2014 - Get on Up: The James Brown Story
344. James Brown - 1999 - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of James Brown
superfluous compilations I'm just checking out to see if I missed anything, and yes, for my JB fill -- "Soul Power" (live)
345. Big Star - 2016 - Complete Third
-- "Manana", "Don't Worry Baby"
346. Jamaaladeen Tacuma - 1983 - Show Stopper
-- "Sunk in the Funk"
347. Creedence Clearwater Revival - 2019 - Live at Woodstock
I guess when a live recording does not offer what studio albums already do, then no matter how excellent the sound is, its value is rendered redundant. Which is what exactly happens with this one, almost an exact replica of their superb studio recordings. With zero new songs.
348. Big Star - 2003 - Big Star Story
349. Andy Fairweather Low - 1980 - Mega-Shebang
Too unassuming, kind-hearted, sincere, maybe he was destined to never be famous despite rocking far better than his famous bosses. Too sane in an insane show business, or "A Fool 4 Some", you could argue.
350. Lee "Scratch" Perry - 1982 - Mystic Miracle Star
If you're wondering why people call him a mad genius, like I did, listen to this record, which is unlike any reggae I've ever heard. If only he could somehow encapsulate within his spacious head this could have been definitive. But being excessive is also one of the reasons why people call him a mad genius, and I've always wondered why.
351. Big Star - 1993 - Columbia: Live at Missouri University 4/25/93
Not very impressed. Their studio recordings which were so meticulous it drove Chris Bell mad should be preferred. -- "Slut"
352. John Chibadura - 1986 - The Best of John Chibadura
353. John Chibadura - 1985 - Kurera
354. John Chibadura - 1989 - The Essential John Chibadura
John Chibadura from Zimbabwe is the most indigenous artist that have come my way through a Consumer Guide in a long time. He plays good, serviceable Chimurenga, but that's all I can hear, I'm afraid.
355. [VA] - 1985 - The Indestructible Beat of Soweto
music still prevails even in impoverished Soweto circa '81 ~ '83 at the height of Apartheid
356. Bill Withers - 1974 - The Best of Bill Withers
This guy was huge. He could write, he could sing, he could rock, he could croon. No wonder he was on the same bill with James Brown, Franco, Tabu Ley, etc. at the 1974 Rumble in the Jungle event.
357. [VA] - 1961 - Coxsone's Dramatic and Music Centre
second-rate R&B; the roots of Ska
358. [VA] - 2018 - Power of Love: 80s Love Songs
Pop ballads. When they're passionate they're overkill, when they're not they're annoying.
359. Don Pullen - 1985 - Plays Monk
plays hundred times more notes and saying much less
360. Madness - 1997 - Total Madness: The Very Best of Madness
" . . . too British and not American enough." Neither English nor American I have no idea what that means. Since it's only natural I'm more American than British, however, I'm not too surprised Madness doesn't do it for me. One thing is clear, anyway--they walked the UB40 path. -- "Our House"
361. The English Beat - 1981 - Wha'ppen?
This album always sounded dangerously too subtle to be an essential record and reading what's available lyrics at Genius makes me think they're rather unfocused. High A-. *not essential anymore
362. Black Uhuru - 1983 - Anthem
Adorably puzzling. Undeniably tuneful.
363. The Specials - 1991 - The Singles Collection
they have lots of moments, but overall too inconsistent
364. L7 - 1990 - Smell the Magic
Sounds like a Sleater-Kinney record, by which I mean as an insult. There's not a single song as striking as "Pretend We're Dead".
