2025 in 2025: Day 191

It is Xmas time! And what better way to spend than listening to music endlessly? 

10,000 Volts - Ace Frehely

Well, it is Kissmas! So remembering the Ace man with his final album is probably the most fitting way to start the day. There is a lot of autotune on his vocals and his guitar solos are so awfully sloppy - especially on Back Into My Arms Again. That is the absolute worst attempt at a guitar solo I have ever heard Ace attempt. And I have watched numerous Kiss bootleg concerts where he was clearly bombed and playing like a drunken fool. HOWEVER, most of the songs themselves are really enjoyable and just Ace being awesome.. RIP Spaceman!!!

Highlights: Fightin' For Life, Up in the Sky, 10,000 Volts, Cosmic Heart

8/10

11 - Bryan Adams

BA moving further to the middle of the road with this one; not bad and there are a few songs that lift the intensity a bit, but overall most of it is kind of forgettable. Crazy that this is actually almost 20 years old now, and it is the most recent Bryan Adams album I own!

Highlights: She's Got a Way, The Way of the World, Broken Wings, Tonight We Have the Stars

7/10

11:11 Eleven Eleven - Regina Spektor

Ugh, it is Xmas - why am I wasting time listening to a zionist warbling about nothing? Because as great as a couple of the songs are, the rest is just super hipster folk jazz. She really was a great lyricist, though. But fuck her zionist nonsense and fuck israel, too!

Highlights: Back of a Truck, Braille, Buildings, 2.99 Cent Blues

6/10

12 Bar Blues - Scott Weiland

Ok, so this is what happens when your art rock student does not have blues rock musicians to make music with. You get a lot of weird noise and just bizarre songs. 

Highlights: Lady Your Roof Brings Me Down, Barbarella, Opposite Octave Reaction

6/10

14 Shots to the Dome - LL Cool J

This is some serious gangster stuff from Cool James. The man goes hard and lyrically still has some fire here.

Highlights: Funkadelic Relic, Pink Cookies in a Plastic Bag Getting Crushed by Buildings, Soul Survivor, Straight From Queens

7/10

And that is it for my Kissmas? I gots to go open some presents!

'Albums' listened to so far: 1925

Still 100 albums to go and only 6 days? This could be... interesting...

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2025 in 2025: Day 190

1st Diary - Miccie

This is purely the Ayu written Diary. Now she hates him, she should take it back and re-record it. But go back in time and get 2015 Ayu to do the vocals. It is a very typical Ayu-type of ballad.

8/10

2 of Us [BLUE] -14 Re: SINGLES- - Do As Infinity

Classic J-Pop re-recorded acoustically. Honestly, a great way to lift these songs out of the dated production they were originally subjected to. 

Highlights: 1/100, Yesterday & Today, For the future, We are.

7/10

2 of Us [RED] -14 Re: SINGLES- - Do As Infinity

More of the previous. I am not sure which came first and which was the follow up. Or maybe they were released at the same time? Talk to me about your problems.

Highlights: 本日ハ晴天ナリ, 誓い, 冒険者たち, Week!

7/10

2NE1 1st Mini Album - 2NE1

I do not have the whole thing, but I have half of it on the album that is coming up next. And then I also have a couple of songs on both albums. And a bunch missing from this album? Someone get CL to beat with her baseball bat and earn that WWE title.

Highlights: I Don't Care, In The Club

8/10

2NE1 Best Collection -Korea Edition- - 2NE1

Sure, it all sounds a bit dated now, but when these young ladies say they are the best, you better believe they are not talking lies. 

Highlights: I Am The Best, Ugly, Happy, Lonely

8/10

3 Feet High and Rising - De La Soul

Late-80s funky hip-hop and a sampling masterpiece. I find the messages confusing, but the groove is so funky.

Highlights: Me Myself and I, Potholes in My Lawn, Ghetto Thang, Buddy

7.5/10

4:13 Dream - The Cure

Where the self-titled album was an attempt at being 'heavy' and aligning with the fashion of the time (namely, bands that were post-punk bands that were heavily influenced by The Cure), this album is bit more of a blend of pop and darkwave. So a bit more of The Cure proper. It comes up short, but there are some standout songs and an epic intro, like usual.

Highlights: Underneath the Stars, The Hungry Ghost, It's Over, The Real Snow White

7.5/10

4:20/20 - DJ Reggie

Someone should have explained to DRA that mastering this stuff to the same level would have been really beneficial. It all still would have been awful garbage, but at least awful garbage that was not changing volume levels track to track - thus giving me more reasons to hate it.

Highlights: No Ticket No Laundry No Cry

4/10

5-Star - Stray Kids

The usual madness with a touch of rock in parts. 

Highlights: DLC, Mixtape: Time Out, S-Class, ITEM

7/10

7 - Enrique Iglesias

This is such straight-forward pop. There really is not anything super outstanding, but it also is all very catchy and harmless. Nope, I forgot about Roamer! That is one of Enrique's very best ballad-type songs. And then there is something that could almost be considered a reworking of an AC/DC song. Honestly, this album is just enjoyable and easy to listen to.

Highlights: Roamer, You Rock Me, Be Yourself, Addicted

7.5/10

7 Minutes in Heaven - Pornography

Super fun super fast punk rock. Out of all the DRA albums and projects I have listened to this year, this album may well hold up the best. Probably because he is hiding on drums so I do not have to listen to his voice - but when you have a song with a chorus "Punch him in the nuts", it is clear he was involved in the songwriting.

Highlights: Last Night at the Opera, Violent Conversion, Punch Him, Fake Snake Real Pony

8/10

7 Seconds: The Best of Youssou N'Dour - Youssou N'Dour

I only have the single Seven Seconds with Neneh Cherry. Decent song. Their voices blend together pretty well.

8/10

8 Mile: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture - Various Artists

Almost like a sampler of Eminem and the crew on his new label. Considering that includes D12 and Obie Trice, that is not such a bad thing. Then you get Gang Starr, Jay-Z, NaS and Xzibit as well? Yeah, this is a SOLID hip-hop soundtrack.

Highlights: Rap Game - D12, R.A.K.I.M. - Rakim, Rabbit Run - Eminem, Lose Yourself - Eminem

8/10

10 Things I Hate About You (Music From The Motion Picture) - Various Artists

This is purely Letters to Cleo's cover of I Want You to Want Me. Honestly, I can never tell which version I prefer, because this one just rocks out so well.

10/10

'Albums' listened to so far: 1920

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2025 in 2025: Day 189

Young Americans - David Bowie

Bowie getting a bit funky and exploring his soul music influences. With some help from John Lennon. And a lot of saxomaphone.

Highlights: Fame, Young Americans, Somebody Up There Likes Me, Win

7/10

Young Man with the Big Beat - Elvis Presley

Oh, you thought we were done with Elvis box sets?!? This is purely his master recordings from 1956. Which is still 40 songs and over 90 minutes of awesomeness.

Highlights: One-Sided Love Affair, Trying to Get to You, Lawdy Miss Clawdy, Rip It Up, Paralyzed, Don't Be Cruel

8/10

Young Man with the Big Beat: Live Performances - Elvis Presley

The Las Vegas performance is so fantastic; even as a young man, this dude never took any of this seriously - he keeps calling Heartbreak Hotel "Heartburn Motel", making jokes about the money his record label is making, and insulting all his own songs. The Louisiana Hayride stuff is a mixed bag - the performances are great and full of energy, but they were recorded off a radio in 1956 so the quality is about what you would expect.

Highlights: Long Tall Sally [Live at Frontier Hotel, Las Vegas - May 6, 1956], Money Honey [Live at Frontier Hotel, Las Vegas - May 6, 1956], Blue Suede Shoes [Live at Frontier Hotel, Las Vegas - May 6, 1956]

6/10

Your New Favourite Band - The Hives

Fast punk mayhem. The Hives when they were young were something else!

Highlights: Here We Go Again, The Hives Are Law You Are Crime, Fever

8/10

Yourself or Someone Like You - Matchbox Twenty

This is the most 90s radio rock sounding album since the 90s. Rob Thomas' voice is sooooo American, but he manages to convey a lot of emotion, which really carries the simplicity of the songs. 

Highlights: Long Day, Busted, Real World, Hang

8/10

YUKI "The Present" 2010.6.14,15 Bunkamura Orchard Hall - YUKI

This is somewhat interesting, because in true YUKI form she gives a few of the songs more of a jazz interpretation and also works them in to some little medleys. The whole is just a bit let down because her voice is nowhere near the awesome as it normally can be. And it is a bit long. But the setlist is fantastic!

Highlights: ハミングバード [Live], 恋愛模様 [Live], ティンカーベル [Live], Home Sweet Home [Live]

7/10

YUKI concert tour "SOUNDS OF TWENTY" 2022 9月19日 札幌・カナモトホール - YUKI

I was really hoping this version of 呪い would resemble the PRISMIC tour 2002 version, but I forgot that YUKI is ever-evolving. 

Highlights: 愛に生きて [Live], ヘイ! ユー! [Live], パレードが続くなら [Live]

7/10

YUKI concert tour "trance/forme" 2019 東京国際フォーラム ホールA - YUKI

This tour, for me (forme?), is YUKI at her vocal peak. And the reworking of some of these songs is just phenomenal. But bah gawd even on the fairly faithful performances, her vocals are just so much more than expected. And the end run of this is ALL THE FEELS. No cap: this version of はみだせ ラインダンスから is one of my all-time favourite songs (which is amazing, since the studio version is just kind of a song).

