2025 in 2025: Day 155

Remember you - Ayumi Hamasaki

Ayu getting some edge and telling her haters to Fuck Off. Quite literally. It is funny; I tend to get in my head that this album is not great, but actually it kind of is? And even if it is not, VIBEES is possibly a top ten sexy bitch track if ever I heard one. I could genuinely listen to that all day.

Highlights: VIBEES, 23rd Monster, (NOT) Remember you, Dreamed a Dream

7.5/10

Remixes 1982-1990 - The Cure

This is actually somewhat of an interesting compilation. The extended mixes are basically the same songs with unnecessarily long intros, which kind of works with Pictures of You (at least this is actually extended this time - by all of 30 seconds). But why can we not get the normal 'New Vocal' mix of Boys Don't Cry, when he is happy to give us the remix version? 

Highlights: Pictures of You (Extended Version 1990), Primary (Red Mix 1990), Close to Me (Extended Mix 1985), Boys Don't Cry (New Voice Club Mix 1986)

7/10

Renegades - Rage Against the Machine

Kind of proof of my whole 'just do one album and bounce' theory with these guys. They could have just recorded all these covers as The Renegades or something, maybe brought in Chuck D to help out? Because these dudes turning all these hip-hop songs in to heavy rock is pretty darn dope.

Highlights: Pistol Grip Pump, How I Could Just Kill a Man, Renegades of Funk, Maggie's Farm

7/10

Republica - Republica

Haha this is so dated - sounds even older than it actually is, like early 90s techno mixed with Britpop or something. So it kind of sounds like 1999 J-Pop. Holy cow that original version of Ready to Go is surprisingly terrible!

Highlights: Drop Dead Gorgeous, Ready to Go (U.S. Mix), Holly

6/10

Return Of The Bumpasaurus - Sir Mix-A-Lot

Oh man, 90s hip-hop really was rife with homophobia and transphobia. And monstrous bass.

Highlights: Aunt Thomasina, You Can Have Her, Jump On It, Funk For Da Blvd.

6/10

Return of the Champions - Queen + Paul Rodgers

I have no issue with Queen bringing in Paul Rodgers; Brian May and Roger Taylor clearly wanted to get back to performing together and these guys made a decent enough album together. It just sometimes Rodgers' voice does not quite suit the classic Queen songs. Some of them he really does! Not even Brian May's massive guitar can save Feel Like Makin' Love from sounding super country. 

Highlights: Radio Ga Ga, 39, I'm In Love With My Car, These Are the Days of Our Lives

7/10

Return of the Space Cowboy - Jamiroquai

Old school funk acid jazz. This is the kind of album that makes me wish I was a better bass player, because Stuart Zender is the man!

Highlights: Light Years, Just Another Story, Manifest Destiny, Space Cowboy

7/10

Revenge - Kiss

Hand down the best 90s album from Kiss. Featuring the best song of the 90s by any band? Rock out with your socks out!

Highlights: God Gave Rock & Roll to You, Spit, Thou Shalt Not, I Just Wanna

8/10

Revenge - Eurythmics

Imagine if these were the same songs... This album starts off absolutely massive - Missionary Man may be one of the greatest ways to start an album in 1986* - then kind of loses steam in the second half. But is still probably my favourite Eurythmics album.

Highlights: Missionary Man, When Tomorrow Comes, Thorn in My Side, The Last Time

7.5/10

*I decided to check and I may be right - I can see only 1 other challenger for that, being Let It Rock from Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet

Revolution - Kara

Let's play random K-Pop song of the day! This time it is Mr. by Kara? It is fun; very big upbeat dance pop.

8/10

Revolver - The Beatles

Like Sgt. Pepper's, this album always has dorks saying it is the greatest album, or it is a perfect album, or other such nonsense. It is neither. Because Paul McCartney's songs on this album are mostly trash.

Highlights: Tomorrow Never Knows, And Your Bird Can Sing, I Want to Tell You, Eleanor Rigby

7/10

Revolverlution - Public Enemy

This is purely the title track. I really do not have much Public Enemy and I should probably feel too ashamed to show my face on the internet again.

8/10

Rhythm & Gangsta - Snoop Dogg

This only the single Signs with Justin Timberlake. It is probably the last good song this dude released - more than 20 years ago.

8/10

Ricky Martin - Ricky Martin

The best Ricky Martin songs are when he is just shaking those hips and making you boogie, but sadly most of this album is ballads. Which are mostly kind of meh.

