2025 in 2025: Day 192

15 Doors - Moumoon

Some very light J-Pop. Simple and fun, plus an epic awesome ballad.

Highlights: Evergreen, Aoi Tsuki To Ambivalence Na Ai, Happy Unbirthday, 15 Doors

7/10

15th Anniversary TOUR ~A BEST LIVE~ - Ayumi Hamasaki

I feel like my marathon has been severely lacking in Ayu this past month or so... This is a genuinely brilliant performance to watch, but the mix on the CD is somewhat lacking? I cannot put my finger on it. Plus they omitted Surreal/Evolution/Surreal, which is just silly. Still darn great and hard to believe this was 13 years ago.

Highlights: Memorial address, M, Who..., teddy bear, Key ~eternal tie ver.~

8/10

18 Til I Die - Bryan Adams

Look, it is mostly very listenable, but on the whole it really lacks that magic BA had on all his albums leading up to this (and on most albums after). Some of it feels like pandering to the alt. rock crowd, while some of it feels like an attempt to show he was still kind of rock and edgy. And it is that stuff that really comes up short. When he is just being Bryan Adams, it works totally fine!

Highlights: It Ain't a Party...If You Can't Come 'Round, Let's Make a Night to Remember, Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?, You're Still Beautiful to Me

7/10

20th Century Boy: The Ultimate Collection - Marc Bolan & T. Rex

I like Marc Bolan so much more than I realise. Or, at least, I like the songs I like way more than I realise. It is all a combination of the most dreamy rock'n roll and just the sexiest stomps. Pure 70s glam rock.

Highlights: Children of the Revolution, 20th Century Boy, Born to Boogie, Bang a Gong (Get It On), Solid Gold Easy Action

7.5/10

23rd Monster - Ayumi Hamasaki

Another anniversary single. I am quite certain that is all Ayu will release for the next 40 years - outside of concert DVDs, of course. This at least rocks hard. Ayu goes heavy very well.

9/10

29 - Ryan Adams

How did this dude get away with blatantly ripping off so many other artists & songs on this album? Was it because this album is mostly boring and no one listened to it? 

Highlights: Elizabeth You Were Born to Play That Part, Voices, Night Birds

6.5/10

48 Hours - Ryan Adams

From an album made of mostly mediocre songs with terrible lyrics, to a collection of fantastic songs with brilliant lyrics - genuinely some of my favourite of his ever. Dude should have just made more albums like this; a little bit country, but with enough soul and a bit of quirk that it just makes it more charming.

Highlights: Angelina, Desire, Karina, Chin Up Cheer Up, Like the Twilight

9/10

52nd Street - Billy Joel

This is very consistent Billy Joel storytelling pop with solid hooks and just a real groove all around.

Highlights: Big Shot, Zazibar, Half a Mile Away, My Life

7.5/10

200 km/h in the Wrong Lane - t. A. T. u.

This is so very 2000s. Very, very 2000s. Sounds more dated than a 90s J-Pop album.

7/10

300 Days at Sea - Heather Nova

This is such a return to form, but everything is actually a lot BIGGER than normal. So in that respect, it is a bit of a change! But the songs are a touch lighter, but more accessible and draw in the listener.

Highlights: Beautiful Ride, Precious Thing, Turn the Compass Round, I'd Rather Be

7.5/10

311 - 311

I am not sure this album could sound anymore lo-fi mid-90s if it was wearing a flannel shirt. But that is part of its charm; it is actually a bit of an eclectic mix of styles, not just the radio rap rock. But there is that, too. 

Highlights: Down, Don't Stay Home, Don't Let Me Down,T&P Combo

7/10

808s & Heartbreak - Kanye West

The stark minimalist production provides a more introspective approach and a somewhat somber atmosphere, at times. Dude should have looked inside himself and said 'Hey, being a nazi is very bad!'. Fucking clown shoes.

Highlights: Welcome to Heartbreak, See You In My Nightmare, Amazing, Paranoid

7/10

1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hour - Green Day

The earliest of early Green Day, that sounds so budget that it could almost be considered punk. Genuinely sounds like it was recorded on a 4-track cassette recorder at their school music room. 