365. Sly & the Family Stone - 2003 - The Essential Sly & the Family Stone
out of 35 songs here, only 3 comes after 1973's Fresh, when the contradictions, disillusions and hard drugs finally ate Sly Stone up -- "Loose Booty", "I Get High on You"
366. Neil Young - 1980 - Hawks & Doves
the title song is a definitive masterpiece about middle-class consciousness and political indifference -- "Hawks & Doves", "Comin' Apart at Every Nail", "Union Man"
367. Neil Young - 2020 - The Times
even Richard Nixon had soul, unlike Trump -- "Lookin' for a Leader 2020"
368. Sly & the Family Stone - 2013 - Higher!
369. [VA] - 2001 - Let There Be Funk!
many kinds of funk, except great
370. [VA] - 1987 - Frat Rock!: The Greatest Rock 'N' Roll Party Tunes of All Time
Frat rock refers to an energetic and upbeat variation of early garage rock. The limits are apparent; both the songs and lyrics are very simple, crude and amateurish. No tune is more than what it appears to be, except for "Louie Louie" by the Kingsmen, the crappiest of the bunch and a purely accidental masterpiece. It's a record you must hear before you die. It will revolutionize your mind, if your brain can somehow comprehend it.
371. Allen Toussaint - 2011 - Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky: The Hit Songs & Productions 1957-1978
unfortunately, rarities are nothing more than obscure and hits are nothing less than redundant
372. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - 1981 - Re-ac-tor
Neil Young, the greatest rock musician of the '70s who 3 years ago declared rust never sleeps, came up with this little bag of experimental rock and roll. A good news is that it's lightweight and quite enjoyable. A bad news that its unprecedented sloppiness portends deconstruction that will make a real mess of his whole '80s.
373. Burning Spear - 1976 - Garvey's Ghost
It can't be harmful to dub a classic like Marcus Garvey, and this one's done with a lot more care than the usual low standard.
374. Lee "Scratch" Perry - 2005 - I Am the Upsetter: The Story of the Lee "Scratch" Perry Golden Years
the Black Ark days that lasted until he burned down his own studio along with master tapes in a fit of rage
375. Miles Davis - 2020 - Live in Tokyo 1973
I've been trying for many years, but still '70s Miles is a little beyond me. I didn't enjoy this record very much, which only means I have a lot of catching up to do. Bass: Michael Henderson, Percussion: James Mtume.
376. [VA] - 1987 - Homeland: A Collection of Black South African Music
377. [VA] - 1990 - Homeland 2: A Collection of Black South African Music
378. [VA] - 1998? - Homebrew, Vol. 3: Traditional South African Music
379. [VA] - 1998? - Homebrew, Vol. 4: Traditional South African Music
destructible beat of SOWETO: SOuth WEstern TOwnships -- Makhweru: "Mapansula" + 1 RC song
380. Brian Eno - 1975 - Another Green World
My impression after listening to the greatest of all ambient albums once again is that it works as an organic whole, rather than the sum of its individual parts. Which is striking because every individual part sounds so much different than the others. For example, compare "I'll Come Running", the most immediate single of the album, to any other parts. Totally different, yet they merge into a whole.
381. Big Star - 1972 - #1 Record
Trying to figure out why Radio City is great but their debut is a bit short is a great sport for cerebrum. I don't know--Melodies less inspired? Material overworked? Sentiment too blue? (Beatles was always funky even when they were crying for help) In any case, my heart goes out to Chris Bell, who poured his soul into this album and as a reward got his heart broken when it flopped.
382. John Fahey - 1998 - Death Chants, Breakdowns and Military Waltzes
-- "John Henry Variations", "Dance of the Inhabitants of the Palace of King Philip XIV of Spain"
383. Little Richard - 1970 - The Rill Thing
I only noticed how intense his singing was simply because the songs were unremarkable. Made me realize he couldn't have been who he was if he was just an ordinary blues shouter. Of course, Little Richard is much more than that, but at the same time he's certainly the most reducible out of any early rock and roll titans.
384. Fleetwood Mac - 1971 - Greatest Hits
I'm sorry, but this really does sound like a second-rate English blues band.
385. The Mamas & the Papas - 1966 - If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears *essential
Almost any compilation of this band draws heavily if not entirely from this debut album, but that does not make it any less exquisite. Yet rarely has a pop classic made me feel this much alienated. Because more than anything this album is a souvenir of an era or a scene/culture I barely or will never know.
