New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• Odds and Ends 010:
  • Katy B: On a Mission (Columbia) ***
  • Chromeo: Business Casual (Big Beat/Atlantic/Vice) ***
  • Blow Your Head Vol. 2: Dave Nada Presents Moombahton (Downtown/Mad Decent) ***
  • SBTRKT: SBTRKT (Young Turks) **
  • Santigold: Master of My Make-Believe (Atlantic/Downtown) **
  • Tracey Thorn: Love and Its Opposite (Merge) **
  • The Ting Tings: Sounds From Nowheresville (Columbia) *
  • Lana Del Rey: Born to Die (Polydor) *
• Don't Talk to the Cops/Death Grips:
  • Don't Talk to the Cops!: Let's Quit (Greedhead download) B+
  • Death Grips: The Money Store (Epic) A-

New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• Dr. John:
  • Dr. John: The Very Best of Dr. John (Rhino '95) A
  • Dr. John: Goin' Back to New Orleans (Warner Bros. '92) A-
• Standard Fare/Allo Darlin':
  • Standard Fare: Out of Sight, Out of Town (Melodic) A-
  • Allo Darlin': Europe (Slumberland) A-

New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• Odds and Ends 009:
  • The Kills: Blood Pressures (Domino) ***
  • Dum Dum Girls: Only in Dreams (Sub Pop) ***
  • The Shins: Port of Morrow (Aural Apothecary/Columbia) **
  • Imperial Teen: Feel the Sound (Merge) **
  • Cloud Nothings: Cloud Nothings (Carpark) **
  • The Coathangers: Larceny & Old Lace (Suicide Squeeze) **
  • The Wax Museums: Eye Times (Trouble in Mind) **
  • Dengue Fever: Cannibal Courtship (Fantasy) *
• Nicki Minaj/Macy Gray:
  • Nicki Minaj: Roman Reloaded: Deluxe Edition (Cash Money/Universal Republic) A-
  • Macy Gray: Covered (429) B+

Also at Barnes and Noble Review:

• Preaching Agnosticism (with Laugh Lines): Todd Snider

New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• Loudon Wainwright III/Lee Ranaldo:
  • Loudon Wainwright III: Older Than My Old Man (2nd Story Sound) A
  • Lee Ranaldo: Between the Time and the Tides (Matador) A-
• Odds and Ends 008:
  • Lee Scratch Perry: Rise Again (MOD Technologies) ***
  • Wanda Jackson: The Party Ain't Over (Nonesuch/Third Man) **
  • John Hiatt: Dirty Jeans and Mudslide Hymns (New West) **
  • Bonnie Raitt: Slipstream (Redwing) **
  • Dr. John: Locked Down (Nonesuch) **
  • Rick Berlin: Paper Airplane (High-N-Dry) **
  • Steve Earle: I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive (New West) *
  • Marshall Chapman: Big Lonesome (Tall Girl) *

Also at MSN Music:

• Dr. John in Brooklyn: Bringing Gumbo to the Apple

New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• Cotton Mather/Oasis:
  • Cotton Mather: Kontiki (Deluxe Edition) (Star Apple Kingdom) B+
  • Oasis: Stop the Clocks (Sony BMG '06) B+
• Spoek Mathambo/Big K.R.I.T.:
  • Spoek Mathambo: Father Creeper (Sub Pop) A
  • Big K.R.I.T.: 4Eva N a Day (free download) A-

New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• Big Baby Gandhi:
  • Big Baby Gandhi: Big Fucking Baby (free download) A-
  • Big Baby Gandhi: No1 2 Look Up 2 (free Greedhead mixtape) A-
• s/s/s /Serengeti:
  • s/s/s: Beak & Claw (Anticon) A-
  • Serengeti: The Kenny Dennis EP (Anticon) A-

Also at MSN Music:

