3
A Place to Bury Strangers – Exploding Head
Astatke, Mulatu – Mulatu of Ethiopia
Beatles, The – Live at Shea Stadium
Beatles, The – Past Masters, Volume 01
Beatles, The – Rubber Soul
Blick – All Strictly Rhythm Mix
Cadence Weapon – Afterparty Babies
Celebration – Modern Tribe, The
Cymande – Message, The A Cymande Anthology
Cymande – Promised Heights
Cymande – Renegades of Funk
Dear, Matthew – Body Language, Volume 07
V/A – Deep House Mix
Dinosaur L – 2424 Music
V/A – Discofunk, Volume 08
DJ Skot Dub, Olav Basoski, DJ Sneak, and Bob Sinclar – French House Mix
Doors, The – Essential Rarities
Doors, The – Greatest Hits
Doors, The – Morrison Hotel
Doors, The – Strange Days
Doors, The – Waiting for the Sun
V/A – Dusty Fingers, Volume 02
V/A – Earth, The, EP
Field, The – Yesterday and Today
Fujiya & Miyagi – Lightbulbs
Kool Keith – Colabs Tape
Lady Sovereign – Jigsaw
Lovin’ Spoonful, The – Daydream
Major Lazer – Guns Don’t Kill People…Lazers Do
Marsalis, Wynton – A Fiddler’s Tale
Martyn – Great Lengths
Miller, Glenn and the Army Force Band – Glenn Miller and the Army Force Band
Misha – Teardrop Sweetheart
Morrison, Van – Van Morrison Poetic Champions Compose
Ogene – Nti Ike
V/A – Pulp Fiction OST
Raekwon – Only BUilt 4 Cuban Linx, Part 02
Reed, Lou – Magic and Loss
Reed, Lou – Transformer
Slug and El-P – Serum & Induce The Vapors Project
Terror Danjah – FACT Mix 47 [200905]
UGK – UGK 4 Life

2
Black Heart Procession, The – 1
Black Heart Procession, The – Amore del Tropico
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Dandelion Gum
Crenshaw, Mic – Thinking Out Loud
Cymande – Arrival
Diplo – Decent Work for Decent Pay, Collected Works, Volume 01
Eminem – Relapse
Gorilla Zoe – Don’t Feed da Animals
V/A – Got that Purp, Volume 02
Harris, Calvin – I Created Disco
V/A – High Fidelity OST
Iron & Wine – Norfolk
Kaskade – Grand, The
Kid Acne – Romance Ain’t Dead
Lean, Joe and the Jing Jang Jong – Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong
Lidell, James – Jim
Nadler, Marissa – Songs III Bird on the Water
Reed, Lou – Berlin
Reed, Lou – Best of, The Walk on the Wild Side
Reed, Lou – Ecstasy
Reed, Lou – Live in Italy [1984]
Skaggs, Ricky & Kentucky Thunder – History of the Future

1
V/A – Beach House
Goldie Lookin’ Chain – Asbo 4 Life
Kool Keith, H Bomb, and Marc Live – Game
Rainer Maria – Catastrophe Keeps Us Togther
Rainer Maria – Look Now Look Again
Rainer Maria – Past Worn Searching
Reed, Lou – Raven, The [Limited Edition]
Yes – Ladder, The

5
Burial and Fourt Tet – Wolf Club and Moth
V/A – Ego Trip Hip-Hop’s Greatest Singles, 1988
Ellington, Duke – Duke Ellington Centennial Edition, The
Ellington, Duke – Ellington at Newport, 1956
Fever Ray – Fever Ray
Miller, Glenn – Best of, The (1938-1942)
Montgomery, Wes – Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery, The
Montgomery, Wes – Tequila
Simon & Garfunkel – Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon & Garfunkel – Concert in Central Park

