2025 in 2025: Day 19

BEST HIT AKG - ASIAN KUNG FU-GENERATION
I do love 遥か彼方. Like, it's hard to explain how awesome that song is. The rest of their hits? It's mostly okay. Nothing awful, but again fairly same-same. Although I have a feeling that if I weren't so tired and in the mood for something else, I would probably listen more intently and find more to really get into. However, my lasting memory of these guys will always be them absolutely murdering ELLEGARDEN's 虹 at the Nana-Iro Electric concert. 
Highlights: 遥か彼方, アンダースタンド, 藤沢ルーザー
7/10

Best In Show - Grinspoon
There was a time when I was unemployed and living in Melbourne, so I would spend a lot of my days at Borders listening to music (you could just scan a CD and load up the tracks to "preview"). Grinspoon's New Detention was high on my rotation at the time. But this is their greatest hits collection, so that story means nothing. This includes all their early heavy punk stuff like Dcx3, Just Ace and More Than You Are. Classic Aussie rock, this. I mean, it is over 20 years old now, so I can call it classic now. Like my time living in Melbourne. Crazy how time goes by.
Highlights: No Reason, Lost Control, Chemical Heart
6/10

The Best Of Acid Jazz - Volume 2
Fun story: I ordered, if I remember correctly, a Corduroy CD from ebay, and in the case was this CD instead. Which wasn't so bad, in the end, because I got the reissue of said Corduroy album instead, while getting more Acid Jazz in my life. This is mostly a lot more electronic than I remembered. And I was sure there was an early Jamiroquai song on here, but clearly I'm mistaken. It is quite the chillout groove vibes, though.
Highlights: Ain't No Use (Mo' Soul Mix) - Pure Wildness, Girl Overboard - Snowboy & Anna Ross
6/10

The Best of Blind Melon - Blind Melon
No Rain is the only song I have from this? That's odd - they had many great songs other than this. And ones I like a lot more. I need to get more Blind Melon.
7/10

The Best of Blondie - Blondie
Another 'best of' when I should really have their full discography. 
Highlights: Rapture, One Way or Another, Call Me
8/10

The Best of Both Worlds - Jay-Z & R. Kelly
Oh dang. This... has not aged well, has it? Particularly songs like Take You Home with Me. There are some seriously solid grooves here, but these two MFs rapping and crooning about getting it on with the ladies is a very uncomfortable listen now. And this last song is just straight up gross.
Highlights: The Best of Both Worlds, The Streets, Honey
5/10

Best of Bowie - David Bowie
This is a large compilation I should do more editing on; probably the first Bowie 'album' I owned, but have since accumulated many actual albums that contain about 70% of the songs here. Otherwise, it's 2 1/2 hours of Bowie's hits in chronological order, including songs from movies like Labyrinth. Mostly just singles versions. I need to get the full version of Absolute Beginners, because it is one of my favourite songs on the planet (I have the full soundtrack on vinyl). Suffragette City is a straight-up 12/10. Hallo Spaceboy sounds so much better live.
Highlights: Changes, Ziggy Stardust, Suffragette City, Young Americans, Fame, Modern Love, Blue Jean, Absolute Beginners, Magic Dance and just so much!
8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 160

2025 in 2025: Day 18

Begin to Hope - Regina Spektor

I only first heard of Regina Spektor when I read an interview with Jeff Lynne praising her as a songwriter, which certainly piqued my curiosity. My initial reaction was that this album was way overhyped and I tended to gravitate to her earlier work. Boy, was I wrong! This album is just as clever and pretentious! And seriously fantastic. Not sure how I missed all this before. 

Highlights: Better, Après Moi

8/10

Begin to Hope [Bonus Disc] - Regina Spektor

Of course I bought the deluxe edition with a bonus disc! Who do you think I am? Some sort of novice? Plus, if I remember correctly, it was actually cheaper than the regular version. I miss when The Warehouse sold music and movies. Definitely not as strong as the album itself, but that's not really a surprise.

Highlights: Summer in the City, Uh-Merica

6/10

Beside You - Dave Dobbyn

A best of Dave Dobbyn? This is not something I wanted... Admittedly I do think Be Mine Tonight is a fantastic song. But I already have that in my iTunes *checks iTunes lilbrary* two other times? I have this song 3 times in my iTunes library?? I don't know what else this dude has ever done that might interest me, especially when it appears he has re-recorded some of these "hits". So, crappy songs made worse by being sung by an old man that sounds like a drunk playing at the local pub? Holy hell this album is 90 minutes long. I'm sure this MF has talked about weather in about 80% of the songs I've listened to so far. You know what the funniest part of this is? Numerous times I looked at this album in my iTunes library and thought to myself 'Should I delete this? No, there are a couple of songs I might want to keep' and if I had just checked I would have found ALL of those songs in my iTunes library on other compilations and then I wouldn't be here listening to this MF croon about kisses being like rain. Sounds wet. Who the hell kisses like that?!?!

Highlights: Be Mine Tonight, Slice of Heaven

3.5/10

A BEST - Ayumi Hamasaki

Talk about a palette cleanser! This was the first Ayu album I bought - for $1 at the opshop. Bargain. I've held on to it purely for the re-recorded songs and Love: Destiny, which I believe is not found anywhere else? I'm not really sure. But it is also good to have this little compilation, because it may be the only Ayu my wife will allow outside of Power of Music. My first impression of this album, and thus Ayu, was that maybe I had wasted $1; I didn't think much of her voice and thought the songs sounded very dated. My opinion has certainly changed somewhat... 

Highlights: A Song for xx [New Vocal & Mix], Depend on you [New Vocal & Mix], Who... and all the other awesome songs

9/10

BEST - SPYAIR

Look, I'll be real here; most of SPYAIR's songs sound the same. Half of this album genuinely sounds so similar that I have a hard time telling the songs apart. Luckily, it's a darn great song so all these songs sound like a good time. And the ones that actually sound different? Well, they are mostly EVEN BETTER. 

Highlights: 虹, Beautiful Days, サムライハート (Some Like It Hot!!), ジャパニケーション, Last Moment

8/10

BEST [Bonus Disc] - SPYAIR

I have not listened to this very often; the opening track is absolutely worth having the disc and there is nothing terrible, but this one gets even more same-samey than the main disc.

Highlights: Trust your anthem, MOVIN' ON, Just Like This

6.5/10

Best Fiction - Namie Amuro

Ayu's main rival! And I know a lot of people that seem to prefer Amuro and her R&B styles. I haven't listened to much of her work outside of this album. And even then, I have not really given this more than a few passing listens. It honestly reminds me of Aaliyah and wouldn't feel out of place in a movie like Cradle 2 tha Grave or Romeo Must Die. I don't associate R&B with Jet Li, but that just seemed to be how Hollywood tried to place him. I need to give this another run one of these days.

Highlights: Put 'Em Up, Alarm, Funky Town

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 153

2025 in 2025: Day 17

Be Here Now - Oasis

There was a time when I hated Oasis. When this album was released was probably the peak of that time. Then a couple of years later, I decided this album was the reason I was now a big fan of Oasis. The opening two tracks are pretty much perfect album openers. Magic Pie is also great, but goes on about 3 minutes too long. I absolutely adore the harmonies and melodic lead guitar in Stand By Me. The Johnny Depp thing confuses me; teenagers at the time thought it was cool to find out he was playing guitar on Fade In-Out (this was before he turned into... whatever he is now), yet they didn't advertise it or anything. I used to love Don't Go Away, but now I find the horns a bit cheesy. The last few songs are big messes of noise and too long, but oh hell, they're still great. You know, I came back to this album today expecting to be a bit negative towards it (it sounds like it was mixed by me - and I am not a professional mixer), but I'll be damned if I don't still think it is the best Oasis album. My only regret is I don't have a guitar with me to jam along to this whole thing.

Highlights: D'You Know What I Mean?, My Big Mouth, Stand By Me, I Hope I Think I Know

8/10

Be Not Nobody - Vanessa Carlton

As you might expect, this is simply A Thousand Miles. I have no idea why I have this song; it's okay, but I'm not a fan and I probably never listen to it. And I could not name you another Vanessa Carlton song.

6/10

Be Yourself Tonight - Eurythmics

Now this is a band and an album! This album is such a perfect fusion of soul, funk, pop/rock, 80s new wave, and 80s British whiteness (I have no other way of describing it right now). I also love their minimalist approach to some songs, like Conditioned Soul. Normally I'm against the bonus tracks thing, but I actually really enjoy the alternate version of Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves. I really should at least split out the cover songs and make an album of those!

Highlights: Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves, It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back),

8/10

Beast Is The B2ST - Beast

Another one of those random K-Pop songs I ended up with - this is just Bad Girl. Which kind of ties in with Bad Girl II from the other day? Either way, this song is actually slammin' and I need to hear more Beast.

8/10

The Beatles - The Beatles

Oh here we go! The greatest mix of awesomeness and sheer awfulness. The album, of course, starts with three awesome songs and then a song I usually despise, but today it isn't annoying me so much. Maybe because I haven't listened to it in forever? Nope - iTunes says I listened to it 18 months ago. That feels like much too soon. I do actually love The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill, though, and it goes so seamlessly in to While My Guitar Gently Weeps it is brilliant. And that song is the greatest work of Eric Clapton's long and boring career. Then Lennon does his own version of Bohemian Rhapsody - except he manages to cram 3 different songs in less than 3 minutes. I'm So Tired is such a great bluesy rock'n roll song. Blackbird is, in my opinion, a most atypical McCartney song. Except it is actually good. Between Beyoncé and every white dude with an acoustic guitar, I'm pretty sick of hearing it, to be honest. Yeah, I don't want to listen to Beyoncé. Shiiizzz, I ain't afraid of you mofos! "You were in a car crash and you lost your hair" has to be one of the greatest song lyrics of all time, right? The second LP/half kicks of with another rockin' McCartney song. And then more Lennon songs mocking the Maharishi. That trip to India really did inspire him to write awesome stuff. Long, Long, Long is one of those songs that you don't think about, but when you listen to it, it is actually great. Revolution is a fantastic song - no matter the version. And there sure are many versions! I'm glad there is only one version of Honey Pie. Okay, I've written enough. Number 9, number 9 number 9, good night.