Highlights: はみだせ ラインダンスから [Live], フラッグを立てろ [Live], 鳴いてる怪獣 [Live], JOY [Live], 美しいわ [Live]

8.5/10

YUKI LIVE "little night music" 2023年9月16日 東京・Zepp DiverCity - YUKI

The last of my live YUKI albums and this one sure is a killer! I am glad I still at least have a few YUKI studio albums to come.

Highlights: タイムカプセル [Live], プレゼント [Live], ラスボス [Live], 忘れる唄 [Live]

8/10

Yume No Ukiyo Ni Saitemina [EP] - Momoiro Clover Z & Kiss

Such a perfect combination and it totally works, because MCZ do the whole heavy idol music thing at times and do it well (see my earlier words about their albums I have). 

Highlights: Yume No Ukiyo Ni Saitemina, Samurai Son

8/10

ZUTTO - BiSH

My girls ending the year of BiSH is OVER in a fairly appropriate way - one pop punk song and then a ballad. Not their peak or anything, but would have been a fine enough ending? Except they released another two singles after this. Milking it!

Highlights: ZUTTO, CALL ME AGAiN

8/10

・・・ - SAKANAMON

Japanese indie rock. Kinda quirky in parts, mostly pretty raucous and uptempo. 

Highlights: DAPPI, 反照, 凡庸リアライズ, STOPPER STEPPER

7.5/10

1:59PM - 2PM

Time for some classic K-Pop. It is fairly standard male idol quality stuff.

Highlights: My Heart, Heartbeat, I Was Crazy About You

7/10

Unfinished Music, No. 1: Two Virgins - John Lennon & Yoko Ono

Ummmm what? Why is this album placed here? I would log in to my computer to figure out, but that died. Like my brain listening to this.

Highlights: Remember Love

Ummm/10

Unfinished Music, No. 2: Life with the Lions - John Lennon & Yoko Ono

I promise you, the intro for Cambridge 1969 will always be entertaining to me; just having Yoko Ono introduce it so calmly, before launching into her trademark wails over a wall of feedback is a masterpiece of trolling. 

Highlights: Song For John

Ermmm/10

Wedding Album - John Lennon & Yoko Ono

I would guess that under the "Sorting" field for these albums, it has a hash sign or something. Maybe an exclamation point - like a warning?

Highlights: Listen the Snow is Falling

Mmhmm/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1906

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2025 in 2025: Day 188

YAH! YAH! YAH! HELLO SCANDAL - SCANDAL

Debut EP and indie release? Like, I can kind of hear it - but it just sounds like SCANDAL! Not modern SCANDAL by any stretch, but early idol band SCANDAL for sure. Which is a lot of fun.

Highlights: スペースレンジャー, 恋模様, 恋の果実

7.5/10

Yeezus - Kanye West

Let me break this down, lyrically; Kanye West is a genius and he does not care about anyone else, because you are all beneath him, and all the women want Kayne West's penis and he happily gives it to them and all these women are also hoes that are not worth his time. Musically, some of this stuff is still ground-breaking as hell. But fuck Kanye West.

Highlights: New Slaves, I Am A God, Hold My Liquor, Guilt Trip

7.5/10

YELLOW - SCANDAL

The last album of the girls being girls. Lots of great hooks and just fun times all around.

Highlights: LOVE ME DO, Stamp!, Sisters, 今夜はピザパーティー

7.5/10

Yellow Submarine - The Beatles

Half The Beatles, half George Martin trying to re-establish himself as a "serious" producer. George Harrison legit has the greatest song on the album.

Highlights: It's All Too Much, All You Need is Love, Hey Bulldog, All Together Now

9/10 for the actual songs half

Boredom/10 for the rest

Yellow Submarine Songtrack - The Beatles

This was the first instance of The Beatles getting a remix and remaster. And instead of it just being the old soundtrack, they decided to do something new and compile all the actual songs used in the movie. This is much more of a fun listen.

Highlights: It's All Too Much, All You Need is Love, Hey Bulldog, All Together Now, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

9/10

Yesterday's Hero - John Paul Young

This is only the wonderful Love is in the Air. About the cheesiest love song on the planet and I love it all the more for that reason.

8/10

Yield - Pearl Jam

This was seen as a return to form back in 1998 - a bit more rocking than the previous couple of albums. I don't know, the whole thing is enjoyable in a radio rock kind of way, I guess. Eddie Vedder's voice is pretty annoying, though.

Highlights: Faithful, Low Light, In Hiding, Given to Fly

7/10

Yolo - The Lonely Island

Possibly the best comedy song ever - that beat alone is just far too good. Plus, lyrically, it sums up how I live!

10/10

YOU AND I - Park Bom

Oh random K-Pop brings me an ex-2NE1 member! And it is a very 2NE1 type of song. 

8/10

You Can't See Me - John Cena & Tha Trademarc

Musically this is all pretty harmless and fun in parts. Listening to the lyrics is pretty much a laugh a minute - Cena himself rhymes like the whitest white dude with the corniest nonsense and it is fun. It is also funny hearing him swear so much. WWE money must have at least paid for some above average (not Mike Sanders) producers?
Highlights: The Time is Now, Bad Bad Man

6/10

You Could Have It So Much Better - Franz Ferdinand

Much less awesome than their debut album - nothing that really stands out the way half of that album does - but still very enjoyable. I can see they were certainly trying to get a couple of songs to catch the way Take Me Out did, but they just do not catch.

Highlights: Do You Want To, The Fallen, This Boy, You Could Have It So Much Better

7/10

YOU NEVER WALK ALONE - BTS

I could be wrong, but this feels like the turning point where they just went harder into pop - there is barely any hip-hop on here at all. Like, it is not Permission to Dance levels of pop, but still much more accessible. The last half is almost perfect.

Highlights: 봄날, Not Today, Am I Wrong, A Supplementary Story : You Never Walk Alone

7.5/10

You Want It, You Got It - Bryan Adams

Is this technically the first CD LOGMAN bought? Absolute 80s pop rock - very light on the rock. Very typical radio music from 1981 and almost works as a good companion piece to Unmasked by Kiss (just because some of the cheesy stuff sounds very similar, not that BA was involved with that album) or even Peter Criss' solo albums.

Highlights: Lonely Nights, Fits Ya Good, Last Chance, Don't Look Now

7/10

You Wanted The Best, You Got The Best - Kiss

I have written about this before. It is "live" Kiss. It is a guaranteed good time!*

*At least, when Tommy Thayer is not involved

Highlights: Take Me, Let Me Know, Room Service, Two Timer

9/10

You've Come a Long Way, Baby - Fatboy Slim

Classic late 90s UK techno rave dance business. This dude is like The Chemical Brothers with a sense of humour. 

Highlights: The Rockafeller Skank, Right Here Right Now, You're Not From Brighton, Gangster Tripping

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1890

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2025 in 2025: Day 187

Word Up! - Cameo

I only have the title track, which just happens to be a stone cold funky classic. This would appear to be a remix, so one day I will have to get the album version. And the full album.

10/10

The Works - Queen

This is probably their most consistent album from the 80s. Mercury pushed his vocals so much on this album - you can hear him struggling in some parts and it really gives the songs a bit more emotion.

And Brian May's tone is absolute perfection on every song.

Highlights: Machines (Back to Human), Hammer to Fall, Radio Ga Ga, Is This The World We Created... ?

9/10

World Championship Wrestling - World Championship Wrestling

This is just a couple of random themes that should be with the other collections I have, I guess? I am kind of partial to the original intro for Thunder...

6/10

World Clique - Deee-Lite

This is only the single Groove Is In The Heart. Fun fact: on release, LOGMAN thought this song was terrible. 10 year-old LOGMAN did not understand that it is possibly the greatest dance song of the decade.

10/10

World Domination - BAND-MAID

This is just such classic hard rock, with a little bit of old school metal washing over it. It is all such a groove, it is hard to not find it enjoyable. And musically DICE is the greatest rock song on the planet, but the lyrics are so hilarious. But BAH GAWD the music and melody are amazing!

Highlights: DICE, Rock in Me, Spirit!!, Anemone, Daydreaming

7.5/10

WORLD GROOVE - TRF

Early 90s techno dance pop - almost similar to the music on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II & III soundtracks. 

Highlights: WORLD GROOVE 3rd. chapter (main message), 私が望むもの…あなたが欲しいもの (Do what you want)～

6.5/10

A World of Pandemonium - the HIATUS

Crazy how much they toned things down after the first couple of albums - especially that second album. I thought it was connected to the earthquake/tsunami of 2012, but this album pre-dates that and was the start of the change in style. 

Highlights: On Your Way Home, Superblock, Shimmer, Bittersweet/Hatching Mayflies

7.5/10

World Power - Snap!

More early 90s dance hip-hop kind of thing. I never really realised how lewd some of these lyrics are!

Highlights: The Power, Ooops Up, Mary Had a Little Boy

6.5/10

WWF Forceable Entry - Various Artists

I only have the mighty Whatever by Our Lady Peace. It is one of their angriest songs. It was also the entrance theme for a man that went on to murder his family and himself, so... Whatever?

10/10

X is for X. I do not make the rules...

X-TV Series - Various Artists

Bah gawd! I am no expert on anime, but this show is easily one of the best I have ever seen. Death and destruction everywhere. And the music is very fitting; the intro song is super badass dance rock and the score itself is just all round EPIC. And then the outro song is so completely different in terms of style - like a very standard late 90s/early 00s J-Pop song.

