Naming's not lauding

Somebody, I know not who, once said that I lack the chops to be a music critic. And they're right! I'd never attempt an analysis as fine-grained as carrying out a song's score to decimal places. But I shall at least garnish with an asterisk those on this week's list that strike me as really especially wonderful.

• Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers -- 'Affection'
• Bedlam Abbey -- 'Pastimes With Good Company'
• Love Tractor -- 'Amusement Park'
• *Gillian Welch -- 'Acony Bell'
• Sonic Youth -- In The Kingdom #19
• *F. v. Stade, London Phil. Orch. (Solti) -- Mozart WA & L. da Ponte, 'Voi che sapete', Le nozze di Figaro, K. 492
• Adam Green -- 'Who's Your Boyfriend'
• Grateful Dead -- 'Rosemary'
• Gang of Four -- 'Not Great Men'
• Alfred Brendel -- L. v. Beethoven, 33 Variationen über einen Walzer von Anton Diabelli, C-Dur (opus 120), Variation 18: Moderato