Robert Christgau’s guide to grading records.

An A+ record is an organically conceived masterpiece that repays prolonged listening with new excitement and insight. It is unlikely to be marred by more than one merely ordinary cut.

An A is a great record both of whose sides offer enduring pleasure and surprise. You should own it.

[...]

It is impossible to understand why anyone would release a D- record.

E records are frequently cited as proof that there is no God.

Read the full list of grades on his site.

Two things I’m enjoying right at the moment – Monteith’s Summer Ale. Well, I’m enjoying the Original Ale, the Summer Ale and the Radler right at the moment and secondly, Âme’s Fabric mix is getting a nice work out in the car.

There’s a strong message here that you can’t ignore. High end production qualities too. A quality viral piece from the Cancer Council?

Time to count down to 2009, and I’m going to do it with some of my favourite tunes of 2008. They don’t have to be new, or newly discovered – they could be re-discovered gems, or tracks that have been on high rotation for some time. In no particular order, let’s kick it off with a bit of Nina Simone.

See Line Woman – Nina Simone

Photo: Miss Aniela

What song would you want played at your funeral? OK, it’s a morbid question, but it is a certain event and it’s one party you wont be able to attend, but it’s a question that Get Physical recently asked of some of the world’s top DJs to come up with answer to. The result, a new compilation — ‘Final Song #1′.

The first volume has plenty of names, featuring the likes of Richie Hawtin, Laurent Garnier, Ricardo Villalobos, François K and DJ Storm. Each has also gone in completely different directions with their selections — DJ T. opts for the proto-ambient piano work of Erik Satie and Hawtin selects a beautiful number by Mark Pritchard which has incidentally been re-released on Hawtin’s own Plus 8 imprint in recent years.

Tracklist
01. Erik Satie – 1. Gymnopédie (Selected by DJ T.)
02. Rob Gallagher – Little One (Selected by Gilles Peterson)
03. Photek – Modus Operandi (Selected by Storm)
04. The Stranglers – Golden Brown (Selected by DJ Hell)
05. Cerrone – Supernature (Selected by Kevin Saunderson)
06. Radiohead – Sit Down Stand Up (Selected by Laurent Garnier)
07. Chloé – Paradise (Selected by Chloé)
08. The Beach Boys – ‘Til I Die (Selected by David Holmes)
09. Peggy Lee – Is That All There Is? (Selected by Ewan Pearson)
10. Inti Illimani – Caramba, Yo Soy Dueno del Baron (Selected by Ricardo Villalobos)
11. Link – Amenity (Selected by Richie Hawtin)
12. Pharoah Sanders – Astral Travelling (Selected by Francois K)
13. Brian Eno – An Ending (Ascent) (Selected by Coldcut)

So what will you have play for your last hurrah? Have your say.

The Cinematic Orchestra – The Animated Tripod
Christian Prommer’s DrumLesson – Nervous Track
Ricardo Villalobos – 4 Wheel Drive
The Cinematic Orchestra – Evolution (Porto edit)
Christian Prommer’s DrumLesson – Plastic Dreams
The Cinematic Orchestra – The Awakening of a Woman (Burnout)
The Cinematic Orchestra – Drunken Tune
Innerzone Orchestra – Programmed
Charles Webster – Ready
LCD Soundsystem – Tribulations (Lindstrom Mix)

JPLS – Twilight 8
Charles Webster – I’m Falling
The Cinematic Orchestra – The Animated Tripod
Troy Pierce – Horse Nation (Heartthrob Rework)
The Cinematic Orchestra – The Awakening of a Woman (Burnout)
Gaiser vs Heartthrob – Nasty Girl
Kenny Larkin – Computer Rain
lindstrom and prins thomas – Claudja
Innerzone Orchestra – Programmed
lindstrom and prins thomas – Sykkelsesong
Aardvarck – Caramel

I posted this video when John Howard lost office in Australia last year. It’s just as appropriate now as it was then. However, it might be that the 43rd President of the U.S. was ever only a court jester.

The King Is Dead by The Herd

Check out this blistering mix from The Black Dog that’s comprised entirely of tracks from the Underground Resistance family.

Tracklisting:
01. Antimatter – Underground Resistance
02. Voice Of Electrifying Mojo
03. Afrogermanic – Chaos
04. Mirage- Underground Resistance
05. Windchime – Underground Resistance
06. Talkin2Z – Underground Resistance
07. Final Frontier – Underground Resistance
08. In Or Out – Underground Resistance
09. Maroon – Underground Resistance
10. Death of My Neighbor – Underground Resistance
11. Baghdad Express – Underground Resistance
12. Inversions – Underground Resistance
13. Technology Gap – Underground Resistance
14. Antimatter – Underground Resistance
15. I Am UR – Underground Resistance
16. Tazumal – Underground Resistance
17. Hunting the Program – Underground Resistance
18. Toxic Broadcast – Underground Resistance
19. Detonate – Underground Resistance
20. Orbit (Black Dog edit) – Underground Resistance
21. Riot – Underground Resistance
22. Base Camp Alpha 808 – Underground Resistance
23. Entering Quadrant 5 – Underground Resistance
24. Adrenalin – Underground Resistance
25. Gamma Ray – Underground Resistance
26. Ambush – Underground Resistance
27. Sea Quake – Drexciya
28. Kill My Radio Station – Underground Resistance

Download it over at Resident Advisor (only available for a limited time, otherwise you’ll need to go to Soulseek or your favourite Torrent). This one’s on high rotation for sure!

Isaac Aesili and Matt Chicoine (aka Recloose) jamming together under the Recloose Band moniker at Sydney Festival 2006

Untitled – Recloose
Christian Prommer’s DrumLesson – Can You Feel It
Ricardo Villalobos – Easy Lee (Cassy Lee mix)
Rhythm & Sound – Dash da Riddim (version)
Rhythm & Sound – Babylon (dub)
Alden Tyrell – Phaze Me
Christian Prommer’s DrumLesson – Claire
Christian Prommer’s DrumLesson – Elle
Miss Kittin & The Hacker – Frank Sinatra
Michael Mayer – Love Is Stronger Than Pride