Highlights: Dear Prudence, Glass Onion, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Happiness is a Warm Gun, Yer Blues, Helter Skelter

7/10

Beatles For Sale - The Beatles

Oh, more of The Beatles? Don't mind if I do... Anyone else get triggered by No Reply and get Vow by Garbage stuck in their head? Overall, I'm actually a fan of this album; it features a fairly fed-up John Lennon starting to write a bit more caustically, McCartney belting out classic rock'n roll numbers like Kansas City, Ringo kicking butt on Honey Don't, and Harrison summing things up with Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby. The Beatles are one of the only bands I will let cover Buddy Holly without being overly critical - plus they do a great job of Words of Love. Look, this isn't the strongest album they released, and they clearly rushed things (which is why they had to record all these rock'n roll songs from their setlist), but I'll be damned if isn't a fun way to spend half an hour.

Highlights: No Reply, Rock And Roll Music, Honey Don't, Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby

8/10

The Beautiful Experience - Prince

In case you don't know, this is an EP by Prince that is just remixes of The Most Beautiful Girl in the World. I had no idea this was released like 18 months before The Gold Experience finally saw the light of day. What a world we lived in. One of Prince's most perfect pop ballads. The remixes are very different to that. Some a big more sexified, if you will. The Mustang Mix is especially cool, because Prince re-recorded all the vocals NOT in falsetto.

Highlights: Staxowax, Mustang Mix, The Most Beautiful Girl in the World [Single Version]

7/10

Beautiful Girls (Soundtrack) - Various Artists

This is purely The Afghan Whigs' take on Can't Get Enough of Your Love. I really dig the way they build it and he goes for it vocally by the end. Legendary song and a cool cover

6/10

A Beautiful Life - Mumsdollar

Would you believe this is a Christian pop-punk band from New Zealand? And that I have their CD in my collection? Well, believe it. And if not for the Christian lyrical themes, I would give this album a 10/10, because musically it just cranks. So all you pop-punk bands out there; more music like this, please. Just study some Bad Religion so you can write meaningful lyrics to go with it. And copy this bass tone, because BY PRIME it is badass. LOGMAN would give you 20/10 if you can do all that.

Highlights: Into the Night

6/10

The Beauty Process: Triple Platinum - L7

Bahahaha more punk, but about as far removed from that last album as punk gets. Four angry women that aren't trying to tell you to accept Jesus into your heart and make some dirty rock'n roll.

Highlights: Drama, I Need, The Masses are Asses

6/10

Beef of Chicken? - PASSPO☆

I have written more than enough today and I have already written about this album. It's still gawddam amazing and makes life worth living. I may even like it now more than I did then.

Highlights: Literally the whole album

9.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 146

2025 in 2025: Day 16

Barcelona - Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé

Oh man, this is one of those albums I kind of grew up hearing - but mostly in the background. But it is so engrained in my head that I when I once listened to the re-recorded version with the orchestra, something sounded off. Musically, it is more theatre than pop/rock. And it all totally works - I would see this show. But only in 1988 with Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé in the lead roles. I really need to give the orchestrated version another attempt.

Highlights: Barcelona, How Can I Go On

8/10

Bare Bones - Bryan Adams

One of my genuine favourite pop/rock songwriters performing his hits stripped back - what's not to like? Darn this man's voice is solid on this. Hearing the crowd singalong with Everything I Do reminds me just how massive that song was - and how much it kinda killed Adams' career. It's also funny hearing him sing these heartfelt songs and then throw in some joke line to completely kill the mood. Clearly the man does not take himself so seriously. There are a few songs on here that are not found elsewhere, as well. Smart man, that Bryan Adams. But not that smart, because I miss Keith Scott.

Highlights: You've Been a Friend to Me, All For Love

7/10

Barely Legal - The Hives

Well, this sure is a change of pace. The Hives doing raw fast punk rock. It's a lot of fun. It is only the start of how fun they will get.

Highlights: Closed for the Season

6.5/10

Barracuda - Kinky

This album takes me back to a more peaceful time when one could purchase CDs from ebay for US$1 and get them shipped for only a few dollars and not have to worry about taxes or GST or anything else. Because that is how I managed to get most of my Kinky discography. And my life has been all the better for it. I pity our youth who do not get to experience such joy. Sure, they can access any music in the world thanks to streaming music for free and can probably access more Kinky albums than I own, but I still pity them. Oh yeah, this album. It's great. Probably the most straight electro-funk album they've made? It's groovy.

Highlights: Masacre Sónica, Avión, TachiMariPedónCocongo

7/10

Bat Out of Hell - Meatloaf

This is simply You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth. Fun fact: I have never actually listened to this full album. Or much Meatloaf at all! You would think a highly-acclaimed 'rock opera' would be right up my alley, so I should change that one day...

7/10

Batman - Prince

Think about the future! If you take the Batman thing out of this, it is still an awesome album. Just about perfect, really. And really just encapsulates my progression as a human: when this came out, I hated Prince and I hated this music. Someone go back in time to 1989 and beat LOGMAN with a Batpole. And this album.

Highlights: Electric Chair, Batdance

8.5/10

Batman Theme - Neil Hefti & His Orchestra and Chorus

This is the theme song for the 1966 Batman television series. The greatest Batman television series. And such a wonderful theme. I recorded my own version and then made a video of me in my Batman onesie, rockin' out and defeating Godzilla. Because LOGMAN knows how to spend his free time.

9/10

Battle Born - The Killers

I genuinely liked The Killers. A lot. Their first album was an absolute masterpiece. But please note the past tense used - liked. Somewhere along the road they started thinking they were some sort of modern Bruce Springsteen or Jon Bon Jovi. I'm not saying this album doesn't have a few good songs, but boy does Brandon Flowers need more autotune. And some of this is bland; like, The Way it Was sounds like it is commercial on Spotify or something. Actually, it just hit me - this sounds like modern Ryan Adams with keyboards! It's all a bit of a shame, because amongst this mediocreness are some genuinely good songs. They need to change their name, because nowadays all they are killing is my attention. 

Highlights: Battle Born, Runaways, 
6/10

The Battle of Los Angeles - Rage Against The Machine

This is the kind of energy I need after that. The real difference I'm finding here is these songs seem almost ready for the radio. Almost. I mean, these dudes are still super angry and expressing that through swearing and whatnot, but they have some neat hooks going on and the songs are all in that 3 to 4 minute range. But it is still RATM in the best possible way. 

Highlights: Guerilla Radio, Born of a Broken Man, New Millenium Homes

7/10

Baywatch - Various Artists

If you don't love those opening and end credits songs to Baywatch, then I don't know what to tell you. They bookend this album and in-between we get the worst Beach Boys song I've ever heard, some early-90s R&B, a couple of actors from Baywatch, and plenty of David Hasselhoff. Now excuse me while I go run along the beach...

Highlights: I'm Always Here - Jim Jamison, I Believe - David Hasselhoff, Current of Love - David Hasselhoff

5/10

Be Ambitious - JUDY AND MARY

YUKI and her punk rock roots are always good times. Nothing like 2 weird instrumentals and 3 quick punk rock songs to perfectly do a punk EP. This was the debut from JAM and it is the first of their releases I'll be listening to; their final album starts with W, so will likely be the last of their releases I will listen to! That's how you do it, people.

Highlights: Judy is a Punk Rocker, Make Up One's Mind, Blue Tears

6.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 135

2025 in 2025: Day 15

Bad - Michael Jackson
I still remember when the video for Bad was released and it was this major moment in pop culture - pretty sure everyone in the world gathered around their television to watch the premiere. This is one of those albums that I'm like 'oh yeah, that's a good one' and then I listen to it and I end up having the best time. This may well be Michael Jackson's most perfect album. I especially like the way in Bad that he's singing all this tough rap, then the end verse is MJ saying 'let's make the world a better place!' but in a tough way, like he's going to dance on your face if you don't do it. I am a rather large fan of Steve Stevens, so him appearing to make some lazer noises is always a highlight. 

Highlights: Bad, Speed Demon, Man in the Mirror, Smooth Criminal

9/10

Bad Girl II - One Two [Feat. Seo In Young]

One Two are a rap duo from South Korea. Seo In Young has a nice voice. And this song is a good groove.

7/10

Bad Meets Evil - Bad Meets Evil (Eminem & Royce da 5'9)

This had me confused because I forgot everything going on, but basically this is just the song Scary Movies. It is classic Eminem rapping about killing people and doing all the noises to go with it. Royce da 5'9 completely outshines him, though.

7.5/10

Bad News - Bad News

I have some 80s re-release that features a whoooole lot of skits. And they are actually hilarious. Because it's Bad News and these guys are hilarious. There's even a comment about Brian not being there, so they should drink - the Brian they are referring to is Brian May, who produced this album. And plays a bit of lead guitar here and there. His stuff is quite obvious, because he's the only person on this album that can actually play guitar well. Who would have thought "La-ger" would be a good vocal warm-up? I definitely prefer the original 'faster' version of Warriors of Ghengis Khan. I can only imagine how much Brian May must have been laughing when they recorded that guitar solo in Bohemian Rhapsody. Bah gawd this makes me want to watch The Young Ones. 

Highlights: Bohemian Rhapsody, Cashing in on Christmas

6/10

Bad Reputation - Joan Jett

Joan Jett comes storming through the wall with a leather jacket and a genuine 'outta my way' attitude. This is another case where the bonus tracks are a detriment to the album; they are fine, I guess, but just not on the level of anything on the original album, and just serve to make things longer. Otherwise, this album is pure kickass fun.

