Eradication Breakdown: The Letter 'A'

With one letter of the alphabet done - and 25 more to go - I'd like to take stock of what's not making the cut in my collection anymore. I've created three categories for the misses: Bucketful of Fail, for stuff I didn't have to think twice about; One Shining Moment, for stuff that I remember sounding good once upon a time but just isn't connecting anymore; and Close But No Cigar, for stuff that I genuinely liked but couldn't see myself listening to again. Lest I forget to accentuate the positive, I've also listed the Five-Star Songs for the tracks achieving that most prestigious of iTunes' pointless rating system (if you rate anything below a 3, why do you even own it?).

Here's what's failing, floundering, or just under the bar from my run through the 'A's:

Bucketful of Fail

Abe Vigoda - Skeleton
EVERYTHING SOUNDS LIKE NOISE!

Against Me! - "Here Comes a Regular"
There goes an undistinguished cover.

Allister - "Fraggle Rawk"
When (free) Napster died, it took most of the novelties with it.

American Music Club - The Golden Age
Wouldn't want to be a member anyway.

Andrew W.K. - The Wolf; Close Calls With Brick Walls
Party fouls.

The Automatic Automatic - Not Accepted Anywhere
Whatever whatever.


One Shining Moment

Aerosmith - "Janie's Got a Gun"; "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing"
It's hard to swallow the earnestness of "Janie" after a few weeks of Steven Tyler ogling American Idol hopefuls young enough to be his granddaughters. Maybe he's just got space dementia.

Alan Jackson - The Greatest Hits Collection
Keeping it ready for the next barbecue.

Architecture In Helsinki - In Case We Die
"Do the Whirlwind" is alright.


Close But No Cigar

Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass (except "None Shall Pass" and "Coffee")
Hip-hop heads should give him a second (or third) look.

Avi Buffalo - Avi Buffalo
They're just starting out but may have passed me by already.


Five-Star Songs

ABBA - "Take A Chance On Me"
AC/DC - "Back in Black"; "Highway to Hell"
Strange bedfellows.

Alphabeat - "10,000 Nights of Thunder"
What do you do next when the best song you'll probably ever write is the first track on your first album? Oh...yeah.

Andrew Bird - "Dark Matter"
Animal Collective - "Peacebone"; "My Girls"; "Brother Sport"
I am fortunate to have cool friends.

Arcade Fire - "Wake Up"; "Intervention"
Serious sauce...

The Archies - "Sugar, Sugar"
...and its antidote.