2025 in 2025: Day 113

Lifeblood - Manic Street Preachers

The Manics go all adult lo-fi rock like they have been listening to Keane and The Cardigans all summer. Luckily they still write good songs, so I am more of the opinion that this album is underrated and underappreciated. Without actually being memorable or anything.

Highlights: 1985, Empty Souls, I Live to Fall Asleep, Always/Never

7/10

Lifelines - a-ha

What is it with today and this adult radio rock and music from the mid-00s? This might well be the most consistent a-ha album I have listened to yet. Does that maybe say something about me?

Highlights: White Canvas, Forever Not Yours, There's a Reason for it

6.5/10

Light Years - Kylie Minogue

This was Kylie's comeback album. Which is crazy. And it was the start of a period where she just known to always be wearing short shorts. I just wanted her to keep making dancey-disco pop - short shorts or not.

Highlights: Spinning Around, Kids

7/10

Lipstick Traces: A Secret History of Manic Street Preachers - Manic Street Preachers

A large collection of b-sides and rarities. Large. Too large. There are some killer tracks hidden in here - and they seem to be more of the modern ones. But I assure you they are buried in a lot of less than special stuff. The second disc is mostly covers, which range from G'n'R classics to punk rock classics to... Wham!

Highlights: 4 Ever Delayed, Judge Yr'self, Just a Kid, Take the Skinheads Bowling

6.5/10

Listen to the Music: The Very Best of the Doobie Brothers - Doobie Brothers

I do not have the full collection, but this sure is a good reminder that I should correct that one day. Such a strange combination of Southern Rock, funk and beautiful harmonies.

Highlights: Listen to the Music, Long Train Runnin'

8/10

Little Fish: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Various Artists

Nope, not really. This is purely Sarah Blasko's cover of Cold Chisel's Flame Trees. It is a rather brilliant interpretation. Sarah Blasko is good like that.

9/10

A Little More Personal (Raw) - Lindsay Lohan

I am unapologetically a fan of LiLo and her singing career, because this album is solid. A bold mix of heartfelt ballads, pop rock, and dare I say darker emo? Honestly, the only misstep on this whole album is the cover of Edge of Seventeen - which hilariously ends with the bass on the wrong note before stopping abrubtly. Possibly cut off? Or they forgot to add that last midi note?

Highlights: Confessions of a Broken Heart (Daughter to Father), If It's Alright, A Beautiful Life (La Bella Vita), I Live for the Day, Black Hole

8/10

A Little South of Sanity - Aerosmith

Oh, time for us to start all these live albums, huh? Sure... Musically, this album is seriously awesome. The songs are all full of energy. Vocally, Tyler is still pretty great, but his voice just clearly gets tired halfway through. And he struggles with some high notes from the jump. But otherwise, this is a very solid album showing a legendary rock group just past their prime and well before they turned into a group of old ladies.

Highlights: Eat the Rich, Love in an Elevator, Dude (Looks Like a Lady), Walk This Way

7/10

Live - Noel Gallagher

This is some random live version of Don't Go Away, performed by Noel Gallagher on acoustic guitar. It is fine, but not exactly mandatory listening.

7/10

Live - Temple of the Dog

This is a random audience recording of Hunger Strike from a Lollapalooza in 1992. I would like a better recording, because Chris Cornell absolutely shreds those high notes and it is epic.

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 985

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2025 in 2025: Day 108

Kiss - Dara [ft. CL]

Half of 2NE1 unite to thrown down some killer K-Pop. They should have done more together. Or just bring back 2NE1 forever?

8/10

Kiss - Kiss

I have written about this album. Twice. Kiss rock.

Highlights: Black Diamond, 100,000 Years, Deuce, Cold Gin, Strutter

8/10

Kiss (Deluxe Edition) - Carly Rae Jepsen

Girly bubblegum pop and it feels so good. If I gave my wife a guitar string to wrap around her finger instead of an actual wedding ring, I think the wedding would have been immediately cancelled. Also, that would be mighty uncomfortable. Honestly, if you are on a tight budget, there are always genuine ring options that are quite affordable. No need to settle for some hacked nickel wire.

Highlights: Call Me Maybe, Good Time, More Than a Memory, Almost Said It

7/10

Kiss from the Darkness - SCANDAL

The coolest ex-idol ladies continuing their growth with a very mature-sounding album. Exploring different soundscapes, but not abandoning their pop roots at all. And then kicking it up to 11 on a few songs. A.M.D.K.J. absolutely stomps harder than almost anything else they have ever done! 

Highlights: A.M.D.K.J., 最終兵器、君, 月, セラミックブルー

8/10

Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me - The Cure

The Cure doing what The Cure do best; a mix of 80s pop with long dark synth driven stuff as well. Except the album kinda drags a bit and the last half is definitely not as good as the first, but the pop songs here are immaculate. Shiver and Shake is the funnest diss track, where the person being dissed is performing on the recording. Very Fleetwood Mac of Robert Smith, there.

Highlights: Just Like Heaven, Hey You!, Why Can't I Be You?, The Kiss

8/10

That is enough kissing for today!

Knee Deep in the Hoopla - Starship

Naturally, this is purely We Built This City. Awesome song. So many internets losers call this the worst song ever or some bullshit. Clearly they need to listen to more music, because this is actually one of the best!