4
Adams, John Luther – Light that Fills the World, The
V/A – Anthology of American Folk Music
Benga and Coki – Night
Biz Markie – Goin’ Off
V/A – Blaxploitation, Volume 03 The Payback
Blythe, Arthur – Lenox Avenue Breakdown
Brightback Morning Light – Motion to Rejoin
Cenobites, The – LP
Cloud Cult – Meaning of 8, The
Copeland, Eric – Hermaphrodite
Cymande – Best of Cymande, The
Dan the Automator – A Much Better Tomorrow LP
DJ Slugo and DJ Apollo – Juke or Die, VOlume 03
Droid and Slug – Live at Studio B [20040604]
Durrty Goodz – Axiom
Eddy Current Suppression Ring – Eddy Current Suppression Ring
V/A – Fire EP
GroovyPanda – Chilled French House Mix [20011231]
V/A – Hardware Chronicles, Volume 01
V/A – Hardware Chronicles, Volume 02
Headhunter – Live on Lorna Clarkson Show, FBI Radio in Sydney [20090324]
V/A – Hitsville USA Motown Singles (CD04)
Joker – Do It Psychedelic Runway
Krall, Diana – Quiet Nights
Kuma – Dawn Stepped Outside Lost in Translation
MF Doom – Born Like This
Mochipet – Dim Sum
Moderat – Moderat
Molemen – Lost Sessions
Monk, Thelonious – Newport Jazz Festival
Mr. Life – I Heard It Today
Mr. Life – Mo’ Mega
Pangaea – You and I Router
Perkins, Dudley – A Lil’ Light Instrumentals
Perkins, Dudley – Expressions
Quantic – 5th Exotic, The
Quantic – An Announcement to Answer
Quantic – Mishaps Happening
Quantic Soul Orchestra, The – Pushin’ On
Quantic Soul Orchestra, The – Stampede
Remute – Bounce 23
Royksopp – Junior
Russell, Arthur – 2424 Music Dinosaur L
Sonic Youth – External, The
V/A – Sounds of the South
Sparklehorse – Dark Night of the Soul
Tinariwen – Aman Iman
Tinariwen – Amassakoul
Tosca – No Hassle
Who, The – My Generation the Very Best of the Who
Who, The – Tommy
XX Teens – Welcome to Goon Island
XX, The – XX

5
Johnson, Robert – Complete Recordings
Shackleton – Soundboy’s Nuts Get Ground up Proper EP
Skream – SSDubstar007
Skream – Traitor BW Angry [ITAL001]
Technical Itch – Winter Stone Breaker
Thievery Corporation – Radio Retailiation

4
GMOS – West African Heat Mix [20080700]
Johnson, Blind Willie – Complete Recordings, The
Lil Wayne – Carter III The Rebirth
Mustard Pimp – Demolition March Mix
NASA – Spirit of Apollo
Prine, John – Great Days
Robinson, Miles Benjamin Anthony – Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson
Rok, Tes la – Cold Blooded Broken Reality
Gunshot Ritual Murder
Mental Block Warehouse [MODE002]
Rok, Tes la – Uprise Kill Demo [BD002]
Rok, Tes la and Innasekt – Archetype No Need 2 Be Nasty [RVOL002]
Rusko – SNES Dub [dp005]
Shackleton and Mordant Music – I Want to Eat You
Stars of the Lid – And Their Refinement of the Decline
Telepath – Contact
Williamson, Sonny Boy – Real Folk Blues, The
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz

3
Allen, Lily – It’s Not Me, It’s You
Baker, Chet – Embraceable You
Mackaveli – Fabric Live Promo Mix
Mal O Dua – Aching Fingers
Martin, Steve – Crow New Songs for the Five-String Banjo, The
Mills, Alan – Songs of the Sea
V/A – Mirex C8 Wasted
Mr. Beatnick featuring Ahu – I Know All the Bitches
Peverelist – Live at Phonica
Plastician vs Chimpo vs MRK 1 – Kryptonite 12 inch
Prodigy, The – Invaders Must Die
Ramadanman – Each Time
Religious Knives – Door, The
Reso – Toasted and Holograms 12 inch [pitch003]
Round, Carina – Disconnection, The
Scorn – Whistle for It [une40]
Scuba and Distance – Scuba and Distance [abucs001]
Shackleton vs Applebim – Shackleton vs Appleblim [skull002]
Shackleton vs Applebim – Soundboy’s Ashes Get Chopped Out and Snorted 12 inch [skull006]
Shackleton vs Applebim – Soundboy’s BOnes Get Bured in the Dirt, Volume 02 [skull005]
Skepta – Greatest Hits
Skream vs Distance – Skream vs Distance [TEC006]
Skream vs G Squad – Skream vs G Squad
Sno – Disturbance Back Yard [Earwax001]
Sunz of Man – Last Shall Be First, The
Super Flu – Sugarplum Hum Mix [20081216]

2
Byrd, Donald – Black Byrd
Chiefroca – CR4REAL
Flobots – Platypus
Frisell, Bill – Best of, The, Volume 01 (Folk Songs)
Ramadanman vs Conquest – Bare Dubs 001
Random Trio – Lost City (rtp001]
Random Trio – Tectonic [tec004]
Round, Carina – Slow Motion Addict
Rusko – Action Dread and Cockney Flute Remix 12 inch
Sanders, Pharoah – Shukuru
Scuba – Timba Sleepa
Scuba – Twosta [Hot Flush 013]
Shackleton vs Gatekeeper – Shackleton vs Gatekeeper [SKULL004]

1

5
Mehldau, Brad – Art of the Trio, The, Volume 04 Back at the Vanguard
Reich, Steve – Music for 18 Musicians
Tjader, Cal- Grace Cathedral Concert
Wyatt, Robert – No. 11 Comicopera

4
Natural Self – Art of Vibration, The
Nomo – Ghost Rock
V/A – Luaka Bop 10th Annniversary_ Zero Accidents On The Job
Wiley – See Clear Now

3
Mathhead vs Elemental – Bleeb Stagger Dub
Nation of Ulysses – Plays Pretty For Baby
Others, The – Africa
Others, The – Hear Dis Style Underworld
Parts & Labor – Receivers
Penderecki, Krzysztof – Credo
Toasty – Cold Blooded One LIfe
Zion I – Take Over, The

2
Neon Neon – Stainless Style
Turf Talk – West Coast Vaccine
Tuss, The – Confederation Trough EP
Tuss, The – Rushup Edge
Vex’d – Lion Up
Weather Report – Heavy Weather
Weather Report – Tale Spinnin’
White Lies – To Lose My Life

1

5
Cut Chemist and Shortkut – Live at the Future Primitive Soundsession
Liquid Liquid – Slip In And Out Of The Phenomenon
Mantronix – Mantronix The Album
Mantronix – Music Madness
Mantronix – Best of Mantronix, 1985-1999

4
DJ Shadow – Four-Track Era, The, Volume 01
DJ Shadow – Four-Track Era, The, Volume 02
Kool Keith and Kutmasta Kurt – Diesel Truckers
Mala – Left Leg Out
Mathhead – Most Lethal Dance EP, The
Matty G – 50000 Watts 12″
Matty G – ARG007
Meconium – Muscular Dystrophy Disco EP
Mochipet – Girls Love Breakcore
Mochipet – Microphonepet
Moving Ninja – Formations
N Type – Street Justice

3

DJ Shadow – Shcoolhouse FUnk II
Jaylib – Champion Sound
Lincoln, Abbey – Over the Years
Mala – Bury the Bwoy
Mala – Neverland Stuck
Milanese – One Up
Moving Ninja – Shellcode
N Type – Square Off
N Type – Way of the Dub

2
Landstrumm, Neil – Life of Grime, The EP
Martsman – Genom
Matt & Kim – Grand

1
Life without Buildings – Any Other City
Life without Buidlings – Live at the Annandale Hotel

For the record, most music reviews make me sick. (seriously; I’ve had a near panic attack over one in particular; ask SF). In fact, my own album ratings is an ironic and functional spin on the review process, where thoughtless albums receive a tremendous amount of column space and incredible albums register only a few gazillion hits on Google. Furthermore, the only music critic who does not make me want to throw my Internet out the window is Sasha Frere-Jones, and even he decides to write about inconsequentials such as Neko Case.