Highlights: eX Dream - Myuji, Destiny - Naoki Sato, Secret Sorrow - Kohei Koizumi, A Suite (Dragons of Heaven) - Naoki Sato

7.5/10

X-TV Series II - Various Artists

They just mean the second soundtrack, because there is no Series II of X. Because everyone gets murdered or maimed! I need to watch it again.

Highlights: A Suite (Dragons of Earth) - Naoki Sato, Strength - Kohei Koizumi, eX Dream [TV Edit] - Myuji, Crystal - Kenichi Suzumura

7/10

X&Y - Coldplay

This is where they really became a modern version of U2. I do not like U2.

Highlights: White Shadows, Square One, Fix You

6.5/10

XL - Resorte

Angry Mexican nu-metal! Very much luchador entrance music - which may or may not be how I discovered this album in the first place...

Highlights: Aqui No Es Donde, Hijos De La Bonga, Bastara, Caliente

7/10

Xpectation - Prince

Instrumental jams - somewhat jazzy, mostly funky. There is even a jazz flute solo. And a whole lot of funky guitar.

Highlights: Xpedition, Xogenous, Xpectation, Xosphere

7/10

XX, Vol. 1 (20 Aastat Meteoriitide Sajus) - Smilers

I only have the song Sellel Ööl. Speaking of luchador entrance music... Please welcome the Estonian Thunderfrog! I have not heard this in years - probably since he was brutally murdered by that thing trying to destroy Chikara. That was awful. I am going to revisit Chikara once I finish with WCW in 2001 2026.

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1875

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2025 in 2025: Day 186

Wild and Peaceful - Kool & The Gang

This is purely Jungle Boogie. Get down, get down! So much funk in here...

10/10

Wild Cherry - Wild Cherry

Lots of funky guitars going on here. The best part is taking their biggest (and only?) hit and just playing it backwards to create another song. AND THEN just playing it a bit slower to make ANOTHER song.

Highlights: Play That Funky Music, Get It Up, Don't Go Near the Water, I Feel Sanctified

7.5/10

Wild Mood Swings - The Cure

This is their most full on pop album, but not really normal "pop"; more like a weird mish-mash of 80s pop and 90s silliness. Lots of big horns and strings and weird endings. And, honestly, most of it comes off as a bit sterile.

Highlights: Want, Mint Car, Gone!, Numb

7/10

Wild Ones - Flo Rida

Almost every song has the same beat. It is the sort of music I would imagine Enrique and Pitbull listening to in the club while drinking and partying with young ladies. Not too young!

Highlights: Wild Ones, Run, I Cry, Good Feeling

7/10

Wild Planet - The B-52's

This is kind of like very early The Cure if they were making quirky pop music. Fred delivers his vocals the way John Mulaney delivers comedy.

Highlights: Private Idaho, Party Out of Bounds, Devil in My Car, Runnin' Around

7.5/10

Will You Marry Me? (feat. Bizniz) [Single] - Lee Seung Gi

It has been a while since we played 'random K-pop song of the day'. This is very fun, but also very touching, and then features a rapper telling his lady to marry him.

8/10

Willow Lane - Ryan Adams

Another Ryan Adams single from when he was flooding the market with music and growing more insufferable (publicly - obviously he had been that way privately forever). And these songs are easy to ignore.

Highlights: There are only two very average songs

6/10

Wish - The Cure

This is my least favourite album by The Cure, because the album features an ugly logo that only calls them "Cure". It is also one of my favourite albums by The Cure, because the music is a wonderful blend of sprawling dark epics and cheesy pop songs.

Highlights: A Letter to Elise, Doing The Unstuck, Trust, High

8/10

With The Beatles - The Beatles

Hot take: Harrison's songs on here may be the best. Sure, they were just covers, but they rock the most. The rest of the album is fairly standard covers and some decent Lennon/McCartney numbers.

Highlights: Roll Over Beethoven, Don't Bother Me, It Won't Be Long, You Really Got a Hold On Me

7/10

Wither Blister Burn & Peel - Stabbing Westward

Oh my! I had actually forgotten about this album and just how much it stomps! A bit less dark and brooding than Darkest Days, while a bit heavier and industrial and angrier. Christopher Hall's vocals are just massive. 

Highlights: Shame, Don't Believe, So Wrong, Falls Apart

7.5/10

The Wizard of Oz - Meco

I guess it is about time I had Meco improve a classic soundtrack again. This one is still super disco, but also somewhat hilariously silly - mostly because of the Munchkins singing to disco beats.

Highlights: Ding-Dong The Witch is Dead, Over the Rainbow, We're Off to See The Wizard

6.5/10

Wolves - NoisyCell

Massive dance rock good times? All rather epic and massive and a good time - I am not sure if I have actually listened to this album before and I should listen to it more!

Highlights: M.R.W., Wolves, Letter, 虹霓

7.5/10

Wonderwall Music - George Harrison

The first solo Beatle album is an instrumental piece, with various influences like traditional Indian music and honky tonk and old American Western? There are a couple of tracks that do very much sound like George Harrison, as well. Pretty chill.

Highlights: Party Seacombe, Ski-ing, Drilling a Home, Wonderwall to Be Here

6/10

Woodface - Crowded House

Some times I think I expected more from a Finn brothers collaboration, but it gave us a few outstanding songs on here amongst the very mediocre everything else, so I guess it was worth it?

Highlights: Weather With You, Chocolate Cake, Four Seasons in One Day, How Will You Go

7/10

Word Gets Around - Stereophonics

I understand why I have the song Traffic - I used to do this one live and it is a darn great song. But why I do not have the rest of the album is wild mystery to me and I am adding it to the list of albums to sort out after this.

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1860

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2025 in 2025: Day 185

What's Going On - Marvin Gaye

The man with the silky-smooth voice preaching about peace and god and drugs. This album could not be more relevant today. The transitions between songs are almost as seamless as Marvin Gaye's voice.

Highlights: What's Going On, Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler), God Is Love, What's Happening Brother

9/10

What's Going On (Deluxe Edition 50th Anniversary) - Marvin Gaye

Mostly live songs from a particular concert, but with the singles and an outtake tacked on the end. Bah gawd this man just sang like a dream,

Highlights: What's Going On (Original Singles Version), God Is Love (Original Singles Version), Head Title AKA Distant Lover

7.5/10

What's Going On: The Detroit Mix - Marvin Gaye

No, I am not sick of this album - I could listen to it all day long! This was like a pre-release mix, so uses alternate vocal tracks and the percussion is a little different in parts. A little more dreamy sounding. And the transitions are even better!

Highlights: What's Going On, Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler), God Is Love, What's Happening Brother

9/10

(What's The Story) Morning Glory? - Oasis

Liam's voice on Roll With It is actually awesome. Noel's guitar tone is generally terrible and the electric guitars for the most part just sound messy. And the album is still the peak of Britpop and completely awesome.

Highlights: Cast No Shadow, Some Might Say, Champagne Supernova, Don't Look Back in Anger

9/10

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Arctic Monkeys

A whole lot of indie rocks about being young and going to the clubs? And it just rules the schools? Inject this straight into my veins!

Highlights: Fake Tales of San Francisco, From The Ritz to the Rubble, A Certain Romance, Still Take You Home

8/10

Wheatus - Wheatus

This is only Teenage Dirtbag. This is the only good Wheatus song. Because it is the only Wheatus song I know. Man, that chorus had no business being so good.

9/10

When I Was Born for the 7th Time - Cornershop

This is only Brimful of Asha. It is the only Cornershop song I know... and I do not like it all that much. It is about 4 minutes too long. I could have listened to three Arctic Monkeys songs again!

3/10

When the pawn hits the conflicts he thinks like a king

What he knows throws the blows when he goes to the fight

And he'll win the whole thing 'fore he enters the ring

There's no body to batter when your mind is your might

So when you go solo, you hold your own hand

And remember that depth is the greatest of heights

And if you know where you stand, then you know where to land

And if you fall it won't matter, cuz you'll know that you're right - Fiona Apple

Yeah, I am going with the full title today. Fuck you and your problems. And that is kind of the vibe of this album - I love the angst in her voice on the opening track and on a few of the following tracks. And this may well the best lyrical display of the last 30 years. 

Highlights: Paper Bag, On The Bound, Get Gone, Limp

8.5/10

Whenever You Need Somebody - Rick Astley

This is purely Never Gonna Give You Up. One of the most iconic songs of the 80s. The man had a voice that did not match the face.

9/10

Wherever We Want - The Tomboys

More indie rock from Kobe's favourite daughters. Well, my favourite daughters of Kobe? Lots of fun. Lots of bad guitar solos and backing vocals. Just the way it should be.

Highlights: RING ME, フルーツキャンディー, 月ミセ屋, DONUT!

7.5/10

White Blood Cells - The White Stripes

Is this fun indie rock day or something? The difference here is I just find Jack White awfully pretentious about his indie-ness.

Highlights: Fell In Love With a Girl, Hotel Yorba, We're Going to Be Friends

6.5/10

White Pony - Deftones

Nu-metal goes art rock? Deftones are not really nu-metal, but I think they are kind of adjacent? Anyways, this is heavy and groovy and this is my kind of heavy duty stuff.

Highlights: Digital Bath, Korea, Feiticeira, Elite

8/10

Who You Are - Jessie J

This lady is the textbook definition of "over-singing". And while she can technically do it, she does not sound good doing it at all.

Highlights: Price Tag, Who You Are, I Need This

6/10

Whoa, Nelly! - Nelly Furtado

It is like party folk music - socially-conscious acoustic music, layered in fun happy beats and various DJ noises you would find in pop radio back in 2000.