Highlights: I Was There, Going To Pasalacqua, Paper Lanterns, I Want to Be Alone

6.5/10

1704 - Gelbison

This album in no way captures the emotion and raw energy with which this band performed these songs live. The soundscapes and expanse is still impressive, but I just know it could have been so much more.

Highlights: Kabana, Revolution, The Modern Station, Au Revoir Fucker

6.5/10

1980 x 1,000 - DJ Reggie

Oh, snap! DJ Reggie is back! And this time he has some very hurt feelings. But some of this might be his best work? The lyrics here are certainly right up there with his work on 48 Hours. Happy Birthday, Rachael Ray, even if it is not your birthday...

Highlights: I Am Alone, Bugs, Mystery Track Attack, Christmas is Wack

5.5/10

'Albums' listened to so far: 1940

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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 129

Music Box - Mariah Carey

This is all pretty standard R&B; the usual safe songs with ridiculous over the top (but awesome) vocals. The singles/hits were singles/hits for a reason.

Highlights: Now That I Know, Dream Lover, Anytime You Need a Friend, Hero

6.5/10

Music for Our Mother Ocean - Various Artists

I bought this album because I was a massive Pearl Jam fan and it had a random Pearl Jam song on it, so that meant I had to have it. These days I would tell you that song is not so great and would likely be better if a better person sang it. And the same goes for 90% of this album because HOLY BALLS this is mostly just crap covers of songs that have something to do with the ocean, but mostly surfing. Except for Helmet covering Bjork's Army of Me. Like... why?!? Soundgarden just contribute My Wave, I guess because it has the word "wave" in the title. And it is probably the best song on the whole thing. Would you believe they made THREE of these compilations. Luckily, Pearl Jam were not on the second and I managed to live with just a download of their song on the third one...

Highlights: I Can't Surf - The Reverend Horton Heat, My Wave - Soundgarden, Waggy - blink-182, Good Times - Sprung Monkey

6/10

Music for the People - Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch

Good Vibrations is an absolute JAM and I dare anyone to say otherwise. Marky Mark himself is an absolute POS, and that is a real shame.

9/10

Music from "The Elder" - Kiss

You know, I once read something about how when Ace Frehley was sent a copy of the finished album, he listened to it and then threw it across the room. I would like to do the same.

Highlights: Dark Light, The idea of Ace Frehley throwing the tape while laughing as only Ace can

4/10

Music from Star Trek and Music from The Black Hole - Meco

Meco is at his best doing medleys of themes, so this is what I paid my admission for. I am not familiar with The Black Hole at all, so the second half of this just sounds like variations on the Star Wars themes, to me. Just with some funky slap bass.

Highlights: Star Trek Medley, Meteorites

7/10

Music From the Edge of Heaven - Wham!

Because I am a disgrace to my family and all around me, this is not the full album and only the hit song I'm Your Man. Which is an awesome song. I believe I mentioned this previously, but I really should have all the Wham!

8/10

Music to Crash Your Car To [Volume 1] - Mötley Crüe

I have all the albums on their own, of course, but I kept these collections in here for the bonus songs (after removing the full albums). And in this case, it features the original mix of Too Fast For Love. Which I had never heard until this release. And I gotta say... it is better! Mostly; Vince's voice has either been processed more or re-recorded in parts on the re-release, and there are some musical changes that I prefer (like the intro to Too Fast For Love - I like it just kicking without whatever they had going on here). And I am probably more used to the re-release tracklist/order. So... not really better just different? There are demos and stuff for the next 3 albums as well. Obviously, the demos are not as good as the studio versions. But this instrumental of Wild Side sure does reaffirm for me that it is one of the Crue's best songs.

