2025 in 2025: Day 146

Psychic Lover - PSYCHIC LOVER

LOGMAN's gateway drug to Japanese rock! And it is not that I forget how awesome they are, it is more that I end up forgetting to just put them on and rock out. This album seems to be mostly anime-related songs and themes, but I do not care. They could be commercial tunes and I would still love them. 冒険王ビィト! is genuinely one of the most feelgood songs on the planet.

Highlights: 冒険王ビィト!, 冒険者 ON THE ROAD (Album Version), TAKE MY SOUL FOREVER, 特捜戦隊デカレンジャー

8.5/10

Psychic Lover II - PSYCHIC LOVER

It is going to be a full on PSYCHIC LOVER morning. And I am thankful for that! More shredding guitars and massive gang vocals and raising my fist in the air. Holy balls to the wall that opening riff in SWAT ON デカレンジャー is ridiculous! This album may actually be even more consistently awesome than their first!

Highlights: LOST IN SPACE, SWAT ON デカレンジャー, WONDER REVOLUTION, 鼓動 -get closer-, LET'S TRY TOGETHER

9/10

PSYCHIC LOVER III -WORKS- - PSYCHIC LOVER

More, you say?!? This is more of a compilation of random songs and remixes and even a couple of solo songs by each member. 

Highlights: NO NAME HEROES, SURVIVAL, いざ行け! ビートル, デカレンジャーアクション

8/10

Psychic Lover IV -BEST- - PSYCHIC LOVER

Quick note of honesty; this was the actual album, but then I shed it of everything except the 'new' songs. Then added a few singles that were later released in different versions. IMAJO is phenomenal.

Highlights: Prisoner, FLASHBACK, JUMP!

9/10

PSYCHIC MANIA - PSYCHIC LOVER

And we are not done yet! Another compilation that was originally two-discs, but again I removed the stuff already in my library, to make a more streamlined compilation that kicks even more booty. If only they had named their last studio album Psychic Lover V as well... Oh well, at least I will get to hear that next week!

Highlights: タギルチカラ!, Duet してください (斉木ックラバー ver.), Searching for Truth, 特捜戦隊デカレンジャー 10 YEARS AFTER

9/10

Psycho Circus - Kiss

I have all but given up actually writing proper reviews, so please read my most read Kiss review! I think some Brazilian Kiss fan group shared it for some reason. Big Tommy Thayer haters and felt my pain? RIP Ace!!!

Highlights: Into the Void, Raise Your Glasses, Psycho Circus, I Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock & Roll

7/10

Psycho Circus Live Bonus Disc - Kiss

Post-reunion tour Kiss is an interesting beast. This is where it became more gimmick than ever. Still a decent listen, though. I really need to watch some Kiss concerts this weekend.

Highlights: Let Me Go Rock & Roll, 100,000 Years, Black Diamond

7/10

Psyclone - Jimmy Barnes

This may well be my first time listening to this album. Something about mid-90s Barnesy just never grabbed me; he seemed to reject the awesome pop hooks and had clearly been listening to some alternative music. And I do not like the way his vocals are produced. This is very straight-forward rock; the guitars and drums all sound the same the whole way through.

Highlights: Change of Heart, Stumbling, Because You Wanted It

6.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1326

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2025 in 2025: Day 145

The Presidents Of The United States Of America - The Presidents Of The United States Of America

If Weird Al was a band and attempted to not just do satire, I imagine it would be something like this. Mostly super fun and silly pop rock. With an emphasis on the silly. Songs about animals, food, old men doing old men things, and... lumps? The sort of album you would put on while acting like a clown with your friends.

Highlights: Kick Out the Jams, Peaches, Lump, Naked and Famous

7/10

Pretty in Pink: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Various Artists

Would you believe this is purely If You Leave by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark? Of course you would, because LOGMAN is an embarassment to the 80s. 

8/10

Prince From Another Planet [Disc 1] - Elvis Presley

Elvis live at Madison Square Garden, but remixed. It is bizarre to me that they released this set and then proceeded to pretend it never happened, because every subsequent release has just reverted to the original version. So this is the afternoon concert and it is awesome! Elvis' voice is better than ever and the setlist is pretty much fire (except maybe missing a few songs like Just Pretend that would have topped it off nicely). One of the best live Elvis albums ever.