Nonetheless, about once every decade, there is a music review that I find so absurdly great that I put it on my fridge, mental or physical. To these reviews, I dedicate this series. Typically, my favorite reviews are those that are ruthless (in either a positive or negative manner), to the point, and demonstrate a wide knowledge of music without coming off as clever. People who know me, know that I feel CMJ reviews are the antithesis of this.

The first is Richard Gott’s Liberation Music, which appeared in the March 12, 2009, issue of London Review of Books. Now, Gott’s article is great, but it’s not his work that ranks him in my favorite music reviews. No, it is who he quotes. Specifically, I am keen on a Rodney Bennett review of a January 1960 performance:

It took time, though, for the new experimental music to be widely accepted in London. Cardew and Tilbury had played pieces by Feldman and Cage at a concert at the Conway Hall in January 1960, and Rodney Bennett, who was present, recalled that the audience of 70 sat ‘transfixed with gloom’ while the two pianists produced, slowly and laboriously, ‘a series of small tired noises, not violent, not beautiful, not exciting, not even remotely interesting: the whole effect as soporific as an evening spent listening to the complete Methodist Hymnal’.

The entire article is filled with these sorts of gem, and I encourage some of you to read the entire piece.

5

4
Alias – Resurgam
Baptista, Cyro – Banquet of the Spirits
Bembeya Jazz National – Syliphone Years, The
Budos Band, The – Budos Band II, The
Budos Band, The – Budos Band, The
Buraka Som Sistema – Black Diamond
Buraka Som Sistema – From Buraka to the World EP
Collins, Bootsy – Back in the Day The Best of Bootsy
Cranes – Cranes
Franz Ferdinand – Tonight

3
A Mountain of One – Collected Works
Adams, John – Road Movies
Astatke, Mulatu – Mulatu of Ethiopia
Atlas Sound – Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
Battles – Mirrored
Beans – Thorns
Cheveu – Cheveu
Durrty Goodz – Ultrasound
Gang Gang Dance – Saint Dymphna

2
Awesome Color – Electric Aborigines
Black Francis – Bluefinger
DJ Babu – Duck Season, Volume 03
Ipso Facto – Mannequin 7″
J Rawls and Middle Child – Rawls and Middle

1
Adele – 19
Against Me – tons
Glasvegas – Glasvegas
Jones, Grace – Hurricane

5
Clinic – Do It!
Craig, Carl – Sessions
Flying Lotus – 1983
Flying Lotus – July Heat
Flying Lotus – Reset EP
Gas – Nah und Fern
Hancock, Herbie – Complete Blue Note Sixties Sessions
Hooker, John Lee and Miles Davis – Hot Spot, The
V/A – Music of Islam, Volume 10 (Qur’an Recitation, Istanbul, Turkey)
V/A – Music of Islam, Volume 11 (Yemen, Sanana)
V/A – Music of Islam, Volume 12 (Iran, Karaj)
V/A – Music of Islam, Volume 13 (Pakistan, Lahore)
V/A – Music of Islam, Volume 14 (Mystic Music)
V/A – New Orleans FUnk, 1960-75
Rodriquez Lopez, Omar – Calibration