Highlights: Toast of the Town, Rodeo, Tonight, Piece Of Your Action (Leathur Original Mix), Live Wire (Leathur Original Mix)

7/10

Music to Crash Your Car To [Volume 1] - Mötley Crüe

And we keep the party rolling! The original lyrics of Dr. Feelgood are hilariously bad. And "Ooh! Aah! Kickstart my heart!" is even funnier. I cannot imagine a world where Dr. Feelgood would have been so successful, had they not changed these songs for the better. Especially this gawdawful church organ in Time for Change. Then we get a bunch of random actual songs that are mostly kickass. Especially the ones from Decade of Decadence. 

Highlights: Say Yeah, Hypnotize, Primal Scream, Rock'n Roll Junkie, Angela, Anarchy in the U.K.

7/10

Musicology - Prince

School is in! This just a straight-up no-nonsense album, full of funky cuts, bluesy guitars and sexy jams. About as "classic Prince" as you could ever imagine from the man in 2004.

Highlights: Call My Name, If Eye Was the Man in Your Life, The Marrying Kind, Refletion

8/10

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Kanye West

This is the album of a millionty cameos. Oh look - here comes Alicia Keys to just shout "Whoa-whoa" and here is Elton John to sing three words! This is also the only Nicki Minaj rap that was ever any good. Meanwhile, Kanye is just even grosser than usual. And Jay-Z embarrasses him on his own songs, again. Twice, even!

Highlights: Power, All of the Lights, So Appalled, Runaway

7.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1140

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2025 in 2025: Day 109

L is for LOGMAN makes poor life choices...

L7 - L7

Angry yelling. Budget recording. Bad guitar solos. And I would not want L7 to be anything else. 

Highlights: Runnin' from the Law, It's Not You, Ms. 45

6.5/10

Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke

Oh a New Zealand artist, you say? And one I actually think is somewhat decent, you further elaborate?!? Pop-rock filled with dance beats and synth solos like it is 1989 is exactly the type of pop-rock people should have been making in 2009. And they were in abundance. 

Highlights: My Delirium, Magic, Another Runaway, Crazy World

7/10

Lagered: The Sixth Pack - Sample Gee

Kids today do not understand the cultural epicentre that were the Lagered albums. Which means I hated the idea of them and only ended up with this one when my older brother abandoned his compact disc collection. Look, teenage LOGMAN was different, okay? It is all just one big remix and it is totally fine and probably good for dancing to.

Highlights: It is all one big dance song, yo!

6/10

Last Action Hero: Music from the Original Motion Picture - Various Artists

The movie that killed Arnie's career as an A-lister also gave us a very cool soundtrack, featuring a mix of rock; hard rock, classic rock, epic orchestral rock, new rock, metal rock and... hip-hop. Because Cypress Hill do what they want! Fishbone are such a confusing band, I clearly need to hear more of them. Particularly the funky stuff like Everyday Sunshine (which is not on this album).

Highlights: Dream On (Live) - Aerosmith, What The Hell Have I - Alice In Chains, Poison My Eyes - Anthrax, Cock the Hammer - Cypress Hill

7/10

Last Stand - Cold Chisel

Cold Chisel celebrating their final tour until the end of the 90s - so maybe 15 years? Must have been one hell of a farewell tour, because Barnesy sounds tired and his voice is shot!

Highlights: Standing on the Outside, Cheap Wine, Don't Let Go, Bow River

6.5/10

The Last Starfighter: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Craig Safan

Many variations of the main title theme, which is totally fine with me, because it is beautiful. Everything here is so triumphant sounding. But, man, there be some serious spoilers in the song titles!

Highlights: Main Title, Target Practice, Big Victory March/Alex Returns, Into the Starscape

8/10 

The Last Temptation of Ice - Ice-T

This is mostly remixes of the Home Invasion album. I think. It is decent angry hip-hop. Ice-T knows how to tell stories.

Highlights: I Ain't New to This (Radio Edit),  Racewar (Full Muthaf**kin' Assassin Remix) (Explicit), Ricochet

7/10

The Last Wave of Summer - Cold Chisel

Oh, and here is their reunion album! And it does actually feel like Cold Chisel - just a bit older. 

Hard to believe they have now released almost the same amount of albums post-reunion as they did before they split!

