2025 in 2025: Day 134

Nine Lives - Aerosmith

I loved this album back in 1997, but then it fell out of favour with me, your hero, LOGMAN. Well, today I will say it is certainly better than I remember. Hole in My Soul is maybe worse than I remember? So corny - and not in the usual way I like. I guess this was the start of them writing trite ballads and thinking that was all they needed to do. But yeah, this album feels kind of like an end of an era, while also being the start of another. 

Highlights: Ain't That a Bitch, Full Circle, Fallen Angels, Attitude Adjustment

7/10

Nirvana - Nirvana

Really, just call it a best of or greatest hits and call it day, guys! And IMO you could have left the Unplugged tracks in your suitcase. 

Highlights: You Know You're Right, Heart-Shaped Box, Pennyroyal Tea

8/10

No Code - Pearl Jam

Is this some sort of 90s morning? Edgelord LOGMAN always said this was the best Pearl Jam album, back when Pearl Jam was his favourite band. I am not sure how much edge someone has to consider this band to be the best - and especially an album as bland as this. Sure, there are a couple of really stand out moments, but the rest is just... here. Eddie Vedder is at his mumbley worst for half the time. And where the hell was Mike McCready?

Highlights: In My Tree, Present Tense, Habit, Who You Are

7/10

No Jacket Required - Phil Collins

I only have two songs from this album. By this point my 80s cred is in negative balance. In my defence, these are absolutely killer songs. Certainly an album that I need to complete at some point.

Highlights: Don't Lose My Number, Take Me Home

10/10

No Name Face - Lifehouse

Just... yawn. Their best song is not even on this album.

Highlights: Hanging By a Moment

6/10

No Shadow (Paxam Singles Series, Vol. 5) - Ryan Adams

When he stole my title, I knew it was all over. For both of us. No Shadow is just classic moody DRA. It's In My Head is very R.E.M. Stoned Alone is just trash.

Highlights: No Shadow, It's In My Head

6.5/10

No Way Out - Puff Daddy & The Family

So this is just I'll Be Missing You and it sure hits differently on a day when Puff Daddy has been sentenced to prison for being a bad, bad person. 

8/10

No. 4 - Stone Temple Pilots

This is a bit heavier and kind of reminds me of Core... just not as good. Like, really not as good. It is all fine and totally listenable, but there is nothing even resembling a hook anywhere to be found.

Highlights: Down, Pruno, Sex & Violence

6.5/10

NON TiE UP [Single] - BiSH

Bah gawd, this song is one massive epic angry and lewd sonic assault. It absolutely crushes. The "b-side" is suitably odd - like some sort of jazz fuzion thing, without losing the BiSH sound.

Highlights: NON TiE-UP, SHA!!HA!!NUA!!Ah.SHI!!ITE.

9/10

Non Zero Sumness - Planet Funk

This is purely the song Who Said (Stuck in the UK). Much like The Music, it is UK indie dance rock - with more emphasis on the dance part. It is a certified banger!

9/10

Non-Album Tracks - L7

Not sure where these all came from, but they are mostly great songs and a little more polished than your usual L7 recordings. Well, some are. Some are the usual lo-fi budget recordings I expect and long for. Mostly covers made to sound like L7.

Highlights: Gas Chamber, This Ain't the Summer of Love

6/10

Non-Album Tracks - Eminem

I do not know where Stimulate came from, but kids these days will never the pain of downloading The Kids off Napster and it would say it was the 'uncensored' version, but then you would listen and of course it would still be censored!

7/10

Non-Album Tracks - Heather Nova

A whole bunch of demos and live songs - I think she gave these out free for buying one of her albums? Or just for kicks? Some are interesting. It is all very acoustic and very chill.

Highlights: Stayin' Alive [Live in Copenhagen 2001], Throwing Fire at the Sun [Live in Japan 1995]

6/10

Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret - Soft Cell

It is only Tainted Love. I still have some 80s cred? Maybe?

8/10

Nonfiction [Single] - Ayumi Hamasaki

A total dance bop. Ayu's voice is frustrating in parts, but the production is so basic that it just makes you want to strut like a sexy bitch.

8/10

Most of today was NO or NON. A lot of negativity for one day...

"Albums" listened to so far: 1190

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2025 in 2025: Day 132

Neon Nights - Danni Minogue

Kylie was all the rage again, so it made sense for Danni to get it on the action as well. This album is a tour de force of discofied electro pop. And, honestly, it defies expectations. Non-stop groove. The mashups are suspiciously well done, also.

