2025 in 2025: Day 11

August Sky - The Latest Fallout
I used to work in a musical instrument shop and there was a young dude I always talked guitars with. He was in some emo band and one day brought in their CD, so I was supportive and bought it. I'm such a great guy! And honestly, it is not bad. Very 'Fall Out Boy lite' or something.
Highlights: I don't think that Fender Malibu was used in the recording at all.
6/10

Aurora - Ayumi Hamasaki
One of two singles Ayu released last year. And I only realised this one had actually been released six months later. Better turn in my Team Ayu membership. Pretty standard Ayu bop (which is a good thing).
7.5/10

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me - Various Artists
Actually, this one is just Beautiful Stranger by Madonna. Good song from a pretty decent period of Madonna. Hilariously, this is actually the only Madonna song in my library! I have her early albums on vinyl (everything up to Erotica), but somehow have never added her in here. I should probably rectify that one day.
7.5/10

Autobiography - Ashlee Simpson
When working at said musical instrument store, I found this CD in the CD drawer, and I decided to grab a copy before it was thrown out. Again, it's not completely awful or anything. It was all written by the same person that co-wrote Lindsay Lohan's albums and John Shanks (we will get in to the critique of that man once we hit Bon Jovi, but needless to say I don't think much of him). She's not a great singer and I assume she got a record deal because of her sister? I can't help but think LiLo should have sorted her stuff out and done some of these songs instead and they would have been much stronger.
Highlights: I might not delete it?
5/10

Awake - L'Arc〜en〜Ciel
This is the only album from L'Arc〜en〜Ciel I have heard. I love the opening track... and not much more. As One sounds so much like Alice in Chains it's crazy. Overall, it's a pretty eclectic mix of styles, but I just find their singer's voice... tiring.
Highlights: New World, Killing Me, 星空
6/10

Ayu10: 10th Anniversary
This is basically a little mini-album I put together of Ayu's 10th anniversary singles - 2 new songs and 5 re-recorded songs. The new songs are all kinds of brilliant; Mirrorcle World is big guitars and a massive dance beat, while Life is more of a pop-rock almost ballad-type song. Almost. The re-recorded songs are quite good, due to her improved voice, but Depend on you rocks a little less than it should. This might actually be the best version of LOVE ~Destiny~, or at least my favourite. Who... sounds like it was possibly just the vocals that were updated, and I could not tell you which is better. Because all versions are perfect.
Highlights: Mirrorcle World, Life, Who...
9/10

The B-52's - The B-52's
When in the right mood, The B-52's are a lot of fun. This album is all sorts of quirky and campy. And who doesn't love Kate Pierson's voice when she's just shouting out nonsense? I have only just realised that their name is grammatically incorrect and it is going to annoy me forever.
Highlights: Rock Lobster, 6060-842
6/10

B-Sides - RADWIMPS
Another of my self-made collections; in fact, most of the following albums titled B-Sides will be my own doing. As the name might suggest, it is all songs not found on albums. In this case, all RADWIMPS b-sides from their debut to 2013. Their early stuff is really terribly recorded - I'm not looking forward to revisiting their early albums in about 8 months. Things improve as time goes forward. Which is not really what I'd say about their albums.
Highlights: シザースタンド
5.5/10

B-Sides - Alanis Morissette
This would appear to Alanis' b-sides from Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie era to around 2005? I'm not sure I have everything, anymore. The Jagged Little Pill tour live songs are... not great. The BBC One Live songs from SFIJ are much more enjoyable. Otherwise, there are four non-album songs. Pollyanna Flower is suitably dark. These Are the Thoughts is also on the MTV Unplugged album; the studio version is musically superior, but the ending (particularly Alanis's voice) of the Unplugged version is much more powerful.
Highlights: These Are the Thoughts, Are You Still Mad? [BBC Radio One - Live]
5.5/10

B-Sides - Spice Girls
I'm not sure I understand the order here; I would have thought it went album then artist? Oh well, I'll take some Spice Girls b-sides, if I have to. Oh, but these b-sides are gooood! I didn't think much of Bumper to Bumper when I was younger, but now it is a total groove to me. I also didn't think much of Holler when it came out, so clearly young LOGMAN was a moron. However, I will maintain the opinion that all of these songs should have been included on the Spice and Spice World reissues, so I would not need to make my own collection!
Highlights: Headlines (Friendship Never Ends), Bumper to Bumper, Voodoo
7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 97