10/10

Know Your Enemy - Manic Street Preachers

How do you follow up an album that breaks you through to a worldwide number one by playing it incredibly safe? Why, make an album that sounds like an absolute mess, of course! Some of the songs rock really hard underneath all the noise and calamity. So it all gets a tick from me. Plus I have the special edition that tacks on one of their finest singles ever. I really should get the reissue of this and find out how it compares, because I believe it has all been remixed and re-sequenced - interesting to see what difference it makes.

Highlights: The Masses Against the Classes, Dead Martyrs, Found That Soul, Freedom of Speech Won't Feed My Children

6.5/10

Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge - Alan Partridge

This is the radio show, which preceded the hilarious TV show. And like the TV show, the episode where he takes it on the road is top stuff. 

Highlights: Alan interviews Conrad Knight & Sally Hoff, Alan and Tony Hayers take calls live on air, Alan is tricked into snorting coke live on air by "France's second best F1 racing driver", Lord Morgan of Glossop 

9/10

Концерт - Billy Joel

Billy Joel live in Russia. I watched this concert a billion times on video when I was a child. I remember thinking it was super cool. Also remember the video ran out right near the end of Big Shot, so here I am almost 40 years later still wondering if Billy Joel jumped off his piano at the end...

Highlights: Goodnight Saigon, Allentown, Angry Young Man, Big Shot

7/10

KoЯn - KoЯn

This album is so much tighter and well-made than anything else these goofs ever attempted. 14 year-old LOGMAN thought it was kind of cool, which is probably why these guys are still in my library. There is a lot of latent homophobia going on here. And dumb shit that appeals to teenage boys, I guess.

Highlights: Need To, Divine, Ball Tongue, Helmet in the Bush

6.5/10

Kotten - Kotten

I do not even know where this fits, stylistically. It is kind of alt. country, but more standard and less country? So, more pop rock, without rocking and no hooks? Ryan Adam got better, but also simultaneously worse!

Highlights: Unknown 3, Unknown 4

6/10

Krystal Meyers - Krystal Meyers

Christian rock's answer to Avril Lavigne (this was released back when she was popular). In fact, I think the latter even co-wrote a song on this album. What does she know about Christian music? Or making good music, even? That coda in The Way to Begin is better than anything Avril could ever hope to write. Honestly, take out the cringe pockets of religious babble and this album would be an above average angsty teen girl bop.

Highlights: The Way to Begin, Fall to Pieces, My Savior

6/10

Kylie Minogue: Greatest Hits - Kylie Minogue

As much as she has some great tracks, this is purely a remix of I Should Be So Lucky. Which is crazy. I loved this song when it came out. She was popular as a pop star here before we even saw her on Neighbours!

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 941

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2025 in 2025: Day 71

Feast on Scraps - Alanis Morissette

This is a bunch of outtakes from the Under Rug Swept sessions. They are kind of good; fairly typical of the time, but certainly there is a reason they did not make the cut for the album.

Highlights: Fear of Bliss, Sister Blister, Offer, Unprodigal Daughter

7/10

February Son - Oleander

This is only the song I Walk Alone. Which is super awesome and I have no idea why I have never heard any other songs from this album or by this band.

10/10

Feel gHood Muzik : The 8th Wonder - Drunken Tiger

How do I have so much more Korean hip-hop than Japanese? And I have quite a bit of this dude. Especially considering this is a double-album. The lyrics in English are... bad. I am not exaggerating; lines like "A little bump'n grind is fine so long as I don't pee on you". And there are a whole lot of references to American hip-hop songs - sometimes it is pretty silly. Otherwise, this album is surprisingly groovy and I really dig it! Also points for a shoutout to JMJ.

Highlights: Rebel Music, Partner, Feel Good Music, Don't Cry, Guitar Missing the 6th String

7/10

Feel Inside (And Stuff Like That) [Single] - Flight of the Conchords

New Zealand's answer to Band Aid and USA For Africa. Except a million times more hilarious.

8/10

Feel the Laser - WereWolph

Best metal opening riff possible. Did he say margarine is haunting a school?? I don't think this dude should be mocking Ben Affleck and Matt Damon - they still have careers! This is mostly terrible, but also mostly quite fun?

Highlights: Evil Weekend, Dead People Unite and Take Over, Pink is NOT Your Color

5/10

Fever - Kylie Minogue

This has got to be one of Kylie's most solid albums; the pure pop disco of this thing is just off the hook! Pretty sure kids still say that these days. Also, let's be real - hottest album cover of all time.

Highlights: Love at First Sight, Can't Get You Out of My Head, Give It To Me, Love Affair, Your Love

8/10

Fight the Tide - Sanctus Real

Christian emo. It was really big with Christians in the mid-00s. Might be still? Some of it is still not too bad; if you ignore they singing undying love for a zombie and telling you how to be better person, then it is all good.

Highlights: Everything About You, The Fight Song, Alone

5/10

Fille! Fille! Fille! - 南波志帆

It is 1967. You are sitting in a bar in Hiroshima, smoking and drinking a strong beverage. Except it is 2018 and you do none of those things, but the soundtrack is the same. Except dreamier.

Highlights: Fille! Fille! Fille!, テリトリー

6/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 566