2025 in 2025: Day 86

G is for Get ready for the GREATEST week!

Greatest - Duran Duran

This is such a good reminder of just how great Duran Duran were. That chorus in Rio is sooo fantastic. And boy howdy do these songs have such groovy basslines. I admit, as a child it was confusing that there were so many guys in this band with the surname Taylor and they were not related and one of them was even Roger but not in Queen.

Highlights: Ordinary World, New Moon on Monday, Notorious, Planet Earth

8/10

Greatest Hats - Men Without Hats

This is purely Safety Dance. It feels not so safe, especially if you have Bone-itus.

8/10

Greatest Hits - Village People

Trump may have kind of ruined Y.M.C.A., but these guys will never stop being enjoyable. Ray Simpson will forever be the better singer, though. Singing stuff like "Don't go in the bushes" always makes me laugh. And this dude wants us to stop saying there is absolutely zero gay subtext going on here? Ray Simpson would never. I should watch Can't Stop the Music again.

Highlights: Y.M.C.A., Go West, Macho Man, Do You Wanna Spend the Night

8/10

Greatest Hits - Sublime

These guys never really did anything for me. I do not really dig reggae at the best of times, and this is full on stoner reggae with added cheesy early 00s whiteboy rapping and record scratches. Like Sugar Ray on weed. Also, every pub band I grew up around plays half of these songs.

Highlights: What I Got, Santeria

6/10

Greatest Hits - The Cure

I should probably do a clean up of this, because there are really only a handful of songs that are not available on other albums. But I'll damned if this is not just a fun collection of The Cure singles. Like, this is pretty much The Cure at their most fun all the way.

Highlights: Mint Car, Wrong Number, In Between Days, Close to Me, Just Like Heaven

9/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 710

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2025 in 2025: Day 85

Gravity - Our Lady Peace

The irony of a band firing their long-time guitarist because they claimed he was not good enough, and then replacing him with a guy that does less than nothing and move their sound further towards generic radio rock is not lost on me. Also hilarious that the absolute best songs on the album were all co-written by and/or still feature their original guitarist. Make of that what you will. Innocent is the anthem of the century.

Highlights: Somewhere Out There, Innocent, Sorry, A Story About a Girl

8/10

The Great Christmas Album - The Christmas Angels

A mix of Xmas carols and Xmas classics, sung by a group of singers that range from acceptable to laughable, backed by simple midi sounds straight out of Logic. Since when is Amazing Grace a christmas song??

Highlights: The hilarity of the Rod Stewart imitator singing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

4/10

The Great Christmas Album - Various Artists

Wow, how original. This is a collection of Xmas songs - not just carols, thank Prime - and at least they are actually sung by proper singers, like Bing Crosby, Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra. Somewhat more of an acceptable listen at Xmas time... which is 6 months from now...

Highlights: Jingle Bells - Big Crosby & The Andrews Sisters, Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Frank Sinatra, The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Vaughan Monroe

6/10

The Great New Zealand Songbook (Souvenir Edition) - Various Artists

This is a massive collection of NZ songs. I will be honest; I have already whittled this down a bit, because it was originally almost six hours long and there was no way I could survive having to deal with that with all the terrible stuff that was included. And this listen will hopefully get rid of some more. While I will contend that the selection process for this must have been very flawed, because there are some genuinely great NZ songs that are missing (e.g. Escaping by Margaret Urlich immediately comes to mind), there are a number of very good songs in here. In fact, this was not nearly as torturous as I was expecting!

Highlights: Heavenly Pop Hit - The Chills, Dominion Road - The Mutton Birds, For Today - Netherworld Dancing Toys, Give it a Whirl - Split Enz, Be Mine Tonight - The' Dudes

7/10

The Great Twenty-Eight - Chuck Berry

I am not going to say all twenty-eight are "great", as some of them are just "okay", I guess. But the ones that are "great" are so great, we probably would not have rock'n roll without them!

Highlights: Maybellene, Thirty Days, You Can't Catch Me, Too Much Monkey Business, Johnny B. Goode, No Particular Place to Go

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 705

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2025 in 2025: Day 84

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John

Fun fact: back when I studied video production, I made it a point to include a song from this album on every video project I made - even if it was just a snippet. It felt like the right thing to do at the time. Bah gawd that opening run of four songs is legendary. There are actually a whole bunch of killer guitar riffs throughout this whole thing.