386. Phil Spector - 1991 - Back to Mono (1958-1969)
One-disc worth of goodies and three-disc worth of collectorama. I always thought his greatest works are Plastic Ono Band and Let It Be anyways.
387. Muddy Waters - The Anthology (1947-1972) *essential
Really staggering and almost absurd how much variation he put in this rigid genre over 50 songs, and if a song isn't a stone cold classic, it's damn near close to make you wondering. I don't think this compilation contains every major works he ever did. But it's a solid starter kit.
388. The Beach Boys - 1965 - Today!
Wall of Sound Beach Boys style; every great track here has the word 'dance' in it
389. [VA] - 2004 - Doctors, Professors, Kings, & Queens: The Big Ol' Box of New Orleans
just poorly curated -- Louis Armstrong: "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans", Charmaine Neville: "The Right Key but the Wrong Keyhole", The Wild Magnolias: "Party", The Dirty Dozen Brass Band: "Don't You Feel My Leg"
390. Professor Longhair - 2016 - Live in Chicago *not essential anymore
I made a typical mistake of overrating live albums.
391. Steely Dan - 1974 - Pretzel Logic
392. Manu Chao - 2001 - Proxima Estacion: Esperanza
Another couple of RC-approved classics that I'm kinda lukewarm to. As always I blame myself for that, and there aren't that many certified classics I don't get, but these are some of them.
393. Prince - 1987 - Sign "O" the Times (2020 super deluxe edition)
394. Marvin Gaye - Here, My Dear
This is a really deep and complicated album, and I will listen to it some more and try to organize my thoughts about it in near future. Is it essential? Possible, but too soon to tell--this is a kind of a work of art that needs "time" (in an absolute sense) to sink in. All I can come up with it right now is that this album is like a mirror image to John Lennon & Yoko Ono's Double Fantasy, and we need it as much as we need Double Fantasy.
395. The Move - Message from the Country
396. New Order - Power, Corruption & Lies
tuneful, but where are the tunes?
397. Bill Laswell - 1993 - Deconstruction: The Celluloid Recordings
rhythm on top with heavy bass, never giving up funk for food no matter how unlikely things would get
398 . Boyz II Men - 1994 - II
399. [VA] - 1995 - Impulse! Story
There's not a single bad cut here, but this compilation is such a mess that it evokes anomie. Sample the merchandise, Seek out for individual artists and albums. -- Albert Ayler: "Love Cry (alternate take)"
400. Ella Fitzgerald - 2020 - Ella: The Lost Berlin Tapes *essential
This 1962 performance makes me so happy. Not only is this music heavenly, the best I've heard from her yet, it finally gave me emotional access to Ella, a jazz colossus. She's gifted with an immense, gorgeous voice but rarely relys on her assets to swing like it's roaring twenties and sing the hell out of ballads. And she will blush but even do the Louis Armstrong impression if you ask her nicely. For a long time, my one and only jazz diva was Billie Holiday. But now I have another.
401. Gato Barbieri - 2006 - The Impulse Story
'the only jazzman this side of Miles Davis to translate avant-garde into semi-popular without sounding venal' is one hell of a compliment, and I believe every word of it when Gato's on point -- "Nunca Mas (complete version)", "Encontros (complete version)"
402. McCoy Tyner - 2006 - The Impulse Story
nothing but a bunch of modal jazz, if I understand that term right -- "Greensleeves"
403. Keith Jarrett - 2006 - The Impulse Story
404. David Bowie - 1977 - Low
405. David Bowie - 1977 - "Heroes"
I edited the Eno cuts out and they're much better
406. Sarah Vaughan - 2000 - Ken Burns Jazz
My latest revelation about Ella Fitzgerald brought me again to this overrated Ken Burns Jazz nominee. I don't know exactly how one should evaluate jazz singing, but that doesn't matter, because Sarah always sounds like she strives to be a classical singer. Nadir: the all-scatted "Autumn Leaves". Surprise: operatic, thick-voiced, plain weird "Send in the Clowns".