Highlights: Shit on the Radio (Remember the Days), Hey Man!, I'm Like a Bird

6/10

WIDE - INKYMAP

Summer is here to kick your ass! Incredible follow-up to a great album - non-stop awesome punk rock, with a growing impact as the album continues. So like a snowball? I think I am confusing my seasons and metaphors...

Highlights: カクメイノヒ, Serchlight, Teardrop, Goodnight and Goodbye

10/10

Wide Awake in Dreamland - Pat Benatar

I only have All Fired Up and the guitar solo is trash, like I am listening to The Tomboys again. But bah gawd if ever there was a song to get you pumped up, this would be it.

9/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1845

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2025 n 2025: Day 184

The Way It Feels - Heather Nova

Look, it is fine and all, but all very unmemorable and generic. And I kind of understand. But I am also allowed to be disappointed, because I am fairly certain this was one of her crowdfunded albums that has my name in the credits.

Highlights: This Humanness, Girl on the Mountain, Serengeti

6/10

Wayne's World: Music from the Motion Picture - Various Artists

This is only Dream Weaver by Gary Wright. It is a pretty great song. I really should get the full album at some point so I at least have the full Wayne's World Theme to party on with.

8/10

WCW Slam Jam 1 - Various Artists

The greatest wrestling album ever! Big screaming, big synth, ridiculous lyrics about the wrestlers in question - the best being "He's soooo pretty/It's making me upsetty!". Also, Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat is a family man who loves his wife and son. Seriously, that is all his theme goes on and on about. Just what I want in my wrestling themes.

Highlights: Ravishing Rick Rude (Simply Ravishing), Ron Simmons (Don't Step to Ron), Sting (Man Called Sting!), Steiner Brothers (Steinerized)

8/10

We Are Drugs - Third Eye Blind

I have to admit, I have enjoyed revisiting 3EB. In fact, I had almost forgotten about this EP. It is a bit more of an exploration of whatever was popular in 2016, so there are a couple of really terrible attempts at drum and bass or something? But like most 3EB, it is bookended by absolute brilliance.

Highlights: Cop vs. Phone Girl, Weightless, Company of Strangers, Sherri is a Stoner

7.5/10

We Started Nothing - The Ting Tings

The real punk we learned along the way was the poppiest indie grooves...

Highlights: That's Not My Name, Keep Your Head, Shut Up and Let Me Go, Be The One

8/10

We Too Are One - Eurythmics

There is something about this album I find awfully generic - what is it with that happening a lot lately?!? - yet I find this album quite beautiful lyrically. Annie Lennox always has brilliant lyrics. 

Highlights: The King and Queen of America, You Hurt Me (And I Hate You), How Long?, Angel

7/10

We Will Rock You - Queen + Five

Legitimately the most embarrassing moment in Queen's 50 year career.

MINUS FIVE STARS

Weezer - Weezer

Look, Rivers Cuomo is a gross creepo and Weezer are absolute dogshit. But I will be damned if this is not a super fun album. 

Highlights: Holiday, Buddy Holly, In The Garage, My Name is Jonas

8.5/10

Weird Tales of the Ramones - Ramones

I need to get out one day and jam some acoustic Ramones songs for busking one more time before I get too old and too useless. Or maybe being old and useless will make the experience more awesome? One day I will ditch this set and get all the individual albums, but that will probably also be when I am old and useless. The first two discs are just absolute killer, and the third is... actually pretty cool; I have generally had a less than positive impression of the group once Dee Dee left, but when I actually listen to this I change my mind. Ramones were awesome from beginning to end!

Highlights: Howling at the Moon (Sha-La-La), Daytime Dilemma (Dangers of Love), Sheena is a Punk Rocker, Rockaway Beach, Don't Come Close, Glad to See You Go, Slug [Demo], I Wanna Be Sedated

8/10

Welcome 2 America - Prince

I am not sure why Prince decided to bury this album, yet still go on tour in support of it. Prince did a lot of things I did not understand. It is all pretty soulful, with a dash of dirty funk.

Highlights: 1000 Light Years From Here, Stand Up and B Strong, One Day We Will All B Free, Welcome 2 America

7/10

Whammy! - The B-52's

This may well be the most new wave silliness of all the new wave I own. Quirky lyrics, repetitive guitar licks, spooky keyboard sounds, Fred being Fred. 

Highlights: Trism, Queen of Las Vegas, Whammy Kiss

6/10

What a Waster - The Libertines

Just a quick couple of trashy punk songs.

Highlights: I Get Along

8/10

What About Now - Bon Jovi

Really, from the first attempt at a guitar solo, it becomes glaringly obvious Richie Sambora was not in the studio for this bland nothingness. His tone and style is unmistakable. As is Jon Bon Jovi's everyman schtick - which really grows old on this.

Highlights: Every Road Leads Home to You - Richie Sambora, every other moment where Sambora graced the recording sessions

5.5/10

What The Sea Wants The Sea Will Have - Sarah Blasko

Somewhat ethereal and always interesting. A little bit more going on here than her debut - possibly a little more adventurous, but still very much moody indie folk pop rock kind of thing?

Highlights: Hammer, Always on This Line, [explain], Planet New Year

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1829

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2025 in 2025: Day 183

Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life - Jay-Z

A still young (maybe?) Hova full of fire and lewdness, but then he still is pretty lewd. This album has such a solid groove and goes pretty hard in parts. Surprisingly one of my favourite Jay-Z albums; not the overall brilliance of The Black Album, but real flashes of his genius.

Highlights: A Week Ago, Ni**a What, Ni**a Who (Originator 99), Can I Get A..., Money Ain't a Thang

8/10

Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter - Jay-Z

The first half is the less than impressive Hova I had expected. Then the second half - while nothing as exceptional as Vol. 2 - is way cooler and has much better grooves. Jay-Z flow and lyrical skills continue to be as awesome as ever throughout.

Highlights: Big Pimpin', Come and Get Me, There's Been a Murder, Hova Song (Outro)

7/10

Voulez-Vous - ABBA

The most disco of pop disco albums. A veritable party mixed with love ballads with a groove. Even tired old grumpy LOGMAN can not listen to this without eventually coming to life - If It Wasn't for the Nights is an absolute gem and Kisses of Fire is a good time forever!

Highlights: If It Wasn't for the Nights, Kisses of Fire, Voulez-Vous, Does Your Mother Know

9/10

Vs. - Pearl Jam

I really dig the way the guitars compliment each other on this album; Mike McCready and Stone Gossard rarely play the same parts and it gives the songs more dynamics. And these songs are full of passion and fire. A real product of the time, but still a gawdam awesome album that holds up well almost 35 years later.

Highlights: Rearviewmirror, Dissident, Go, W.M.A.

9/10

W is for What a Way to spend 2025

Waitin' For The Night - The Runaways

The first album with Joan Jett taking over as frontwoman and stuff is already a bit heavier. Because JJ does not mess around.

Highlights: Wasted, You're Too Possessive, Gotta Get Out Tonight, Don't Go Away

7/10

Waiting for the Sirens' Call - New Order

I was listening to this album with someone and they thought it was Manic Street Preachers... and I think that perfectly sums up this album. The whole thing is pretty standard Britpop and sounds more like a band influenced by New Order.

Highlights: Morning Night and Day, Waiting for the Sirens' Call, Turn, Guilt is a Useless Emotion

7/10

Waking Up The Neighbours - Bryan Adams

Like a less heavy Def Leppard album; the gang vocals and harmonies on this sound exactly like the Hysteria album, but this album has more cheese. I love BA and he absolutely killed it on this, but I think the album is a few songs too long - there are about 4 or 5 songs that sound WAY too similar, so if he eliminated a few of those it would be under an hour and be a lot tighter. Sometimes less is more.

Highlights: Don't Drop That Bomb On Me, Can't Stop This Thing We Started, Thought I'd Died and Gone to Heaven, Is Your Mama Gonna Miss Ya?

7.5/10

Walking Off the Buzz - Blessid Union of Souls

I only have one song - Hey Leonardo (She Likes Me For Me). It is a lot of fun. Very typical 1999 pop radio rock kind of thing.

8/10

Walls and Bridges - John Lennon

Lennon doing way too much partying to keep caring about world peace, I guess. Instead, he chooses to get as middle of the road as possible - I get the feeling he was trying to get some hits or at least some radio time. 

Highlights: Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out), Steel and Glass, Whatever Gets You Through the Night, What You Got

7/10

War & Peace - Warren Peace

Well this thing is a mess. Some attempts at proper songs, but also some attempts at being a doucheburger. And, surprisingly, the latter is more successful. I am not sure why every song needed big messy noises to end them...

Highlights: Fire and Ice, Dear Diary

6/10

Warning! - Green Day

As fun as some of these songs are, they just sound like a bunch of earlier Green Day songs, just with acoustic guitar and keyboards and weak-sauce drumming. They really lost any remnants of their "edge" here. 

Highlights: Minority, Macy's Day Parade, Castaway, Church Sunday

7/10

WARP - JUDY AND MARY

The first half of this is EXTREME JAM craziness; a whole lot of noise and avant-garde "music". Then somewhere around the middle, YUKI decided to start practicing for her solo career and there is a massive shift towards pop hooks. Just covered in a layer of noise. I respect that their guitarist just never played sensible chords and treated these songs like a jazz jam session.

Highlights: motto, ガールフレンド, ひとつだけ -ver.WARP-, Brand New Wave Upper Ground

7/10

Waterline - Charlton Hill

I think the production on this album does it a great disservice; it is very much of the times and while that does work on a few songs, the rest get stuck in the mire of sounding very generic. It results in a lot of the songs lacking in emotion and just sounding dated. Which is a shame, because I know that underneath the songs actually have some soul.