Highlights: Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, Bennie and the Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting

8/10

Goodies - Ciara

This is simply the song 1,2 Step and I have that because of Missy Elliot. Because when Missy is writing and producing your song, LOGMAN has got to have it.

7/10

Graduation - Kanye West

With all the nonsense going on in the world, it gets harder and harder to not just overlook how much of complete clown Kanye West is, but not have that completely infect his previous music. Like, I have not listened to anything he has released in probably 10 years now. Because he is a piece of shit. Having him still in my library while doing this is not only a chore, but just feels like going against principles in a way. I could have replaced these albums with music by someone better. I have never heard Kneecap, but they are all over the social media these days because of their outspoken Free Palestine activism. They would deserve a listen far more than this clownshoes. Fuck Kanye West.

Highlights: Stronger, Good Life, Can't Tell Me Nothing, Barry Bonds, Big Brother

8.5/10

Graffiti Bridge - Prince

Oh my this is funky! The movie is fine, but the musical performances in it are all very enjoyable. So it makes sense that the soundtrack is great. It never stops being funny hearing We Can Funk after hearing the original version (it is twice as long and he used a very different F word).

Highlights: New Power Generation, We Can Funk, Joy In Repetition, Thieves in the Temple, Graffiti Bridge

8/10

Grand World - Cool For August

This is album #700! My biggest opinion of this album is that the singer has a strange voice, but if you can get past it, he expresses quite a lot of passion and the songs themselves are very good, in a late 90s alt-style radio rock kind of way. That may not make sense... Anyways, this was probably one of my favourite albums around 1999-2002 and listening now I had almost forgotten how outstanding this actually is.

Highlights: Don't Wanna Be Here, Walk Away, Denial, Sylmar, Spinning

9/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 700

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2025 in 2025: Day 83

GOiNG TO DESTRUCTiON - BiSH

Bah gawd this album rules the schools. Very little idol nonsense and a whole lot of punk attitude, wrapped up in some pop stylings. The whole thing is full of great hooks and big beats and screaming vocals and just awesomeness. So good I had to buy it three different times...

Highlights: in case..., STACKiNG, I have no idea., WiTH YOU, 狂う狂う, BROKEN

9/10

Gold - Cher

While I do appreciate her 60s and 70s music - it is mostly good light-hearted pop, some of it strangely racially-charged - I feel like Cher really came into her own once she hooked up with Richie Sambora. The 80s style pop-rock thing really suited her voice. Especially the power ballads. I also enjoy her late 90s/early 00s resurgence doing disco. Because LOGMAN loves disco. And Cher. Only song missing from this is her cover of Walking in Memphis - her live cut of that is fantastic.

Highlights: We All Sleep Alone, After All, If I Could Turn Back Time, Just Like Jessie James, Song for the Lonely

7.5/10

Gold - Ryan Adams

It is crazy to think DRA wanted this as a double-album; the cut tracks are mostly average (but mostly not great) and half of the remaining tracks are also kinda there. But boy howdy that first half of the album is brilliant. It tries to get back to that level around Harder Now That It's Over, and it certainly gets close. 

Highlights: New York New York, Firecracker, Answering Bell, La Cienaga Just Smiled, The Rescue Blues

8/10

Gold: Greatest Hits - The Everly Brothers

The title does not lie; this is pure rock'n roll gold. These dudes had beautiful harmonies.

Highlights: Bye Bye Love, Wake Up Little Susie, Rip It Up, Should We Tell Him, Poor Jenny

7/10

Gold Against the Soul - Manic Street Preachers

I forget how kickass this album is. Compared to their first album, there is nothing on the level of Stay Beautiful or Motorcycle Emptiness (I mean, that is a crazy high bar to set), but overall I enjoy this album more. Shorter, punchier, all great songs and a much better mix. James Dean Bradfield sounds very angry!

