2025 in 2025: Day 9

Appetite For Destruction - Guns N' Roses
Fun story time: the first time I heard this album was around when it came out and the local radio station announced they were going to play the whole thing. So I taped it from there and thought 'Yeah, cool, I have the whole album!' and that was how I listened to the album for some time. Of course, I did not realise that there is actually a lot of swearing on here, so a few songs were not played and others were edited. That edited tracklist, though, was total fire! Anyways, this album still rocks hard. For music in this style, it really is hard to beat. And sure is good energy at 4am.
Highlights: Nightrain, Paradise City, Sweet Child O' Mine, Rocket Queen
8.5/10

APRA Top 100 New Zealand Songs Of All Time - Various Artists
As a musician from New Zealand, I feel it is my duty to tell you that I am not a fan of New Zealand music in general. Most of it is garbage. Some of these songs are actually good, though. And no, I do not have all 100 songs. I would cancel this whole listening experience if I had to sit through that.
Highlights: Why Does Love Do This to Me? - The Exponents, For Today - Netherworld Dancing Toys
6/10

Around The Fur - Deftones
I had no idea this came out in 1997. I probably didn't listen to it until around 1999, when nu-metal was all the rage. I have always considered Deftones a bit of an exception, but I just never listen to angry music like this anymore. I am already tired and grumpy enough. It is nigh impossible to understand much of what Chino Moreno is screaming about here, and when he teams up with Max Cavalera on Head Up it is an entertaining combination of... noise. Pretty sure the chorus there is "Bwa dip-bo-BAP, dip-dippobap, bow up da-bi-pap!"
Highlights: Around the Fur, Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away), MX
7/10

Around the World in a Day - Prince & The Revolution
Oh my, what a welcome change of pace. Prince was the greatest. This was a very Beatles-influenced, somewhat psychadelic album. In parts. Then there are songs like Temptation where Prince just goes full on sex fiend. Raspberry Beret may well be the greatest simple pop song Prince ever wrote.
Highlights: Raspberry Beret, The Ladder, Paisley Park
8/10

Arrival - ABBA
The greatest pop band with some of the greatest pop songs. Bah gawd, the bass playing on this album is just phenomenal. This actually may well be the best ABBA as well. Just non-stop awesomeness that has me grooving in my chair.
Highlights: Dancing Queen, Knowing Me Knowing You (A-HA!), Money Money Money, That's Me, Tiger
9/10

Art Official Age - Prince
Oh cool - more Prince! I don't think I have actually listened to this album much since it was released. This is kind of classic Prince R'n'B, but with more 'modern' electronicness to the whole thing. Except Prince's idea of 'modern' is about 20 years behind. Regardless, this album slaps. Super funky sexy jams, as always. Andy Allo's voice is hella smooth.
Highlights: THE GOLD STANDARD, FUNKNROLL, TIME
7.5/10

ARTPOP - Lady Gaga
I think this may be the most played Gaga in my iTunes library? It was likely one of the first albums I bought once my previous laptop was stolen and all my iTunes data was lost forever, otherwise I am certain The Fame and The Fame Monster would smoke it. Unlike her previous albums, I feel like this one takes a little to really get going - the opening couple of tracks are just kind of there, but then once we hit G.U.Y. it is just bangers. Working with R. Kelly certainly was a choice. But, sadly, that won't be the only time he appears in my collection! The last half of this album especially is pretty much flawless.
Highlights: MANiCURE, Do What U Want, Fashion, Mary Jane Holland, Dope, Gypsy, Applause
8.5/10

As Day Follows Night - Sarah Blasko
I didn't think too much of this album upon release. And this listen is not changing my opinion at all. Very disappointing, considering how great Blasko's first few releases were. And I think the follow-up album was an improvement - I guess I'll find out some time around June when I finally make it to the "I" albums...
Highlights: We Won't Run, I Never Knew, Night & Day
5.5/10

As Ugly As It Gets - Ugly Kid Joe
Bwahaha I don't know if I have listened to this since... maybe 2001? Really showing my hair metal roots with this one. This can't be a greatest hits compilation, because these dudes only had two: the metal power-ballad cover of Cat's in the Cradle, and the 'funny' Everything About You - which actually still kinda holds up. I bought this for Funky Fresh Country Club and their cover of the Black Sabbath song N.I.B. - which I enjoyed jamming along to. I think we used to jam it a little bit in my first band, because those dudes were totally in to Black Sabbath. I don't think they were in to Ugly Kid Joe.
Highlights: Everything About You, Busy Bee, N.I.B., Funky Fresh Country Club
5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 75

I just did a check and that is now 1,001 songs. Only 23,242 to go!
I might find I'm still getting through all this in 2026...