407. Master Musicians of Jajouka - Brian Jones Presents the Pipes of Pan at Jajouka
I admit sometimes I don't feel up to any god damn thing except this kind of music, which I believe everyone does and also believe says something about human spirit -- "Your Eyes Are Like a Cup of Tea (Al Yunic Sharbouni Ate)"
408. Gregory Isaacs - 2003 - Cool Ruler: The Definitive Collection
409. Gregory Isaacs - 2011 - The Ruler 1972-1990
peaks early with roots reggae, peaks again circa "Night Nurse" with lovers rock -- "Get Ready"
410. [VA] - New York Noise, Vol. 3: Music from the New York Underground 1977-1984
art college crowd having their exclusive fun
411. Gregory Isaacs - 1974 - The Early Years
412. Gregory Isaacs - 1995 - Mr. Love
At first he sang about grim subjects like black struggle, poverty and slavery, like any other roots reggae musicians. Then he realized there's not enough money in there and started to sing what's really on his mind--love. Kinda like Al Green but reversed.
413. Bootsy Collins - 1994 - Back in the Day: The Best of Bootsy
JB's bassist got his own band
414. Bob Dylan - 2020 - The Best of the Bootleg Series
I can always tell how much his music's worth, but I can never tell how much his songs' worth -- "Up to Me"
415. Lauryn Hill - 1998 - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
416. [VA] - 2014 - Virgin Front Line: Sounds of Reality
short-lived UK Reggae label Johnny Rotten(?!) assisted -- The Abyssinians: "Hey You"
417. Omar Souleyman - 2019 - Shlon
doleful
418. Joy Divison/New Order - 2011 - Ceremony/In a Lonely Place
Ian Curtis about to die
419. Skip Spence - 1969 - Oar
one of those records that is more about the person than the music, both of which are equally shitty; listen to Nick Drake if you've got the itch for this kind of stuff
420. James Brown - 1970 - Sex Machine
This consists of chopped-up live performance from 1969 with heavy editing and some studio material. Theoretically, Live at Home with His Bad Self should be sufficient, but I found out even haphazard studio stuff is ace, booming with Bootsy Collins' bass and all. "Too much for my liver" I once thought, but now I think it was just my immune system acting up. I can't possibly fathom how mind-blowing this all was 50 years ago.
421. [VA] - 1997 - Classic 80's Groove Mastercuts, Vol. 3
422. [VA] - 2005 - The Rough Guide to Dub
"A less inclusive sampling than the title suggests--everything 1973-1980, King Tubby and acolytes only--and easier to access as a result, especially for those put off (or bored) by the abstraction toward which the dub mindset gravitates (or wanders). This early in the genre's history, trickles of melody still activate the pleasure centers as the music shifts in and out of one's stoned, spaced or distracted consciousness. Later, dry will regularly be mistaken for deep. A-"
423. Bill Laswell - 2003 - ROIR Dub Sessions
'70s Miles revival
424. Public Image Ltd. - 1986 - Album (2016 deluxe edition)
"You don't deserve me." Well maybe we don't.
425. U2 - 2000 - All That You Can't Leave Behind (2020 deluxe edition)
426. R.L. Burnside - 2003 - First Recordings
427. Mississippi Fred McDowell - 1997 - The First Recordings
427. Judy Garland - 1961 - Judy at Carnegie Hall *essential
I'm thoroughly impressed. Majestic but never pompous. She's pretty funny, too. I don't know anything about her recording career before and after this one, and it's very much possible her authority and rich tone didn't translate to studio material in favor of more marketable, "accessible" sound. But this record is enshrined in the National Recording Registry for a good reason.
428. Neil Young - 2009 - Neil Young Archives, Vol. I: 1963-1972
disc 5 is wild
429. Can - 1971 - Tago Mago
No use trying to criticize it for being silly. After all, this is kids record. What makes me angry is how uninspired it is.