Highlights: Way Down, Angel in My Room, So Hard, Once Around the Sun

7/10

Late Registration - Kanye West

I will take some solace in the fact that Jay-Z completely upstages West on his own album, once again. Wild this dude made a recurring theme of his first albums to make fun of black people wanting to get an education and we all just went along with it.

Highlights: Diamonds from Sierra Leone [Remix feat. Jay-Z], We Major, Touch the Sky, We Can Make It Better

7/10

LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem

This band was soooo much better when it was just James Murphy being his own pretentious self, instead of an actual band full of pretentious hipsters. Anyways this album is the ultimate indie-dance-punk-disco groove with goofy lyrics and a bonus disc that is actually longer than the album itself. Good times. Imagine having Daft Punk actually play at your house...

Highlights: Daft Punk is Playing at My House, Tribulations, Disco Infiltrator, Losing My Edge, Yr City's a Sucker

9/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 951

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2025 in 2025: Day 106

The K&D Sessions - Kruder & Dorfmeister

Super chill remix kind of album? Very chill. Very long. Did I mention it is chill? I am not the most chill, personally, so probably good for me to listen to stuff like this once in a while during work.

Highlights: Bug Powder Dust - Bomb the Bass, 1st of tha Month - Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

6/10

Kala - M.I.A.

Yeah, this just kind of meanders around with weird things sticking out; like little kids trying to sound like hard gangsters rapping and a whole lot of guns being cocked. Then I remember she started a clothing line that "blocks the transmission of 5G" or some nonsense. What a rebel.

Highlights: BirdFlu, Paper Planes, Come Around

6/10

Kamasutra - Prince

A full on jazz-influenced instrumental album. Composed by Prince for his wedding. It is mostly fine and gets a bit bombastic in parts.

Highlights: Promise Broken, Barcelona, Kamasutra Overture #8

6.5/10

Kamikaze - Twister

This is only Overnight Celebrity. I added this to my collection back when Kanye West was great and Twister was interesting. Somewhat.

7/10

Kasabian - Kasabian

Dirty indie electro rock form the mid-00s. The opening to Club Foot is awesome. These guys kind of reminded me of Manbreak when they came out. I almost thought maybe this was the band they had grown in to.

Highlights: Reason is Treason, Club Foot, Orange, Cutt Off

7/10

Keep the Faith - Bon Jovi

Finally a VERY good album today! I genuinely think this may be Bon Jovi's second greatest album (let us see what I think when I finally make it to Slippery When Wet). Sambora's lead work on the whole thing is epic, but particularly on Dry County. Dude slayed it on that one! 

Highlights: I Believe, Keep the Faith, In These Arms, Dry County

8/10

Keep the Faith [Live Bonus Disc] - Bon Jovi

So I am guessing I actually have the original special edition of this album? Which would explain why that CD sounds so good (no bad remastering). It may surprise you to hear that these live versions are all inferior to their studio counterparts.

Highlights: Blaze of Glory, Keep the Faith, I'll Be There For You

7/10

Keeper of the Flame - the HIATUS

Much more synths and some of the songs are quite same-samey, but within them are some genuinely beautiful moments. And some really good songs!

Highlights: Tales of Sorrow Street, Unhurt, Sunset Off the Coastline, Don't Follow the Crowd, Burn to Shine

7/10

Kerplunk! - Green Day

Still small-time indie-label Green Day. Kind of fun hearing a budget version of Welcome to Paradise. They certainly work WAY better as a well-produced pop-punk group, to me. But this is still a lot of fun. 

Highlights: 2000 Light Years Away, One of My Lies, 80, One for the Razorbacks

6.5/10

Khaki Time Portal - Rhoda Ro

Dearfawkinggawdwhataday.

Highlights: I did actually burst out in extreme laughter when Kentucky Sunrise Holler caught me off guard

MINUS FIVE STARS

"Albums" listened to so far: 918

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2025 in 2025: Day 84

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John

Fun fact: back when I studied video production, I made it a point to include a song from this album on every video project I made - even if it was just a snippet. It felt like the right thing to do at the time. Bah gawd that opening run of four songs is legendary. There are actually a whole bunch of killer guitar riffs throughout this whole thing.