2025 in 2025: Day 8

Anthology [Disc 1 Ascot] - John Lennon
Oh, I wanted more rough songs from The Beatles? Close enough! This first disc from the John Lennon Anthology collection covers the recording of The Plastic Ono Band and Imagine albums; it is all demos and alternate takes. And, quite honestly, some of them are very good. I can't stress enough just how amazing this demo of I Found Out is - the final release was like a simple shuffle groove, whereas this is some hard-hitting acoustic number. Imagine with the organ is such a weird take. Overall, well worth another listen.
Highlights: I Found Out [Home Recording], Baby Please Don't Go, Jealous Guy [From 8 Track Imagine Sessions]
6.5/10

Anthology [Disc 2 New York City] - John Lennon
This disc covers the Some Time in New York City and Mind Games periods. I'm likely in the minority, but I absolutely love STNYC - angry political Lennon is my security blanket. Well, actually, my blanket is the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles saying "Cowabunga", but it isn't quite the right size. Anyways, we don't get much in the way of demos from that album, but a lot of live stuff from political rallies and whatnot. Then demos/outtakes for Mind Games, and some random demos for I'm the Greatest and Real Love. I enjoy Lennon doing his scat in the studio - reminds me of Elvis doing fun stuff live. If you ever need a reminder of how society evolves, just listen to Geraldo Rivera boldly brag about raising money "for the mentally retarded", before Lennon screams out the n word multiple times in his song. Wild times. 
Highlights: All the live songs, Real Love [Home Recording]
6.5/10

Anthology [Disc 3 The Lost Weekend]
This covers the Walls and Bridges and Rock 'n' Roll recording sessions. Lennon should have done more rock'n roll, because he was awesome at it and his medley of Rip It Up/Ready Teddy is super fantastic. The banter between Lennon and Psycho Phil is kind of hilarious; Lennon is clearly in a state, and Spector is a lunatic, and some of the stuff they say is... sad, considering how they ended up.
Highlights: Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out) [Alt Version], Pretty much all the Rock 'n' Roll sessions - particularly Slippin' and Slidin'
6/10

Anthology [Disc 4 Dakota]
And now we get demos and alternate takes from 1979/80. This version of I'm Losing You is much more aggressive than the Double Fantasy version. And Nobody Told Me has a lot more life to it compared to the version on Milk and Honey. Actually, most of the outtakes from that album are like that. Dang, now I want someone to just redo that whole album so it's more like this. And less like what George Martin did to Grow Old With Me here. The home recordings are all very odd choices; we get Lennon mocking Bob Dylan and then his interpretation of an Indian guru or something. Great idea - let's just end the collection with him getting cancelled...
Highlights: the Milk and Honey outtakes
5/10

Anti Anti Generation - RADWIMPS
I was not enjoying this. At all. Not even Taka from ONE OK ROCK and the usually great IKIBIJIKI was not doing anything for me. It got about halfway through the album and I was just questioning why RADWIMPS do not make good music anymore... but then I managed to correct my mood a bit, and the rest of the album hasn't offended me so greatly. In fact, this album might not actually be as bad as I remembered. Still a far cry from what I know RADWIMPS are capable of. I'm tired.
Highlights: IKIJIBIKI feat.Taka, サイハテアイニ
5/10

AOI Bionix - De La Soul
This is actually somewhat of an understandable progression. Somewhat, given RADWIMPS do a bit of rapping in their songs. Except De La Soul are very good hip-hop. And that is exactly what this album is. Very good. I bought a box of all of De La Soul's CDs many years ago, because I needed the classic grooves of 3 Feet High and Rising and De La Soul is Dead in my life. The later albums just didn't get the same attention; not because they aren't good, I just got caught up in the early stuff that I knew. This album is a reminder that I need to give the other albums some serious attention. And also my box set is now out of date.
Highlights: Simply, Peer Pressure [Feat. B-Real], Trying People
7/10

Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Back - Public Enemy
This is just Bring tha Noize with Anthrax. The original rap/metal hybrid. Almost 35 years later this song still goes hard. 
9/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 66

2025 in 2025: Day 7

Anthems - Kerry Ellis
More Brian May! Kerry Ellis belts out epic showtunes and some Queen/Brian May songs, while Brian May rocks the planet. It is all as massive as one would expect. Particularly the title track (from Chess) and Defying Gravity from Wicked. It is a million times better than any other version of that song. I said what I said. Come at me, Ariana Grande and Wicked fans. Shiizzz, I ain't afraid of you mofos.
Highlights: Anthem, Defying Gravity, 
7.5/10

Anthology 1 - The Beatles
Well... there's a lot going on here. Free as a Bird has definitely grown on me over the years. From there it is lots of home demos and live stuff. The early stuff is something I probably appreciate more now as fan of older rock'n roll; hearing The Beatles as teenagers giving us some Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochrane is pretty cool. And having the Decca audition tape here is certainly historically important. And sounds great. Controversial take: I understand why they passed. Listening to the original version of Love Me Do just confirms Ringo really was the better choice from the go. The live tracks from 1963 in Sweden are pretty awesome. Actually, their performances on most of these live tracks are awesome - even if some of the recordings are showing their age (the tracks from Two of Kind in particular feature a fair bit of clipping/distortion). Not sure how many times John and Paul can sing the wrong lines in No Reply, but clearly they were trying their best! Leave My Kitten Alone deserved a proper release.
Highlights: Free as a Bird, Leave My Kitten Alone, I Saw Her Standing There (Live in Sweden 24 Oct (1963)
6/10

Anthology 2 - The Beatles
This release features the best of the John Lennon demos-turned full song in Real Love. It also covers 1965-1968, which is possibly my favourite period of The Beatles. They were firing on all cylinders at the time, writing and releasing albums like Help! and Rubber Soul. If You've Got Trouble is another song that deserved a proper release - this is a great song! The live songs here are nicely recorded and the band still sound fantastic, but def sound tired, like a band that are performing non-stop. Especially on Help! I could have done with less versions of Yesterday, but hey, what's McCartney going to do? Not put lots of himself on here? And Your Bird Can Sing is completely derailed by some stoned fools laughing hysterically while trying to record their vocals. Live songs from Tokyo in 1966 show they are just done with performing live. The Strawberry Fields Forever demos are interesting in how different the feel is compared to the final release. A Day in the Life is so brilliant and then it cuts to the orchestra randomly, but still omits the ending? Good Morning, Good Morning minus all the nonsense is such a good song. Fool on the Hill is not, no matter how many versions McCartney tries to make me to listen to. This version of Across the Universe is a million times better than that 'wildlife' version that seemed to only exist to make Lennon mad. In fact, this may well be the best version. 
Highlights: Real Love, You Know My Name (Look Up the Number) [Extended Stereo Remix], Across the Universe [Take 2]
6/10

Anthology 3 - The Beatles
I'm glad Now & Then didn't make the cut for this, because it really wasn't that great. And I find it so funny how all the articles and interviews from the time make it clear Harrison thought it was rubbish. Yet, somehow, I'm supposed to pretend he would have approved of it being released 25 years later with his involvement almost completely removed. Lennon's acoustic tracks on here are a genuine highlight and part of me wishes he had sorted himself out and finished them instead of just letting them get thrown together for the Abbey Road medley, but then we wouldn't have gotten the epic medley of greatness, so either way is a lose. This version of Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da is actually less annoying, somewhat. The Savile Row sessions for Let It Be/Get Back/Whatever we are calling it these days are seriously good. Why is Get Back the only song from the rooftop concert? The kinda sad part is the Abbey Road period feels completely disjointed and like they are barely together. Which was the case, but the album itself at least managed to pretend otherwise. Still didn't need this odd remix of The End with all the extra out of place McCartney lead guitar playing.
Highlights: While My Guitar Gently Weeps [Demo], All Things Must Pass [Demo], any version of Glass Onion
5/10

That was basically a whole day of The Beatles. Luckily, it was a mostly varied chronological trek through their catalog - just in mostly inferior fashion. So I'm not sick of The Beatles right now. More sick of Anthologies?