430. Crosby, Stills & Nash - 1969 - Crosby, Stills & Nash
Each song has its distinctive sonic identity, but only for 30 seconds. Then the whole degenerate into Simon & Garfunkel shtick.
431. Pylon - 2020 - Box
useful memorabilia of a band who really didn't record as much as they should have
432. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - 1970 - Deja Vu
433. John Prine - 1979 - Pink Cadillac
one of those lifeless '50s rock and roll cover album that many major artists dabbled in back in those days: John Lennon's Rock 'N' Roll, Neil Young's Everybody's Rockin', and the list goes on
434. Sonic Youth - 1998 - A Thousand Leaves
At least one thing is downright sure: not an A+. Don't believe me, check out the later parts of "Hits of Sunshine" and see if this kind of shit can be tolerated in any other A+ records. In general Sonic Youth was/is never my favorite band anyways.
435. Charlier Parker - 1996 - The Legendary Dial Masters, Vols. 1-2
Every time I listen to this collection this happens: absolutely stellar for the first half, then I slowly lose track of which song is which. More compact best-of will deserve A+. This? I'm not so sure.
436. Manfred Mann's Earth Band - 1972 - Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Another A+ record that I can't quite find connection with.
437. Ray Charles - 1972 - A 25th Anniversary in Show Business Salute to Ray Charles
438. Ray Charles - 1991 - The Birth of Soul: The Complete Atlantic Rhythm and Blues Recordings *essential
The Birth of Soul, which I used to find a bit samey, is a solid A now, having finally realized that what I used to foolishly consider mere genre exercises were in fact no less than historic process of revolutionizing rhythm and blues. I just wish I had access to Robert Palmer's liner notes so I didn't have to figure these out on my own. And while 1972's 25th Anniversary is superb too, it does get weaker as it pushes through his career.
439. Kraftwerk - 1991 - The Mix
-- 2 RC cuts + "Music Non Stop"
440. New Order - 2002 - Back to Mine
441. Pet Shop Boys - 2005 - Back to Mine
442. Tricky - 2003 - Back to Mine
New Order the best, Pet Shop Boys pretentious, Tricky somehow sounding exactly like Tricky
443. Black Ark Players - 1980 - Black Ark in Dub
-- Inamans: "How Deep Is Your Love"
444. Kink Gong - 2016 - Chang Fo Ji: Buddha Loops from China & Tibet
Buddhist songs, prayers, murmurs, whispers looped with portable tape recorder to simulate the eternal cycle of birth, death and rebirth; all sample-ready
445. Albert Ayler - 1982 - Lorrach/Paris 1966
-- "Our Prayer/Spirits Rejoice"
446. Barrington Levy - 1990 - Broader Than Broadway: The Best of Barrington Levy
packs some nice vocal hooks, but not much more than that -- "Under Me Sensi"
447. Jimmy Cliff - 1969 - Jimmy Cliff
his writing is good-hearted mush, but when he gets it right, not only he nails it but he comes up with one of the greatest reggae anthems ever: "Vietnam", "Many Rivers to Cross", "Wonderful World, Beautiful People"
448. Lee "Scratch" Perry - 1980 - The Return of Pipecock Jackxon
449. [VA] - 2001 - In the Beginning There Was Rhythm
450. [VA] - 1991 - Memphis Gospel (1927-1929)
These grassroots gospel from 100 years ago is of crucial importance in pop music history, but at 71 minutes this collection is wearing.
451. Lee "Scratch" Perry - 2010 - Sound System Scratch
Black Ark dubs '73 ~ '79 -- "Chim Cherie"
452. Etta James - 2010 - The Essential Etta James
2-disc compilation collecting her last two decades of work. Interpreting through the Great American Songbook with a ravaged voice, what's unmistakable anyway is her tremendous intelligence.
453. Churchical Chants of the Nyabingi - 1983 - Churchical Chants of the Nyabingi
so raw it's inedible
454. Anthony Braxton - 1969 - For Alto
-- "To Composer John Cage"