Highlights: Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, Bennie and the Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting

8/10

Goodies - Ciara

This is simply the song 1,2 Step and I have that because of Missy Elliot. Because when Missy is writing and producing your song, LOGMAN has got to have it.

7/10

Graduation - Kanye West

With all the nonsense going on in the world, it gets harder and harder to not just overlook how much of complete clown Kanye West is, but not have that completely infect his previous music. Like, I have not listened to anything he has released in probably 10 years now. Because he is a piece of shit. Having him still in my library while doing this is not only a chore, but just feels like going against principles in a way. I could have replaced these albums with music by someone better. I have never heard Kneecap, but they are all over the social media these days because of their outspoken Free Palestine activism. They would deserve a listen far more than this clownshoes. Fuck Kanye West.

Highlights: Stronger, Good Life, Can't Tell Me Nothing, Barry Bonds, Big Brother

8.5/10

Graffiti Bridge - Prince

Oh my this is funky! The movie is fine, but the musical performances in it are all very enjoyable. So it makes sense that the soundtrack is great. It never stops being funny hearing We Can Funk after hearing the original version (it is twice as long and he used a very different F word).

Highlights: New Power Generation, We Can Funk, Joy In Repetition, Thieves in the Temple, Graffiti Bridge

8/10

Grand World - Cool For August

This is album #700! My biggest opinion of this album is that the singer has a strange voice, but if you can get past it, he expresses quite a lot of passion and the songs themselves are very good, in a late 90s alt-style radio rock kind of way. That may not make sense... Anyways, this was probably one of my favourite albums around 1999-2002 and listening now I had almost forgotten how outstanding this actually is.

Highlights: Don't Wanna Be Here, Walk Away, Denial, Sylmar, Spinning

9/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 700

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2025 in 2025: Day 60

E.T. (feat. Kanye West) [Single] - Katy Perry

Even when I didn't think Kanye was a nutjob that should be ignored, I preferred the album version of this song. And I felt very awkward rapping his part in front of little kids. 

8/10

E=MC² - Mariah Carey

I remember the video for Touch My Body being completely hilarious. That intro for Side Effects sounds like the opening for a song by The Lonely Island. I do enjoy that all throughout this album some dude just keeps randomly yelling "M.C." And what does "O.O.C." stand for?

Highlights: Touch My Body, Cruise Control, I'm That Chick, Last Kiss, Thanx 4 Nothin'

7/10

Early Takes - George Harrison

Acoustic demos and alternate takes, mostly from the All Things Must Pass sessions. The acoustic takes are good for more of a focus on the lyrics and George's singing. These definitely showcase how great he actually was.

Highlights: I'd Have You Anytime [Early Take], All Things Must Pass [Demo], My Sweet Lord [Demo], Mama You've Been on My Mind [Demo], Woman Don't You Cry For Me [Early Take]

8/10

Earthling - David Bowie

Little Wonder is so schizophrenic; when it came out, I actually could not get past the verses, which is sad because if I had I would have realised how great that 'chorus' is. I'm Afraid of Americans never stops being awesome and just gets truer every day. This album is WAY betterer than I have ever given it credit for.

Highlights: Seven Years in Tibet, I'm Afraid of Americans, Looking For Satellites, Battle For Britain (The Letter)

8/10

East - Cold Chisel

The most classic Australian rock album by the most classic Australian rock band. And I feel like Cheap Wine might even be the most classic Australian rock song?

Highlights: Standing on the Outside, My Baby, Cheap Wine, My Turn to Cry

7.5/10

East of the Sun, West of the Moon - a-ha

This is certainly not their finest hour.

Highlights: Slender Frame, Cold River, Rolling Thunder, (Seemingly) Nonstop July

6/10

East Side Story - DJ Reggie

Not even this delicious bottle Pepsi Zero Peach can make me understand how I thought this was fun.