Highlights: The Last Thing, Crash Landed, Turn To You, Deep

7/10

Waterloo - ABBA

Benny and Bjorn are working harder on this album - I do not recall them singing so many songs on any other album. It is ABBA. A good time is guaranteed.

Highlights: Waterloo, Honey Honey, Watch Out, Gonna Sing You My Lovesong

8/10

WAVE - YUKI

In some ways, this feels like YUKI's most straight-laced pop rock album. Apart from a couple of electro dance numbers. But overall, it really is a collection of great hooks over some simple chords. And that is a good thing - because it results in a some outstanding songs.

Highlights: 歓びの種, You've got a friend, あおぞら, ふがいないや

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1815

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2025 in 2025: Day 182

The Very Best of Cool Jazz - Various Artists

So jazz really is not my thing. It is fine and dandy, but for me it mostly works as background music. Especially a compilation like this, that focuses on the more relaxed and chilled out numbers.

Highlights: I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face - Tony Bennett & Count Basie, She's on the Ball - Ray Charles, Round About Midnight - Wes Montgomery, Take Five - Quincy Jones

6/10

The Very Best of Eddie Cochran - Eddie Cochran

Another brutally tragic story of 50s rock'n roll. Wild to think what kind of music and influence this guy could have had if he made it to the 60s, because some of his wild rockabilly numbers are just all kinds of fun. 

Highlights: C'mon Everybody, Summertime Blues, Somethin' Else, Twenty Flight Rock

7.5/10

The Very Best of Elton John - Elton John

I may well be in the minority, but for as good as Elton John was in the 70s, I find some of his 80s output to actually be somewhat superior. The production is certainly better. I mean, has anyone actually sat down with headphones and paid attention to what is going on in Your Song? Because it is a mess. Meanwhile, songs like Nikita can be used as reference to demo your sound system!

Highlights: I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues, I'm Still Standing, Don't Go Breaking My Heart, Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be A Long, Long Time)

7.5/10

The Very Best of Kim Wilde - Kim Wilde

True to form, this is only the hit song You Keep Me Hangin' On. Which truly is the VERY best of Kim Wilde.

9/10

The Very Best of Play Bach - Jacques Loussier

More jazz, you say? At least this is the kind of jazz I can dig; phenomenal jazz renditions of classical pieces. 

Highlights: Siciliano In G Minor, Sleepers Awake

6.5/10

The Very Best of Rod Stewart - Rod Stewart

Hey, now! I already have a full "best of Rod Stewart"! But Forever Young is not included, so I had to get that elsewhere, I guess. Classic 80s drive. I really should just shoehorn this in to that other compilation...

9/10

The Very Best of Rose Royce - Rose Royce

I only have Car Wash. It is a bonafide funky jam!

9/10

VH1 Divas Live - Cher

This is purely Cher performing If I Could Turn Back Time - at what I can only assume was a VH1 Divas Live concert, because that is what the file says. I got this because Cher's performance at her Las Vegas concert rocked my world. This version does not!

5/10

View of the Rain - Urge Overkill

I got this EP free with Exit the Dragon and these are all live songs recorded in Australia. And they rock. Because Urge Overkill were legit. Still are, I guess!

Highlights: The Break (Live), Crack Babies (Live)

7/10

Vindicated - Dashboard Confessional

I know no other Dashboard Confessional songs. I once heard some being played in a music shop in Melbourne some 23 years ago, but that was about it. If they have anything else like this song, let me know. Because it is a gawdam brilliant track.

9/10

The Visitors - ABBA

Their last album for 40 years and some of this would have fit nicely in Chess. Less disco pop and more of a mature pop album - exceptionally done.

Highlights: When All Is Said and Done, Slipping Through My Fingers, The Visitors, Head Over Heels

7.5/10

Vitalogy - Pearl Jam

I feel like with this album they were caught up in their own hype and thought they were The Beatles or something - because this album sounds like a band trying to make their own Let It Be. Which is not a compliment. Probably the last Pearl Jam album to have any sort of teeth and before Eddie Vedder's voice got too annoying. But bah gawd the good songs here are just incredibly good.
Highlights: Nothingman, Corduroy, Immortality, Better Man

7.5/10

Viva Elvis: The Album - Elvis Presley

I only have one song from this and it is the incredible remix/reimagining of Suspicious Minds. I genuinely should check out the rest of this album, because turning this into a big emo arena rock song actually works. Helps to have an awesome vocal from The King to base it around.

10/10

Vivid - Living Colour

This album is like the most socially conscious hair metal album that will ever exist. And I am not using the hair metal term as any sort of insult, because these guys are awesome. Maybe more of a funk metal, really? 

Highlights: Cult of Personality, Open Letter (To a Landlord), Which Way to America?, Glamour Boys

8.5/10

Vivir - Enrique Iglesias

This sure is some corny late 90s Latin pop that sounds more like 80s pop, but it also still very much sounds like Enrique being Enrique. Which means I enjoy it. Absolutely nothing a Luchador would use as their entrance music, though.

Highlights: El Muro, Volveré, Miente, Lluvia Cae

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1800

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2025 in 2025: Day 181

Up Your Alley - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

Joan goes full on 80s rock here - and she nails it, of course. It is good hard rocking fun!

Highlights: I Hate Myself For Loving You, Tulane, Just Like in the Movies, Ridin' With James Dean

7.5/10

Urban Hymns - The Verve

For as much as Oasis are THE band that defines Britpop in the 90s, this album may have been the last great album of the era. It is equal parts psycadelic swagger and big epic ballads. Like, some of these songs are just massive. And awesome.

Highlights: The Rolling People, Sonnet, Bitter Sweet Symphony, Weeping Willow

8/10

Ursa Major - Third Eye Blind

This is my reminder to finally get the uncensored version of this album. This is always such a tough album for me; Arion missing on bass is sad and my initial thoughts on Tony as a guitarist and overall fit for the group were not high. And it does happen to feature the absolute worst 3EB song in existence (One In Ten). In fact, the whole middle section is pretty mediocre. The start and the endings? Oh, those are some of the best gawdamn songs on the planet! The vocal layering in Sharp Knife is absolute perfection.

Highlights: Sharp Knife, Bonfire, Don't Believe a Word, Can You Take Me

7.5/10

Use Your Illusion I - Guns N' Roses

Despite the online nonsense I seem to read these days, this album actually serves as a solid follow up to Appetite for Destruction; it is still pretty much the same sort of vibe, just a little bloated, but it is the more "fun hard rock" Use Your Illusion album. Only a couple of big epics on this one, and they are absolutely brilliant.

Highlights: Coma, Don't Cry (Original), November Rain, Bad Obsession

8/10

Use Your Illusion II - Guns N' Roses

Look, I did not want this to be the case... but... I think this may be GnR's strongest album. It is a helluva vibe! Angry bordering on punk rockers and massive sprawling epics with the tastiest guitar solos like Slash is playing a hot fudge sundae. And I am going to give 60% of the credit to Duff. He is my new rock'n roll hero.

Highlights: Estranged, You Could Be Mine, Civil War, Don't Cry (Alternate Lyrics), Locomotive

9/10

V is for 

The Vacation - The Vacation

Another $1 CD find - classic mid-00s raw rock, channeling fun and mindless 70s & 80s hard rock like AC/DC. Why do I have no AC/DC in my library? Does anyone else find that kind of weird?

Highlights: Trash, Make Up Your Mind, No Hard Feelings, W.I.I.F.M.

6.5/10

Vampire Weekend Covers - Ryan Adams

A dude I have issues with, recorded on social media covering songs by a band I do not know. Cool...

Highlights: short

4/10

Vampires (Paxam Singles Series, Vol. 3) - Ryan Adams

This feels like more of an EP than a single. And EP of stupid bullshit bookended by actual songs?

Highlights: Vampires

5/10

The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale - Prince

Pretty sure these are basically unfinished songs... but are still pretty funky and a good time, for the most part. Definitely not a real Prince album, however.

Highlights: It's About That Walk, 5+ Women

6/10

Veni Vidi Vicious - The Hives

Even more raw and rebellious than Tyrannosaurus Hives. I do not believe any band personifies punk rock the way The Hives do.

Highlights: Die All Right!, Main Offender, The Hives-Introduce the Metric System In Time, Supply and Demand

7.5/10

Version - Mark Ronson

This is purely the jam with Amy Winehouse, Valerie. Bah gawd this is a jam.

10/10

Version 2.0 - Garbage

Much more of a polished pop album than their debut - a lot less darker, at least musically. A bit more of a focus on dancier beats and hooks. No idea what type of flying train Shirley Manson is riding from Tokyo to Los Angeles...

Highlights: Special, When I Grow Up, Push It, Temptation Waits

7.5/10

The Very Best of - Dolly Parton

I only have Jolene. I should have songs like 9 to 5, but we already know LOGMAN is lame...

8/10

The Very Best of - Hues Corporation

This is the only corporation you should be a part of. And the only song I have is Rock The Boat. Man, this song used to mess me up live. Too many random chords changes in the verses. But I sure did love going "Rock on with your badself!"

9/10

The Very Best of Bonnie Tyler - Bonnie Tyler

And by "Very Best of", I am specifically talking about Holding Out For a Hero and Total Eclipse of the Heart. The former always invokes images of Short Circuit 2. The latter is just an absolutely glorious power ballad of the highest extremes.