Highlights: Hey! (So What), Come and Get It, Put the Needle On It, Creep, I Begin to Wonder

7.5/10

Never a Dull Moment - Tommy Lee

He totally should have billed himself as Tömmy Lee. It is all fairly generic modern hard rock. Like Foo Fighters meets Limp Bizkit doing a... Bowie cover. That last part is for real. I am not sure why, but I genuinely expected better from Mr. Lee. Still, better than any other solo album other Crüe members have released since 1993...

Highlights: Fame 02, Blue, Higher

6/10

Never Take Friendship Personal - Anberlin

Time for some mid-00s christian emo! Such an oxymoron. Or just a bunch of morons? That criticism aside, this is just classic emo rock. Some great riffs and cool screams. Lyrics get a bit pretentious, like most emo, but generally the melodies are on point. I will attest until my dying days that I could have improved A Day Late if they had recorded with me in the booth; the chorus just needed a little vocal repeat in the hook and it would have been perfect. Producer LOGMAN always knows best. Lyrics for that song, though, are super cringe; you are a happy christian man with "a lover" wondering what it would have been like to been "lovers" with your friend? Keep that to yourself, buddy! The first 15 seconds of Time & Confusion are killer. Maybe this album just hits me as something that had great potential and falls just short and that is what gets such a reaction from me? Is that the story of my morning so far?? Why am I writing so much about this album?!?

Highlights: Dance Dance Christa Päffgen, The Feel Good Drag, Time & Confusion, Paperthin Hymn

7/10

Nevermind - Nirvana

I want to hate this album. I want to tell you it is overrated and Nirvana are lame. I want to tell you grunge is lame. I want to tell you all sorts of edgelord nonsense. I really do! But by the time that first pre-chorus builds and the chorus explodes in Smells Like Teen Spirit, there is no use pretending. I know the truth. You know the truth. We all know the truth. I have the Butch Vig mix and it being the superior mix is the hill I will die on.

Highlights: Lounge Act, On a Plain, Stay Away, In Bloom

9/10

New Adventures in Hi-Fi - R.E.M.

New adventures in Ebow! This album is a bit more palatable than Monster, and certainly a bit more relaxed. And Peter Buck clearly just discovered how to use an Ebow.

Highlights: The Wake-Up Bomb, E-Bow the Letter, Leave, Bittersweet Me

6.5/10

New Clear Days - The Vapors

This is only the song Turning Japanese. Very appropriate. Give me more Japanese rock instead, please.

8/10

The New Golden Age (Live At Coachella 2008) - Prince

So this actually opens with Prince live on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, performing Turn Me Loose, before launching in to a listenable bootleg of Prince performing at Coachella. A fantastic mix of classics and newer material, and a whole barrel of covers done VERY well. And HOLY BUDDY CHRIST OF DOG RIVER not only is the band in good form, but Prince's guitar playing just puts everyone to shame. I thought his solo in Creep - yes, the Radiohead song - was amazing, but then he pulled out some sort of Hendrix-inspired blues solo jamming in Come Together and my face melted and I am dead. My corpse is going to finish my bLog for me.

Highlights: Come Together, Creep, Purple Rain, Turn Me Loose, Controversy/Housequake

8/10

New Jersey - Bon Jovi

This album is better than it has any right to be; I do not think there is another album of the 1980s that even comes close to achieving what Bon Jovi did here. Almost everything is epic in nature, without sounding overblown or overproduced. If you are looking for some of the best straight up rock songs Bon Jovi ever recorded, or the best power ballads they ever recorded, then this is the place to come. There is not a bad moment on the whole darn thing. Not even an average one!

Highlights: Stick to Your Guns, Wild is the Wind, I'll Be There For You, Blood on Blood - but really, just listen to the whole album

10/10

New Tattoo - Mötley Crüe

The Crüe return without all that modern nonsense of Generation Swine - including that awesome drummer of theirs, because Tommy hated them too much and wanted to make rap-rock instead. Things are still showing hints of punk, but it is more radio rock than anything. Definitely nothing as heavy as Dr. Feelgood or where they have headed since.

Highlights: Hell on High Heels, First Band on the Moon, She Needs Rock N Roll, Fake

7/10

New World Disorder - Biohazard

The title is like what happened in WCW when we had the New World Order Black & White, New World Order Wolfpac, and the Latino World Order. Fun times were had by all! Interestingly, this album came out around the same time all that was happening! All this anger at politicians and war and fascism and the general state of the world makes for the perfect soundtrack while tracking the Sumud Flotilla and watching activists get arrested by a terrorist regime.