Highlights: Revenge of the Ninja, Kick Em' in the Dungeon

3.5/10

Easy Tiger - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals

Look, I can be fair to this guy and still say that his songs are great when they are. And some of these songs are absolutely brilliant. Two features probably his most honest line ever. My only criticism is going to be the drums, because they sound blurgh. But gawdam the harmonies and vocals are very good. Actually, the more truthful line is in These Girls: "These girls are better off in my head". Any woman would be better off not dealing with you in real life, buddy!

Highlights: Goodnight Rose, Two, Oh My God Whatever Etc., The Sun Also Sets, I Taught Myself How to Grow Old

8/10

Easy Tiger Rarities - Ryan Adams

These are fine, I guess? One of the songs was actually re-released with a different title, but there is absolutely no difference between the two except for the title.

Highlights: Alice

6/10

echo - CHARA+YUKI

Two indie pop queens uniting to make an E.P. - 20 years in the making, since they actually recorded the first song back in 1999. And I'm pretty sure they were in a punk band together around then? Anyways, lucky for me, YUKI seems to drive this or at least it all sounds like a YUKI kind of album. And the good kind, too.

Highlights: 愛の火 3つ オレンジ (2020version), 楽しい蹴伸び, Night Track, echo

8.5/10

Echo - Leona Lewis

Gawdam whatta voice! And mostly great songs... that all sound the same. So if you want epic pop songs with massive vocals, then this is a great album. I like those things, so thumbs up from me! Even an Oasis cover thrown in for fun? And yes, that was also epic (though I probably prefer the Oasis version, because Liam's voice not so perfect).

Highlights: Happy, I Got You, My Hands, Broken, Lost Then Found

7.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 485

2025 in 2025: Day 39

The College Dropout - Kanye West

I haven't listened to this in forever and I forgot how much Kanye thought he was some sort of prophet or something; this album is all about his love for Jesus and how he is here to preach to us all about Jesus. But also preach to us about how awesome he is, so that should have been a warning right there. I also forgot that Kanye was always a dirty dude. Song-wise, I think this might be his most accessible album? Most consistent? Feels like there are skits between every song, though. The dude stumbling over his lines in the School Spirit skit is hilarious. And what is up with the censoring on this album? One minute a word is fine, but in the next song, that same word is not allowed? I have no hesitation saying Two Words is the best song Kanye has ever done. I seem to have a lot of songs where Freeway appears and kicks some butt.

Highlights: Never Let Me Down, Two Words, School Spirit

8/10

Collision Course - Jay-Z & Linkin Park

Is this the greatest mash-up album of all time? Mike Shinoda genuinely seems like the coolest dude and the fact he put this together is proof. The Jigga What/Faint transition is totally smooth. The funniest part of the making of to me was Jay-Z telling Chester Bennington to just be himself, and then during the live performance Chester is trying to act all hip-hop and it just comes across as incredibly cringe and try-hard. Dude should have listened Jay-Z and maybe he wouldn't have killed himself. 

Highlights: Dirt Off Your Shoulder/Lying from You, Numb/Encore

9/10

COLORFUL POP - E-Girls

I picked this up for as cheap as I could find, purely for the song A S A P; it is used as the ending song for possibly the funniest movie I have ever seen, and it is so fun there I needed it in my collection. The rest of the album is just... somewhat disposable? There is a Bananarama cover, so that's something...

Highlights: A S A P, I'm sure I liked this album more when I first got it?

5.5/10

colors - mol-74

This is some super chill indie pop rock. Very lo-fi, very easy to listen to. Not really much else going on?

Highlights: yellow, fears

7/10

Colours - Ayumi Hamasaki

Ayu spells words correctly! I genuinely love this album; it's just about as dancey and poppy as Ayu could possibly be. No interludes. Just 10 tracks of great music. The extreme EDM parts make me think this is what she really wanted for Party Queen, but I don't know. But I do know that Pray is one of her greatest ballads. 