4
A Place to Bury Strangers – A Place to Bury Strangers
Bear in Heaven – Red Bloom of the Boom
Cave, Nick and the Bad Seeds – Dig Lazarus Dig
Dae Holland Quintet – Prime Directive
Deerhoof – Offend Maggie
Ellen Allien – Sool
Ghetto Don, The – Ghetto Don, The
Insect Factory – Air Traffic Control Sleep
Insect Factory – Snowflakes
James Pants – Welcome
Kuti, Seun and Egypt 80 – Many Things
Loefah – Mad Ruffage [DMZ009]
Loefah – Roots Goat Stare [DMZ006]
Loefah and Skream – TEC003
Mitchell, Elizabeth – You are My Little Bird
Mogwai – Hawk is Howling, The
Portunondo, Omara – Flor de Amor
Psapp – Camel’s Back, The [Instrumental]
Psapp – Tiger, My Friend
Soulja Boy – SouljaBoy Tellem
TITS – Throughout the Ages
TITS – Tittie Tour Teaser
TV on the Radio – Dear Science
Wiley – Wearing My Rolex

3
Blood Red Shoes – Box of Secrets
DMBQ – Annular Music
Dorian Concept – Seek When is Her
Elzhi – Preface, The
Emynd and 4AM Jess – Shake Whut Ya Got
Heliocentrics, The – Out There
Jake One – White Van Music
JME – Famous
Kuti, Seun – Live at Festival Lugano in Switzerland [2007]
Loefah and Coki – Deep Medi Musik [MEDI003]
Loxy and Usual Suspects – StalkerFracture
L-Wiz – Girlfriend
L-Wiz – Strength
Psychosis – TempestInner Sense
Roberson, Eric – Appetizer, The
Roberson, Eric – Collection, The
Roberson, Eric – Left
Roberson, Eric – Vault, The, Volume 1.5
Samuel, Jeff – Bork
Shaggs, The – Philosophy of the World
Young Knives, The – Superabundance

2
Ay? – Joyful
Crystal Stilts – Alight of Night
Dirtbombs – Ultraglide in Black
DMBQ – Esoteric Black Hair
Fabulous Diamonds – Fabulous Diamonds
Greyboy Allstars, The – What Happened to Television
Hercules and Love Affair – Hercules and Love Affair
V/A – Jazz and ’80s
Loefah – Jungle Infiltrator [BAM006]
Nine Inch Nails – Ghosts I
Orient – Look at My Eyes EP
Ra Ra Riot – Rhumb Line, The

1
Elias, Hanin – Future Noir
Ghetto – Freedom of Speech
Mya – Sugar and Spice
Open City – Birth of Cruel, The
Risque Bouquet – Flood
These New Puritans – Beat Pyramid
Vivian Girls – Vivian Girls

5
V/A – Music of Islam, Volumes 1-9

4
Black Angels, The – Directions to See a Ghost

3
Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles
DJ Surgeon – Ghetto Tech Mixin Phase 5
Gutterbreakz – Annex Audio, Process Part 096
Pash – Best Gun, The
Welch, Gillian – Revival

2
Be Your Own Pet – Get Awkward
Cyantific – Hospitalised 10 Years of Hospital [NHS100CD] (CD03)
DJ Slugo – Cardboard Booty
Èåïäïóéá Ôóáôóïõ – Best Of
Ghostface Killah – Ghostdeini The Great
High Contrast – Hospitalised 10 Years of Hospital [NHS100CD (CD02)
Kills, The - Run Home Slow EP

1
Beyonce - I Am...Sasha Fierce
Coheed and Cambria - Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume 01
Coheed and Cambria - Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume 02
Coheed and Cambria - In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth, Volume 03
Coheed and Cambria - Second Stage Turbine Blade, The
Logan and Sama - Oneway Style
London Elektricity - Hospitalised 10 Years of Hospital [NHS100CD] (CD01)

• Ratatat Classics – That tiger sample not only rocks, but had an influence in fashion.
• Knife, The Silent Shout – Simply the best.
• Be Your Own Pet Be Your Own Pet – YYYs for the kids!
• Sounds, The Dying To Say This To You – Finally, a non-idiotic balance of ’80s glam and rock.
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs Show Your Bones – An album so good only one rag managed to understand it.
• Aquarium, The Aquarium, The – The best DC band right NOW. Product is weak, so if you listen, max the bass and turn down the high ends a tad.
• Strokes, The First Impressions Of Earth – Great album that made me also realize how good the second album is.