February 2017

• Jenny Lewis - The Voyager (2014,LP) ★★★★☆
• Beach House - Thank Your Lucky Stars (2015,LP) ★★★★☆
• Kenrick Lamar - Good Kid, m.A.A.d City (2012,S) ★☆☆☆☆
• Brant Bjork - Tao of the Devil (2016,LP) ★★★★☆
• ZZ Top - Tres Hombres (1973,LP) ★★★★☆
• Thievery Corporation - Radio Retaliation (2008,LP) ★★★★☆
• Ozric Tentacles - Pungent Effulgent (1989,LP) ★★★★☆
• Cibo Matto - Stereotype A (1999,LP) ★★★★☆
• Beach House - Beach House (2006,S) ★★☆☆☆
• Brant Bjork - Black Power Flower (2014,LP) ★★★★☆
• The Mortals - Ritual Dimension of Sound (1992,LP) ★★★★☆
• Moths - Moths (1970,LP) ★★★★☆
• Jethro Tull - Stand Up (Steven Wilson Remix) (1969,2017 LP) ★★★★☆
• Ali Farka Toure & Ry Cooder - Talking Timbuktu (1994,LP) ★★★★★
• Interpol - Turn On the Bright Lights (2002,S) ★★★★☆
• Tosca - Going Going Going (2017,S) ★★★★☆
• Horslips - The Book of Invasions: A Celtic Symphony (1976,S) ★★★★☆
• AC/DC - Powerage (1978,S) ★★★★☆
• Brant Bjork - Local Angel (2004,LP) ★★★☆☆
• Norman Blake - Home in Sulphur Springs (1972,S) ★★★★☆
• Son Volt - Notes of Blue (2017,S) ★★★★☆
• Larry Coryell & Philip Catherine - Twin-House (1977,LP) ★★★★☆
  • RIP Larry Coryell 2-20-17
• Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Free For All (1964,S) ★★★★☆
• The Velvet Underground - Self Titled (1967,SR) ★★★★☆
• Tame Impala - Lonerism (2012,SR) ★★★★☆
• The Beatles - Rubber Soul (1965,SR) ★★★★☆
• Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats - Self Titled (2015,LP) ★★★☆☆
• Alison Krauss - Windy City (2017,LP) ★★☆☆☆
• Dave Matthews Band - Under the Table and Dreaming (1994,LP) ★★★★☆
• Common Sense - Resurrection (1994,S) ★★★☆☆
• Camel - Rajaz (1998,CD) ★★★★☆
• Dead Can Dance - Anastasis (2012,RSD LP) ★★★★☆
• Tinariwen - Elwan (2017,LP) ★★★☆☆
• Ali Farka Toure & Ry Cooder - Talking Timbuktu (1994,S) ★★★★☆
• Ricky Nelson - Ricky Sings Again (1959,MFSL LP) ★★★★☆
• Thievery Corporation - The Temple of I and I (2017,LP) ★★★★☆
• Porcupine Tree - Up the Downstair (2008,LP) ★★★★★
• Heart - Dreamboat Annie (1976,Nautilus LP) ★★★★☆
• Toad the Wet Sprocket - New Constellation (2013,S) ★★★☆☆
• Blackfield - V (2017,S) ★★★☆☆
• Ween - Chocolate and Cheese (1994,LP) ★★★★☆
• Andrew Lloyd Weber & Time Rice - Jesus Christ Superstar OST (1970,LP) ★★★★★
• Wilco - A Ghost is Born (2004,S) ★★★★☆
• Boz Scaggs - Silk Degrees (1976,CBS Mastersound LP) ★★★★☆
• Elbow - Little Fictions (2017,S) ★★★☆☆
• Ramblin' Jack Elliott - Jack Elliott (1964,RSD LP) ★★★★☆
• Blackfield - Welcome to my DNA (2011,S) ★★★☆☆
• Bob Marley - Legend (1984,LP) ★★★★☆
• Tinariwen - Inside/Outside: The Joshua Tree Sessions (2014,EP) ★★★☆☆

Chuck's Rating Scale

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

Playback:

• 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
• Pioneer Elite BDP-62FD Blu-Ray/SACD/DVD Audio Player / Polk LSi M Bookshelf
• Digital: Apple iMac "Core i3" 3.2 21.5in / J River Media Center 21 / Cambridge SoundWorks
• VPI 16.5 RCM

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.