"Albums" listened to so far: 59

2025 in 2025: Day 6

amp-relection - School Food Punishment
Going in to this, I was under the impression this was some weird electronic lo-fi chill out album I had picked up from a friend some years ago and had listened to once or twice to no major impression. And this intro starts and I'm all like 'Yeah, just what I thought'. And then the first song goodblue starts and I'm like 'Oh I am all kinds of wrong!' because this album is my jam, right here! Power-pop with electronic elements and all sorts of good stuff going on. I hope you take a lot from my technical breakdown.
Highlights: goodblue, future nova, 駆け抜ける
7.50/10

And Now... The Runaways
Joan Jett fronting The Runaways is always good times. Apart from a terrible cover of Eight Days a Week. And the middle part of this album. And Takeover might be the dumbest song Jett has ever written - it's total cold war propaganda, complaining about how the Russians are causing all sorts of trouble? But then again, look at the modern world and tell her she's wrong. Anyways, there are some good songs in here, but this is definitely the lowest of The Runaways' discography.
Highlights: Saturday Night Special, Mama Weer All Crazee Now, Black Leather
7/10

...And Then There Was X - DMX
Aaah of course, this is just Party Up (Up In Here). Because it is the meanest, angriest, grooviest hip-hop song on the planet. Adding the rest of this album to my list of albums to update in full.
9/10

Angel Dust - Faith No More
Fun story time: on my first day of high school, a 7th form guy in my home room came to me and asked me if I liked Faith No More. I was familiar with Epic and a couple of songs from The Real Thing, I think, and I liked Midlife Crisis. So the next day, he brought in his Faith No More tape collection and told me to go listen to them. He also suggested that Angel Dust might be a bit different, but to give it a chance. He was right on all counts, because Faith No More were generally very good, and this album is their peak. Not sure what Sir James Martin's problem was, because his riffs and shredding are key to its success. Station. This whole thing rides the line between alt rock and whatever pretentious nonsense Mike Patton has going on in his head. Because there is some bizarre stuff going on here; cheerleaders, war marches, songs desperately trying to sound like Primus... but then there's some killer hooks and funky grooves. Plus, Patton's hairstyle during this period was on point. Please file my report at the Faith No More Spiritual & Theological Centre.
Highlights: Land of Sunshine, Caffeine, Mid-Life Crisis, Everything's Ruined, A Small Victory
8/10

Animalize - Kiss
Shredder!!! Modern Kiss should have attempted this album live - it would have been hilarious to hear Thayer try and do even the tiniest bit of this shredding. It would be like... me trying to do even the slowest bit of shredding. In the grand discography of Kiss, this would be totally middle of the road if Mark St John wasn't shredding everything everywhere all over your face. Oh you want some more ridiculous shredding? I think I can only spare another bit of that in every song!
Highlights: Shreddy-shred-shredd-shred-shredder!!
6/10

Soul Taker - Anipara Superband
This sounds like some live version I picked up somewhere... Pretty sure I scored this because it features Psychic Lover (I can def hear YOFFY singing some backing vocals and that guitar solo sounds suspiciously like IMAJO). I despise romaji, so I think I need to update the band name in iTunes to correct Japanese. Or just delete the song, because it's garbage.
2/10

ANOMALY - The Hiatus
The greatest band name ever. Featuring the greatest band member ever. And still only his third best band. It took me a long time to actually give this album a decent listen, because the opening is just... too much. BUT once you get past it, there are some great songs on here. A bit more aggressive than their first album. And a lot harsher. However, this may be 細美さん's best vocal performance on any album - he really let's it rip on songs like Insomnia. I would gladly wake up the world by playing ベテルギウスの灯 too loudly. But then, how could I play that song too loud?
Highlights: Insomnia, ベテルギウスの灯, 西門の昧爽
7.5/10

Anomaly [Deluxe Edition] - Ace Frehley
Oh, look - another album with the same name. And, hilariously, these were only released nine months apart. Anyways, a couple of years ago when playing catchup on my Ace Frehley collection, I finally picked up the reissue of this album. It's the same album, just with some bonus tracks that are completely pointless. Luckily, the rest of the album is unchanged, because this is still one of Ace's best albums. Genghis Khan features some of his absolute best playing in ever. And Fractured Quantum always gives me the utmost feels.
Highlights: Genghis Khan, Sister, Fractured Quantum
7.5/10 (again, take away the bonus tracks and this is a solid 8)