Highlights: Bad Reputation, Make Believe, Too Bad On Your Birthday

7.5/10

A Ballads - Ayumi Hamasaki

Now, iTunes do alphabetical properly by ignoring anything that starts with "A" or "The". However, that probably shouldn't apply to this album - Ayu does tend to use that "A" as genuine naming. Which would have made half of her discography start my whole marathon. So I'm very happy that didn't happen (I like having the good stuff spread out - I couldn't imagine not getting any Ayu for like 6 months). This is more of a compilation of remixes, plus two new songs. RAINBOW is magical. The alt. rock version of A Song for xx is also very cool.

Highlights: RAINBOW, HANABI, Dearest, A Song for xx "030213 Session #2"
8/10

Bananarama - The Very Best Of Bananarama - Bananarama

Well, that album title is stupid and needs to be changed. But for now, I guess this is what I get! And what I get is a collection of fun UK pop songs from the 80s. So I'm going to accept this gift very happily. Although I'm pretty sure I could cut this album down to ten tracks and it still be plenty more than "essential". 

Highlights: Venus, Love in the First Degree, I Want You Back, Only Your Love

6/10

Band of Dynamic Duo - Dynamic Duo

I ended up with a bunch of songs by Dynamic Duo, somehow. And I have a sneaking suspicion that they may not all be labelled correctly; I mean, these songs, for one, have song names like "ºÒ¸éÁõ". Now, I'm not expert in Korean linguistics, but that doesn't seem correct. Thank Prime for Shazam so I can sort these out...

Highlights: Guilty (my copy of this at least has the English title in brackets, so am at least a little more confident in the labelling on that one)
7/10

Bangerz - Miley Cyrus

This album is peak Gen Z or Millenial or whatever that generation is that were born in the 90s. The people that were like 15-22 when this album came out. Because Miley was everywhere then. Sticking her tongue out and twerking her non-existent butt. I was in my 30s and have the personality of a grumpy old man, so I just found her annoying. It all kinda distracted from her singing... which is dumb, because she is effortlessly awesome at singing. Twelve years on, I can remove all that and just reflect on the music. And this album is pretty darn good. Sure, there are a few duds, but most pop albums have those. Otherwise, the album is pretty much what it claims to be: Bangerz. Writing a song in TXT speak is about as peak whatevergeneration as it gets.

Highlights: Adore You, Wrecking Ball, FU, On My Own

7.5/10

Barbra Streisand [Single] - Duck Sauce

Get down with your funky self! Or even Barbra Streisand. This song definitely wins awards for being so random. I need to get to that auto-biography soon...

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 124

2025 in 2025: Day 14

Back From The Dead - Spinal Tap

Let's start the day with Britain's loudest band! What I should have done was just pulled out some of my favourite lyrics, because sometimes when you are paying attention to these songs carefully, there is just a great line or two that just makes me laugh. Anyways, this is mostly re-recordings of older Spinal Tap songs. David St Hubbins sounds older, for sure, but the songs still rock. And are a lot of fun. I didn't need them doing reggae, though. Fun fact: I've never been a fan of Stonehenge as a song; it works in the movie as a skit, but as a song, it really isn't much to listen to.

Highlights: Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight, Rock & Roll Nightmare, Big Bottom, Heavy Duty
6/10

Back In Memphis - Elvis Presley

While not nearly as strong an album as From Elvis in Memphis, this follow-up still features that beautiful soulful sound that is found in all these sessions. Other than a few standout songs, this is all the fairly middle-of-the-road tracks that just couldn't make the cut, so the original album on its own does not actually score so well. Like, it's fine, but nothing special. But I have the reissue, which contains a bunch of mono singles from 1969. Which are almost all completely awesome. One of the few times I will be all 'Gimme the bonus tracks!'.

Highlights: Without Love (There is Nothing), Suspicious Minds [Mono], Kentucky Rain [Mono]

6/10

Back to Basics - Christina Aguilera

I forgot how good this album is. I'm not sure a 2 minute song with an almost chorus counts as an interlude? Oh, now I remember why I forgot how good this album is... because it isn't. The first half is amazing, but that ghastly fan appreciation 'song' is the turning point? It's all just completely self-congratulating and kills the vibe of the album. Far be it from me to tell an artist what they should do - that's only the purpose of my bLog - but this album should have been 1 disc and all the wannabe big band songs cut. They are just not good. I started off excited but ended up wanting to hit the skip button

Highlights: Makes Me Wanna Pray, Ain't No Other Man, On Our Way

6/10

Back to Bedlam - James Blunt

You're Beautiful is a good song. Shiizz, I ain't afraid of you mofos!

Highlights: You're Beautiful

5/10

Back to Black - Amy Winehouse

Some absolute brilliant songs in here. I love how straight up and raw these lyrics are. Winehouse had no issues telling you that she was talking about drugs and alcohol, or that you are a dick. Absolutely no poetical-political nonsense going on here!

Highlights: Rehab, Me and Mr. Jones, Back to Black, Addicted

7.5/10

Back to Black [Bonus Disc] - Amy Winehouse

I prefer the studio version of Valerie, otherwise this is almost like listening to a ska album. I don't know how else to describe it.

Highlights: Gettin' yo' skank on?

5.5/10

Back to the Light - Brian May

Bah gawd this album is fantastic. The title track alone is the most bombastic epic rock song you could ask for - definitely the most Queen sounding song on the album. Cozy Powell's drumming is huge. Dude was a beast. My only criticism would be the orchestration on Too Much Love Will Kill You. It's all a bit cheesy with the horns and whatnot. Still a great song. This album just rocks in general; you have the 'heavier' stuff, then the light-hearted rocking numbers, and some pop-rock, and your ballads. Overall, just a strong hard rock album from one of the greatest guitarist/songwriter/singer in hard rock.

Highlights: Back to the Light, Love Token, Resurrection, Rollin' Over

8.5/10

Starting with a fake British hard rock band and ending with a legit British hard rock legend perfectly wraps up this day.

"Albums" listened to so far: 114

2025 in 2025: Day 13

B-Sides & Rarities CD 8 - The Cure
How fitting the 13th day begins with The Cure. And a messed up collection; I found online some 10 disc collection of b-sides and rarities and Robert Smith collaborations, but when I looked through it all, I really only needed the last few discs. And even then, not all of it. AND THEN my plan was to listen through the songs a few times and decide what to keep - then organise it into a proper single album. Yet, here we are! One of the main reasons I grabbed these is for the vinyl-only tracks for the self-titled album (I do have the album on vinyl, so I don't feel like too much of a jerk downloading them - not my fault The Cure didn't find a way for me to listen to these at work). The dance collabs are kinda fun, too. 

Highlights: Truth Goodness and Beauty, Love

6.5/10

B-Sides & Rarities CD 9 - The Cure

The next disc features all the singles and remixes from the 4:13 Dream album. Outside of the b-sides, I don't think these are necessary in life. I sure as hell don't ever need to hear Jared Leto insert himself into a Cure song.

Highlights: Not In Love, Without You

5/10

B-Sides & Rarities CD 10 - The Cure

And the final CD is more collaborations and a couple of cover songs. Which makes sense, considering The Cure released NOTHING in the last 15 years - until finally dropping a new album at the end of last year. There is a weird re-recording of Taking Off called The Dragon Hunter's Song, which is just the same song with new lyrics about Dungeons and Dragons or something. The McCartney covers are kind of fun, admittedly.

Highlights: Hello Goodbye, J'aurai Tout Essaye

6/10

B-Sides: 1990-2000 - Pearl Jam

I'm not sure if I labelled this thinking I would continue collecting their work, or if I was pointedly drawing a line in the sand for where I stopped having an interest in Pearl Jam. Hilariously, I've never done anything with the track-numbering, so everything is just per being ripped from the original CD singles - which means everything is just in a jumble. Which is probably a good way to listen to this? The fun thing here is I can't even remember the last time I listened to some of these songs - I had even forgot Alone existed! Totally rocked out when that opening riff kicked in. I also forgot how awesome a song Oceans is - I mean, according my iTunes, I have never listened to it before, right? This version with the added drums is equally awesome. Funny story time: about 24 years-ago, I saw that douche-burger Eddie Vedder in concert and he fucked up Soon Forget, and then blamed it on me for clapping (called me "fucking annoying"). He's right - I am! But also, he fucks this song up live all the time and this version they released is the gawddam proof! Yellow Ledbetter is not as great as I remember - the guitaring in it, however, is. 

Highlights: I Got ID, Alone, Oceans [Remix], Yellow Ledbetter

6/10

BABY ACTION - SCANDAL

Early SCANDAL is fun, but so different to what they do now; a bit more idol nonsense mixed with happy pop-punk. It's mostly fun. Nothing Earth-shattering and nothing terrible.

Highlights: Pride, アップルたちの伝言, 東京スカイスクレイパー
6.5/10

Back From Hell - Run-DMC

This was one of those albums that took a while to grow on me. I can't really pin down why. But what's important is that I did come around. And boy have I! This album is a massive departure from anything they had done before; more of the New Jack Swing thing going on, more Jam Master Jay on the mic, and a LOT more aggression. Lyrically, they are taking no prisoners here. But there are also some seriously kickin' jams; Faces and Pause are just New Jack Swing in full effect. Sure there's some really odd stuff on here like P Upon a Tree, and the thug stuff gets a bit old - and its crazy considering Pause is like an anti-gangster anthem, and this may not be that real 'classic' Run-DMC. but when I am in the right mood, this album is 100% my jam.