Highlights: Livin' La Vida Loca, Private Emotion, Bella (She's All I Ever Had), I Count the Minutes

7/10

The Riddle - Nik Kershaw

I loved the 1966 Batman TV show as a kid. I still do - rewatched it a few years ago and had the time of my life. I recall this video had something with that version of The Riddler going on in it? I cannot recall if it scared me or just made me like the video.

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1425

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2025 in 2025: Day 46

Cosas Del Amor - Enrique Iglesias

How about we start the day with some beautiful Spanish crooning from Rogan Rodriguez's best friend and the hottest man in 90s pop? Okay, if you insist! Normally, I would prefer Enrique being the party man and pumping out something with a big beat and lots of fun. Most times it seems to include Pitbull, for some reason (I'm guessing Pitbull doesn't have much going on and just begs to be involved, because he wants to be friends with Rogan Rodriguez as well). But this album is mostly ballad after ballad, and they are mostly very good! And then there is one fun song in Para De Jugar, which also features some lady singing in English - they couldn't find someone that can speak Spanish? Or teach this women a few words in Spanish? Selfish cow.

Highlights: Cosas Del Amor, Para De Jugar, Desnudo, Sirena

8/10

The Cosmic Game - Thievery Corporation

Super chill lo-fi UK-influenced garage electronica. Good grooves on a cold morning like this. Even features some more Spanish singing. But it isn't Enrique Iglesias. They should have hired Enrique Iglesias.

Highlights: Warning Shots, Pela Janela, Sol Tapado, Holographic Universe

6.5/10

Cosmic Thing - The B-52's

Sometimes the retro fun of The B-52's - with lines about putting your caboose on the President's desk - is super... fun. But, I have to be honest; Bon Jovi did Dry County much betterer. Overall just a fun pop album. Fred is a super cool dude.

Highlights: Love Shack, Roam, Cosmic Thing, Junebug

7.5/10

The Cosmos Rocks - Queen + Paul Rodgers

Queen! Well, only half of them, really... but I will take it. Brian May using a wah pedal? That doesn't happen often. This one feels a lot more like old white man blues rock at times, which is acceptable given they are old British white dudes. They can still pump out a killer rock ballad better than anyone in the business, that's for sure. We Believe could easily just be too cheesy, but something about Rodgers' delivery makes it work. And that guitar solo. Some of the heavier stuff on here doesn't really do it for me, but overall this is a pretty decent release and it is a shame they haven't released anything since.

Highlights: Cosmos Rockin', Small, We Believe, Say It's Not True, Small reprise

7.5/10

COUNTDOWN LIVE 2019-2020 ～Promised Land～ A - Ayumi Hamasaki

The title says it all. Personally, I was not that impressed with this concert; I do not support Ayu doing concerts using only backing tracks, particularly in a large arena like this. She should always use a full live band. And this was the period where it had become the Ayu & Timmy show - that dude really tried to take over and make things about him as much as possible. It also does not help that she opens with one of my least favourite Ayu songs. And her voice sounds shot by the second song. In fairness to my Empress, this was only a few months after giving birth to her first child, so I will let it slide. 

Highlights: UNITE!, sending mail, evolution

6/10

Country Grammar - Nelly

Nelly + Ced The Entertainer were a great combo - his albums all went downhill once they stopped collaborating. And was this when every rapper had a crew like they were Wu Tang Clan? Like, Nelly out here on his debut album promoting his crew all over the place, like he and them matter to everyone. Save that nonsense for when you've been around a few years and had a bunch of hits. Which he did with this album. So yeah, it will be fine when he does it on the next album.

Highlights: Ride With Me, E.I, Tho Dem Wrappas, Luven Me

7.5/10

Cowboy Technical Sessions - Ryan Adams

Some old DRA demos? Only one of these ended up on anything later, though I would have liked to hear another version of Ghost. Liar is like L7 meets Nirvana kind of punk.

Highlights: Ghost, My Love For You Is Real

7/10

Cradle 2 the Grave (Soundtrack) - Various Artists

The best Jet Li and DMX movie boasts the hardest hip-hop soundtrack to a Jet Li movie. If X Gon' Give it to Ya doesn't get you going, then you might be dead. I'm not sure what someone would have to do to invoke the wrath of not just Obie Trice, but also Eminem AND DMX. They are three angry men. Is Stompdashitoutu the best song title ever? Certainly is a helluva hook. DMX turning into a preacher was very unexpected. A bunch of rappers I had never heard of before this album - or after - but some killer tracks up in herre!

Highlights: X Gon' Give it to Ya - DMX, Go to Sleep - DMX & Eminem & Obie Trice, Right/Wrong - DMX, Getting Down - DMX & Big Stan

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 354