Another Disc - Brian May
This is the bonus disc for the Another World reissue. I finally managed to pick up all three Brian May solo box sets for more affordable pricing last year, and that made my little Brian May corner very happy. Nice touching tribute to Cozy Powell to open this - dude was a phenomenal drummer, as accentuated in the remix to Business. Then we get a bunch of covers of old rock'n roll songs. Including Hot Patootie from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Brian May doing Buddy Holly is a combination of two of my most favourite legends. This is all good, but then the whole collection trails off in to unnecessary reworkings of Business. Which makes me sick of Business. Which is a shame, because Business is my favourite track on Another World. I'm saying Business all the time so that you, too, will also be sick of Business.
Highlights: The rock'n roll covers, giving me the Business over Business
5.5/10

Another World - Brian May
I got so caught up in listening to this album I almost forgot to write anything. Business is awesome - being sick of it lasted about 30 seconds. The Guv'nor should have been the theme song to The Governor in The Walking Dead - I'm going to need someone to edit together some sort of highlights package for him to this song. Everything here is good, just fairly standard rock/blues type of stuff, with some nice ballads thrown in. Is it exceptional? No - but it is Brian May, so there is nothing bad about any of it.
Highlights: Business, The Guv'nor
7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 55

2025 in 2025: Day 5

Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned - The Prodigy
Wake up, LOGMAN! If I were a pro-wrestler, Spitfire would be an awesome entrance song. Oh snap, I forgot Juliette Lewis did vocals on this song - the whole 2 lines. This whole album is hard-hitting electronic punk badassery. Which is really what you should expect from The Prodigy. But there's just something about this album that feels extra cool. Maybe it's the use of rappers like Kool Keith and Twista? Otherwise, it's pretty well just a Liam Howlett solo album. He and Liam Gallagher must have been married to the All Saints sisters at the time, because that would have surely made it easier to get him and Noel to come help make Shoot Down one blast of awesome to end the album.
Highlights: Spitfire, Wake Up Call, Get Up Get Off, Action Radar, Shoot Down
8.5/10

ALXD - [Alexandros]
When the opening riff of ワトリドリ kicked in, I was like 'Oooh I know this song, but I am not sure what it is...' and then the band kicked and I was like 'Oh snap!' Awesome song, awesome way to open an album. I've generally been a bit harsh on the rest of this album, but I think it's more the next few songs after that are not so great, because the rest of the album is very good, too. Clearly I need to listen to this more.
Highlights: ワトリドリ, Dog 3, Coming Summer
7.5/10

AMARANTHUS - Momoiro Clover Z
Bahahahaha I'm hilarious. MCZ are fun. This is actually just two songs from the album, because spending that much on an MCZ album would be insane. The mix on WE ARE BORN is fantastic (and it's an awesome song I kind of want to listen to again right now). And ゴリラパンチ is just fun. There's a 'metal mix' that is kinda cool, but omits my fav part at 2:08. And is really unnecessary, because the intro & verses have plenty heavy guitars as it is. Shiizz, I ain't afraid of you mofos. 
9/10

Ambitions - ONE OK ROCK
The volume just went UP! Massive guitar riffs, stadium drums, spacious keyboards, and bah gawd Taka's voice. Dude was at his absolute peak on this album. And that's saying something, because I still maintain that dude has the best voice in rock even today. We Are is the biggest and bestest anthem on the planet. The live version has a guitar solo and I kinda wish that was on this version, too. Argh I want to listen to that now. Luckily this album just keeps kicking ass, so I won't turn it off right now. Sure, it falls off a little in the middle. And I could certainly live without Avril Lavigne appearing. But at least her vocals have been super processed so she actually sounds like someone that can sing. I need more ONE OK ROCK.
Highlights: Bombs Away, Taking Off, We Are, Start Again, Take What You Want
8/10

America's Greatest Hero - Joey Scarbury
This is simply the theme from The Greatest American Hero, Believe It or Not. One of the greatest TV show themes of all-time. I should watch the show again, but I think I've been saying that for about 20 years.
8/10

