reviews
Eraserhead Xiu Xiu - Xiu Xiu (2026)
Disturbing and terrible, a potential 2026 Album Of The Year, I’ll never listen to it again.
-July 14, 2026
Meat Puppets II - Meat Puppets (1984)
Worth hearing the originals of these.
-July 14, 2026
The Early Years 1927 - 1933 - Blind Willie McTell (1968)
If ever Bob Dylan and Jack White were listening to the same song at the same time, it was probably something by Blind Willie McTell.
-July 14, 2026
Kick Out The Jams - MC5 (1969)
A good 1969 album. RIP, Fred Sonic Smith.
-July 14, 2026
Legend (The Best Of Bob Marley And The Wailers) - Bob Marley & The Wailers (1984)
Much better than Exodus, loses the album feel, but doesn’t skip at all.
-July 11, 2026
Exodus - Bob Marley & The Wailers (1977)
Everyone says this is great, but it skips on both sides.
-July 11, 2026
Pyramid Landing And Other Favorites - Marbles (1997)
Like Triple A for the Apples.
-July 11, 2026
Live At Jittery Joe’s - Jeff Mangum (2001)
Good Neutral Milk songs, but I Love How You Love Me is probably the highlight.
-July 11, 2026
Greatest Hits - Volume 1 - The Mamas & The Papas (1971)
Bought largely because the other greatest hits album skips, but this one skips too. Imagine how good they would be otherwise.
-July 11, 2026
16 Of Their Greatest Hits - The Mamas & The Papas (1972)
Good, though it skips a few times, which isn’t great.
-July 11, 2026
Songs: Ohia - Magnolia Electric Co (2003)
For some reason, I’ve had trouble remembering, of Magnolia Electric Co and Songs: Ohia, which is the band name and which is the album name. Consequently, this album is often misfiled.
-July 10, 2026
50 Song Memoir - The Magnetic Fields (2017)
Not a band for half measures. Definitely their second longest album, and lots of good here.
-July 10, 2026
Love At The Bottom Of The Sea - The Magnetic Fields (2012)
Couple of bangers up top.
-July 10, 2026
Realism - The Magnetic Fields (2010)
It’s fine, and sometimes pretty good, like Dada Polka.
-July 10, 2026
I - The Magnetic Fields (2004)
Impressive follow up to a magnum opus.
-July 9, 2026
69 Love Songs - The Magnetic Fields (1999)
Strong case for the one album you’d want to be stranded with, and maybe even 2026 Album Of The Year.
-July 9, 2026
Get Lost - The Magnetic Fields (1995)
Peak pre-69 Magnetic Fields.
-July 9, 2026
The Charm Of The Highway Strip - The Magnetic Fields (1994)
Near perfect for a road trip.
-July 9, 2026
Holiday - The Magnetic Fields (1994)
And, a right proper LP, which sounds even more like the Magnetic Fields.
-July 8, 2026
The House Of Tomorrow - The Magnetic Fields (1992)
A right proper EP, sounds like the Magnetic Fields.
-July 8, 2026
Distant Plastic Trees - The Magnetic Fields (1991)
Proto Magnetic Fields, not yet there, but good, just early.
-July 8, 2026
Fathers, Sons And Brothers - David Lowery (2025)
He’s older than he was in 1996, but good for him to make this.
-July 8, 2026
Golden Greats Volume 1 - Dennis Yost And The Classics IV (1969)
Spooky’s great, and the songs that kind of sound like Spooky are pretty good.
-July 7, 2026
15 Hits: The Original Recordings - Various (1962)
First, it’s not clear that these are the original recordings - Corrine, Corrina at least had been recorded quite a bit before. Second, this is a peculiar name for an album with an unclear cohesive theme. But, my copy is from Tom Verlaine’s collection, so this is a good album.
-July 7, 2026
Lost Highway - Various (2017)
Good moments throughout, though nothing comes close to Lou Reed’s This Magic Moment.
-July 7, 2026
Born Again In The USA - Loose Fur (2006)
Is this where The Ruling Class comes from? Or is that a Wilco song covered here? Fine enough album overall
-July 7, 2026
Joshua Judges Ruth - Lyle Lovett (1992)
Church! And the rest is good too, the George H.W. Bush years were good to Lyle Lovett.
-July 1, 2026
Lyle Lovett And His Large Band - Lyle Lovett And His Large Band (1989)
This is good, you can’t blame it for not being Pontiac.
-July 1, 2026
The Suicide Handbook - Ryan Adams (2001)
I’m not really sure what the deal is with this album, but, it’s a good enough album.
-July 1, 2026
K-Pop Demon Hunters (Soundtrack From The Netflix Film) - Various (2025)
Exactly what you’d figure.
-June 22, 2026
Loose Fur - Loose Fur (2003)
Laminated Cat!
-June 22, 2026
Bad Wiring - Jeffrey Lewis And The Voltage (2019)
Grew on me.
-June 22, 2026
Jeffrey Lewis Did Not Choose The Tracks Or The Sequence For This Out-Takes And Rarities Album 2007-2014 - Jeffrey Lewis (2016)
That said, this is great, especially the one about alternate side of the street parking, and I Love Antifolk.
-June 22, 2026
It’s The Ones Who’ve Cracked That The Light Shines Through - Jeffrey Lewis (2003)
Good album, my copy is a test pressing, which sounds even better.
-June 22, 2026
Live In Milan - R.E.M. (2019)
Delightful latter day R.E.M. show.
