2025 in 2025: Day 34

CARROTS and STiCKS - BiSH

Releasing CARROTS and STiCKS as two separate EPs before releasing this album was also probably their biggest scam until the whole 'we are disbanding... one day'. This was the biggest switch to being a straight up pop band, in my opinion; there's still full on punk stuff going on here and some badass riffs and whatnot, but also some very catchy radio-friendly pop rock sort of things. MORE THAN LiKE may well be their best pop song ever and Glasses' delivery on that one line is awesome. It's a pity the mastering on that one song is really messed up. STiCKS in general, as an EP, was the most chill pop stuff they had released up to that point. It also features some serious great bass playing, particularly on I am me. And then CARROTS was mostly crazy. So needless to say, this album is all over the place and totally schizophrenic. 

Highlights: MORE THAN LiKE, FiNALLY, I am me., GRUNGE WORLD

7/10

CARROTS and STiCKS [Bonus Disc] - BiSH

Of course I purchased the deluxe version of this album, because the bonus disc was a collection of all the singles released between their previous album and this one. Well, before the CARROTS and STiCKS EPs. Sure, another disc totally obsolete thanks to the pizza box that I am yet to import to my iTunes library, but I have no regrets. This disc is awesome and there is not a bad song on it. 

Highlights: HiDE the BLUE, NON TiE-UP, 二人なら

9/10

Carved in Stone - Vince Neil

Remember when I was going to do my Mötley Crüe Marathon, but had to quit halfway through because of another lockdown, which meant I watched every episode of UWF instead? What a time to be alive... Anyways, I actually listened to this album for the first time ever during that time and even wrote a mini-review that is still sitting in draft:

I remember seeing this album on sale, but never actually picking it up. I was too busy spending all my money on Pearl Jam bootlegs like a clown. Anways... what the actual fuck?!? Vince doing rap/rock?? One Way has a funky R&B saxophone solo. In fact, it sounds like new-jack-era Michael Jackson. Now that I've realised that, this album is getting high marks! Black Promises is more in that standard 1995 rock sound. And then we get a ballad about his dead daughter. I'd criticise a lot of aspects, but I'm sure it wasn't easy to do, considering the timing. Still doesn't excuse it from being a bad song, though. Can we go back to rap/rock new-jack swing? Instead I get more Alice In Chains meets Audioslave inspired angry music. Which Vince sounds surprisingly good singing. But, dammit, you started this album with weird genre-mashing stupid music and I want more of that!!! Liar.

Highlights: One Way, Find A Dream

6/10

Catching Tales - Jamie Cullum

I am so familiar with this artist that I couldn't even spell his surname properly... he would seem to be kind of like Amy Winehouse, except not nearly as interesting. 

Highlights: Hopefully this CD was cheap?

5/10

Ceremonials - Florence + the Machine

This is all very melodramatic and theatrical. But I'm not saying that is a bad thing - I quite enjoy the drums from 1412 and the overall epic nature of almost every song. Only issue is it all really sounds the same; like I feel like this was just one big 95 minute song, with varying bits of quality. 95 minutes. That is just ridiculous. That is longer than Blazing Saddles. And there were much less fart jokes.

Highlights: Shake It Out, Breaking Down, Remain Nameless, No Light No Light

7/10 album 6/10 deluxe version

Challenge 4Da Change - Kinetic Flow

This is probably the first time I'm listening to this album; I don't know a whole lot, other than this is another Korean hip-hop group. It is mostly chill and pretty groovy. Also, one of these dudes has the weirdest voice - almost Muppet-like - so it makes it almost impossible to take them seriously. And considering I do not understand Korean and therefore have no idea what they are rapping about, that probably doesn't matter too much.

Highlights: The Night We Separated, Comics 2006, Peace 4da Kidz

6.5/10

Charango - Morcheeba

Definitely not as strong an album as Big Calm, but similar in vibes; chill out groovy London alternative pop with a side of electronic trip and other buzz words.