American Beauty/American Psycho - Fall Out Boy
Wait - this album is now 10 years old?!? Time and life are going too quickly. It starts off kinda... meh. But then it gets kinda... sad. And then gets really... dark. Well, for FOB, anyways. Wait; I just read the title track samples Too Fast For Love by Mötley Crüe. How have I not noticed that before? Because that's the worst song on the album? Why am I asking all these questions of a 10 year-old? The 2nd half of the album is awesome when I'm in the right mood. I like some dark and angry emo pop punk, and this album provides that quite nicely. In part.
Highlights: Novocaine, Fourth of July, Favorite Record
7/10

American Gangster - Jay-Z
Oh my, what a change of pace. After a morning of head-crushing beats, amped-up anthems and edgy emo energy, Jay-Z hits me with the more relaxed grooves while he recounts life doing illegal things against a backdrop of 70s soul music. We even get Marvin Gaye and Beastie Boys sampled to great effect. Do people really think Lil Wayne is good? I keep seeing stuff online about him being the greatest ever, but I'm yet to find a single verse he's dropped that is actually good. Luckily Jay-Z is fire 90% of the time. And the tracks Diddy wrote/produced here are all killer - probably some of his best work, IMO.
Highlights: No Hook, Roc Boys (And the Winner Is...), American Gangster
7/10

American Idiot - Green Day
The last good album by Green Day? Which was such a bizarre return to form after Nimrod and Warning. As a teenager of the 90s, I never thought I'd see the day when these guys did a 9-minute song. Let alone 2 of them on one album. And they are actually the best songs on the album. This is the second punk song called Novocaine I've heard today. Solid album.
Highlights: Jesus of Suburbia, Homecoming, Whatsername
7.5/10

American Pie - Various Artists
I was never a fan of the movie, but this soundtrack is the most 1999 collection of 1999 music. 3EB, blink-182, Sugar Ray and even New Zealand singer Bic Runga somehow lucked her way into this. Twice! You Wanted More by Tonic was a classic busking jam for me. Still holds up remarkably well!
Highlights: New Girl - Third Eye Blind, You Wanted More - Tonic
7/10

Americana - The Offspring
I never listen to this, because I am have an immediate distaste for it due to the cheesy singles - Pretty Fly (For a White) is kinda lame, and Why Don't You Get a Job? is so incredibly awful I've already deleted it from my iTunes (thank Prime for that! I probably didn't even import it - I hate it that much). But I am trying to give it a fair re-evaluation, because there are some very typically good Offspring songs on here. Then they go and drop that parody of Feelings in the middle of the album and I go back to hating this nonsense.
Highlights: The Kids Aren't Alright, Not having to listen to Why Don't You Get a Job?
5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 45

2025 in 2025: Day 4

All About Chemistry - Semisonic
Almost 25 years ago, my brother moved overseas and left me a whole bunch of his stuff - including half of his CD collection. This was one of those CDs. And this is the first time I've ever actually listened to it! It's a fairly harmless piece of early-2000s radio rock. Nothing out of the ordinary here.
Highlights:
6/10

All Bad Things - Mötley Crüe
This was Mötley Crüe's farewell single. When they embarked on their final concert tour... before recording more songs and then going back on tour and then recording more songs and going back on tour. 80s rockers retire like they are pro-wrestlers. The funniest part of this song is that it opens with Nikki Sixx stating they "would rather just break up than be bland", but then this song is exactly that.
4/10

All My Life - Billy Joel
This was kind of in the same vein; Billy Joel kind of retired from releasing music in the 90s, and this was his first release since then, something like 15 years later. It's about what you'd expect from an older Billy Joel writing a love song. A very easy breezy piano ballad.
5/10

All Night Carnival - Various Artists
So there is this song called One Night Carnival by a group called Kishidan. And for the 20th anniversary of that single, their record label put together this album of other artists performing the song. It just so happens that their record label is Avex Tracks - home to some of the biggest artists in Japan. So you get 11 different artists like Ayumi Hamasaki, BiSH and Momoiro Clover Z giving their take on the same song. It's quite fun getting to hear all these different artists all on the same album... doing the same song. And that part can get a bit old. Because deep down, it is the same song 11 times. That said, some of them really do make this sound like a somewhat different song - the WANIMA version in particular. Because WANIMA are awesome.
Highlights: Ayumi Hamasaki, BiSH, WANIMA
7/10

