August 2017

• U2 - The Joshua Tree (1987,LP) ★★★★★
• Chris Robinson Brotherhood - Barefoot in the Head (2017,LP) ★★★★☆
• Jenny Lewis - The Voyager (2014,LP) ★★★★☆
• Beach House - Thank Your Lucky Stars (2015,LP) ★★★★★
• Lindsay Buckingham & Christine McVie - Self Titled (2017,LP) ★★★★☆
• The War on Drugs - A Deeper Understanding (2017,LP) ★★★★☆
• Andrew Lloyd Webber - Jesus Christ Superstar OST (1973,LP) ★★★★★
• Augustus Pablo - Born to Dub You (2014,LP) ★★★★☆
• Steven Wilson - To the Bone (2017,5.1 Blu-ray)
  • Performance ★★★★☆ Sonics ★★★★☆
• Yo La Tengo - Painful (1993,S) ★★★☆☆
• Cheap Trick - We're All Alright! (2017,LP) ★★★★☆
• Steven Wilson - To The Bone (2017,LP) ★★★★☆
• Thievery Corporation - The Richest Man in Babylon (2002,LP) ★★★★☆
• Thievery Corporation - The Temple of I & I (2017,LP) ★★★★☆
• Lucinda Williams - Sweet Old World (1992,S) ★★★☆☆
• Elton John - Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only the Piano Player (1972,RM LP) ★★★★☆
• Ruby the Hatchet - Planetary Space Child (2017,LP) ★★★★☆
• Don Davis - The Matrix (Film Score) (1999,2016 LP) ★★★☆☆
• Hugh Mundell - Africa Must Be Free By 1983 (1978,S) ★★★★☆
• Fleet Foxes - Crack-Up (2017,S) ★★☆☆☆
• Ry Cooder - Paradise and Lunch (1974,MFSL LP) ★★★★☆
• Emtidi - Saat (1972,LP) ★★★★☆
• Anathema - Judgement (1999,LP) ★★★★☆
• Steven Wilson - To The Bone (2017,LP) ★★★★☆
• Bob Seger System - Ramblin' Gamblin' Man (1969,LP) ★★★★☆
• Counting Crows - Recovering the Satellites (1996,LP) ★★★★☆
• Ghost - Popestar (2016,S) ★★★☆☆
• The Feelies - In Between (2017,LP) ★★★★☆
• Neil Young - The Monsanto Years (2015,S) ★★★★☆
• Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Self Titled (1966,LP) ★★★★☆
• Elton John - Rock of the Westies (1975,LP) ★★★★☆
• Cotton Mather - Wild Kingdom (2017,LP) ★★★☆☆
• Fripp & Eno - (No Pussyfooting) (1973,LP) ★★★★☆
• Pink Floyd - The Division Bell (1994,2014 RM LP) ★★★★★
• Lord Huron - Strange Trails (2015,LP) ★★★☆☆
• Leonard Cohen - The Best of Leonard Cohen (1975,MOV LP) ★★★★☆
• The Black Angels - Indigo Meadow (2013,LP) ★★★☆☆
• Cal Tjader - Demasiado Caliente (1960,LP) ★★★☆☆
• Echo & The Bunnymen - Heaven Up Here (1981,MFSL LP) ★★★★☆
• Toto - IV (1982,Japan LP) ★★★★★
• Roxy Music - Avalon (1981,Japan LP) ★★★★☆
• Elton John - Tumbleweed Connection (1970,2017 RM LP) ★★★★☆
• Kansas - The Prelude Implicit (2016,LP) ★★★★☆
• Portishead - Dummy (1994,S) ★★★☆☆
• Fu Manchu - California Crossing (2001,LP) ★★★★☆
• Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet (2007,LP) ★★★★☆
• Glen Campbell - True Grit (1968,S) ★★★★☆
• Glen Campbell - Witchita Lineman (1968,LP) ★★★☆☆
  • RIP Glen Campbell August 8, 2017
• Santana - Crickets and Angels (1974,LP Bootleg) ★★★★☆
• Keb' Mo' - Bluesamericana (2014,S) ★★★★☆
• Arcade Fire - Funeral (2004,S) ★★★★☆
• The Smiths - Hatful of Hollow (1984,S) ★★★★☆
• Robert Calvert - Captain Lockheed & The Starfighters (1974,S) ★★★☆☆
• The Black Angels - Phosphene Dream (2010,LP) ★★★☆☆
• Chris Robinson Brotherhood - Barefoot in the Head (2017,LP) ★★★★☆
• Kansas - The Prelude Implicit (2016,S) ★★★★☆
• Styx - The Mission (2017,S) ★★★★☆
• George Thorogood - Party of One (2017,S) ★★★☆☆
• The Infamous Stringdusters - Laws of Gravity (2017,LP) ★★★★☆
• Jesus & The Mary Chain - Psychocandy (1985,LP) ★★★☆☆

70

Chuck's Rating Scale

• Classic / Essential (Best!) 4.4 to 5.0 ★★★★★
• Must Listen (Great) 3.4 to 4.3 ★★★★☆
• Worthy Effort (Good) 2.4 to 3.3 ★★★☆☆
• Below Expectations (Bad) 1.4 to 2.3 ★★☆☆☆
• Avoid (Awful) 0 to 1.3 ★☆☆☆☆

Playback:

Vinyl

• VPI Scout JMW9 Tonearm w/Nordost Wiring, Ortofon 2M Black Cartridge
• Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum Integrated Tube Amp (KT-120 Tubes)
• Klipsch RF-3s, RC-3, RS-3s, KSW-15 Sub
• VPI 16.5 RCM
• Milty Zerostat3 Antistatic Gun

Digital

• Pioneer Elite BDP-62FD Blu-Ray/SACD/DVD Audio Player / Polk LSi M 703 Bookshelf
• PC AMD FX4300 Quad Core 3.8 GHz/12mb RAM / J River Media Center 22 / Maverick Audio TubeMagic D2 DAC / Cronus Magnum / Polk LSi M 703 Bookshelf

My initial impressions (and ratings) may change after repeated plays. Albums that grab my attention on the first listen are great, but many others take several listens to truly appreciate and ratings may be updated accordingly. My top rating for greatest hit compilations is four stars.

This list is chronological with the top album being the most recently played. Sound quality ratings are included for some releases, such as multichannel mixes and audiophile labels.

Vinyl is my preferred and typical method for playback, but I occasionally listen to SACD, DVD-Audio, Blu-ray and (less likely) Redbook CD. For titles I don't own, especially for exploration and discovery, Spotify and YouTube are my go-to online resources. Music streaming is noted with an 'S'. For music on the road with by CD, iPhone or iPad and Spotify, playback will be noted with an 'SR'. Sometimes for convenience I will stream music to my Amazon Echo, noted with an 'SE'.

Last month's listening log can be found below.

Older lists are saved in the archive folder.