9/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1785

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2025 in 2025: Day 180

Ultraviolence - Lana Del Rey

I recall being utterly disappointed in this album on release, but after revisiting it a few years later, I was actually quite drawn to it. And I think it has aged better than Born to Die, perhaps? There is a slightly different vibe, without being as boring and vapid as Honeymoon, and without making me actually listen to the album by choice on any given day...

Highlights: West Coast, Cruel World, Money Power Glory, Black Beauty

6.5/10

Under Construction - Missy Elliott

All the talking explaining the tracks is such a... choice. Sometimes pretty hilarious, but also breaks up the flow at times. But the bounce! Timbaland brought DA BOUNCE! And Missy's rhymes are all sorts of clever and engaging. 

Highlights: Gossip Folks, Work It, Bring the Pain, Can You Hear Me

7.5/10

Under Pressure - The Used & My Chemical Romance

There was a live version of this that was quite fun... in 2005, when I was mid-20s emo LOGMAN. Now I am mid-40s cool as a cucumber LOGMAN and I can still appreciate it somewhat, while also acknowledging that it is hilariously inferior to the original and should be deleted from existence.

4/10

Under Rug Swept - Alanis Morissette

I do wonder how this album could have ended up if Alanis had continued to collaborate with Glen Ballard; would he have helped to force more hooks? Or would he have upped the energy somewhat? Because this album is more relaxed than even MTV Unplugged and is more focused on what she wants to say than making hit songs.

Highlights: Surrendering, Narcissus, Hands Clean, Precious Illusions

7/10

Under the Iron Sea - Keane

Classic example of a band getting famous making sad music, but the follow-up music is suddenly much happier. So clearly being rich and famous suddenly improved their life. Fair enough! 

Highlights: Is It Any Wonder?, A Bad Dream

6/10

The Understanding - Memphis Bleek

I only have the song Is That Your Chick (The Lost Verses), because it features Jay-Z and Missy and when they performed it at Jay-Z's "retirement" shows, I thought it was pretty killer. Still do!

8/10

Undertow - Tool

There are so many cool riffs on this album - I wonder if I can remember how to play them? I might have to test that some day. Nineties Tool is the best Tool.

Highlights: 4 Degrees, Crawl Away, Bottom, Flood

8/10

Undiscovered - James Morrison

This album is surpisingly enjoyable; I was expecting something along the lines of Jamie Cullum, but instead Morrison's voice is very soulful and his lyrics decent. Adult jazz pop, but not so... white?

Highlights: Undiscovered, Better Man, One Last Chance

7/10

Unfinished Business - Jay-Z & R. Kelly

Outtakes from their misjudged collaboration. The funniest part is R. Kelly singing about their "world tour", like he was not expecting it to get cancelled halfway through. There is nothing here that is even close to being as offensive as found on their first album, so this may actually be better!

Highlights: We Got Em Goin', Mo' Money, Don't Let Me Die

5.5/10

The Unforgettables E.P. - MONOEYES

No lie - I was both excited and disappointed when this was released. Dude said he was writing The End of Yesterday like it would be his last album, and then five years later he was like 'Oh, I guess maybe I just meant with my best band - I will still make music with these inferior ones!'. And the whole EP rocks hard, so in my face, I guess...

Highlights: Ladybird, Atmosphere, The Unforgettables, Adrenaline

9/10

Unmasked - Kiss

Kiss turn into a cheesy 80s pop rock band and I love it for them. And then they needed Bryan Adams to come and make them rock harder. Make it make sense.

Highlights: Shandi, Tomorrow, Talk to Me, Two Sides of the Coin

8/10

Up All Night - Razorlight

This is the sound of a hungry, young indie band putting it all out there and capturing a sound and vibe they will never be able to repeat.

Highlights: Don't Go Back to Dalston, To the Sea, Rock'n Roll Lies, Rip It Up

7.5/10

Up the Bracket - The Libertines

Peter Doherty delivers his vocals likes he been up all night on coke and chugging a bottle of whiskey between takes. Electric guitars so raw and sloppy it sounds like he is on the verge of passing out. Acoustic guitar sounds like he is using some half broken piece of junk from a local secondhand store. Super solid drumming that somehow holds them all together. This album really captures that early-00s UK indie punk rock perfectly!

Highlights: Death on the Stairs, I Get Along, Up the Bracket, The Boy Looked at Johnny

8/10

UP to ME - BiSH

Just another average heavy idol single from the BiSH is OVER run. Genuinely nothing to write home about... so I will just keep it in the BLog.

Highlights: YOUTH, UP to ME

6.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1770

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2025 in 2025: Day 179

Travelling Without Moving - Jamiroquai

This is where they started to crossover between their acid jazz roots and fun with a little bit of pop. But those basslines are still the funkiest thing since I got up and funked the funky.

Highlights: Alright, High Times, Travelling Without Moving, Cosmic Girl

7/10

The Trip 7 - Various Artists

This must have been the final in 'The Trip' series. Surely? I mean, grunge was dead by now and this contains some pretty terrible stuff that could not be considered alternative whatsoever. But there are a few tracks I had on my music video collection back in high school. Only a few. That dude from Ash was a terrible singer.

Highlights: In the Meantime - Spacehog, Deb's Night Out - Shihad, Bluster - Salt, Rude Awakening - Prong

6.5/10

Trip the Light Fantastic - Sophie Ellis-Bextor

This is an album I forget about, but it is fairly solid and features many a disco beat. The slower ballad-type songs are also quite enjoyable.

Highlights: Can't Have It All, What Have We Started?, If You Go, If I Can't Dance

7/10

Tron: Legacy (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Daft Punk

One of the best film scores possible. Rather dark and brooding, with a dash of electronica thrown in. It really is the most electronic of musical pieces that are the strongest.

Highlights: Derezzed, Tron Legacy (End Titles), Arena, Nocturne

7/10

TROUBLE - Ayumi Hamasaki

Normally Ayu mini-albums/E.P.s are almost perfect and amazing, but this one is a bit average in parts. Which is not helped by her voice being run ragged from excessive touring and hearing problems. Ends spectacularly, however. I would have loved 2012 Ayu to record these songs instead.

Highlights: The way I am, W, aeternal

8.5/10

Trouble Walkin' - Ace Frehley

This album is so much better than it had any right being. And that is really saying something, coming from a massive Ace Frehley fan like me. I have written at length as to how much I love this album, yet I do not think I could ever convey it well enough. RIP Spaceman!!!

Highlights: Five Card Stud, Fractured III, Do Ya, Hide Your Heart

10/10

True - Spandau Ballet

It is only the title track and I am sitting here wondering how or why I have three copies of this song in different "albums"...

9/10

Turnstiles - Billy Joel

I am not saying this is peak Billy Joel, but it certainly is a solid album and conveys his best aspects. This album needs a genuine remix. Strangely, half of the song titles feature some place in the USA. Maybe it is a concept album about a dude on a road trip and he is recounting what was going on?

Highlights: Prelude/Angry Young Man, Miami 2017 (I've Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway), Say Goodbye to Hollywood, New York State of Mind

7.5/10

Twelve Stops & Home - The Feeling

Just straight up cheesy love songs and all-round fun pop rock. And I love it for that! They are all so masterfully crafted. 

Highlights: Fill My Little World, Love It When You Call, Strange, Never Be Lonely

8/10

Twentieth Century - Cold Chisel

There is somewhat of a punk influence in some of these tracks, but it also features one of their most iconic ballads and some of the best singing Barnesy did while in this group.

Highlights: Saturday Night, Flame Trees, No Sense, Only One

7/10

Twentysomething - Jamie Cullum

Perfect background music while you are waiting in the reception of your real estate agent's office. I might not call them the worst cover songs ever, but he sure was trying his best!

Highlights: the whitest way to listen to Jimi Hendrix

5/10

#TWICE - TWICE

The Japanese EP of early TWICE singles. Because it was super cheap and I had no idea who TWICE was in 2017 - this EP sure changed that. Now I am far too used to hearing these songs in their native Korean, but it is still the funnest 15 minutes of your life.

Highlights: CHEER UP (Japanese Ver.), KNOCK KNOCK (Japanese Ver.), Like OOH-AHH (Japanese Ver.)

8.5/10

Twisted Angel - LeaAnn Rimes

I only have the single Life Goes On. But two versions of it, because I am extra cool like that. I should probably just keep the non-country version, but we all know LOGMAN does not play like that...

Highlights: Life Goes On [Almighty Mix], Life Goes On

8/10

TWISTER - NICO Touches the Walls

They call this an EP, yet it is longer than some albums I have. Oh, I see - there is a bonus disc of the EP in acoustic form. The first half is definitely the better way to go!

Highlights: VIBRIO VULNIFICUS, SHOW, FRITTER, 来世で逢いましょう [Acoustic ver.]

6.5/10

Two Fires - Jimmy Barnes

This album is actually way better than I even remember it to be - a real solid blend of R&B with Barnesy's style of rock. Big hooks all over the show!

Highlights: When Your Love is Gone, Fade to Black, Sister Mercy, Little Darling

8/10

Tyrannosaurus Hives - The Hives

This is punk rock.

Highlights: Antidote, Abra Cadaver, B is for Brutus, Two-Timing Touch and Broken Bones

9/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1756

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2025 in 2025: Day 178

Tracks - PASSPO☆

My self-made compilation that I spoke about in length. Go read that and let me mourn their disbanding in peace!