Highlights: From Despair to Where, Sleepflower, Yourself, Roses in the Hospital

8/10

Gold Cobra - Limp Bizkit

Ten years after their peak and ten years before they embraced being just a fun joke of a band. And Fred Durst was still "rapping" about bagging hawt women and fighting people. "So much ass in Los Angeles/It's definitely scandalous". Thought-provoking def jam poetry slam, to be sure.

Highlights: Gold Cobra, Shark Attack, Shotgun, 90.2.10

6/10

The Gold Experience - Prince

I mean, sure, he was actually the symbol at this point. But I just credit everything to Prince. And this album is one of his best. Or at least one of my favourites. Funk, rock, soul, ballads and awesomeness all wrapped in a nice gold bow. The Most Beautiful Girl in the World is just phemonenal and Endorphinmachine is the most fun rockin' Prince song on the planet. I am even willing to overlook the overt religious lyrics on songs like Dolphin and Gold. That is just how this all this.

Highlights: Endorphinmachine, Shhh, The Most Beautiful Girl in the World, Gold

9/10

Gold Medal - The Donnas

I don't want to say this album is boring, because it is not quite that bad. But compared to the stellar Spend The Night, this is... 

Highlights: Don't Break Me Down, Fall Behind Me, It Takes One to Know One

6.5/10

The Golden Age of Wireless - Thomas Dolby

This is purely the song She Blinded Me with Science. It is classic 80s synth pop stuff.

7/10

Gone Troppo - George Harrison

Speaking of 80s synth pop stuff - George and his Moog are back having some summer fun.

Highlights: Dream Away, Wake Up My Love, Gone Troppo, That's the Way it Goes

7/10

Gonna Make You Sweat - C+C Music Factory

This is both super fun pop-rap dance stuff, and hard hitting 90s dancefloor jams. 90s dance stuff could super funky. This dude's raps are hilariously cringe at times. And surprisingly misogynistic!

Highlights: Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now), Here We Go Let's Rock & Roll, Things That Make You Go Hmmmm...., Bang That Beat

8/10

Good Bye - M to M

K-Pop ballad. Idol group? Handsome actor? A combo of both??

7.5/10

Goodbye [Single] - Spice Girls

Saying goodbye to Geri, but not really. Smart marketing. I was actually unpacking a box the other day and found my poster book from their split with Geri. What a time to be a Spice Girls fan. A sad time. Anyways, this song is beautiful and the tracks from Live at Wembley are also very, very good. The Mels completely nail Sisters (Are Doing It For Themselves) . Smashing stuff!

Highlights: Goodbye, Sisters (Are Doing It For Themselves), We Are Family [Live]

10/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 695

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2025 in 2025: Day 82

Get Ready - New Order

New Order's big comeback and not even Billy Corgan can bring it down. We can also thank this for The Killers getting their name. The middle part of this album goes from dark electronic beats to just straight-up radio rock. But the whole thing is bookended by just the most awesome songs - which are also a mix of dark head-drilling beats and simple radio-friendly rock. I always love the way they let the electronic songs build and layer the instruments - Peter Hook's bass work was more than just simple bass lines, more like melodies that added extra texture to the songs.

Highlights: Crystal, Turn My Way, Someone Like You, Close Range, Run Wild

8/10

Get Rich or Die Tryin' - 50 Cent

Good luck finding me In da Club! This song has Eminem's fingerprints all over; matches his own style, with all the silly noises and background skits.

8/10

Get Rich or Die Tryin': Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture - 50 Cent

I only have the one song here - I'll Whip Ya Head Boy. Is this what they call mumble rap? Because I'll be damned if I can understand a word 50 is rapping here. I actually saw this movie! It was as dumb as this song.

5/10

Get Your Wings - Aerosmith

Middle of the road 70s Aerosmith. It is not bad at all - because Aerosmith did not learn how to be bad until the end of millennium - but it is not as awesome as they are capable of.

Highlights: S.O.S. (Too Bad), Train Kept a Rollin'

6.5/10

Ghetto Superstar - Pras

I was certain I had this full album, but apparently I only have Ghetto Superstar and Avenues. Which are awesome songs, so I am glad to at least still have them. How is it I disliked The Fugees but really enjoy the solo work from each member?