Highlights: Pray, NOW & 4EVA, XOXO, Terminal

8/10

Combat Rock - The Clash

This album is so far removed from where The Clash started, I can't even begin to explain it properly. One of the most interesting aspects to them as a band, to me, is how much they deviated from the normal 'punk rock' style once they got big; they could have easily kept doing the same sort of music, but instead they veered off and just soaked up inspiration from everywhere. All while still expressing the same anti-authority left-wing punk ideologies in their lyrics. Musically, this album doesn't do a lot for me, but I respect what they were doing.

Highlights: Should I Stay or Should I Go?, Rock The Casbah, Overpowered By Funk

6/10

Come And See - Manbreak

Late 90s UK white dudes thinking they are hard rap-rock gangsters. Something like that, anyways. You would think with a comment like that I think this is lame, but no - I actually dig this album, it is just fun to make fun of that whole Britpop scene. In fact, it might be the weather or the fact I just had a nice strong cacao + matcha drink, but this album is exponentially better than I remembered. Clearly I should listen to this a lot more.

Highlights: Morning, News of the World, Round and Round, Cut Ups

7/10

COME BACK TO 19 - The Tomboys

Huh, I just found that The Tomboys split about 6 months ago. That's a shame, but they had been together for like 11 years, so it happens. This is probably their catchiest collection of tunes. It's the shortest, that is certain. 

Highlights: Please Remember Me, Dream Box, Theme of THE TOMBOYS

7/10

Come Pick Me Up (alternate take) - Ryan Adams

I think this was some RSD release, that then got released on iTunes. It is two songs in vastly inferior versions - including the cliched punk ending to Come Pick Me Up. I'm fairly sick of that song, anyways, so this does nothing for me. I would prefer more Tomboys fun...

Highlights: it was short

4/10

Come With Us - The Chemical Brothers

Now these are songs I could never get sick of! I actually used the name Star Guitar for any electronic music I made - which was mostly remixes of my own music. I know nothing about making good electronic music. Luckily, The Chemical Brothers know all about making good electronic music. And this album is 10 tracks of the finest electronic music possible. There are some hard-hitting house style beats and some glorious chillout jams and it is all so sooo good. I know it is a DJ thing, but I have always loved the way these dudes transition so seamlessly to each new track. Shout out to Richard Ashcroft for keeping the Britpop connection alive and delivering the coolest vocals.

Highlights: Galaxy Bounce, The Test, My Elastic Eye, Star Guitar

9/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 330

2025 in 2025: Day 26

The Blueprint - Jay-Z

By Prime, what an album to start my day. This album is just pure cool Jay-Z; before the dreads and becoming a billionaire, so he still had stuff to talk about (like rocking bucket hats and having girls all over the country) and the production is tight as hell. Back when Eminem was good. Also, legendary beefs getting addressed. Takeover is a badass diss track - that last line telling a bunch of dudes they only worth half a bar is priceless. I sometimes wish Kanye West had just stuck to being a producer and help create awesome jams like that and Heart of the City. Where would we all be now...

Highlights: Takeover, Izzo (H.O.V.A.), Heart of the City (Ain't No Love), Renegade [w/Eminem]

9/10

The Blueprint 2 - Jay-Z

A Dream might well be my favourite opening track on a hip-hop album. The rest of this album really could have been trimmed down from a 2-disc set and made in to one solid disc instead. 

Highlights: A Dream [Ft. Faith Evans & Notorious B.I.G.], Guns & Roses [w/Lenny Kravitz]

7/10

The Blues Brothers: Original Soundtrack Recording - The Blues Brothers

The Blues Brothers is one of the greatest movies ever made. And the soundtrack is a lot of fun. Who would have known two comedians could get together with legends like James Brown and Aretha Franklin and some of the greatest studio musicians ever and bang out some soul classics like this?

Highlights: She Caught the Katy, Gimme Some Lovin', Shake a Tail Feather, Think

7/10

Bodyswerve - Jimmy Barnes

Jimmy's debut album! I'm pretty sure I've barely listened to this; a lot of the songs appeared as either Cold Chisel songs or were re-recorded/remixed for For the Working Class Man and those sound much better. I think the mastering on this album is giving me a headache - some real harsh top-end going on.

Highlights: No Second Prize, Fire, World's On Fire

6.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 216