• Wild Flag: Indie Vets' Triumphant Second Act

New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• Albert Ammons/Masters of the Boogie Piano:
  • Albert Ammons: Boogie Woogie Stomp (Delmark '98) A-
  • Masters of the Boogie Piano (Delmark '03) A-
• Bruce Springsteen/Madonna:
  • Bruce Springsteen: Wrecking Ball (Columbia) A-
  • Madonna: MDNA (Interscope) A-

Also at MSN Music:

• Cloud Nothings: Touched by Grace

New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• Tommy Womack:
  • Tommy Womack: There, I Said It! (Cedar Creek '07) A-
  • Tommy Womack: Now What! (Cedar Creek) A-
• Fatoumata Diawara/The Lijadu Sisters:
  • Fatoumata Diawara: Fatou (World Circuit) B+
  • The Lijadu Sisters: Mother Africa (Knitting Factory) B+

New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• The One: The Life and Music of James Brown:
  • RJ Smith: The One: The Life and Music of James Brown (Gotham Books): book review
• Karantamba/Rolling Stones:
  • Karantamba: Ndigal (Teranga Beat) A-
  • The Rolling Stones: Some Girls: Deluxe Edition (Universal Republic) A-

Also at Barnes & Noble Review:

• The Many Reasons to Love Wussy

New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• Odds and Ends 007:
  • Speech Debelle: Freedom of Speech (Big Dada) ***
  • Danny Brown: XXX (Fool's Gold) ***
  • Common: The Dreamer/The Believer (Think Common/Warner Bros.) ***
  • Atmosphere: The Family Sign (Rhymesayers) ***
  • K'Naan: More Beautiful Than Silence (A&M/Octone) **
  • Dark Time Sunshine: Vessel (Fake Four Inc.) **
  • Tinie Tempah: Disc-Overy (Capitol) *
  • Buck 65: 20 Odd Years Volume 4: Ostranenie (Warner Music Canada)
• Todd Snider/The Magnetic Fields:
  • Todd Snider: Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables (Aimless/Thirty Tigers) A
  • The Magnetic Fields: Love at the Bottom of the Sea (Merge) A-

New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• Sleigh Bells/Cloud Nothings:
  • Sleigh Bells: Reign of Terror (Mom + Pop) A-
  • Cloud Nothings: Attack on Memory (Carpark) A-
• Homeboy Sandman:
  • Homeboy Sandman: The Good Sun (High Water Music '10) A-
  • Homeboy Sandman: Subject: Matter (Stones Throw download) A-

New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• Al Green/D'Angelo:
  • Al Green: Al Green Is Love (Hi/The Right Stuff '75) A
  • D'Angelo: Brown Sugar (EMI '95) A-
• Odds and Ends 006:
  • Bootsy Collins: Tha Funk Capital of the World (Mascot) ***
  • Bruno Mars: Doo-Wops & Hooligans (Elektra) ***
  • John Legend & the Roots: Wake Up! (Good Music/Columbia) ***
  • Terius Nash: 1977 (free Radio Killa download) **
  • Betty Wright & the Roots: Betty Wright: The Movie (Ms. B/S-Curve) **
  • The-Dream: Love King (Def Jam/Radio Killa) **
  • Ray Charles: Rare Genius: The Undiscovered Masters (Concord) **
  • The Original 7ven: Condensate (SRR) *

New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• Etta James:
  • Etta James: The Dreamer (Verve Forecast) A-
  • Etta James: Matriarch of the Blues (Private Music '00) B+
• Skrillex/Clams Casino:
  • Skrillex: Bangarang (Owsla/Big Beat/Atlantic) A-
  • Clams Casino: Instrumental Mixtape (free download) A-

Also at Barnes & Noble Review:

• Tough Love: more on Etta James

New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• Omar Souleyman/Original Sound of Cumbia:
  • Omar Souleyman: Haflat Gharbia: The Western Concerts (Sublime Frequencies) A-
  • The Original Sound of Cumbia (Soundway) A-
• Thomas Anderson/Craig Finn:
  • Thomas Anderson: The Moon in Transit (Four-Track Demos, 1996-2009) (Out There) A-
  • Craig Finn: Clear Heart Full Eyes (Vagrant) B+