Highlights: What's It All About, Pause, Word is Born, Not Just Another Groove

7.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 107

2025 in 2025: Day 12

B-Sides - Bump of Chicken
I swear, Bump of Chicken are on a mission to make the most ludicrous b-sides on the planet. Then they decided to change things up and used a really great song as a b-side... And then went back to just being ridiculous. Including a song that is made up of hilariously budget midi sound about their love of... squid. And a song about enjoying festivals in Japan. Curses to Sailing Day being on an album that starts with Y!
Highlights: アルエ
4/10

B-Sides - Oasis

This is a collection of all the b-sides that didn't make the cut for The Masterplan. Which is... a lot of them. Except this only goes to 2005. I say "only", as to imply this 3 hour compilation is not enough? I couldn't bothered organising a tracklist for so many songs, so it is just chronological. Which is a fun way to track the de-evolution of Liam Gallagher's voice. Is there a studio version of I Will Believe out there? I know it sounds like a lot of other Oasis songs, like Step Out, but isn't that what Oasis do? Just make a bunch of songs that sound like their other songs? And that's why we like them! I feel like I want to hear a version of D'yer Wanna Be a Spaceman that has Liam on vocals. I'm not one to diss Noel's lead guitar playing, usually - I actually enjoy the simplicity and how fun his solos usually are to play - but his lead work on this live version of Bring It On Down is downright laughable. Whatever may well be the greatest Oasis song, or at least one of them. The quality of the b-sides drops off a bit around Be Here Now. There are a couple of good tracks during the Standing on the Shoulder of Giants period, but after that it all gets pretty same-samey. Even for Oasis. Also, Noel seems to sing the majority of these - I didn't do any sort of record-keeping on it, but I feel like that was the case. I'm missing a few from the end of the band. Maybe I'll get them one day? And maybe one day I'll actually organise these better; maybe just label each period like Definitely Maybe B-Sides or something? Or I'll just forget all about it...
Highlights: Whatever, Step Out, Carry Us All, Full On, Eyeball Tickler

6/10

B-Sides & Rarities - Deftones

This is mostly covers and acoustic-reworkings of songs from White Pony. I mean... I listened to it?
Highlights: Sinatra
5/10

B-Sides & Rarities - Whiskeytown
My feelings towards this guy have not and will not change. This fake southern drawl makes him even more insufferable. If it were possible to give 0 stars to a song, I would give it to Busted. Now all that said... there might be a few gems in here. Lots of song titles about rain; I Hope it Rains, It's Gonna Rain, The Rain Won't Help You. And then one called Set Your Fires; how am I supposed to do that if there is all this rain?
Highlights: Silver Wings, Houses on the Hill, It's Gonna Rain

5.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 101

2025 in 2025: Day 11

August Sky - The Latest Fallout
I used to work in a musical instrument shop and there was a young dude I always talked guitars with. He was in some emo band and one day brought in their CD, so I was supportive and bought it. I'm such a great guy! And honestly, it is not bad. Very 'Fall Out Boy lite' or something.
Highlights: I don't think that Fender Malibu was used in the recording at all.
6/10

Aurora - Ayumi Hamasaki
One of two singles Ayu released last year. And I only realised this one had actually been released six months later. Better turn in my Team Ayu membership. Pretty standard Ayu bop (which is a good thing).
7.5/10

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me - Various Artists
Actually, this one is just Beautiful Stranger by Madonna. Good song from a pretty decent period of Madonna. Hilariously, this is actually the only Madonna song in my library! I have her early albums on vinyl (everything up to Erotica), but somehow have never added her in here. I should probably rectify that one day.
7.5/10

Autobiography - Ashlee Simpson
When working at said musical instrument store, I found this CD in the CD drawer, and I decided to grab a copy before it was thrown out. Again, it's not completely awful or anything. It was all written by the same person that co-wrote Lindsay Lohan's albums and John Shanks (we will get in to the critique of that man once we hit Bon Jovi, but needless to say I don't think much of him). She's not a great singer and I assume she got a record deal because of her sister? I can't help but think LiLo should have sorted her stuff out and done some of these songs instead and they would have been much stronger.
Highlights: I might not delete it?
5/10

Awake - L'Arc〜en〜Ciel
This is the only album from L'Arc〜en〜Ciel I have heard. I love the opening track... and not much more. As One sounds so much like Alice in Chains it's crazy. Overall, it's a pretty eclectic mix of styles, but I just find their singer's voice... tiring.
Highlights: New World, Killing Me, 星空
6/10

Ayu10: 10th Anniversary
This is basically a little mini-album I put together of Ayu's 10th anniversary singles - 2 new songs and 5 re-recorded songs. The new songs are all kinds of brilliant; Mirrorcle World is big guitars and a massive dance beat, while Life is more of a pop-rock almost ballad-type song. Almost. The re-recorded songs are quite good, due to her improved voice, but Depend on you rocks a little less than it should. This might actually be the best version of LOVE ~Destiny~, or at least my favourite. Who... sounds like it was possibly just the vocals that were updated, and I could not tell you which is better. Because all versions are perfect.
Highlights: Mirrorcle World, Life, Who...
9/10

The B-52's - The B-52's
When in the right mood, The B-52's are a lot of fun. This album is all sorts of quirky and campy. And who doesn't love Kate Pierson's voice when she's just shouting out nonsense? I have only just realised that their name is grammatically incorrect and it is going to annoy me forever.
Highlights: Rock Lobster, 6060-842
6/10

B-Sides - RADWIMPS
Another of my self-made collections; in fact, most of the following albums titled B-Sides will be my own doing. As the name might suggest, it is all songs not found on albums. In this case, all RADWIMPS b-sides from their debut to 2013. Their early stuff is really terribly recorded - I'm not looking forward to revisiting their early albums in about 8 months. Things improve as time goes forward. Which is not really what I'd say about their albums.
Highlights: シザースタンド
5.5/10

B-Sides - Alanis Morissette
This would appear to Alanis' b-sides from Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie era to around 2005? I'm not sure I have everything, anymore. The Jagged Little Pill tour live songs are... not great. The BBC One Live songs from SFIJ are much more enjoyable. Otherwise, there are four non-album songs. Pollyanna Flower is suitably dark. These Are the Thoughts is also on the MTV Unplugged album; the studio version is musically superior, but the ending (particularly Alanis's voice) of the Unplugged version is much more powerful.
Highlights: These Are the Thoughts, Are You Still Mad? [BBC Radio One - Live]
5.5/10

B-Sides - Spice Girls
I'm not sure I understand the order here; I would have thought it went album then artist? Oh well, I'll take some Spice Girls b-sides, if I have to. Oh, but these b-sides are gooood! I didn't think much of Bumper to Bumper when I was younger, but now it is a total groove to me. I also didn't think much of Holler when it came out, so clearly young LOGMAN was a moron. However, I will maintain the opinion that all of these songs should have been included on the Spice and Spice World reissues, so I would not need to make my own collection!
Highlights: Headlines (Friendship Never Ends), Bumper to Bumper, Voodoo
7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 97

2025 in 2025: Day 10

Ashes & Fire - Ryan Adams
It is kind of hard to rate this stuff these days; this is a bit of a reminder that some of this is very good, however everything about the guy is so disingenuous and off-putting. The piano sound on the title track is perfection. And that solo on Do I Wait is awesome. I actually enjoy Adams' acoustic sound on this album. Was this the last album he made where his singing wasn't awful? Hmmm maybe not - his voice seems to be starting to be crap here, particularly on Save Me. That'll teach him to use song titles from Queen. I think I was pretty harsh on this album back during the marathon and I've possibly only listened to it once since then (about 8 years ago), but it seems to be better than I remember. In places.
Highlights: Ashes & Fire, Do I Wait, Chains of Love, Lucky Now
7/10

Ashes & Fire Bonus Tracks - Ryan Adams
The solo on Star Sign is quite good. Very quite good. Weird; I went back and looked at my marathon notes, and I said Darkness was on here. But I've deleted it? I only have 2 other versions instead. That's still more than a normal person should have, but still.
Highlights: Star Sign
6.5/10

The Ashes of Chikara - Various Artists
Chikara were a pro-wrestling promotion based in the USA that kind of based everything on a mix of Lucha Libre and comic book storytelling, pretty much aimed and children and dorks. So it was the best pro-wrestling promotion ever. They did a big story where the promotion was bought by some bad people and shut down, and then spent a year doing youtube and social media campaigns to bring it back, which culminated in the movie The Ashes of Chikara. And this is the soundtrack to that movie. Got it? It is mostly instrumental pieces mixed with some classic 80s artists like Wang Chung and Stan Bush. Oh, and a cover of Believe it or Not. I used to walk to work every day and this album was pretty much the perfect length for my walk. I totally forgot about Whatever Makes You Feel Superior - bah gawd this song is MY JAM! Sadly, dear reader, Chikara closed down for real a few years ago. Life imitating art and all that.
Highlights: Whatever Makes You Feel Superior - Toehider, From the Ashes - Stan Bush
6.5/10

ASTEROID - INKYMAP
I completely discovered this band by accident - was looking for a gig to attend in 広島 and saw something with like 6 bands for under 3000円. INKYMAP were second from the top. They rocked. I bought this album from their merch table (the bass player told me I should, and who am I to argue?). I think they may have just released it or something... anyways, they've since become one of my favourite bands. Definitely one of the best punk rock bands going in Japan today.
Highlights: 白銀の夜に, The Delight, マタアウヒマデ
8/10

Astronaut - Duran Duran
Oooh reunion-era Duran Duran! This is the most harmless dancey Duran Duran album you could possibly ask for. Possibly a bit long? Like, if you're going to make a relatively uninteresting album, you could at least keep it around 40 minutes.
Highlights: (Reach Up for the) Sunrise, Nice, Finest Hour
6/10

Asylum - Kiss
I... actually like this album. Mostly. It's still not the raucous fun of early Kiss, and things only got better from here (until after the reunion), but this album really was the turning point. Bah gawd, does Bruce Kulick shred up a storm on this thing! Having him join the Animalize tour was clearly a bad influence. Gene's singing is garbage. He needed to bring these songs down by like 4 or 5 semi-tones. Or Paul should have sung them. If Trial By Fire had a better chorus, it would be one of the best songs on the album - the verses and whatnot all have a real classic Kiss vibe to them. 
Highlights: King of the Mountain, Who Wants to Be Lonely, Tears are Falling
6.5/10

At Her Very Best And All The Greatest Hits - Yazz
This is purely the single The Only Way is Up. As much of a music nerd as I am (and love 80s music), I have no idea of any other songs by Yazz that could make a greatest hits compilation. I couldn't even make a greatest hits EP.
7/10