Highlights: You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin', Never Been to Spain, I Can't Stop Loving You, Suspicious Minds

8/10

Prince From Another Planet [Disc 2] - Elvis Presley

And then we get the evening show. Which is pretty much the same setlist as the afternoon show. Pretty much the same concert, to be real about it! Giant Elvis poster for $2? Give me three. Also, how are tickets still available for tomorrow's concert?!?

Highlights: You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin', Never Been to Spain, I Can't Stop Loving You, Suspicious Minds

8/10

PRISM - Katy Perry

I really like Roar - it is a catchy big pop banger. The rest of this album... is a testament to all that is wrong with Katy Perry. Hard to believe she actually has gotten even worse than this. Even harder to believe she still has fans!

Highlights: Roar, This Moment, It Takes Two, Choose Your Battles

5.5/10

PRISMIC - YUKI

YUKI's debut album is unlike anything she has released since; somewhat dark post-grunge more in line with JUDY AND MARY, with a hint of electronica and one of the most beautiful Beatles-esque ballads, and some extended art rock vibes. And that last half is just top-tier YUKI. I still cannot decide if the live version of 呪い is better than this version...

Highlights: プリズム, 忘れる唄, 惑星に乗れ, 呪い

8.5/10

Prisoner - Ryan Adams

Ah the album that helped kill DRA's career! I will never forget the hype this thing got, which was only matched by my pure indifference to the whole thing; there are still some good lyrics, but musically it is trying to be too much and his vocals are, quite frankly, a mess. In trying to sound like Bruce Springsteen, he forgot that he had his own voice that was actually decent. Coming after a reworking of a Taylor Swift album, it was like this guy no longer had his own identity. Or ever had one in the first place.

Highlights: Broken Anyway, Outbound Train, Doomsday, We Disappear

6.5/10

Prisoner (B-Sides) - Ryan Adams

This turned out to be the biggest scam and was the end for me with this dude; it was advertised as exclusive to the box set, but then before it even shipped out he offered the compilation on streaming and iTunes and whatnot. And then bitched online about anyone that was bitching online. Because that is DRA. Also, these songs are just mediocre. So it was double lose!

Highlights: Stop You

5/10

The Private Press - DJ Shadow

This album is certainly a groove. Low key low-fi beats, funky basslines and all sorts of killer samples. Things really shine when Shadow is sampling some big airy 80s synths over top of some breakin' beats. 

Highlights: Walkie Talkie, You Can't Go Home Again, Blood on the Motorway, Six Days

8/10

Proof - BTS

This is pretty much BTS's greatest hits, just with a few new songs to make even the hardcore fan have to purchase this. And it does not have all the hits, so you still need to buy other albums to get everything great. But this is a briiliant highlights package. And the new songs are killer. I am trying to be a bit tougher on my grading for this, because I can easily get caught up in the BTS cool and just give it all super scores. But hey they deserve it!

Highlights: 봄날, On, 상남자 (Boy In Luv), Moon, Dynamith, Butter, Intro: Persona

8.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1318

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2025 in 2025: Day 144

Poetree Syndrome - Kebee

And more random Korean hip-hop. Where would my life be without it? This is fairly chill - kind of reminds me of Ayu's Nothing From Nothing. 

Highlights: Fissure

6.5/10

Points on the Curve - Wang Chung

This is only the song Dance Hall Days, which is weird because I do enjoy some Wang Chung and do not even know why I would have this song in particular? Other than it being a really cool lowkey groove.

8/10

Poison - Bell Biv Devoe

These dudes were quite the name back in the early 90s, except I only have the title track and could probably only name you one other song by Bell Biv Devoe. And I do not have that in my library either?

8/10

Pop Goes the Movies - Meco

A big medley of movie themes getting the disco treatment. And there are a lot of them. Some sound better than ever, because they are now disco. Duh!

7.5/10

Pop Life - JUDY AND MARY

YUKI and company with their usual brand of noisey post-grunge fun. I swear, her voice sounds so similar still 30 years later.