10/10

The Ghost of Tom Joad - Rage Against the Machine

I got this single when I purchased a Rage Against the Machine VHS. The song itself is on Renegades, so not really sure why I still have it. For the live songs? So I can have some killer Rage Against the Machine to get the party started on a rainy morning?

Highlights: The Ghost of Tom Joad, Vietnow (Live), The Ghost of Tom Joad (Live)

8/10

GiANT KiLLERS - BiSH

I cannot listen to this and not want to rock and dance and stomp a hole in the world. The best BiSH release. The best BiSH songs. That breakdown/bridge in Nothing. is the best. It is all just the best. I could listen to these five songs all day.

Highlights: GiANT KiLLERS, Marionette, Nothing., VOMiT SONG

10/10

Gimme Something Good [Single] - Ryan Adams

This is only the b-side Aching For More and it is in really bad quality. WTF? And it is actually fantastic.

9/10

Gin - Gin Wigmore

I knew this good run was going to end eventually. But to end so spectacularly badly?

Highlights: Under My Skin

4/10

A Girl Like Me - Emma Bunton

Sadly, this is purely the single What Took You So Long? I am somewhat surprised Emma Bunton never had more of a solo career. But if it means I get another Spice Girls reunion, then so be it!

8/10

Girl Power! Live In Istanbul - Spice Girls

This is the full concert; I'm guessing some of the songs are sourced straight from the video and the rest were b-sides on various singles. In case you are not a massive Spice Girls fan, this was their first ever live concert and the whole thing was broadcast live on TV. And then edited for VHS. And then (10 years later) DVD. Sure, their singing is nothing special live - Victoria is borderline awful - but they at least had a proper live band and that helps give the songs an extra kick in places.

Highlights: If You Can't Dance, Step to Me, Move Over [Encore], Wannabe [Encore]

7/10

Girl You Know It's True - Milli Vanilli

I do no really care who actually sang these songs (I mean, obviously the real singers do deserve the credit), but these songs are serious jams and that can never be denied. Also, Milli Vanilli got a bad rapp and were totally thrown under the bus by their producer.

Highlights: Girl You Know It's True, Baby Don't Forget My Number, Blame it on the Rain

8/10

Girls, Girls, Girls - Mötley Crüe

Wild Side is all kinds of awesome badassery and Dancing on Glass is pretty darn cool, actually. Even some saxophone for added cool? And some type of gospel singer doing some "SWEET JESUS" warbling?? What the hell?? Sadly, Bad Boy Boogie does not continue the awesomeness. In fact, it's actually one of the dumbest Crüe songs you will ever hear. Like, I don't even understand what's going on here - Kiss lyrics against some weird blues riff with 80's production? Nona is non-anything. At least Five Years Dead has a cool opening riff. Except that's almost the entire song, so it feels like it just goes on and on. All In the Name of... is kinda ok. Except, again it's just the same riff over and over again. No wonder these dudes were doing so much drugs at this point. Sumthin' for Nuthin' is good - though I'm kinda confused by the big choir singing in the chorus, especially when it seems he's singing about being a gigolo? Again, 80's/drugs/insert reason. You're All I Need is some sort of attempt at an MTV ballad, I'm guessing. Except the lyrics are all about killing someone for not loving him back, so clearly this would have fit in better now. Except MTV don't play music videos now. Don't get me wrong, I know Nikki was having a good laugh writing this, but I feel like it would have been better served as a b-side or something. But considering the closing track on this album is a live cover of Jailhouse Rock, I am not convinced he had the cognitive ability to cobble together any other tracks at this point.

Highlights: Wild Side, Dancing on Glass, Sumthin' for Nuthin'

6.5/10

Gish - Smashing Pumpkins

What is more shocking than remembering I have a Smashing Pumpkins album in my iTunes library? Remembering I have two full Smashing Pumpkins albums in my iTunes library. Corgan's voice is not actually as annoying on this one, surprisingly. 

Highlights: Siva, Rhinoceros, Snail

6/10

Give 'Em Enough Rope - The Clash

Bah gawd I needed this after that. UK punk does not get any more classic and fun than this!