At the BBC - Queen
Finally some Queen! I knew it would be some time before I got to them, so I went on a bit of a listen to some albums before starting the iTunes marathon. This album is them "live" at the BBC studios in 1973, so it is far from complete - pretty sure they appeared another 3 or 4 times. Queen have made this album completely redundant by releasing all the complete BBC stuff in a box set, and then again by releasing all the BBC tracks as part of the big box sets they have been releasing. But this is what I was given, so it will do until I can muster up the energy to re-purchase my Queen collection. With all the overdubs and whatnot, it all sounds pretty much exactly the same as the studio recordings. So it's kind of like a 'best of the first album', with very minor differences. Notably Freddie Mercury messing up his overdubs on Keep Yourself Alive (as in, one track sings different lyrics to the other track).
Highlights: Keep Yourself Alive, Liar
7/10

ATE - Stray Kids
LOGMAN joins the 21st Century! Would you believe I actually went to a Stray Kids concert late last year? No joke. It was awesome. And so is this... mini-album?
Highlights: MOUNTAINS, JJAM, Stray Kids
8/10

Atlas - Kinky
Truly an international day here at LOGMAN radio; first some Japanese, then some Korean, and now Spanish! That guitar riff in Presidente always rocks my world. I kind of feel like guitar is a bit more prominent on this album compared to some others, because there are some cool riffs all over the show. The middle loses a bit of steam, but there is not a bad song on this album. Just solid grooves, funky beats, bizarre lyrics, and all-around good vibes. There has to be something to say about a band that does not make slow songs or ballads.
Highlights: Presidente, Minotauro, María José
8/10

Audio Out - Amiel
This is an album that actually influenced me a bit; Josh Abrahams' production and how they worked to shape her songs really made me rethink how I was approaching what I was working on at the time. It didn't really help me, but that's because I'm me. I wish they could have done a follow up to this; Amiel did make a second album, but with a different producer... and then it was scrapped before release and she's disappeared since. At least I can still enjoy her singing "Dolphinarium" on Micallef Tonight!
Highlights: Clair De Lune, Missing the Music, Games We Play
7.5/10

Audioslave - Audioslave
I've never thought too much of this album. Which is strange; I had a lot of love for Chris Cornell and I certainly enjoyed Rage Against the Machine. And the music is still pretty decent; Tom Morello does his weird solos (some are amazing, like in What You Are and Like a Stone), Tim C's bass is beasty and Brad Wilk is as solid as always. But Cornell on this... I don't know. His voice his rough and the melodies aren't that interesting. 
Highlights: the bass tone, a couple of guitar solos, and accepting this album just ain't for me
4/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 87

2025 in 2025: Day 9

Appetite For Destruction - Guns N' Roses
Fun story time: the first time I heard this album was around when it came out and the local radio station announced they were going to play the whole thing. So I taped it from there and thought 'Yeah, cool, I have the whole album!' and that was how I listened to the album for some time. Of course, I did not realise that there is actually a lot of swearing on here, so a few songs were not played and others were edited. That edited tracklist, though, was total fire! Anyways, this album still rocks hard. For music in this style, it really is hard to beat. And sure is good energy at 4am.
Highlights: Nightrain, Paradise City, Sweet Child O' Mine, Rocket Queen
8.5/10

APRA Top 100 New Zealand Songs Of All Time - Various Artists
As a musician from New Zealand, I feel it is my duty to tell you that I am not a fan of New Zealand music in general. Most of it is garbage. Some of these songs are actually good, though. And no, I do not have all 100 songs. I would cancel this whole listening experience if I had to sit through that.
Highlights: Why Does Love Do This to Me? - The Exponents, For Today - Netherworld Dancing Toys
6/10

Around The Fur - Deftones
I had no idea this came out in 1997. I probably didn't listen to it until around 1999, when nu-metal was all the rage. I have always considered Deftones a bit of an exception, but I just never listen to angry music like this anymore. I am already tired and grumpy enough. It is nigh impossible to understand much of what Chino Moreno is screaming about here, and when he teams up with Max Cavalera on Head Up it is an entertaining combination of... noise. Pretty sure the chorus there is "Bwa dip-bo-BAP, dip-dippobap, bow up da-bi-pap!"
Highlights: Around the Fur, Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away), MX
7/10

Around the World in a Day - Prince & The Revolution
Oh my, what a welcome change of pace. Prince was the greatest. This was a very Beatles-influenced, somewhat psychadelic album. In parts. Then there are songs like Temptation where Prince just goes full on sex fiend. Raspberry Beret may well be the greatest simple pop song Prince ever wrote.
Highlights: Raspberry Beret, The Ladder, Paisley Park
8/10

Arrival - ABBA
The greatest pop band with some of the greatest pop songs. Bah gawd, the bass playing on this album is just phenomenal. This actually may well be the best ABBA as well. Just non-stop awesomeness that has me grooving in my chair.
Highlights: Dancing Queen, Knowing Me Knowing You (A-HA!), Money Money Money, That's Me, Tiger
9/10

Art Official Age - Prince
Oh cool - more Prince! I don't think I have actually listened to this album much since it was released. This is kind of classic Prince R'n'B, but with more 'modern' electronicness to the whole thing. Except Prince's idea of 'modern' is about 20 years behind. Regardless, this album slaps. Super funky sexy jams, as always. Andy Allo's voice is hella smooth.
Highlights: THE GOLD STANDARD, FUNKNROLL, TIME
7.5/10

ARTPOP - Lady Gaga
I think this may be the most played Gaga in my iTunes library? It was likely one of the first albums I bought once my previous laptop was stolen and all my iTunes data was lost forever, otherwise I am certain The Fame and The Fame Monster would smoke it. Unlike her previous albums, I feel like this one takes a little to really get going - the opening couple of tracks are just kind of there, but then once we hit G.U.Y. it is just bangers. Working with R. Kelly certainly was a choice. But, sadly, that won't be the only time he appears in my collection! The last half of this album especially is pretty much flawless.
Highlights: MANiCURE, Do What U Want, Fashion, Mary Jane Holland, Dope, Gypsy, Applause
8.5/10

As Day Follows Night - Sarah Blasko
I didn't think too much of this album upon release. And this listen is not changing my opinion at all. Very disappointing, considering how great Blasko's first few releases were. And I think the follow-up album was an improvement - I guess I'll find out some time around June when I finally make it to the "I" albums...
Highlights: We Won't Run, I Never Knew, Night & Day
5.5/10

As Ugly As It Gets - Ugly Kid Joe
Bwahaha I don't know if I have listened to this since... maybe 2001? Really showing my hair metal roots with this one. This can't be a greatest hits compilation, because these dudes only had two: the metal power-ballad cover of Cat's in the Cradle, and the 'funny' Everything About You - which actually still kinda holds up. I bought this for Funky Fresh Country Club and their cover of the Black Sabbath song N.I.B. - which I enjoyed jamming along to. I think we used to jam it a little bit in my first band, because those dudes were totally in to Black Sabbath. I don't think they were in to Ugly Kid Joe.
Highlights: Everything About You, Busy Bee, N.I.B., Funky Fresh Country Club
5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 75

I just did a check and that is now 1,001 songs. Only 23,242 to go!
I might find I'm still getting through all this in 2026...

2025 in 2025: Day 8

Anthology [Disc 1 Ascot] - John Lennon
Oh, I wanted more rough songs from The Beatles? Close enough! This first disc from the John Lennon Anthology collection covers the recording of The Plastic Ono Band and Imagine albums; it is all demos and alternate takes. And, quite honestly, some of them are very good. I can't stress enough just how amazing this demo of I Found Out is - the final release was like a simple shuffle groove, whereas this is some hard-hitting acoustic number. Imagine with the organ is such a weird take. Overall, well worth another listen.
Highlights: I Found Out [Home Recording], Baby Please Don't Go, Jealous Guy [From 8 Track Imagine Sessions]
6.5/10

Anthology [Disc 2 New York City] - John Lennon
This disc covers the Some Time in New York City and Mind Games periods. I'm likely in the minority, but I absolutely love STNYC - angry political Lennon is my security blanket. Well, actually, my blanket is the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles saying "Cowabunga", but it isn't quite the right size. Anyways, we don't get much in the way of demos from that album, but a lot of live stuff from political rallies and whatnot. Then demos/outtakes for Mind Games, and some random demos for I'm the Greatest and Real Love. I enjoy Lennon doing his scat in the studio - reminds me of Elvis doing fun stuff live. If you ever need a reminder of how society evolves, just listen to Geraldo Rivera boldly brag about raising money "for the mentally retarded", before Lennon screams out the n word multiple times in his song. Wild times. 
Highlights: All the live songs, Real Love [Home Recording]
6.5/10

Anthology [Disc 3 The Lost Weekend]
This covers the Walls and Bridges and Rock 'n' Roll recording sessions. Lennon should have done more rock'n roll, because he was awesome at it and his medley of Rip It Up/Ready Teddy is super fantastic. The banter between Lennon and Psycho Phil is kind of hilarious; Lennon is clearly in a state, and Spector is a lunatic, and some of the stuff they say is... sad, considering how they ended up.
Highlights: Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out) [Alt Version], Pretty much all the Rock 'n' Roll sessions - particularly Slippin' and Slidin'
6/10

Anthology [Disc 4 Dakota]
And now we get demos and alternate takes from 1979/80. This version of I'm Losing You is much more aggressive than the Double Fantasy version. And Nobody Told Me has a lot more life to it compared to the version on Milk and Honey. Actually, most of the outtakes from that album are like that. Dang, now I want someone to just redo that whole album so it's more like this. And less like what George Martin did to Grow Old With Me here. The home recordings are all very odd choices; we get Lennon mocking Bob Dylan and then his interpretation of an Indian guru or something. Great idea - let's just end the collection with him getting cancelled...
Highlights: the Milk and Honey outtakes
5/10