Highlights: ジーザス！ジーザス！, Lover Soul, ミュジックファイター

7/10

Pornography - The Cure

One of the darkest and most disturbed releases from The Cure. Robert Smith is super cool, but I cannot help but look at him in the 80s as being a bit of an edgelord. It is crazy that these songs are like 6 minutes long and just have the same drum beat over and over and it does not get boring.

Highlights:

8.5/10

Power of Music - Ayumi Hamasaki

Still my favourite live concert. I could happily watch it every day. It is a shame to miss a few of the performances on this release, but it is also nice having the extra bonus tracks. So I guess it balances out? What is up with the fading between songs when it is not necessary? vogue went straight to Far away and then to SEASONS, yet you need to fade between them all and make the transitions longer?? I am nit-picking, because overall this is just all the feels and genuine POWER of music!!

Highlights: M, progress, Far away, SEASONS, forgiveness

9/10

The Power Source - JUDY AND MARY

More JAM, you say? Very good feel good noise, over here. This one is a little less noisy, I think? I will be honest - most JUDY AND MARY kind of sounds the same. Which is mostly a good thing.

Highlights: KISSの温度, くじら１２号, Happy?, The Great Escape

7/10

The Power Station - The Power Station

This is only their cover of Get It On (Bang a Gong)?!? How do I not have full album?!?! Somebody stop me...

9/10

Prelusive - Sarah Blasko

This was released, I think, around the time I saw Ms. Blasko live in Melbourne. I would not be surprised if she played purely songs from this EP. I should google that... Well, I found the gig, but no setlists. Not even for the headlining act. Gosh, it is almost like we were not terminally online in 2003!

Highlights: Sweet Surrender, New Religion, Follow the Sun, Your Way

7/10

PREMIUM COUNTDOWN LIVE 2008-2009 A - Ayumi Hamasaki

Would you believe I have had this concert on blu-ray since about 2018 and STILL have not watched it? LOGMAN is a weird person. Especially because this CD is very good; it features the most epic version of Heartplace (only to be equalled or possibly surpassed by the performance at the 25th anniversary concert) and there are a number of random older songs as well that I am sure were never performed again.

Highlights: Heartplace, End of the World, Naturally, For My Dear...

7.5/10

present from you - BUMP OF CHICKEN

A big compilation of their b-sides Which is cool for completeness... but they are hardly necessities. 

Highlights: ガラスのブルース (28 years round), プレゼント, スノースマイル ~ringing version~, ラフ・メイカー

6/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1308

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2025 in 2025: Day 143

Piano Man - Billy Joel

Billy Joel channelling his Beatles influence and meshing it with Americana... does not work for me. And that live version of Captain Jack on My Lives was genuinely better than the studio version.

Highlights: Piano Man, Ain't No Crime, Captain Jack

6/10

PILE - Pile

Everyone's favourite Love Live! graduate with a very... average album. It is not entirely dissimilar to the 女子独身倶楽部 album I listened to yesterday. Look, I am not pretending Pile is some sort of vocal master who could out-sing the likes of Mariah Carey, but she is talented and her voice has something that means she is wasted on music like this. She certainly deserves better.

Highlights: It all kind of sounds the same

6/10

Pinkerton - Weezer

This album was such a bad idea and kind of shows how much of an insufferable pretentious douchenozzle Rivers Cuomo is. He may well be the Ryan Adams of the wannabe grunge kids. A bunch of badly recorded songs with lyrics about sexualising Japanese school girls and how a woman must be a lesbian to not be in love with him. Which is a shame, because the Blue album was fun and there are flashes of goodness in here. Musically. Lyrically it is completely cringe-worthy.

Highlights: Tired of Sex, El Scorcho

5.5/10

The Pinkheart Sessions - Ryan Adams

And speaking of insuffereable pretentious jerks... at least the RHCP mocking is funny? And hilariously ironic that he makes fun of them for having lots of tattoos and he is now the same. That performance on Letterman of Starting to Hurt was really great. Not the first one - the one he did when Letterman was retiring.