Highlights: Safe European Home, Tommy Gun, Drug-Stabbing Time, English Civil War

8/10

Glass Houses - Billy Joel

I get You May Be Right stuck in my head all the time, so quite a welcome listen. Lots of French lyrics and references going on here. Communist!

Highlights: You May Be Right, Sometimes a Fantasy, All for Leyna, Sleeping with the Television On

7/10

Glitter - Mariah Carey

MC and Nate Dogg is a combo I did not know I needed - but they could have left Ja Rule at home. Or at the homeless shelter. The pure audacity to ripoff Prince on I Didn't Mean to Turn You On! The general 80s grooves and super funky stylings are very cool, and MC doing her best to be sexy really suits it all. I remember this movie being.. a movie? I have it on blu-ray, in fact. I should watch it again!

Highlights: Loverboy, If We, I Didn't Mean to Turn You On, All My Life

7/10

Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

Joan Jett albums usually contain a few killer tracks and then a bunch of filler. This album is the same, but without the former. There is nothing terrible, but it is all pretty standard fare. I am not convinced covering herself with Cherry Bomb was necessary. And it is a shame this was her last reissue. Give me the rest of her albums already!

Highlights: I Love You Love Me, Long Time, Someday, Push and Stomp

7/10

Glow Stars - Heather Nova

Heather Nova's first album is much less pop than anything else she has done since; very sparse and minimalist, and dare I say a bit darker? It relies too much on having spooky production or whatever, when I am sure they could have just made some proper songs instead. She has shown on every album since that she is more than capable!

Highlights: My Fidelity, Frontier, Shaking the Doll

5/10

GO 2 THE NEW WORLD - 2

This is not as balls-to-the-wall awesome as their follow up album (which we will get to in like 6 months), but still seriously rocks hard in parts. More of a UK indie garage rock sound than I initially expected. Cool guitar solos, as well!

Highlights: GO 2 THE NEW WORLD, FALL FALL FALL, SONG FOR YOU, LUCKY BOY

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 682

2025 in 2025: Day 81

The Game - Queen

When I was young, I would see reviews of this album that proclaimed a 5 star album and I really didn't quite get it. Now I absolutely do. It is pretty much pop rock perfection with a bit of a little bit of a throwback to old rock'n roll. And a side of super strong funk. Who thought Don't Try Suicide was a good idea? The bridge is great, but boy those lyrics are... a choice. This is not my favourite Queen album, mostly because it is the least 'Queen' sounding at times, but it may well be their most enjoyable listen.

Highlights: Dragon Attack, Another One Bites the Dust, Rock It (Prime Jive), Sail Away Sweet Sister

9/10

Gangnum Style - PSY

I do not trust anyone that cannot enjoy this song. It is a party.

10/10

Gangnum Style/2 Legit 2 Quit Mashup - PSY (feat. MC Hammer)

How do you make an awesome more awesome? Mix it with another awesome song! It is basically just Gangnum Style with the 2 Legit chorus at the end, but that is a very good idea.

10/10

Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio

Sadly, I do not have this full album. I should sort that out one day, because Coolio sure did have some cool(io?) moments. Especially the theme song for Kenan & Kel. That was a fun show. Coolio was a fun dude. Hip-hop should be fun sometimes.

Highlights: Gangsta's Paradise, 1 2 3 4 (Sumpin' New)

9/10

Garbage - Garbage

In hindsight, I feel like a lot of pop music today owe a lot to what Garbage brought out; that whole alt rock with electronicness was not really being done before them, and they really pushed it hard. I always find the guitars on this album way over produced, but I think that is intentional on their part to really work with the whole electronic thing. Also, I heard a live version of My Lover's Box that showed me they didn't really capture the real awesomeness of Shirley Manson. I would like to one day get the reissues, but I am glad I do not have them yet, because I have so much to listen to already that I do not need to add 60 remixes of Milk.

Highlights: Supervixen, Vow, My Lover's Box, Fix Me Now

8/10

Gene Simmons - Gene Simmons

I'm going to listen and review this without reading any of my earlier post to see if my position changes... and... nope. Possibly the worst album that I will not only continue to own and store in my iTunes library, but also plan on upgrading because I am stupid.