Anti Anti Generation - RADWIMPS
I was not enjoying this. At all. Not even Taka from ONE OK ROCK and the usually great IKIBIJIKI was not doing anything for me. It got about halfway through the album and I was just questioning why RADWIMPS do not make good music anymore... but then I managed to correct my mood a bit, and the rest of the album hasn't offended me so greatly. In fact, this album might not actually be as bad as I remembered. Still a far cry from what I know RADWIMPS are capable of. I'm tired.
Highlights: IKIJIBIKI feat.Taka, サイハテアイニ
5/10

AOI Bionix - De La Soul
This is actually somewhat of an understandable progression. Somewhat, given RADWIMPS do a bit of rapping in their songs. Except De La Soul are very good hip-hop. And that is exactly what this album is. Very good. I bought a box of all of De La Soul's CDs many years ago, because I needed the classic grooves of 3 Feet High and Rising and De La Soul is Dead in my life. The later albums just didn't get the same attention; not because they aren't good, I just got caught up in the early stuff that I knew. This album is a reminder that I need to give the other albums some serious attention. And also my box set is now out of date.
Highlights: Simply, Peer Pressure [Feat. B-Real], Trying People
7/10

Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Back - Public Enemy
This is just Bring tha Noize with Anthrax. The original rap/metal hybrid. Almost 35 years later this song still goes hard. 
9/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 66

2025 in 2025: Day 7

Anthems - Kerry Ellis
More Brian May! Kerry Ellis belts out epic showtunes and some Queen/Brian May songs, while Brian May rocks the planet. It is all as massive as one would expect. Particularly the title track (from Chess) and Defying Gravity from Wicked. It is a million times better than any other version of that song. I said what I said. Come at me, Ariana Grande and Wicked fans. Shiizzz, I ain't afraid of you mofos.
Highlights: Anthem, Defying Gravity, 
7.5/10

Anthology 1 - The Beatles
Well... there's a lot going on here. Free as a Bird has definitely grown on me over the years. From there it is lots of home demos and live stuff. The early stuff is something I probably appreciate more now as fan of older rock'n roll; hearing The Beatles as teenagers giving us some Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochrane is pretty cool. And having the Decca audition tape here is certainly historically important. And sounds great. Controversial take: I understand why they passed. Listening to the original version of Love Me Do just confirms Ringo really was the better choice from the go. The live tracks from 1963 in Sweden are pretty awesome. Actually, their performances on most of these live tracks are awesome - even if some of the recordings are showing their age (the tracks from Two of Kind in particular feature a fair bit of clipping/distortion). Not sure how many times John and Paul can sing the wrong lines in No Reply, but clearly they were trying their best! Leave My Kitten Alone deserved a proper release.
Highlights: Free as a Bird, Leave My Kitten Alone, I Saw Her Standing There (Live in Sweden 24 Oct (1963)
6/10

Anthology 2 - The Beatles
This release features the best of the John Lennon demos-turned full song in Real Love. It also covers 1965-1968, which is possibly my favourite period of The Beatles. They were firing on all cylinders at the time, writing and releasing albums like Help! and Rubber Soul. If You've Got Trouble is another song that deserved a proper release - this is a great song! The live songs here are nicely recorded and the band still sound fantastic, but def sound tired, like a band that are performing non-stop. Especially on Help! I could have done with less versions of Yesterday, but hey, what's McCartney going to do? Not put lots of himself on here? And Your Bird Can Sing is completely derailed by some stoned fools laughing hysterically while trying to record their vocals. Live songs from Tokyo in 1966 show they are just done with performing live. The Strawberry Fields Forever demos are interesting in how different the feel is compared to the final release. A Day in the Life is so brilliant and then it cuts to the orchestra randomly, but still omits the ending? Good Morning, Good Morning minus all the nonsense is such a good song. Fool on the Hill is not, no matter how many versions McCartney tries to make me to listen to. This version of Across the Universe is a million times better than that 'wildlife' version that seemed to only exist to make Lennon mad. In fact, this may well be the best version. 
Highlights: Real Love, You Know My Name (Look Up the Number) [Extended Stereo Remix], Across the Universe [Take 2]
6/10

Anthology 3 - The Beatles
I'm glad Now & Then didn't make the cut for this, because it really wasn't that great. And I find it so funny how all the articles and interviews from the time make it clear Harrison thought it was rubbish. Yet, somehow, I'm supposed to pretend he would have approved of it being released 25 years later with his involvement almost completely removed. Lennon's acoustic tracks on here are a genuine highlight and part of me wishes he had sorted himself out and finished them instead of just letting them get thrown together for the Abbey Road medley, but then we wouldn't have gotten the epic medley of greatness, so either way is a lose. This version of Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da is actually less annoying, somewhat. The Savile Row sessions for Let It Be/Get Back/Whatever we are calling it these days are seriously good. Why is Get Back the only song from the rooftop concert? The kinda sad part is the Abbey Road period feels completely disjointed and like they are barely together. Which was the case, but the album itself at least managed to pretend otherwise. Still didn't need this odd remix of The End with all the extra out of place McCartney lead guitar playing.
Highlights: While My Guitar Gently Weeps [Demo], All Things Must Pass [Demo], any version of Glass Onion
5/10

That was basically a whole day of The Beatles. Luckily, it was a mostly varied chronological trek through their catalog - just in mostly inferior fashion. So I'm not sick of The Beatles right now. More sick of Anthologies?

"Albums" listened to so far: 59

2025 in 2025: Day 6

amp-relection - School Food Punishment
Going in to this, I was under the impression this was some weird electronic lo-fi chill out album I had picked up from a friend some years ago and had listened to once or twice to no major impression. And this intro starts and I'm all like 'Yeah, just what I thought'. And then the first song goodblue starts and I'm like 'Oh I am all kinds of wrong!' because this album is my jam, right here! Power-pop with electronic elements and all sorts of good stuff going on. I hope you take a lot from my technical breakdown.
Highlights: goodblue, future nova, 駆け抜ける
7.50/10

And Now... The Runaways
Joan Jett fronting The Runaways is always good times. Apart from a terrible cover of Eight Days a Week. And the middle part of this album. And Takeover might be the dumbest song Jett has ever written - it's total cold war propaganda, complaining about how the Russians are causing all sorts of trouble? But then again, look at the modern world and tell her she's wrong. Anyways, there are some good songs in here, but this is definitely the lowest of The Runaways' discography.
Highlights: Saturday Night Special, Mama Weer All Crazee Now, Black Leather
7/10

...And Then There Was X - DMX
Aaah of course, this is just Party Up (Up In Here). Because it is the meanest, angriest, grooviest hip-hop song on the planet. Adding the rest of this album to my list of albums to update in full.
9/10

Angel Dust - Faith No More
Fun story time: on my first day of high school, a 7th form guy in my home room came to me and asked me if I liked Faith No More. I was familiar with Epic and a couple of songs from The Real Thing, I think, and I liked Midlife Crisis. So the next day, he brought in his Faith No More tape collection and told me to go listen to them. He also suggested that Angel Dust might be a bit different, but to give it a chance. He was right on all counts, because Faith No More were generally very good, and this album is their peak. Not sure what Sir James Martin's problem was, because his riffs and shredding are key to its success. Station. This whole thing rides the line between alt rock and whatever pretentious nonsense Mike Patton has going on in his head. Because there is some bizarre stuff going on here; cheerleaders, war marches, songs desperately trying to sound like Primus... but then there's some killer hooks and funky grooves. Plus, Patton's hairstyle during this period was on point. Please file my report at the Faith No More Spiritual & Theological Centre.
Highlights: Land of Sunshine, Caffeine, Mid-Life Crisis, Everything's Ruined, A Small Victory
8/10

Animalize - Kiss
Shredder!!! Modern Kiss should have attempted this album live - it would have been hilarious to hear Thayer try and do even the tiniest bit of this shredding. It would be like... me trying to do even the slowest bit of shredding. In the grand discography of Kiss, this would be totally middle of the road if Mark St John wasn't shredding everything everywhere all over your face. Oh you want some more ridiculous shredding? I think I can only spare another bit of that in every song!
Highlights: Shreddy-shred-shredd-shred-shredder!!
6/10

Soul Taker - Anipara Superband
This sounds like some live version I picked up somewhere... Pretty sure I scored this because it features Psychic Lover (I can def hear YOFFY singing some backing vocals and that guitar solo sounds suspiciously like IMAJO). I despise romaji, so I think I need to update the band name in iTunes to correct Japanese. Or just delete the song, because it's garbage.
2/10

ANOMALY - The Hiatus
The greatest band name ever. Featuring the greatest band member ever. And still only his third best band. It took me a long time to actually give this album a decent listen, because the opening is just... too much. BUT once you get past it, there are some great songs on here. A bit more aggressive than their first album. And a lot harsher. However, this may be 細美さん's best vocal performance on any album - he really let's it rip on songs like Insomnia. I would gladly wake up the world by playing ベテルギウスの灯 too loudly. But then, how could I play that song too loud?
Highlights: Insomnia, ベテルギウスの灯, 西門の昧爽
7.5/10

Anomaly [Deluxe Edition] - Ace Frehley
Oh, look - another album with the same name. And, hilariously, these were only released nine months apart. Anyways, a couple of years ago when playing catchup on my Ace Frehley collection, I finally picked up the reissue of this album. It's the same album, just with some bonus tracks that are completely pointless. Luckily, the rest of the album is unchanged, because this is still one of Ace's best albums. Genghis Khan features some of his absolute best playing in ever. And Fractured Quantum always gives me the utmost feels.
Highlights: Genghis Khan, Sister, Fractured Quantum
7.5/10 (again, take away the bonus tracks and this is a solid 8)

Another Disc - Brian May
This is the bonus disc for the Another World reissue. I finally managed to pick up all three Brian May solo box sets for more affordable pricing last year, and that made my little Brian May corner very happy. Nice touching tribute to Cozy Powell to open this - dude was a phenomenal drummer, as accentuated in the remix to Business. Then we get a bunch of covers of old rock'n roll songs. Including Hot Patootie from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Brian May doing Buddy Holly is a combination of two of my most favourite legends. This is all good, but then the whole collection trails off in to unnecessary reworkings of Business. Which makes me sick of Business. Which is a shame, because Business is my favourite track on Another World. I'm saying Business all the time so that you, too, will also be sick of Business.
Highlights: The rock'n roll covers, giving me the Business over Business
5.5/10