All The Young Dudes - David Bowie
Well, my iTunes says this is Mott The Hoople, but this is definitely David Bowie singing. And it's a different version to the one found on the Aladdin Sane reissue. So I have no idea what version this is, right now. Clearly I have decided to start 2025 by failing at my musical knowledge. But this is the best studio version I have of the song. And this is a great song.
9/10

All Things Must Pass - George Harrison
This is quite likely the best solo album released by a Beatle. Folksy rock songs, ruminations on religion and love, Hare Krishna chanting, instrumental jams. This album has everything. Even a huge stack of reverb and Psycho Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound". I'm somewhat embarrassed that I do not have the 50th anniversary edition with the new remix (Harrison's son finally and went and did what his Father had been interested in doing, and stripped all that Spector stuff out), because I am genuinely interested to hear how it sounds, but I just don't drop all my money on albums I already own anymore - I save that for overpriced boxes of kung fu movies. And these Beatles-adjacent box sets have been getting more and more expensive. Wah-Wah is my favourite diss track of all-time (Euphoria is now a very close second). I dig the extra tracks on this, as well - apart from the 2000 version of My Sweet Lord. Also, people don't talk enough about Klaus Voorman's bass playing. Between this and Plastic Ono Band, the dude was awesome and had so much groove. Eric Clapton is also tolerable here. I'm not 100% convinced there isn't some type of modernisation going on with Out of the Blue, but it might be just the 5 hours of fake live Kiss I listened to yesterday. I'm sure George Harrison wasn't like that. And "moderinastion" is a hell of a word to throw at something released 25 years ago. I've written a lot, because this is a long album.
Highlights:
9/10

Allegiance - Firewind
I believe this was given to me by the guitarist in my short-lived rock band 15 years ago. I may have listened to it once? It's starting off like some sort of modern Iron Maiden. Wait - was that a dueling guitar and keyboard solo? I get why that dude liked this and gave it to me. Shred shred shred. Actually, with the dramatic vocals and the keyboards and the shredding (and the shredding keyboards?) it all sounds like a less-pop Psychic Lover! It's fun. Like most metal, I get pretty bored fairly easily, but still fun for what it is.
Highlights:
7/10

Aloha From Hawaii [12 January 1973] - Elvis Presley
This is the dress rehearsal concert from two days before the live broadcast. Okay, so this is a weird confession; I've seen this on my old DVD numerous times. However, I bought the Aloha From Hawaii boxset (both concerts on blu-ray and CD) a few months ago and... have yet to the listen to the CDs. Until now! Darn Elvis for being an unprofessional goof and messing up the lyrics to Burning Love - this could have been the best version ever! He also fumbles is his way through part of My Way. Shiz, Elvis ain't afraid of you mofos!
Highlights:
6.5/10

Aloha From Hawaii [14 January 1973] - Elvis Presley
Now it is time for the exact same concert just two days later! You see, Elvis performed and recorded the concert on the 12th as a backup in case they had any satellite issues on the 14th. It also meant they could make more money - as well as money for the children's benefit they were supporting with these shows. So the setlist is pretty much the same, just with a few extra songs (which are well worth it IMO). At least he remembers the words to Burning Love this time, though he does come close to messing it up still. In Elvis On Tour, the dude actually had to read the lyrics on stage. Normally Elvis made everything his own, but that was never the case when he covered The Beatles - his version of Something is just average no matter the night. Anyways, all I can say is this concert is OK to listen to, but much more enjoyable to watch, because you can see Elvis was having fun and that really lifts an otherwise average performance. Shiz, Elvis ain't afraid of you mofos!
Highlights:
7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 35

2025 in 2025: Day 3

The Album - ABBA
Starting the day with ABBA feels sooooo good. I don't know if this album is underappreciated or anything, but turns out there are only 2 hit singles from it. That's odd, because this album is pure greatness. But then again, most ABBA albums are! I kind of see this album as being a little more theatrical, with songs like I'm a Marionette and I Wonder, which makes sense when I remember that is part of what makes up ABBA: The Movie. Which I have never seen. I should do that one day when I don't have 24,000 songs to listen to. Oh yeah, One Man, One Woman is grand.
Highlights: Take a Chance on Me, One Man One Woman, Thank You For the Music, I'm a Marionette
9/10