Highlights: Starting to Hurt, Mega-Superior Gold, Blue and Shy

5/10

Planet Earth - Prince

Prince let's his guitar rip for a little bit, gets soulful for a little bit, gets his pop on for a little bit, and then inexplicably serves trash for a little bit. This has flashes of his usual greatness, but overall is not the most daring example of Prince's genius.

Highlights: Resolution, Planet Earth, Guitar

6/10

Planet Rock - The Edge of Victory

Hey, look! It's a me! Not actually the full planned album, just some older demos of songs that were planned for the album and a couple that are just here because they rock.

Highlights: Me when I was good!

9/10

Planless Perfection - Hello Sleepwalkers

I do not remember how I described their previous work, but this time at least I hear them as Japanese prog-rock mixed with emo? I really think having both male and female vocalists gives the music a great dynamic.

Highlights: EYES TO THE SKIES, Jamming, 水面, ハーメルンはどのようにして笛を吹くのか

7/10

Platinum Underground - Vanilla Ice

This is weird. Not just because it is Vanilla Ice, but because this should probably be an actual album and is instead a jumble of songs from other albums and only has two songs from this actual album. At least I get to enjoy Ice doing his best Limp Bizkit impersonation. And I forgot that he sampled a bit of Ace. RIP Spaceman!!!

Highlights: Too Cold, Ninja Rap 2

6/10

Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em - MC Hammer

This album is a party, no two ways about it. Sure, Help the Children is a bit of a mood killer and would have been a great collaboration with MJ, but everything else is just telling you to get down and have a great time. And Hammer always has a positive message in his lyrics; teaching you the postitive power of prayer, the perils of committing crimes, and that you cannot touch "this". It is possible that I love this album more now than I did back in 1990.

Highlights: U Can't Touch This, Pray, Dancin' Machine, Here Comes The Hammer, Have You Seen Her?

8.5/10

Please Please Me - The Beatles

The debut album from the greatest rock'n roll band! Sometimes I forget how darn fun their early works are. Then I put on an album like this and just have a good old time.

Highlights: Please Please Me, I Saw Her Standing There, Twist and Shout, 

7/10

PLECTRUMELECTRUM - Prince & 3RDEYEGIRL

Some of this album rocks and some of it is funky. Like most Prince albums. And then a bunch of it just does not really feel like Prince - more Prince adjacent or something. ANOTHERLOVE does feature the most awesome duelling solo between Prince and Donna Grantis.

Highlights: ANOTHERLOVE, WOW, PLECTRUMELECTRUM, FUNKNROLL

7/10

Pneumonia - Whiskeytown

I mean, there are a couple of very good songs on here. Mostly very chilled alt. country offerings. 

Highlights: Jacksonville Skyline, Don't Wanna Know Why, Sit & Listen to the Rain, Mirror Mirror

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1296

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2025 in 2025: Day 142

People Move On - Bernard Butler

This dude seems to be all over the works of artists I enjoy, so I was always interested in his actual solo work. It has moments of being very good. But I definitely think he works best as a guitarist and songwriter collaborator.

Highlights: Woman I Know, You Just Know, Not Alone, Stay

6.5/10

Pepperoni Quatro - ELLEGARDEN

There is something in my head that always forces me to ignore this album, like I think it is not great or the worst ELLEGARDEN album. I cannot explain it. Either way, those thoughts are insane, because this may actually be their best album? It certainly features some of their best songs. Then again, I say that about every ELLEGARDEN album. I want this marathon to end so I can just listen to ELLEGARDEN all day.

Highlights: Supernova, スターフィッシュ, Good Morning Kid, Make a Wish, ロストワールド

9/10

The Perfect Drug - Nine Inch Nails

A great NIN song, preceeded by a bunch of remixes that are very long and unnecessary. 

Highlights: The Perfect Drug (Original Version)

5/10

Perfect Symmetry - Keane

Sad English lads reinvent themselves as The Killers? Considering The Killers started out as an American rock band cosplaying as UK indie New Wave, this just gets even more confusing. It is at least a bit more feel good than their other work.

Highlights: Spiralling

6.5/10

Perfect Timing - Recloose

I think this is another NZ electro artist. Electro funk, to be more precise without actually knowing what I am talking about. It at least is a very good groove. 