Another World - Brian May
I got so caught up in listening to this album I almost forgot to write anything. Business is awesome - being sick of it lasted about 30 seconds. The Guv'nor should have been the theme song to The Governor in The Walking Dead - I'm going to need someone to edit together some sort of highlights package for him to this song. Everything here is good, just fairly standard rock/blues type of stuff, with some nice ballads thrown in. Is it exceptional? No - but it is Brian May, so there is nothing bad about any of it.
Highlights: Business, The Guv'nor
7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 55

2025 in 2025: Day 5

Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned - The Prodigy
Wake up, LOGMAN! If I were a pro-wrestler, Spitfire would be an awesome entrance song. Oh snap, I forgot Juliette Lewis did vocals on this song - the whole 2 lines. This whole album is hard-hitting electronic punk badassery. Which is really what you should expect from The Prodigy. But there's just something about this album that feels extra cool. Maybe it's the use of rappers like Kool Keith and Twista? Otherwise, it's pretty well just a Liam Howlett solo album. He and Liam Gallagher must have been married to the All Saints sisters at the time, because that would have surely made it easier to get him and Noel to come help make Shoot Down one blast of awesome to end the album.
Highlights: Spitfire, Wake Up Call, Get Up Get Off, Action Radar, Shoot Down
8.5/10

ALXD - [Alexandros]
When the opening riff of ワトリドリ kicked in, I was like 'Oooh I know this song, but I am not sure what it is...' and then the band kicked and I was like 'Oh snap!' Awesome song, awesome way to open an album. I've generally been a bit harsh on the rest of this album, but I think it's more the next few songs after that are not so great, because the rest of the album is very good, too. Clearly I need to listen to this more.
Highlights: ワトリドリ, Dog 3, Coming Summer
7.5/10

AMARANTHUS - Momoiro Clover Z
Bahahahaha I'm hilarious. MCZ are fun. This is actually just two songs from the album, because spending that much on an MCZ album would be insane. The mix on WE ARE BORN is fantastic (and it's an awesome song I kind of want to listen to again right now). And ゴリラパンチ is just fun. There's a 'metal mix' that is kinda cool, but omits my fav part at 2:08. And is really unnecessary, because the intro & verses have plenty heavy guitars as it is. Shiizz, I ain't afraid of you mofos. 
9/10

Ambitions - ONE OK ROCK
The volume just went UP! Massive guitar riffs, stadium drums, spacious keyboards, and bah gawd Taka's voice. Dude was at his absolute peak on this album. And that's saying something, because I still maintain that dude has the best voice in rock even today. We Are is the biggest and bestest anthem on the planet. The live version has a guitar solo and I kinda wish that was on this version, too. Argh I want to listen to that now. Luckily this album just keeps kicking ass, so I won't turn it off right now. Sure, it falls off a little in the middle. And I could certainly live without Avril Lavigne appearing. But at least her vocals have been super processed so she actually sounds like someone that can sing. I need more ONE OK ROCK.
Highlights: Bombs Away, Taking Off, We Are, Start Again, Take What You Want
8/10

America's Greatest Hero - Joey Scarbury
This is simply the theme from The Greatest American Hero, Believe It or Not. One of the greatest TV show themes of all-time. I should watch the show again, but I think I've been saying that for about 20 years.
8/10

American Beauty/American Psycho - Fall Out Boy
Wait - this album is now 10 years old?!? Time and life are going too quickly. It starts off kinda... meh. But then it gets kinda... sad. And then gets really... dark. Well, for FOB, anyways. Wait; I just read the title track samples Too Fast For Love by Mötley Crüe. How have I not noticed that before? Because that's the worst song on the album? Why am I asking all these questions of a 10 year-old? The 2nd half of the album is awesome when I'm in the right mood. I like some dark and angry emo pop punk, and this album provides that quite nicely. In part.
Highlights: Novocaine, Fourth of July, Favorite Record
7/10

American Gangster - Jay-Z
Oh my, what a change of pace. After a morning of head-crushing beats, amped-up anthems and edgy emo energy, Jay-Z hits me with the more relaxed grooves while he recounts life doing illegal things against a backdrop of 70s soul music. We even get Marvin Gaye and Beastie Boys sampled to great effect. Do people really think Lil Wayne is good? I keep seeing stuff online about him being the greatest ever, but I'm yet to find a single verse he's dropped that is actually good. Luckily Jay-Z is fire 90% of the time. And the tracks Diddy wrote/produced here are all killer - probably some of his best work, IMO.
Highlights: No Hook, Roc Boys (And the Winner Is...), American Gangster
7/10

American Idiot - Green Day
The last good album by Green Day? Which was such a bizarre return to form after Nimrod and Warning. As a teenager of the 90s, I never thought I'd see the day when these guys did a 9-minute song. Let alone 2 of them on one album. And they are actually the best songs on the album. This is the second punk song called Novocaine I've heard today. Solid album.
Highlights: Jesus of Suburbia, Homecoming, Whatsername
7.5/10

American Pie - Various Artists
I was never a fan of the movie, but this soundtrack is the most 1999 collection of 1999 music. 3EB, blink-182, Sugar Ray and even New Zealand singer Bic Runga somehow lucked her way into this. Twice! You Wanted More by Tonic was a classic busking jam for me. Still holds up remarkably well!
Highlights: New Girl - Third Eye Blind, You Wanted More - Tonic
7/10

Americana - The Offspring
I never listen to this, because I am have an immediate distaste for it due to the cheesy singles - Pretty Fly (For a White) is kinda lame, and Why Don't You Get a Job? is so incredibly awful I've already deleted it from my iTunes (thank Prime for that! I probably didn't even import it - I hate it that much). But I am trying to give it a fair re-evaluation, because there are some very typically good Offspring songs on here. Then they go and drop that parody of Feelings in the middle of the album and I go back to hating this nonsense.
Highlights: The Kids Aren't Alright, Not having to listen to Why Don't You Get a Job?
5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 45

2025 in 2025: Day 4

All About Chemistry - Semisonic
Almost 25 years ago, my brother moved overseas and left me a whole bunch of his stuff - including half of his CD collection. This was one of those CDs. And this is the first time I've ever actually listened to it! It's a fairly harmless piece of early-2000s radio rock. Nothing out of the ordinary here.
Highlights:
6/10

All Bad Things - Mötley Crüe
This was Mötley Crüe's farewell single. When they embarked on their final concert tour... before recording more songs and then going back on tour and then recording more songs and going back on tour. 80s rockers retire like they are pro-wrestlers. The funniest part of this song is that it opens with Nikki Sixx stating they "would rather just break up than be bland", but then this song is exactly that.
4/10

All My Life - Billy Joel
This was kind of in the same vein; Billy Joel kind of retired from releasing music in the 90s, and this was his first release since then, something like 15 years later. It's about what you'd expect from an older Billy Joel writing a love song. A very easy breezy piano ballad.
5/10

All Night Carnival - Various Artists
So there is this song called One Night Carnival by a group called Kishidan. And for the 20th anniversary of that single, their record label put together this album of other artists performing the song. It just so happens that their record label is Avex Tracks - home to some of the biggest artists in Japan. So you get 11 different artists like Ayumi Hamasaki, BiSH and Momoiro Clover Z giving their take on the same song. It's quite fun getting to hear all these different artists all on the same album... doing the same song. And that part can get a bit old. Because deep down, it is the same song 11 times. That said, some of them really do make this sound like a somewhat different song - the WANIMA version in particular. Because WANIMA are awesome.
Highlights: Ayumi Hamasaki, BiSH, WANIMA
7/10

All The Young Dudes - David Bowie
Well, my iTunes says this is Mott The Hoople, but this is definitely David Bowie singing. And it's a different version to the one found on the Aladdin Sane reissue. So I have no idea what version this is, right now. Clearly I have decided to start 2025 by failing at my musical knowledge. But this is the best studio version I have of the song. And this is a great song.
9/10

All Things Must Pass - George Harrison
This is quite likely the best solo album released by a Beatle. Folksy rock songs, ruminations on religion and love, Hare Krishna chanting, instrumental jams. This album has everything. Even a huge stack of reverb and Psycho Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound". I'm somewhat embarrassed that I do not have the 50th anniversary edition with the new remix (Harrison's son finally and went and did what his Father had been interested in doing, and stripped all that Spector stuff out), because I am genuinely interested to hear how it sounds, but I just don't drop all my money on albums I already own anymore - I save that for overpriced boxes of kung fu movies. And these Beatles-adjacent box sets have been getting more and more expensive. Wah-Wah is my favourite diss track of all-time (Euphoria is now a very close second). I dig the extra tracks on this, as well - apart from the 2000 version of My Sweet Lord. Also, people don't talk enough about Klaus Voorman's bass playing. Between this and Plastic Ono Band, the dude was awesome and had so much groove. Eric Clapton is also tolerable here. I'm not 100% convinced there isn't some type of modernisation going on with Out of the Blue, but it might be just the 5 hours of fake live Kiss I listened to yesterday. I'm sure George Harrison wasn't like that. And "moderinastion" is a hell of a word to throw at something released 25 years ago. I've written a lot, because this is a long album.
Highlights:
9/10

Allegiance - Firewind
I believe this was given to me by the guitarist in my short-lived rock band 15 years ago. I may have listened to it once? It's starting off like some sort of modern Iron Maiden. Wait - was that a dueling guitar and keyboard solo? I get why that dude liked this and gave it to me. Shred shred shred. Actually, with the dramatic vocals and the keyboards and the shredding (and the shredding keyboards?) it all sounds like a less-pop Psychic Lover! It's fun. Like most metal, I get pretty bored fairly easily, but still fun for what it is.
Highlights:
7/10

