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

FREE PALESTINE

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 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...