-June 15, 2026
II & III - Camper Van Beethoven (1986)
I would have made this album in 1986 if it had occurred to me first.
-June 15, 2026
Manhattan - Jeffrey Lewis & Los Bolts (2015)
Standard Jeffrey Lewis output, which is pretty good.
-June 15, 2026
‘Em Are I - Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard (2009)
Roll Bus Roll is one of those songs, like the tylenol song.
-June 15, 2026
12 Crass Songs - Jeffrey Lewis (2007)
Album of the Year contender, depending how we’re feeling in December.
-June 15, 2026
City & Eastern Songs - Jeffrey & Jack Lewis (2005)
He was so young a long time ago, he’s older now though. Good album.
-June 7, 2026
The Last Time I Did Acid I Went Insane And Other Favorites - Jeffrey Lewis (2001)
Good early Jeffrey Lewis songs, especially East River and Chelsea Hotel, both of which I think were in his setlist at Le Poisson Rouge this April.
-June 7, 2026
The Cherry Trees Are Still In Blossom - Jens Lekman (2022)
These are the best Jens Lekman songs.
-June 7, 2026
When I Said I Wanted To Be Your Dog - Jens Lekman (2004)
These might not be the best Jens Lekman songs, but, they are good Jens Lekman songs.
-June 7, 2026
American Epic - The Best Of Lead Belly - Lead Belly (2017)
Tough life. Good songs though.
-June 7, 2026
This Is Happening - LCD Soundsystem (2010)
Between 3 and 9 very good songs.
-June 2, 2026
To Pimp A Butterfly - Kendrick Lamar (2015)
Things were on an upswing in 2015, nothing could go wrong.
-June 2, 2026
Tusk - Camper Van Beethoven (2002)
A faithful cover, or faithless, I haven’t really heard the fleetwood mac so not sure.
-May 31, 2026
The Best Of The Kinks 1964 - 1970 - The Kinks (2016)
A productive edit of the golden hour compilation.
-May 31, 2026
Golden Hour Of The Kinks - The Kinks (1972)
A proper enough greatest hits, with a couple peculiar omissions.
-May 31, 2026
Hot Fuss - The Killers (2004)
Should’ve been more into this in the aughts.
-May 30, 2026
Wanted! The Outlaws - Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter, Tompall Glaser (1977)
A peculiar enough compilation, but solid tracks throughout.
-May 30, 2026
Janis Joplin’s Greatest Hits - Janis Joplin (1973)
Pearl is great, but one needs Piece Of My Heart.
-May 30, 2026
Pearl - Janis Joplin (1971)
This is one of those albums.
-May 28, 2026
Alive In New York City - Daniel Johnston (2024)
Good show.
-May 4, 2026
I Killed The Monster (The Songs Of Daniel Johnston) - Various Artists (2006)
Bought for Jeffrey Lewis, but that Tess song is really good too.
-May 4, 2026
Welcome To My World: The Music of Daniel Johnston - Daniel Johnston (2006)
Worse places to be. Better ones too, though, probably.
-May 4, 2026
Hi, How Are You: The Unfinished Album - Daniel Johnston (1983)
He’s working through something.
-May 4, 2026
Yip / Jump Music - Daniel Johnston (1983)
Better than anything I was doing in 1983.
-May 4, 2026
Live In Newport - Pixies (2026)
Continues a series of delightful live record store day albums for the Pixies.
-May 2, 2026
Diamond Seas - Sonic Youth (2026)
If this is what they were going for, they nailed it.
-April 27, 2026
Live At The Paradise Rock Club 1978 - Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers (2026)
Some of the staples from early live shows here. Band sounds hungry.
-April 27, 2026
1192 - Weezer (2026)
Cuomo, Sharp, Wilson, Cropper. These are pretty great.
-April 27, 2026
Changeup - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts (2022)
Perennial favorite, this might have a case for 2026 album of the year.
-April 26, 2026
Bad Reputation - Joan Jett (2018)
Well-curated.
-April 26, 2026
I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts (1981)
Joan Jett knows how to put together an album.
-April 26, 2026
Bad Reputation - Joan Jett (1980)
Good way to start.
-April 26, 2026
Greatest Hits - Waylon Jennings (1979)
On’ry.
-April 22, 2026
Dreaming My Dreams - Waylon Jennings (1975)
Opens with a banger.
-April 22, 2026
Honky Tonk Heroes - Waylon Jennings (1973)
10th best of 2024, and still pretty good in 2026.
-April 22, 2026
Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town - Waylon Jennings (1973)
Tough times in 1973.
-April 22, 2026
The Black Album - Jay-Z (2003)
Kamala may be Brat, but Barack is forever Dirt Off My Shoulders.
-April 10, 2026
Tomorrow The Green Grass - The Jayhawks (1995)
Pretty solid, from Blue through to Ten Little Kids.
-April 10, 2026
Hollywood Town Hall - The Jayhawks (1992)
Minnesotan alt-country at its early 90s peak.
-April 10, 2026
Dry - Demos - PJ Harvey (2020)
Similar to the album Dry, but, these are demos. Still very good!
-April 10, 2026
Greatest Hits - Tommy James & The Shondells (1980)
Not so dissimilar from the best of, but Draggin’ The Line makes it worth it.
-April 10, 2026
The Best of Tommy James & The Shondells - Tommy James & The Shondells (1970)
Everything here is good.
-April 10, 2026