New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• Listen . . . Oka!/Oneohtrix Point Never:
  • Listen . . . Oka! (Oka Productions) A
  • Oneohtrix Point Never: Replica (Software) A-
• Leonard Cohen/EMA:
  • Leonard Cohen: Old Ideas (Columbia) A-
  • EMA: Past Life Martyred Saints (Souterrain Transmissions) B+

Also at NPR:

• Ani DiFranco: Embracing Stability, Remaining Outspoken

New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• Himanshu/Tha Grimm Teachaz:
  • Himanshu: Nehru Jackets (free download) A-
  • Tha Grimm Teachaz: There's a Situation on the Homefront (Breakfast) A-
• Ani DiFranco/Bhi Bhiman:
  • Ani DiFranco: ¿Which Side Are You On? (Righteous Babe) A-
  • Bhi Bhiman: Bhiman (Redeye) A-

Also at NPR:

• Bhi Bhiman: Penetrating Melodies, Striking Vocals

New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• Odds and Ends 005:
  • St. Vincent: Strange Mercy (4AD) ***
  • The Weeknd: House of Balloons (XO download) ***
  • Adele: 21 (XL/Columbia) **
  • Drake: Take Care (Cash Money/Universal Republic) **
  • Girls: Record 3: Father, Son, Holy Ghost (True Panther/Fantasy Trashcan) **
  • Wye Oak: Civilian (Merge) **
  • Fleet Foxes: Helplessness Blues (Sub Pop) *
  • The Black Keys: El Camino (Thrill Jockey) *
• Mekons/Destroyer:
  • Mekons: Ancient & Modern: 1911-2011 (Sin) A-
  • Destroyer: Kaputt (Merge) B+

New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• Odds and Ends 004:
  • Yes We Can: Songs About Leaving Africa (Out Here) ***
  • Afro-Beat Airways (Africa Analog) ***
  • The Rough Guide to African Guitar Legends (World Music Network) ***
  • Boubacar Traoré: Mali Denhou (Lusafrica) **
  • Seun Anikulapo Kuti & Egypt 80: From Africa With Fury: Rise (Knitting Factory) **
  • Sia Tolno: My Life (Lusafrica) *
  • Femi Kuti: Africa for Africa (Knitting Factory) *
  • Sidi Touré & Friends: Sahel Folk (Thrill Jockey) *
• Gill Scott-Heron and Jamie xx/Gorillaz:
  • Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx: We're New Here (XL) A-
  • Gorillaz: The Singles Collection 2001-2011 (Virgin) A-

New Rock & Roll & column at Barnes & Noble Review:

• Dad-Rock Makes a Stand: 2011 in rock & roll &
• The Dean's List: Christgau's Best of 2011: longest year-end list ever

New posts this week in Robert Christgau's Expert Witness blog:

• Odds and Ends 003:
  • Canibus: C of Tranquility (iM) ***
  • Scroobius Pip: Distraction Pieces (Strange Famous) ***
  • Del the Funky Homosapien: Golden Era (The Council) ***
  • Murs: Love and Rockets Vol 1: The Transformation (DD172/Bluroc) **
  • Open Mike Eagle: Unapologetic Art Rap (Mush) **
  • Awol One & Factor: The Landmark (Fake Four) **
  • Lupe Fiasco: Lasers (Atlantic) *
  • Pharoahe Monch: W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) (W.A.R. Media/Duck Down Music Inc.)
• Piano Blues/19 Classic Blues Songs From the 1920s:
  • Piano Blues: A Film by Clint Eastwood (Columbia/Legacy '03) A
  • 19 Classic Blues Songs From the 1920's: Vol. 9 (Blues Images) A-