Highlights: Switchback, Cycle of Abuse, Inner Fear On, Resist

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1165

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2025 in 2025: Day 116

Live in Tokyo, Japan (Nakano Sunplaza, February 19, 1992) - Nirvana

This was the only live show from the 20th Anniversary release of Nevermind that I kept. Because no one needs that many Nirvana concerts in their collection. Hell, I am not sure I even need one Nirvana concert in my collection.

Highlights: Lots of feedback

5/10

Live In Utrecht: June 20, 1987 - Prince

As expected, this is a very solid performance. And the band are certainly funk enough. However, it must be said that there is genuinely something lacking without The Revolution. 1999 sounds like a bit of a mess. And, strangely, most songs NOT from the Sign O' The Times album are rather truncated. Shelia E. is da bomb.

Highlights: Sign O' The Times, Girls & Boys, Four, Purple Rain

7.5/10

Live Jewels - Queen

A collection of random live songs, mostly from the reissue bonus discs. Well, they are all from the various reissues, just not full concerts or anything. Pretty sure if I look hard enough I could find them, but it is much nicer to just have the official releases that actually sound good. And makes for a fun mix.

Highlights: Is This the World We Created...? (Live in Rio January 1985), We Will Rock You [Fast] (Live in Tokorozawa November 1982), Action This Day (Live in Tokyo November 1982), Calling All Girls (Live in Tokyo November 1982)

7/10

Live May/June 1975 - Elvis Presley

It has been a hot minute since I heard some live Elvis, and this is a pretty fine concert; Elvis' voice is in good form and he clearly has zero cares to give, given he admits to being sick of singing Love Me Tender and even makes fun of his fans for attending the concert. Not sure the kissing 13 year-olds is something that needed to be on record, though.

Highlights: Let Me Be There, Burning Love, If You Love Me (Let Me Know), T-R-O-U-B-L-E

6.5/10

Live on Two Legs - Pearl Jam

Eddie Vedder sounds annoying from the very first line he sings on this album. And Stone Gossard's guitar work is... not great. Matt Cameron may actually be best part of this band, at this stage. Boring.

Highlights: The end guitar solo in Black

5.5/10

Live to Win - Paul Stanley

Taking a break from actual live albums is fine with me! I stand by all my original comments regarding this album. Paul's voice certainly is past its prime, here. But at least this is all relatively short.

Highlights: All About You, Live to Win

6/10

Live Your Life Be Free - Belinda Carlisle

Belinda Carlisle really does have some great pop music - this is very much in the same style as Heaven on Earth. Not a bad thing. The title track is a fantastic song.

Highlights: Live Your Life Be Free, You Came Out of Nowhere, You're Nothing Without Me, Loneliness Game

7/10

Live: 1995-03-24 Mt Smart Supertop - Auckland, New Zealand - Pearl Jam

This was the first concert I ever went to! I remember this all very well... Anyways, this is an audience recording, so the sound is absolutely terrible and barely listenable. I should throw this in Logic and see if I can remaster it or something.

Highlights: I got a cool t-shirt

IMPOSSIBLE TO SCORE

Live: 1995-03-25 Mt Smart Supertop - Auckland, New Zealand - Pearl Jam

And this was the second night. The sound is a bit better on this one and Eddie's voice is actually freakin' great. If only there was a better version available.

Highlights: Remembering that Pearl Jam were cool

IMPOSSIBLE TO SCORE

Live: Entertainment Or Death - Mötley Crüe

This was the last album I listened to (and probably did not complete) when I started my Mötley Crüe marathon some time ago. It very much has a 'Tommy has left the band and we are dead, so here some live tracks for one final cash out!' feel to it. It feels far too long, despite the fact that it clocks in at 97 minutes - which is likely much shorter than an actual Mötley Crüe concert. I think that says a lot. The first disc is actually pretty decent; I think some of this was recorded on the Shout at the Devil tour and they were on fire! But by the time they start using backing tracks and Vince has clearly given up trying, it is just a chore to get through.

Highlights: Looks That Kill, Knock 'em Dead Kid, Too Young to Fall in Love, Smokin' in the Boys Room

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1015

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2025 in 2025: Day 101

In It For The Money - Supergrass

The album that actually got me interested in Supergrass. It kind of trails off towards the end, but it is otherwise some strong rocking numbers. I appreciate the way these guys can just play really tasty stuff and then completely let loose and unleash mayhem.