Highlights: Tracks, バスタブ, サンキュバースデイ♪, Musical Party, 少女飛行 [5th Anniversary Version]

8/10

Traction - Supergroove

This album is so strangely mixed; they are predominantly a funk and ska band, yet the guitars are mixed WAY up the front, to the point where the vocals sound like they are behind a wall., and that snare has some seriously humongous reverb. And I cannot say I am a fan of the guitar tone at all. But the groove sure is... super. Thank you, I will be here all the time listening to my never-ending iTunes library...

Highlights: Can't Get Enough, Next Time, 

7/10

Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman

Talk about soul! Tales of living less than good lives; heartache, abuse, fighting for a better life and just wanting to get away from it all.

Highlights: Fast Car, Baby Can I Hold You, Talkin' Bout a Revolution, Scorpio Girls, You Gotta Know

7/10

Trampoline - The Mavericks

I have only the one song - Dance the Night Away. Pretty they really only have one song, right? People love hearing this song live, for some reason.

7.5/10

Transformers: History of Music 1984-1990 - Various Artists

This is a MASSIVE compilation of all the music used in the Japanese anime adaptations of The Transformers. Every piece of music is here, from opening and closing themes to incidental music and karaoke versions. This compilation originally included a song by PSYCHIC LOVER and was my first real introduction to Japanese pop & rock music! Basically, where I am in life now can all be traced back to watching the Headmasters & Victory anime shows... Some of the main themes are very cool and a bit funky, but I think we can all agree that some of these are completely unnecessary.

Highlights: The Headmasters, You Are A Transformer, Transformer V, Theme of Transformer Z

6.5/10

The Transformers: The Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Various Artists

I refuse there to believe there could possibly be an album that is more 80s rock than this. Vince DiCola's score is pretty darn epic, too - his use of odd time signatures is very compelling.

Highlights: The Touch - Stan Bush, Dare - Stan Bush, The Transformers (Theme) - Lion, Nothin's Gonna Stand in Our Way - Spectre General

9/10

Trash We'd Love - the HIATUS

細美さん still sounds like his ELLEGARDEN days here, vocally. Lyrically it is worlds away! But this album is still the closest kind of bridge between the two bands, while sounding very different. It goes pretty hard. My man was clearly working through some stuff, but it made for more of a serious emo kind of thing. Wow I actually forgot how intense this album gets.

Highlights: 紺碧の夜に, Silver Birch, Storm Racers, Ghost in the Rain

8.5/10

The Traveling Wilburys Collection (Deluxe Edition) - The Traveling Wilburys

These are the bonus tracks from the big re-release. They are fine, but I just do not like having them tacked onto the end of otherwise perfect albums.

Highlights: Maxine, Like a Ship

6/10

The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1 - The Traveling Wilburys

This albums is such a fine continuation of what George Harrison and Jeff Lynne were doing on Cloud 9. Just with added input from other experts in their field. I would make a comment about them all being old men, but I am the same age now as Harrison was at the time...

Highlights: End of the Line, Heading for the Light, Tweeter and the Monkey Man, Handle with Care

8.5/10

The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 3 - The Traveling Wilburys

Less of a polished pop rock record and more of a roots/country rock record, in my opinion. But, given the players involved, it is right in their Q-Zone and they sound like they are having a lot of fun. 

Highlights: Inside Out, Poor House, Wilbury Twist, Cool Dry Place

7.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1740

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2025 in 2025: Day 177

Together Alone - Crowded House

This album is almost a bit more experimental than every other Crowded House album. Certainly more adventurous; some of the songs have a bit more teeth to them, while others just veer off into jamming and traditional Polynesian rhythms and drumming and singing. 

Highlights: Distant Sun, Locked Out, In My Command, Fingers of Love

7.5/10

Together Alone [Deluxe Edition] - Crowded House

Home demos, band demos, writing demos - we got all your demos! And a couple of live tracks and alternate mixes. It is almost comical to think this is how Private Universe could have ended up sounding like. 

Highlights: Black and White Boy [Early Rough Mix], Tail of Comet [Live], Fingers of Love [Alternate Studio Take]

6.5/10

Tokyo Girl [Single] - Perfume

The end theme to my favourite drama. I have to listen to this every time I go see Tokyo Tower for that very reason. Honestly, though, those verses are so fantastic... but the chorus is just typical Perfume. 

Highlights: Tokyo Girl, 宝石の雨

8.5/10

Tommyland: The Ride - Tommy Lee

If he had never been in Mötley Crüe, Tommy Lee probably could have been a popular radio rock guy. Like, there is nothing on here worse than Nickelback. In fact, the dude from Nickelback is here, too! I just read the credits and there are some hilarious features. I actually quite enjoy this, for the most part!

Highlights: Makin' Me Crazy, Tryin' to Be Me, Good Times, Sister Mary

7/10

Too Fast For Love - Mötley Crüe

From the best member of The Crüe, to their debut album! 

If I remember correctly, a couple of friends bought me this on cassette back when I was like 11 or something. I think it may have been the first Mötley Crüe album I actually owned! Live Wire is awesome. Come On and Dance is pretty cool - that classic cowbell is kinda funny, as are the bad harmonies. I guess Vince was easily the best singer in the band at this stage (which is funny because 45 years later he is probably the worst and has been for like 25 years). I have always dug Public Enemy #1, even if it has absolutely nothing to do with the band Public Enemy. Which was very disappointing to 11 year-old LOGMAN. It has a real 70's rock vibe. Merry-Go-Round is some sort of power ballad wannabe, but cannot be taken seriously because it sounds like Vince is singing "Mewwy go wound and wound". Take Me to the Top may have been the first song on the album I liked? And then there is Piece of Your Action which is just badassery. Possibly the most "Mötley Crüe" song on the album. And also possibly the first Mötley Crüe guitar solo I attempted to learn (I didn't understand what slide guitar was). Actually the last half of this album is awesome; Starry Eyes is dark and moody (you can tell, because there is a gong strike), Too Fast For Love is good times with gang-vocals chorus fun, and On With the Show is actually a very good power ballad (complete with hilarity where Mick Mars gets out of time double-tracking his guitar, and then just repeats his solos about 40 times throughout the song). A very strong debut album. I was today years-old when I really understood that this is much more of a 70's rock influenced affair - very Cheap Trick meets Sweet in an Aerosmith tribute show. And Vince sounds squeaky. Man, time flies when you are having fun!

Highlights: Piece of Your Action, Starry Eyes, Live Wire, Take Me to the Top

8.5/10

Too Legit to Quit - MC Hammer

Look, the songs are mostly too long and there was no need for the super slow songs in the middle. And a downbeat song with no real groove should not go over 8 minutes. Now all that said... THIS ALBUM GOES HARD! The pop stuff just goes off, the gospel is next level, and everything in between is just awesome - and this is not nostalgia driven, either, because I had no love for this album back in 1991. I grew up and got wise. You should, too! The title track is the most head-rocking foot stomping hip-hop track in my library.

Highlights: 2 Legit 2 Quit, Find Yourself a Friend, Do Not Pass Me By, Count It Off, This is the Way We Roll

8/10

Too Tight - MC Hammer

Oh we just going with Hammer today? The man rolled up to Death Row and put together an album so good... it never got released. Which is a shame, because this album a serious groove. The fake radio skits are such a cliche of the times, and because it is Hammer, everything is just a bit too long. Sometimes a lot too long. But the collabs with dudes like Tupac are better than you could have imagined.

Highlights: Too Late Playa, Unconditional Love, Hammertime Brings It, Get Up

7/10

Too-Rye-Ay - Dexy's Midnight Runners

This is just Come On Eileen, because at least give me some of my 80s cred!

8/10

The Top - The Cure

Robert Smith goes insane from doing too many drugs, and puts it all to music... while doing a lot of drugs?

Highlights: Bananafishbones, Shake Dog Shake, The Caterpillar, The Top

6.5/10

Torn Down - The Cure

Another remix album. As essential as any remix album before it...

Highlights: Shake Dog Shake (New Blood Mix), A Night Like This (Hello Goodbye Mix), It's Over (Whisper Mix)

6/10

Totally 80s - Various Artists

A very underwhelming compilation of 80s pop "hits" - would appear to be heavily British-influenced. British New Wave was better than a lot of their pop output. I should have more Go West in my library.

Highlights: We Close Our Eyes - Go West, Electric Avenue - Eddy Grant, Missing You - John Waite, Vienna - Ultravox, Respectable - Mel & Kim

7/10

Totally Krossed Out - Kriss Kross

These dorks with their backwards clothing sure made a few cool songs, namely Jump and Warm It Up. And that is about all I know when it comes to them.

8/10

Touch - Sarah McLachlan

Does this earn me back some 80s cred? Because boy howdy this sure has some big 80s reverb all over it. Feels like it is even more indie 80s alt than you would expect - I do not recall this even being mentioned in the Sarah McLachlan theory...

Highlights: Vox, Steaming

6.5/10

Touch - Eurythmics

Oooh an 80s album called Touch? This one came first! And is at its finest when it gets all dark and moody. The beats are so mesmerising and Annie Lennox's vocals are just divine.

Highlights: Here Comes the Rain Again, Who's That Girl?, Paint a Rumour, No Fear No Hate No Pain (No Broken Hearts), Aqua

7.5/10

Tougher Than Leather - Run-D.M.C.

I am in the minority, but this album is possibly my favourite hip-hop album of all time. ALL TIME. It just goes so damn hard from the start and never lets up. And they really lived up to the moniker of The Kings of Rock with this one. Honestly, I doubt I would love hip-hop the way I do if not for this album.