Highlights: Radioactive, See You in Your Dreams

5/10

General Ulysses S. Hospital - The Shit

This is probably the least memorable of The Shit's vast and incredibly discography. Seems to be mostly about poo and being sick? And ends with a party jam about sex? But before that is an ode to the poet Snoop Dogg and some philosophical musings on religious figures like Buddah and Jesus and the Michelin Man.

Highlights: Buddah vs. Jesus

6/10

Generation Swine - Mötley Crüe

The popular opinion is to trash this album. But LOGMAN does not subscribe to conventional ideas and thinks this album rocks and has done since 1997. Sure, it is a bit of a mess, and Bryan Adams somehow helped make one of the worst ballads ever (which is like the opposite of his powers), but gawdam some of these songs are fun as nuts. 

Highlights: Flush, Shout at the Devil '97

7.5/10

Generation Swine (2003 Remastered) - Mötley Crüe

Yeah this is pointless; just the bonus tracks from the re-release, because I'm too cheap to even buy a single Mötley Crüe remaster, apparently. I like one of these...

Highlights: Kiss the Sky

6/10

Generation Terrorists - Manic Street Preachers

My biggest take away from this album is it really needed an edit. While it features two of the Manic's best songs ever - possibly best songs by anyone ever? - and some other great rockin' tracks, there is a bit of filler that just makes the album drag. So cut some of that and give the whole thing a remix and you have yourself a killer album, perhaps?

Highlights: Motorcycle Emptiness, Stay Beautiful, Nat West - Barclays - Midlands - Lloyds, Methadone Pretty

7/10

George Harrison - George Harrison

Well, that certainly is a change of pace! This is George at possibly his most happiest and chilled, just a collection of nice pop songs. Some of them really good, actually. Even a song in reference to F1. Imagine being so successful in your career you can just take a year off to follow the F1 championship around the world...

Highlights: If You Believe, Faster, Love Comes to Everyone, Blow Away

7/10

Get a Grip - Aerosmith

Wow, I can not remember the last time I listened to this album. And my memory is really hazy about what I thought about it, because it has been a helluva jam today! Aerosmith with some hard rock boogie really does hit the spot. And those epic songs like Livin' on the Edge and Cryin' are just awesome. Bruce Fairbairn was dang great producer.

Highlights: Eat the Rich, Livin' on the Edge, Shut Up and Dance, Cryin', Amazing

9/10

Get Behind Me Satan - The White Stripes

Jack White sure does love his Whammy pedal. And I guess he just discovered various percussion instruments, because they are all over this album; marimbas, shakers, bells. It is like listening to one of DRA's stupid Garageband albums. In fact, The Nurse sounds exactly like one of those songs! It could easily be from a DJ Reggie album.

Highlights: Blue Orchid, My Doorbell, The Denial Twist

5/10

Get Nice! - Zebrahead

This ticks all the boxes for what I want in a pop-punk album; great riffs & hooks, singing about middle finger to the world, and just do your thing and have a great time. Even some references to Mötley Crüe and pro-wrestling! In true LOGMAN fashion, I have the Japanese version of this album that features two bonus tracks and holy balls they are worth it!

Highlights: Nothing to Lose, Get Nice!, Nudist Priest, This is Gonna Hurt You Way More Than It's Gonna Hurt Me, Light Up the Sky

9/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 662

2025 in 2025: Day 80

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Trash...
AKA LOGMAN Does an Oopsie!

So, I spent 24 hours travelling and listening to all this music that I've been working my way through. Which is all fine and dandy. Being that I was travelling, I kept all my scores/ratings and ramblings in notes on my phone. And then the most hilarious thing happened and I had to restore my phone before being able to do a backup. Which meant I lost all my data from the last 6 months - including all the listening history! Now how will I know how many times I listened to ELLEGARDEN and Queen back in December?!?

So I lost about 2 weeks of listening time sorting this all out. Plus all this music I listened to while travelling and getting sorted? You guessed it - I will have to listen to it and rate it and discuss it all over again. Which is a shame, because I am sure my original bLogging would have been super entertaining and full of extremely witty dialogue. For sure...

So let's get back to it! We are almost 6 months into 2025 and I am still barely a third through this...

F is for FarOutIHaveToListenToTheseFTDAlbumsAgain!