Highlights: Robop, Can It Be, So Cool, Solomon's Alive

7/10

Permanent Vacation - Aerosmith

While not on the level of their following albums, this one still has some fun songs and a massive power ballad. Certainly a step up from what they had been doing previously.

Highlights: Angel, Dude (Looks Like a Lady), Permanent Vacation, Rag Doll

7/10

Permission to Land - The Darkness

On that note, let us have some more classic rock. Or at least, classic rock inspired that is now also classic rock? I mean, this album is actually 22 years-old now! Two things that stand out are: Justin Hawkins' voice on this - or at least his falsetto - is just awesome, and bah gawd there are some great hooks. 

Highlights: Growing On Me, Love is Only a Feeling, Holding My Own, Get Your Hands Off My Woman

8.5/10

Pet Your Friends - Dishwalla

This is only the song Counting Blue Cars. It is great, so I like to pretend it is the only they ever made, in case they followed it up with something awful that would make me thing less of this song.

8/10

Peter Criss - Peter Criss

Hearing The Catman do his thing sure hits different today after losing The Spaceman... but feels kind of fitting. Kind of. I wish they could have done an album together back in the 90s. My Kissathon II review seems harsh - this is a fun album.

Highlights: That's the Kind of Sugar Papa Likes, Hooked on Rock 'N' Roll, Tossin' and Turnin', You Matter to Me

6/10

PETIT BEST～ROCK'N'ROLL FITNESS 2014-2017～ - 女子独身倶楽部

I saw some girl busking in Akihabara one time and we got chatting so I bought a couple of CDs from her; I think this was her idol group (and the other CD was her solo). I used to buy anything out on the streets, just for the fun of it. It is all pretty typical idol silliness, but it is pretty harmless and there are a couple of songs that I enjoy.

Highlights: We as No. 1!, 法隆寺, いけないんだ

6/10

Philadelphia Freeway - Freeway

This is purely the song What We Do... with Jay-Z, because I watched Fade to Black and when they did this live it was awesome. Freeway loses points for taking sides with Nelly and dissing KRS-One, but this song is a vibe.

8/10

Phoenix - Zebrahead

This album feels a bit heavier than Get Nice!, which is fine. The hooks, however, are still plenty pop punk fun and makes me want to rock out in some way. The rapper dude has seriously cool flow and lyrics. The Juggernauts may well be the closest thing to a pop punk power ballad this side of PASSPO☆ and it absolutely owns. Everything else just kicks you in the face for not giving The Man the middle finger or having simply having an annoying girlfriend, I guess?

Highlights: The Juggernauts, Hell Yeah!, Just the Tip, Death By Disco

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1284

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R.I.P. Ace Frehley

I am taking a break from the iTunes library marathon this afternoon, as I just heard the news about Ace Frehley. And I am not sure how I can focus on making fun of the lame music I listen to.

I grew up a bit of a Kiss fan, but it wasn't until High School that my friends and I really got in to them. Then by the time the reunion tour hit town, I became a full-fledged member of the Kiss Army and Ace Frehley was king. As I got more in to playing guitar, learning and jamming along to Kiss songs was paramount to improving my fledging abilities. But also, they were an absolute blast! I even started watching old live footage and mimicking Ace's on stage choreography, then trying it out while jamming on my own at home. Because that is what makes life great.

When we met with a record producer back in 2002, he asked me my thoughts on a whole bunch of stuff and I simply replied "So long as I get to go on stage and act like Ace Frehley, I'm happy". I was never the best guitarist or even tried to be; I just wanted to be able to play like Ace and attempt to be as cool. But nobody was as cool when playing the guitar.

Back in 2015, the day after my 35th birthday, I had the opportunity to go see Ace live in concert - and attend a meet and greet. I took along an old magazine from around 1998 in the hopes he could sign the fold-out poster of Ace with his Les Paul. His reaction was something like "What the hell is this?" and then he showed it to his bodyguard, both enjoying how cool it was, before signing the poster and the cover. Then I gave him a birthday card (it was his birthday 2 days later) and told him how much of an influence he had been on me. I know he heard that stuff all the time, and I'm sure he did not care at all, but it honestly was one of the coolest moments being able to talk to someone that I considered a massive guitar hero. Then he and his band absolutely tore the house down and it was awesome. And loud!

