Curtis Fuller Two Bones (1980)- ***1/2 (Nice 1958 session for Blue Note with Sonny Clark, released in 1980. Good stuff, but after "The Opener," it makes sense that this session remained unreleased. "The Opener" really cooks.)
Willie Colon Canta Hector Lavoe- Crime Pays (1972)- **** Galactic And Irma Thomas- Audience With The Queen (2025)-**** (Happy Birthday to the Queen.)
It's A Good, Good Feeling: The Latin Soul Of Fania Records: The Singles (2021)- ***1/2 The James Gang- Yer Album (1969)- ****
Motorhead- Overkill (1979)- **** (This is where I came in and never left.)
Earl King- 1963 Motown Sessions (1996)- ***1/2 v/a- Where The Girls Are- Girl Group Deep Cuts: Personal Playlist (2026)- **** Martin Newell- The Greatest Living Englishman (1993) - **** Irma Thomas- Love Is The Foundation (2020)- **** Wilson Pickett- The Best Of ...(1967)-**** (In MONO!)
Music City- Welcome To Music City (2026)- **** (Excellent! Thank you, Dr. Wu. More on Burning Wood.) The Rumble- Stories From The Battlefield (2024)- **** (Happy Mardi Gras!)
John Ellis & Double Wide- Fireball (2026)- **** (Great to have new music from Double Wide, which also includes Matt Perrine and Jason Marsalis. This really works for Mardi Gras, in a wonderfully twisted way.)
Allen Toussaint- Southern Nights (1975)- **** Bad Bunny- Debi Tirar Mas Fotos (2025)- *** (Finally gave this a go. The difference between this record and the music that purportedly "influenced" this record is that the classic salsa and boogaloo records had discernible songs, whereas this record plays like a 60 minute DJ set, and that exhausted me. There is good stuff throughout, but it ultimately bogs itself down with sameness. Or maybe it just feels that way because it's over an hour long. Not a fan of that reggaeton beat to begin with, so most of those tracks did nothing for me. I'd love to hear a shorter, cleaner version, with space between songs, allowing the listener to digest each mood. I love this music, but would rather listen Joe Bataan, Ray Barretto and Willie Colon. Those records are pure. They are organic. And they are hot! This record felt messy.)
Faces- A Nod Is As Good As A Wink...: 2026 Chris Bellman Cut (1971/2026)- ****
Creedence Clearwater Revival- S/T (1968)- **** ("Suzie Q" continues to be badass, almost 60 years later.)
Bobby Charles- Last Train To Memphis (2003)- **** The Kinks- Are The Village Green Preservation Society: Kevin Gray Stereo RM (1968/2018)- ****
Jon Cleary- The Bywater Sessions (2025)- **** (This hit the spot on this Mardi Gras Day in Astoria Queens! And if you dig Jon Cleary, grab this lagniappe. Trust me!)
Elvin Jones- Live At The Lighthouse, Vol. 1 (1972)- *** Esther Phillips- Atlantic Recordings:1966-1967 (2020)- ***1/2 John Boutte- Live At WWOZ, 2/5/2026 (2026)- **** The Tubes- Young & Rich (1976)- ***1/2 Phil Thornalley- Stacked (2026)- ***1/2 (This sounds like a lost Weezer record and I don't love Weezer. But the parts that were fun reminded me of Mike Viola and Fountains Of Wayne. Definitely worth a second spin.)
Brand X- Unorthodox Behavior (1976)- **** (I hated this record when I bought it '76. It didn't sound anything like Genesis, and that made me angry. Of course, I love it now. Mindblowing musicianship! Joe Jackson- Look Sharp! (1979)- **** (This record is so good, even the throwaway novelty "Instant Mash" is fantastic.)
(JJ Covers Six Pack) Beady Eye- Complete 7" Singles: A White Trash Soul Compilation (2025)- **** (This is the most I have ever listened to this band. More fun than Oasis, I think. Really dug this. More on BW this week.)
The Plugz- Better Luck (1981)- **** Crowded House- Temple Of Low Men (1988)- ****
Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams- Third Plane (1978)- **1/2 Billy Preston- That's The Way God Planned It (1969)- **** Tomeka Reid Quartet- Dance! Skip! Hop! (2026)- **1/2 Clive Matthews- Jah Live (2018)- ***1/2 Third World- Rock The World (1981)- *** The Wild Magnolias- Outtakes + Live 1973-1974 (2026)- ***1/2
The Who- Meaty, Beaty, Big & Bouncy: Alternative White Trash Soul Version (1971/2025)- **** (The creator ditched "Boris The Spider," and added "Circles" and "Call Me Lightning," which I am really okay with. But he tacked on a live "Going Down" from 1971 at the end. As nasty as that live version is, it doesn't belong on the GOAT studio singles collection.) The Throb- Meet The Throb (2025)- ***1/2 (Another White Trash Soul creation, featuring all 7 known singles by Australian R&B/garage band The Throb, recorded in 1965-1966. Pretty good stuff, if somewhat predictable. Like The Animals meets The Cramps.)
