Lily Allen, "Lost My Mind"
I really liked the first Lily Allen album, as a bubbly and charming piece of pop that borrowed some elements of ska to add to her confections. Really quite a delightful album. I have largely gotten diminishing returns from each subsequent record, though. This is, to my ears, a pop song that doesn't really excite me about anything. It might be great, I dunno, it's just not for me.
Raekwon, "Fuck Them"
Raekwon followed up an all-timer, one of the best Wu-related records ever, with his second solo album that was a distinct step back. It's an unfair baseline, of course, expecting him to match one of the greatest rap albums ever, but those were nevertheless the expectations. But Immobilarity isn't just saddled with those unreasonable expectations, it's also saddled with the absence of the RZA. The beats are largely in his style, as you can hear, but there's just not quite the same edge to things. It's certainly not a bad record, Raekwon is engaging on the mic, but there are so many great records out of the Wu-Tang universe that this one can't quite hang.
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, "History of Lies"
If I wasn't sold on Extra Width by "Afro", Jon Spencer's delivery on "History of Lies" would have absolutely won me over. I already liked JSBX, having picked up the first record based entirely on John Linnell guesting on sax, but this album was a huge leap forward in coherence and songwriting, as Spencer kind of shed the last bits of Pussy Galore and really turned JSBX into something new. This is still my favorite record from them, even if I think that Orange is probably the better set of songs.
Screeching Weasel, "Like a Parasite"
Yup, that's Screeching Weasel.
Dr. Ring-Ding & The Senior Allstars, "Call di Doctor"
I'm gonna level with you: we probably shouldn't be listening to a German guy do a patois like this.