Highlights: Going Out, In It For the Money, Tonight, Sun Hits the Sky

7/10

In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 - Jay-Z

How can Diddy sing so off the actual key and just keep this in the track? Early Hove is fine and all, just a bit gross for me at times. 

Highlights: The City is Mine, Streets is Watching, Friend or Foe '98, You Must Love Me

7/10

in my mind - The Tomboys

The usual low-budget punk rock'n roll from Kobe's favourite daughters. This one feels especially budget, thanks to the terrible guitar solos and awful singing on だいだい. Good times!

Highlights: GO MERRY GO!, 幸せであふれるように, シャララ

6.5/10

The In Sound From Way Out - Beastie Boys

This is basically a compilation of their instrumental jams on Check Your Head and Ill Communication, but with a couple of new tracks.

Highlights: Son of Neckbone, In 3's, Bobo on the Corner, Lighten Up

8/10

In the Garden - Eurythmics

So very unlike where Eurythmics headed after this; much more in the new-romantic post-punk vein, but less interesting. Not terrible, but there is nothing that holds any real emotional weight or grabs the listener the way their later releases do. This is another group's discography where I need to separate the bonus tracks to their own album and keep the original albums as they were.

Highlights: Belinda, Your Time Will Come, Le Sinestre

6.5/10

In the Name of Love [EP] - CL

CL is a goddess amongst us mere mortals. If this were an album, I would have given it album of the year honours for 2019. 

Highlights: +DONE161201+, +ONE AND ONLY180228+, +I QUIT180327+, +PARADOX171115+

9/10

In The Zone - Britney Spears

There is something about Britney trying to be all sexy that I just find absolutely hilarious. Also, her singing is all sorts of terrible it makes me laugh when her fans online start all sorts of nonsense about she can sing like Christina Aguilera or whatnot. Anyways, the production on this album is a bit dated and the songs do not hold up well.

Highlights: Toxic, (I Got That) Boom Boom, The Hook Up, Everytime

6/10

Incesticide - Nirvana

I do not know if I have listened to this album since I was 16. I used to get confused by the tracklisting on side two all the time. Or maybe that was Bleach - that was missing a song that was listed. Fun fact: the first song I ever performed like in any capacity was from this album! I loved Nirvana. Kids are stupid.

Highlights: Aneurysm, Dive, Been a Son, Big Long Now

7/10

Indigo Nights - Prince

Live CD that came with the book. I think it was cobbled together from all his after-show performances. Because Prince was a madman. I, personally, find this to be super funky and an all-round great time. I read a lot of Prince fans online were super unhappy with this release, but Shizzzz I ain't afraid of you mofos! On the one!

Highlights: Alphabet St, Indigo Nights, Baby Love, 3121

8/10

Infinity - Journey

When Journey rock, they can really rock. Possibly the most enjoyable radio-rock band of the 70s and 80s that I did not listen to in the 70s or 80s.

Highlights: Wheel in the Sky, Lights, Feeling That Way, Anytime

7/10

Infinity on High - Fall Out Boy

Jay-Z with the most random and pointless cameo - he doesn't even rap, just does the musical equivalent of waving hello. I actually thought the censored version of This Ain't a Scene, It's An Arms Race was more interesting, thanks to the way it was censored.

Highlights: The Take Over The Break's Over, Don't You Know Who I Think I Am?, The (After) Life of the Party, G.I.N.A.S.F.S.

7.5/10

The Information - Beck

BECK: Congratulations, friend.

BENDER: Why, 'cause I can make annoying noises?

BECK: Exactly. I use those all the time in my music.

Highlights: Think I'm in Love, Nausea, Inside Out

6/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 850

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2025 in 2025: Day 24

Blackout - Britney Spears

It's Britney, bitch! This album is enjoyable, but also completely laughable. It is very clear that Ms. Spears was involved in the writing purpose - and I do not mean that as a compliment. The lyrics are generally just completely ridiculously terrible. However, some of the production is banging. Some. And her vocals are more processed than ever, so it sounds like a fembot from Austin Powers is "singing". Again, I'm taking liberties using that word, because even with all the manipulation, these vocals are still equal to a talent quest for 12 year-olds and are invoking a lot of snickers. And not the chocolate bar (where's my sponsorship, yo!). The whole thing has serious 'moody teenager' vibes and I have to keep stopping myself from scoring the songs higher because they're mostly making me smile - just because they're so stupidly bad. And holy smokes this sample of Eurythmics is about the worst song of the bunch. The funniest part here is that this isn't even her worst album! I'm pretty sure everything she released after this gets worse and worse.