Rod Stewart- Atlantic Crossing (1975)- ***1/2 Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen- Highlights From The Maple Leaf, 1/17/2026-**** Bash & Pop- Friday Night Is Killing Me (1993)- **** (Was this Tommy Stinson's "All Things Must Pass?" Had he been stockpiling brilliant songs that Paul Westerberg was rejecting? A perfect record.)
Abdullah Ibrahim- Water From An Ancient Well (1986)- **** (The first time I heard the title track was at Preservation Hall, played by the Stanton Moore Trio just six months after Katrina. It was an incredibly emotional evening. This is a beautiful record, by the way.)
Krasno/Moore Project- Book Of Queens (2023)-**** Queen- Greatest Hits II (1991)- **** The Dukes Of Stratosphear- Psonic Psunspot (1987)- **** Paul McCartney- Off The Ground (1993)- *** Paul McCartney- Off The Ground: Sal Edit (2026)- ***1/2 (This is one of two Macca records that I have never come around on. The other is "Press To Play." Both have a few winners because it's McCartney. But both fail to keep me interested. I guess you could throw "Broad Street" in there, too. I just don't count it as a proper record. I think an "Off The Ground" edit is in order, since a number of the bonus tracks from the complete works of "Off The Ground" are better than what made the album.
Off The Ground Hope Of Deliverance Mistress And Maid Keep Coming Back To Love Golden Earth Girl The Lovers That Never Were Long Leather Coat Sweet Sweet Memories C'mon People
Lydia Loveless-Nothing's Gonna Stand In My Way Again (2023)- *** The Beatles The River Rhine Tapes (2010)- ***1/2 Judas Priest- Screaming For Vengeance (1982)- ****
Curtis Mayfield- There's No Place Like America Today (1975)- ***1/2 David Bowie- 'hours...'- (1999)- **** The Beach Boys- Smiley Smile: Stereo (1967)- ***1/2 Desmond Dekker & the Aces- Intensified (1968)- **** David Bowie- Diamond Dogs (1974)- **** Rainbow- Down To Earth (1979)- **** Mink DeVille- Where Angels Fear To Tread (1983)- ***1/2 Todd Rundgren- The Hermit Of Mink Hollow (1978)- **** Sparks- Mad! (2025)- *** NRBQ- Grooves In Orbit: Remastered & Expanded (1983/2026)- **** Dead Boys- We Have Come For Your Children (1978)- **** Eurythmics- Savage (1987)- ***1/2 T. Rex- Electric Warrior (1971)- ****
The Beach Boys- We Gotta Groove: Disc Two, "Adult/Child" Sessions and Outtakes '74-'76 (2026)- ** (This was a tough listen. I guess I wasn't familiar with the "Adult/Child" bootlegs because this not what I was expecting. It plays like an off-Broadway musical and it isn't very good. I am looking forward to the other two discs, but I'll never listen to this again.) Opeth- Damnation (2003)- ***1/2 (After being blown away by the hard, heavy and epic "Ghost Reveries," the relatively tame sounds on this record are a bit of a disappointment. I don't miss the death metal growling. There's none of that here. But there's not much change from song to song either. It's a solid mid-tempo affair throughout, more along the lines of The Moody Blues or early Genesis, but without the latter's knack for melody.)
Bill Wyman- S/T (1982)- *** (I always liked the singles off this record. I still do, though there are some real bad clams on the album.)
The Beach Boys- We Gotta Groove: Disc Two, "15 Big Ones" & "Love You" Outtakes and Alternates (2026)- *** (Stick with the original albums. The new mixes are not better. The outtakes are mediocre.) Charli XCX- Wuthering Heights (2026)- ** (Snapped out of my coma just in time to type this up.)
Esther Phillips- Release Me: Reflections Of Country & Western Greats (1962)- **** (Thanks to a tip from a pal, I got to hear what one writer said was "the greatest country record you've never heard." He was right. I never heard it. It's pretty damn great. It's streaming under "The Country Side of Esther Phillips," and might I suggest pairing this with Charlie Rich's "That Rich," my favorite C&W record. That one is streaming, too.)
Sparks- Terminal Jive (1980)- ***1/2 (Not as Moroder-ish as "No. 1 In Heaven," but a solid record nonetheless.) Bad Brains- Rock For Light (1983)- **** ("WE WILL NOT DO WHAT THEY WANT OR DO WHAT THEY SAY NO NO!")
Van Halen- Fair Warning (1981)- ****
Badfinger- Wish You Were Here (1974)- **** (Arguably, their best. Inarguably, their most consistent.)
Dion & The Belmonts- Together Again (1967)- **** (I don't know which came out first, this record or "The Velvet Underground & Nico." But man, this is one helluva double feature. Trust me.)
Tim Hardin- 1 (1966)- **** (See above. Make it a three-fer.)