Aloha From Hawaii [12 January 1973] - Elvis Presley
This is the dress rehearsal concert from two days before the live broadcast. Okay, so this is a weird confession; I've seen this on my old DVD numerous times. However, I bought the Aloha From Hawaii boxset (both concerts on blu-ray and CD) a few months ago and... have yet to the listen to the CDs. Until now! Darn Elvis for being an unprofessional goof and messing up the lyrics to Burning Love - this could have been the best version ever! He also fumbles is his way through part of My Way. Shiz, Elvis ain't afraid of you mofos!
Highlights:
6.5/10

Aloha From Hawaii [14 January 1973] - Elvis Presley
Now it is time for the exact same concert just two days later! You see, Elvis performed and recorded the concert on the 12th as a backup in case they had any satellite issues on the 14th. It also meant they could make more money - as well as money for the children's benefit they were supporting with these shows. So the setlist is pretty much the same, just with a few extra songs (which are well worth it IMO). At least he remembers the words to Burning Love this time, though he does come close to messing it up still. In Elvis On Tour, the dude actually had to read the lyrics on stage. Normally Elvis made everything his own, but that was never the case when he covered The Beatles - his version of Something is just average no matter the night. Anyways, all I can say is this concert is OK to listen to, but much more enjoyable to watch, because you can see Elvis was having fun and that really lifts an otherwise average performance. Shiz, Elvis ain't afraid of you mofos!
Highlights:
7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 35

2025 in 2025: Day 3

The Album - ABBA
Starting the day with ABBA feels sooooo good. I don't know if this album is underappreciated or anything, but turns out there are only 2 hit singles from it. That's odd, because this album is pure greatness. But then again, most ABBA albums are! I kind of see this album as being a little more theatrical, with songs like I'm a Marionette and I Wonder, which makes sense when I remember that is part of what makes up ABBA: The Movie. Which I have never seen. I should do that one day when I don't have 24,000 songs to listen to. Oh yeah, One Man, One Woman is grand.
Highlights: Take a Chance on Me, One Man One Woman, Thank You For the Music, I'm a Marionette
9/10

The Album - Blackpink
I was going to call them the queens of K-Pop, but I think that is 2NE1. So this makes them the princesses? Either way, this album is... somewhat disappointing? The singles are mostly awesome, but the collaborations with American artists are kinda lame. The production is top-notch, as expected, but I don't know - I just expected more from this album when it was released, given how awesome their singles are, and that attitude hasn't changed four years later.
Highlights: How You Like That, Lovesick Girls
6.5/10

Album of the Year - Faith No More
I tried to listen to this in full a couple of weeks ago and failed - I couldn't even make it halfway through. Today I have no choice. It starts off strong, but this album is peak 'Mike Patton is a wacky guy' levels of Faith No More. I preferred the Jim Martin and "gay disco" era, personally. I remember in 1997 seeing some live version of Ashes to Ashes where Patton screamed the chorus and it was actually badass, but I've never been able to find anything online since that comes close. There is some fun to be had here (Mouth to Mouth, Got That Feeling) and some decent songs, but overall I find this to be their most pretentious album. Which would explain why I enjoyed it back in 1997. Please file my report at the Faith No More Spiritual & Theological Centre.
Highlights: Mouth to Mouth, Ashes to Ashes, Got That Feeling
6/10

Ali G Indahouse Da Soundtrack - Various Artists
Again, this is simply Me Julie by Ali G & Shaggy. Fun comedy R'n'B from a fun comedy movie.
6/10

Alice in Chains - Alice in Chains
Remarkably, this is another album from that era that I recently revisited. Except in this case, I made it the whole way through; because under the dirge and ugly guitar tones and just straight up noise, there is a good album in here. This is a lot darker and grimier than their previous albums, and some of the songs do tend to go on a bit longer than they need to. And Layne Stayley sings like a man struggling under the weight of his heroin addiction. And it does kind of all start falling apart as the album goes on... The breakdown in Again still goes hard.
Highlights: Again, Grind, Brush Away, Sludge Factory - particularly that intro, special mention to the breakdown in Again (again)
7/10

Alive II - Kiss
Thanks to alphabet and naming conventions, this is the first 'Alive' album by Kiss that I will be listening to - Alive! will come last, thanks to that apostrophe in the name. Funny stuff. Anyways, this album is good. I've told you that before.
Highlights: Shock Me, I Stole Your Love, Rocket Ride, a whole bunch of stuff
8/10

Alive III - Kiss
Oh, more Kiss, you say? Don't mind if I do... Re-reading my post from Kissathon II, it's interesting how much I forgive Kiss for putting out live albums that are not really live. Like, it just is not a big deal to me at all. Because the Alive albums sound great.
Highlights: I Was Made For Lovin' You, Lick It Up, Forever, Detroit Rock City, God Gave Rock 'N' Roll to You II
8.5/10

Alive IV: The Millennium Concert - Kiss
Did you know: If I had used the official name for this album, it would have been in my queue after all the other Alive albums. Interesting. Or not. Anyways, I like this album more and more each time I listen to it, for reasons detailed here. Tempos annoyed the bejeebus out of this time around, as well, but I had to lift my rating for Do You Love Me? because this version is kicking my butt today.
Highlights: Deuce, Shout It Out Loud, Firehouse, Let Me Go Rock'n Roll, 100,000 Years, Love Gun, Black Diamond, Rock and Roll All Nite
8.5/10

Alive! - Kiss
And thus our first live Kiss marathon concludes. I'm sure I've listened to these four back-to-back before, but not in this order. Strange times we live in. Fun note: in my spreadsheet from Kissathon II, there is a note next to Nothin' To Lose that simply says "gene's vocals suck" like I wouldn't remember that. My love for Parasite just grows and grows - this version is pretty awesome, really. I've detailed this album before. Twice, even. And strangely, I have given it a different rating each time! That's the power of Kiss!!
Highlights: Damn-near most of the album, except for that drum solo in 100,000 Years (although I actually didn't find it that bad today)
9/10 

"Albums" listened to so far: 26

2025 in 2025: Day 2

Aerosmith - Aerosmith
I am almost ashamed to admit this, but... this is probably the first time I'm ever listening to this album. Like, ever. I'm not sure how that happened? I had Aerosmith obsessed friends in high school. I was given all their albums probably close to 20 years ago. So I have absolutely no excuse. Anyways, I'm guessing this is Aerosmith's debut album? It's rad as hell and I should have been listening to this much sooner in life. I think I like the live version of Dream On more, but otherwise this is solid 70s rock good times!
Highlights: Make It, Mama Kin, LOGMAN waking up to the awesome of this album.
7.5/10

Affirmation - Savage Garden
Okay, so no, this is not the full album - simply the song Crash and Burn. There will be more like this, I'm sure. Darren Hayes is a phenomenal singer and seems like a decent dude, but I could never really get into Savage Garden. However, this song is very good.
8/10

Afterglow - Crowded House
This is some sort of rarities compilation released after the band split back in... 1996? It's almost 30 years later and they're still going again, albeit it is now just the Neil Finn Family Travelling Jamboree or something. There's a reason most of this was just b-sides and demos that didn't make the cut for their albums.
Highlights: Private Universe [Acoustic Version], Anyone Can Tell, Recurring Dream
6/10

Afterglow - Sarah McLachlan
Two albums with the same name? I wonder how many times that is going to happen... and things sure have chilled out this morning! This is a solid album, but I can't help feel like it is trying to go somewhere and then just kind of doesn't. Like, she was trying to push her sound a little further on this and then they got scared and decided to stick with the classic mellow Sarah McLachlan sound. Or that is just purely her sound and these couple of tracks were just exceptions? I don't know. Solid album, nonetheless.
Highlights: Fallen, Stupid, Time
7/10

Afterglow [Deluxe Edition] - Crowded House
The Afterglow tour continues! I had expected this album would have been made obsolete by Crowded House releasing all their deluxe edition albums. Instead, they doubled-down and made it a deluxe edition as well - adding a bonus disc of demos and then three great songs from somewhere that almost make this worthwhile.
Highlights: Anthem, Instinct, Everything is Good For You
6/10

Aggression - Various Artists
I'm not sure who put this on iTunes, to be honest, because I thought the album would be called WWF Aggression? And also, it is spelled "Agression" in iTunes?? Anyways, I didn't purchase the whole thing - just the Run-DMC remix of the D-Generation X theme song. It's my theme song now.
10/10

Aladdin Sane - David Bowie
David Bowie was the man. But, I actually don't recall the last time I listened to this album! I know it's iconic and all that, but I've never thought this was Bowie's best work. Definitely some killer stuff, and the lyrics to Time are just brilliantly bizarre.
Highlights: Watch That Man, Cracked Actor, Time, Let's Spend the Night Together, The Jean Genie
7.5/10

Aladdin Sane [30th Anniversary Bonus Disc] - David Bowie
This is some singles versions and live songs. The version of All The Young Dudes here is definitely not the best version. John, I'm Only Dancing seems to be my jam today!
Highlights: John, I'm Only Dancing [Saxophone Version]
6.5/10

Album - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Ooooh yeah! I love Joan Jett so much - a true pioneer and just a total badass. This album came after the success of I Love Rock'n Roll and feels a lot more raw, more rough. More punk rock. Well, the original songs do; the cover songs are all much more polished, which seems to be a constant with Joan Jett. Many songs that are just insulting a dude or dudes, so if you were a guy around Jett at this time, you should feel bad. I'm not a fan of Star, Star, personally. Otherwise this has become my favourite Joan Jett album over the years. This album is also a reminder that I need to split out the bonus tracks from these Joan Jett albums, because Had Enough is a perfect album ender and the bonus tracks after kill the vibe (and go on way too long).
Highlights: Fake Friends, Everyday People, A Hundred Feet Away, Secret Love, Coney Island Whitefish, Had Enough
7.5/10 (I'd easily go to 8 without the bonus tracks)

"Albums" listened to so far: 17