The Album - Blackpink
I was going to call them the queens of K-Pop, but I think that is 2NE1. So this makes them the princesses? Either way, this album is... somewhat disappointing? The singles are mostly awesome, but the collaborations with American artists are kinda lame. The production is top-notch, as expected, but I don't know - I just expected more from this album when it was released, given how awesome their singles are, and that attitude hasn't changed four years later.
Highlights: How You Like That, Lovesick Girls
6.5/10

Album of the Year - Faith No More
I tried to listen to this in full a couple of weeks ago and failed - I couldn't even make it halfway through. Today I have no choice. It starts off strong, but this album is peak 'Mike Patton is a wacky guy' levels of Faith No More. I preferred the Jim Martin and "gay disco" era, personally. I remember in 1997 seeing some live version of Ashes to Ashes where Patton screamed the chorus and it was actually badass, but I've never been able to find anything online since that comes close. There is some fun to be had here (Mouth to Mouth, Got That Feeling) and some decent songs, but overall I find this to be their most pretentious album. Which would explain why I enjoyed it back in 1997. Please file my report at the Faith No More Spiritual & Theological Centre.
Highlights: Mouth to Mouth, Ashes to Ashes, Got That Feeling
6/10

Ali G Indahouse Da Soundtrack - Various Artists
Again, this is simply Me Julie by Ali G & Shaggy. Fun comedy R'n'B from a fun comedy movie.
6/10

Alice in Chains - Alice in Chains
Remarkably, this is another album from that era that I recently revisited. Except in this case, I made it the whole way through; because under the dirge and ugly guitar tones and just straight up noise, there is a good album in here. This is a lot darker and grimier than their previous albums, and some of the songs do tend to go on a bit longer than they need to. And Layne Stayley sings like a man struggling under the weight of his heroin addiction. And it does kind of all start falling apart as the album goes on... The breakdown in Again still goes hard.
Highlights: Again, Grind, Brush Away, Sludge Factory - particularly that intro, special mention to the breakdown in Again (again)
7/10

Alive II - Kiss
Thanks to alphabet and naming conventions, this is the first 'Alive' album by Kiss that I will be listening to - Alive! will come last, thanks to that apostrophe in the name. Funny stuff. Anyways, this album is good. I've told you that before.
Highlights: Shock Me, I Stole Your Love, Rocket Ride, a whole bunch of stuff
8/10

Alive III - Kiss
Oh, more Kiss, you say? Don't mind if I do... Re-reading my post from Kissathon II, it's interesting how much I forgive Kiss for putting out live albums that are not really live. Like, it just is not a big deal to me at all. Because the Alive albums sound great.
Highlights: I Was Made For Lovin' You, Lick It Up, Forever, Detroit Rock City, God Gave Rock 'N' Roll to You II
8.5/10

Alive IV: The Millennium Concert - Kiss
Did you know: If I had used the official name for this album, it would have been in my queue after all the other Alive albums. Interesting. Or not. Anyways, I like this album more and more each time I listen to it, for reasons detailed here. Tempos annoyed the bejeebus out of this time around, as well, but I had to lift my rating for Do You Love Me? because this version is kicking my butt today.
Highlights: Deuce, Shout It Out Loud, Firehouse, Let Me Go Rock'n Roll, 100,000 Years, Love Gun, Black Diamond, Rock and Roll All Nite
8.5/10

Alive! - Kiss
And thus our first live Kiss marathon concludes. I'm sure I've listened to these four back-to-back before, but not in this order. Strange times we live in. Fun note: in my spreadsheet from Kissathon II, there is a note next to Nothin' To Lose that simply says "gene's vocals suck" like I wouldn't remember that. My love for Parasite just grows and grows - this version is pretty awesome, really. I've detailed this album before. Twice, even. And strangely, I have given it a different rating each time! That's the power of Kiss!!
Highlights: Damn-near most of the album, except for that drum solo in 100,000 Years (although I actually didn't find it that bad today)
9/10 

"Albums" listened to so far: 26