Highlights: Gimme More, Break the Ice

4/10

BLACKPINK Essentials - BLACKPINK

Now this is some proper pop music. Every BLACKPINK track released before The Album, I believe. And it is all FIRE. 

Highlights: Forever Young, As If It's Your Last, BOOMBAYAH, PLAYING WITH FIRE

8/10

Blak and Blu - Gary Clark, Jr.

This appears to be the song Ain't Messin 'Round. Honestly, I have never listened to this before. I don't know how it ended up in my iTunes. I have not even heard of this song or singer before. It's... good. Big horns and upbeat vibes. 

7/10

Blank Label 7" - Blank Label (Ryan Adams)

JLW is a massive Ramones ripoff. Also, this is trash.

Highlights: Only 7 minutes

2/10

BLAST! - ももいろクローバーZ

Someone really needs to clue me up on whether their group name is written in Hiragana like that, or if the English Momoiro Clover Z is the correct choice. I'll continue to call them MCZ for simplicity. Anyways, this is a very fun EP from a very inconsistent idol group. Idol is shit, but MCZ have their moments - mostly this EP.

Highlights: BLAST!, 何時だって挑戦者

8/10

Bleach - Nirvana

When I was 13, Nirvana were the stuff. Because I was edgy, this was my favourite Nirvana album - it was their most budget indie grunge record they recorded for cheap in a matter of days. I'm not saying anyone who says this is their favourite Nirvana album is also as much of an edgelord as 13 year-old LOGMAN, but this is definitely not their best album and I am now old and mature enough to admit I liked the idea of this album more than the album itself. Also, cool album cover? All this is not to say the album is bad; About a Girl is infinitely better here than that Unplugged version (thank Prime I don't have that album), and Negative Creep is like a gift that keeps on giving. And no Dave Grohl is like double awesome points!

Highlights: Blew, School, Negative Creep, Downer

6.5/10

Bleed American - Jimmy Eat World

What a dumb name for an album - I should delete it just for that title alone. But this is just the one song, The Middle, of course. Do Jimmy Eat World have any other songs? Are they titled stupidly like this album is? At least this is a great pop punk song that every home should have.

8/10

Bleed Like Me - Garbage

The first half of this album is awesome. Back in '05, I would play these first four songs all the time. Well, mostly tracks 2 to 4. It's an impressive way to peak early, that's for sure. The rest of the album still has some decent songs, but they get overshadowed by how awesome those first four are. 

Highlights: Run Baby Run, Right Between The Eyes, Why Do You Love Me

7.5/10

blink-182 - blink-182

So we just going to stick with my old emo songs from '05, huh? This is blink-182's best album, and I won't be taking any arguments otherwise. Dark, serious, interesting - just a genuinely strong album that often makes me mistakenly believe I am more of a blink-182 fan than I really am. I dig them, because I love pop punk. But usually their songs are immature silliness about sex stuff that I have no interest in. This album has none of that. And an appearance from Robert Smith! Great album.

Highlights: Feeling This, Obvious, Stockholm Syndrome, Asthenia

8/10

BLISTER ON MY FOOT - INKYMAP

This is INKYMAP's fist album. It's a bit more rough and hard rockin' than ASTEROID. There's nothing bad, but nothing that really stands out as much as with their later works (ASTEROID onwards). But a great start.

Highlights: Rainy Day, New World, Saturation, Drunken Driver

7/10

Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix - Michael Jackson

If this was simply an EP of the new songs, this would be a really solid MJ release. Really solid. The music and production on Ghosts is epic. My only criticism would be that Is It Scary is MJ's worst vocal performance ever recorded. Then there are the remixes; Scream, Money and 2 Bad are all super funky goodtimes, but the others are just your standard club-beat dance remixes. The one for You Are Not Alone (Classic Club Mix) is actually pretty decent - probably because that is a boring R. Kelly song that could only be improved upon with a remix. And Tony Moran's HIStory Lesson certainly does go big. Look, it's MJ. You're going to have a good time.

Highlights: Blood on the Dance Floor, Morphine, Superfly Sister, Ghosts, Scream Louder, 2 Bad (Refugee Camp Mix)

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 205