Highlights: Run's House, Mary Mary, Beats to the Rhyme, Radio Station, I'm Not Going Out Like That

10/10

Toys in the Attic - Aerosmith

Well, what a coinkidink! It is these guys and the original version of Walk This Way! This is their most consistent and solid outing from the 70s. Easily. That main riff to No More No More is so great and I wish I could remember how to play it.

Highlights: Sweet Emotion, Walk This Way, No More No More, Round and Round

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1730

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2025 in 2025: Day 176

Three Imaginary Boys - The Cure

The Cure are one of my favourite bands of all time. Easily in my top 10. They have some incredibly epic albums full of emotion, but also effortlessly switch between pop rock fun and nihilistic despair. This album is nothing of the sort.

Highlights: Grinding Halt, Another Day, 10:15 Saturday Night, Three Imaginary Boys

6/10

Thriller - Michael Jackson

Hot take: this is not MJ's best album. However, Beat It and Billie Jean are just such phenomenal songs that it meant this album sold a bajillion copies. Dangerous and Bad do not feature awful collaborations with Paul McCartney, so they are infinitely better. The worst part is that other song he did with McCartney is actually a good song!

Highlights: Beat It, Billie Jean, Human Nature, Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'

8/10

Throwing Copper - Live

Every song is either Quiet LOUD Quiet, or Quiet Quiet LOUD. Except for Waitress - which is LOUD Quiet LOUD, for some weird reason. It is all fine and dandy, but nothing overly exceptional that has made me go out of my way to listen to this in the last 30 years.

Highlights: Top, Pillar of Davidson, White Discussion, Iris

7/10

Tidal - Fiona Apple

Fiona Apple is the lyricist Swifties think their cult leader is. I may appreciate her angst and subsequent vocal performance on When the Pawn... more, but boy howdy this album has some pretty deep emotions. 

Highlights: Criminal, Sullen Girl, Never is a Promise, Pale September

8/10

Tiffany - Tiffany

Sadly, I do not have the full album - just I Think We're Alone Now. I am not sure why I do not have at least the other singles. Because I am lame, that is why!

8/10

Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper

This is only The Goonies 'R' Good Enough - for obvious reasons! I should watch that movie again one day.

8/10

Timeless: New Recordings Honoring The Music Of Hank Williams - Various Artists

This is just Ryan Adams' cover of Lovesick Blues. He puts on his most irritating fake country voice for this one...

5/10

Tiny Music...Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop - Stone Temple Pilots

I love Weiland's voice on this album - he has gone for a bit more of a raspy glam rock kind of vibe and it really suits the way everything comes together, because musically it has bit of a glam rock vibe as well. Like, total peak art school Led Zeppelin tribute act vibes. And I mean that in the most complimentary of ways.

Highlights: Lady Picture Show, Trippin' On a Hole in a Paper Heart, Seven Caged Tigers, Tumble in the Rough

8/10

To the 5 Boroughs - Beastie Boys

Oh snap the boys are back! Just straight-up NYC hip-hop. War is bad. George W. Bush is a clown. Racism and bigotry are bad. Sampling Sonic Reducer is the greatest idea ever and I will forgive them for using it to tell me how great New York is.

Highlights: An Open Letter to NYC, Right Right Now Now, Rhyme the Rhyme Well, Time to Build

8.5/10

TO THE DREAM - The Tomboys

As indie as ever, but even more catchy. And fun. 

Highlights: Tell Me Why, I GOTTA GO, SATURDAY NIGHT

7/10

The The Extreme - Vanilla Ice

V.I.P. in the house! I unironically love still enjoy the enjoy the bejeebus out of this album; sure, the rhymes are corny, but there are plenty of James Brown samples, fun old school grooves, and Vanilla's silly rapping is part of the charm. I still need to find that third version of Play That Funky Music...

Highlights: Ice Ice Baby, Ice is Workin' It, Dancin', Go Ill

8/10

To Whom It May Concern - Lisa Marie Presley

Lisa Marie's debut album, featuring some pretty standard pop country rock stylings - kind of like a modern take on where her Dad left off, I guess? Some surprisingly decent songs to be found. I need to remember to give this a closer listen again some time...

Highlights: Lights Out, S.O.B., Nobody Noticed It, So Lovely

7/10

Today - George Harrison

Another George Harrison bootleg of randomness. Mostly collaborations and whatnot. And I have most of them on other albums? And I am not 100% convinced he actually performs on some of them. 

Highlights: Power to the People, Your True Love (Live - Carl Perkins' Memorial Service), Horse to the Water

6.5/10

Today (Legacy Edition) - Elvis Presley

One of The King's final albums and highly underrated; still not too dissimilar to the rest of his 70s output, but it is mostly fun and Elvis feels like he put a bit of effort it. The opening track is such an old school rock'n roll kind of groove, I cannot help but love it. The undubbed versions are not too different - except you can hear Elvis getting the giggles during Susan When She Tried.

Highlights: T-R-O-U-B-L-E, Pieces of My Life, Fairytale, Shake a Hand

7.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1714

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2025 in 2025: Day 175

Their Greatest Hits: The Record - Bee Gees

I am not against the 60s hits at all - they are generally decent little pop numbers, and some of them are brilliant songs - but once this hits the latter end of disc one (the mid-70s), it is GAME ON! 

Highlights: Nights on Broadway, If I Can't Have You, You Should Be Dancing, More Than a Woman, Night Fever, You Win Again, Alone, For Whom the Bell Tolls

8/10

There's Only Now - Eskobar

This purely the song Someone New - a collaboration with Heather Nova. And this is peak Heather Nova awesomeness.

9/10

These Days - Bon Jovi

This is Richie Sambora at his most bluesiest - and the album peaks in places because of it. It also has fairly boring lows, but it is actually a better album than I remember. Or those great songs are greater than I remember...

Highlights: Something for the Pain, These Days, Something to Believe In, Hey God

7.5/10

These Days Tour '95 (Live) - Bon Jovi

JBJ giving a fairly average performance. Luckily this is only a short live EP; a few Slippery When Wet classics, their "current" single, and a bad cover.

Highlights: Wild in the Streets

6/10

Third Eye Blind - Third Eye Blind

An alt rock pop masterpiece. I think some people like to call this "Power Pop" or something, because there is some serious emotion in here that absolutely NO ONE can match. Kevin Cadogan's riffs and licks are what really elevated the songs - something that was seriously lacking on every album after (except for maybe Dopamine).

Highlights: Motorcycle Drive By, The Background, Graduate, God of Wine, Narcolepsy, Losing a Whole Year, Semi-Charmed Life

9/10

Thirty Three & 1/3 - George Harrison

Bah gawd that is some funkyass bass in Woman Don't You Cry For Me. This album always surprises me, because it is mostly very enjoyable and has a bit more soul to it.

Highlights: Woman Don't You Cry For Me, Beautiful Girl, This Song, It's What You Value

7/10

This Is Happening - LCD Soundsystem

Not quite as pretentious as Sound of Silver? Maybe actually more pretentious? Either way, the peaks are high, but not as consistent as their previous albums. A bit more cruising through the indie hipster electro vibes. Nancy Whang is still the winner - her "ONE TOUCH!" is a standout.

Highlights: Dance Yrself Clean, One Touch, Home, Drunk Girls

8/10

This is Not a Test! - Missy Elliott

Solid and consistent album; pretty straight-up no nonsense hip-hop all the way through, featuring some decent collabs and MASSIVE beats.

Highlights: Wake Up, Pass That Dutch, Is This Our Last Time, Pump It Up, Spelling Bee

8/10

This Is Shit - The Shit

A little less... insane than the usual offering from The Shit. But it is still great fun and fast-paced. I am not sure Chuck Norris genuinely endorsed this album...

Highlights: Us vs. Cops, WW3 is Suicide, Rats, Totally Speechless

6.5/10

This Is... - Icona Pop

I Love It is the sexy bitch jam of every summer. The Jay-Z references/homage is pretty darn hilarious, though. Has pop music really stopped evolving? Because this album sounds like it could have been released last year.

Highlights: I Love It, All Night, Just Another Night, Girlfriend

7/10

Those Weren't The Days - Whiskeytown

You know, today has been so upbeat and mostly fun... and then getting immediately hit with the downers on this album is just a bit jarring. Once things finally pick up a bit, it gets more enjoyable for sure. I feel like I have heard some of these songs in different forms numerous times throughout the marathon now...

Highlights: The Rain Won't Help You When It's Over, Believe, 10 Seconds Til the End of the World, Empty Baseball Park

6/10

A Thousand Suns - Linkin Park

Artistically speaking, this is LP's greatest achievement. Ironically, my computer started asking me questions about the Oppenheimer movie just as the quote from him was playing to start the album. Chester really brought it this album. Like, holy hell did he bring it. They all did, but that was the perfect ending. And even though half of these tracks are just interludes, it ties together perfectly (and the songs just kill). My day needed more people referencing Jay-Z's The Blueprint²!

Highlights: Waiting for the End, The Messenger, The Catalyst, When They Come for Me, Iridescent

9/10

Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge - My Chemical Romance

Was the concept on this album they are hitmen or something? Or just angry emo teenagers? Either way, it works; the heavier guitars and big screaming makes for a more fun musical experience. Legit an almost perfect album of pop punk hooks.

Highlights: Helena, Thank You For the Venom, I'm Not Okay (I Promise), I Never Told You What I Do For a Living

8/10

Three Dollar Bill, Y'all - Limp Bizkit

I do not have the full album, thankfully. I am not even sure how I ended up with half the album. It is all much more nu-metal and rough than anything that would follow.

Highlights: Counterfeit, Faith

6/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1700

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