For some reason, I had been thinking that this day would come - and I had been dreading it. I was hoping I might get the opportunity to see him in concert again, maybe attend another meet and greet before he was gone. But sadly, that was not to be.

The original Spaceman has now left us to return to his home planet. This one may have been his temporary home, but he made our world a better place with his music and influence. Here's to you, Ace!

2025 in 2025: Day 141

Patty Duke Syndrome - Patty Duke Syndrome

Early grunge Ryan Adams. And it is genuinely... fine. Kind of surprising I do not listen to this ever, but maybe that is because it is kind of the low quality and it is Ryan Adams. Crazy that Hypnotixed was from all the way back here,.

Highlights: Texas, Anarchy Time, Hypnotixed, History

6/10

Paul Stanley - Paul Stanley

This album rocks hard. It is pretty much Kiss with some extra cheese and some sappy ballads thrown in as well. Paul loves his sappy ballads. And rockin' out.

Highlights: Move On, Tonight You Belong to Me, Goodbye, It's Alright

8/10

Paul's Boutique - Beastie Boys

I need to find the clip where the B Boys are making fun of the way some jock dudes at a Beastie Boys concert pronounce it "Paul's Bow-tique". I can see how people love this album, because it is completely over the top and quite adventurous. Like, it sure trips me out when I think that this came out around the same time MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice were tearing up the charts. But that is the thing with this album; there are not a lot of hooks or well-structured songs. The songs that are a bit more complete are seriously awesome, though.

Highlights: Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun, Shadrach, Shake Your Rump, Hey Ladies

7/10

PAX AM Days - Fall Out Boy

FOB hook up with the DRA and give us a quick punk EP. Like, the most punk thing Fall Out Boy have ever done. Just quickfire reckless abandon for 8 songs and zero pretentiousness. Good times!

Highlights: Caffeine Cold, We Were Doomed from the Start (The King is Dead), Demigods

7/10

PAX-AM Digital Single: 001 - Ryan Adams

These are so quick, I should just copy what I wrote during the 2014 marathon! These two songs genuinely rock.

Highlights: Lost and Found, Go Ahead and Rain

8/10

PAX-AM Digital Single: 002 - Ryan Adams

Rough acoustic songs. Very forgettable, but not terrible.

6/10

PAX-AM Digital Single: 003 - Ryan Adams

A bit more of the indie rock kind of vibes. Disco Queen reminds me of Wasteland, just without the supreme awesomeness.

Highlights: Disco Queen

7/10

PAX-AM Digital Single: 004 - Ryan Adams

Very rough home demo kind of things. Well, one of them is genuinely a home demo. The other just sounds like it?

6/10

PAX-AM Digital Single: 005 - Ryan Adams

DRA thinking he is some of metal god, though Oblivion does suit a rough punk aesthetic. People Need Sunlight is almost the opposite and I thank him for that.

Highlights: People Need Sunlight

7/10

PAX-AM Digital Single: 006 - Ryan Adams

I feel like I have these songs elsewhere as well. Like either on Orion or as bonus songs on an album. Or even one of the 'internet radio' albums? 

6.5/10

Peace - Eurythmics

Kids today will never know what Eurythmics reuniting meant for the music world. The crazy part was they did in response to the state of the world in 1999. Think about where we are now. Anyways I am a fan of Annie Lennox in every possible way, but I do not think her voice on this album is very good. She sounds like Alicia Keys, the way she just sings under the note. It is frustrating because, while it is clearly a more mature sound, some of these songs are really good and only furthers their legacy. The 80s New Wave edge is completely gone and this is more music with a message and lighter delivery.

Highlights: Power to the Meek, Peace is Just a Word, Anything But Strong, 17 Again

7/10

Peace is the Mission - Major Lazer

Seriously the best name for an eletronic music artist. This is only the song Powerful, which also has Ellie Goulding and Tarrus Riley on vocals. It is not a bad song. I think I prefer his just full on electro stuff? Except I do not have any of it in my library, so I must not like it that much...

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1272

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