FTD062: An American Trilogy, January/February 1972 - Elvis Presley

Another live compilation in the form of an actual live setlist. The recordings for the most part are really good and the band are seriously on fire! Elvis' voice is definitely not at its best, though.

Highlights: Never Been to Spain, You Gave Me a Mountain, A Big Hunk O' Love

6.5/10

FTD092: As Recorded At Boston Garden '71, Boston, 10 November 1971 - Elvis Presley

This show is mostly decent, but the recording/mix is just not great. Almost sounds like an audience recording? The crowd were certainly hot! Elvis didn't even kiss everyone during Love Me Tender. Anyways, clearly the real king of the garden was Bret Hart. Both Boston and Madison.

Highlights: You've Lost that Loving Feeling, I Can't Stop Loving You, Suspicious Minds

6/10

Full Blast - MC Hammer

Really just a glorified EP from the Hammerman; five songs and then the instrumental version of said five songs. Look, part of what I will always love about Hammer is that he works in such a great pop/dance vibe in the hip-hop. But when the man is angry and lets loose on his diss work, it goes hard!

Highlights: Full Blast, Hard Times, I Used to Love Her

7/10

Fumbling Towards Ecstasy - Sarah McLachlan

Last time I was listening to this album, I was wandering around Shanghai airport. This has probably been a more focused listen, which is great, because this album is pretty good and at times I really like McLachlan's voice and delivery. And whatever is going on musically, for the most part. It has been too long now to compare these versions to those found on the Freedom Sessions album, so one day next year I will have to do a direct back-to-back listen and comparison.

Highlights: Possession, Wait, Circle, Ice Cream

7/10

Fun in Space - Roger Taylor

This album sounds exactly like it came from someone involved in the creation of Queen's Hot Space album. In fact, some of these songs sound like they were reworked for that album - because some of them sound very similar. Whenever I read this album title, I get confused and start singing Prime Jive to myself. Because there is that line Roger Taylor sings about "rock in space" and the full title of the song is Rock It (Prime Jive). Try to keep up, please...

Highlights: No Violins, Let's Get Crazy, Airheads

6/10

A Funk Odyssey - Jamiroquai

Bah gawd this album blew my mind back in 2002 and was responsible for me becoming a Jamiroquai fan. Rob Harris' guitar work is so unbelievably funky and out of this world. And that bass line on Love Foolosophy is super funky. And then Stop Don't Panic features the sort of funk guitar that completely changes the game. Intergalactic Disco Express, right here.

Highlights: Little L, Love Foolosophy, Don't Stop Panic, Main Vein

8/10

The Funky Headhunter - MC Hammer

Hammer sans MC has no time for suckers talking smack. For the longest time, I thought It's All Good was on Too Legit To Quit. Kids are stupid. Especially the kids not listening to this album, because it is super awesome. Sure, as usual some of the songs are a bit long, and the whole album probably could have been edited down a bit (18 tracks at 1 hour 15 is genuinely not necessary), and my man don't need to be making me choose a side between him and Run DMC. And Hammer for sure wasn't all talk; Redman is on the record that Hammer came to him personally and had him apologising for talking trash, because Hammer don't play like that. Y'all busters should have just let Hammer do his pop super hype dancing!

Highlights: It's All Good, Don't Stop, Break 'em Off Somethin' Propa, It's All That, The Funky Headhunter

7/10

FutureSex/LoveSounds - Justin Timberlake

I gushed stupidly about this album back when my bLog was just getting started - almost 20 years ago! Does the album hold up in 2025? Well... yes. Absolutely. Losing My Way is mostly a cool song, but the lyrics are pretty cringe; there is nothing about JT that I find relatable to a broke meth addict. Somehow I have ended up with a censored version, which annoys me in all the ways you could imagine. And it has a bunch of remixes at the end that are all unnecessary. Especially the one featuring Beyoncé. But especially 50 Cent being super lewd and gross. Otherwise, it is still a very great album that I just need to get back to the original uncensored un-deluxe version.

Highlights: SexyBack, My Love, LoveStoned/I Think She Knows (Interlude), What Goes Around.../... Comes Around (Interlude)

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 648