Highlights: Aqualung, Way Beyond

6/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 282

2025 in 2025: Day 33

The Captain & The Kid - Elton John

An Englishman singing about how wonderful New York City is always makes me curious. But then, I'm not about to make a song about anywhere in NZ, so probably more likely write a song about the joys of visiting another planet. And Elton John has likely been to New York a few more times than I've been to Jupiter, so I guess I'll allow it. This album is genuinely decent, I just have a lot to criticise (e.g. the trite lyrics, the blatant similarities to other Elton John songs, his's vocals eating an autotune salad), but I'll let him slide today.

Highlights: Just Like Noah's Ark, And the House Fell Down, The Captain & The Kid

6.5

Car Wash - Christina Aguilera & Missy Elliot

This is the kind of Christina I like. Or is it just that I really like Missy Elliot? Because she da bomb. This is not as awesome as the original, but still enjoyable.

7/10

Cardinology - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals

This is the album where DRA started singing like he can't sing? I never really noticed it before. Very Neil Young. Somewhat enjoyable album - feels not so pretentious, perhaps?

Highlights: Go Easy, Fix It, Magick, Sink Ships

6.5/10

Cardinology Rarities - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals

Not much to say here; these are not that great. Except the weird version of Fix It. That is actually very great!

Highlights: Fix It

4/10

Caribou - Elton John

More Elton John is always welcome. Especially if it involves 70s or 80s Elton John. Bernie Taupin sure likes talking about very American things, doesn't he? Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me is great and all, but George Michael's version is actually better. George Michael's versions of most things were better. Hot take: the bonus tracks are better than anything on the album.

Highlights: The Bitch is Back, Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me, Ticking

7/10 (6/10 without bonus tracks)

Carl Carlton - Carl Carlton

But not really? I mean, it is the artist Carl Carlton, but I don't think both of these songs are from that album. I need to sort out a Carl Carlton collection, because the dude was a disco-funk master. And these will be the best songs I will listen to today.

Highlights: Everlasting Love, She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked)

10/10

Carnival of Souls - Kiss

Hahaha what a change of pace. I have discussed this album in detail. It's a bit all over the place, in that Kiss seemed to lose their identity. That doesn't mean it is bad as such, just not your typical Kiss cool-times,

Highlights: Hate, Childhood's End, Jungle, I Confess, I Walk Alone

6.5/10

Carnival, Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant - Wyclef Jean

Wyclef is not someone I would say I think is awesome, but when I listen to this album, I think he is probably better than I would think. I like that he likes to announce whenever he's going to jam a guitar solo - feels very 80s rock of him. Quite an eclectic styling of an album. And Sweetest Girl is one hell of a jam.

Highlights: Riot, Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill), Slow Down, Hollywood Meets Bollywood (Immigration)

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 275

2025 in 2025: Day 32

C-Note - Prince

This is mostly instrumental jams. I'm not sure if they are actually live or just have added crowd noise to make them sound as such, but they are pretty funky and also moody.

Highlights: Copenhagen, Empty Room

7/10

California (Deluxe Edition) - blink-182

Hot take; I think I prefer blink-182 without Tom. With Skiba, they seemed to balance the serious lyrics and fun music really well. San Diego is a perfect example of that. There is still a bit of immature stupid stuff, but it is kept to a minimum with silly little songs, and instead the main focus is actual good songs.

Highlights: Built This Pool, San Diego, California

7/10

Californication S6 (Music from the Showtime Series) - Various Artists

I have never watched Californication. Isn't that a Red Hot Chilli Peppers song? This is not that, either. It is simply Wasted Years by Ryan Adams. Brilliant cover, this one.

7/10

Candlebox - Candlebox

Candlebox were one of those bands kind of between the 80s rock sound and the Seattle/grunge sound of the 90s, so they probably struggled to really catch people. Which is a shame, because they certainly had some good songs here and there. I really wanted to hate on Far Behind today, but nope - it holds up. So does that solo on Change. 

Highlights: Change, You, Far Behind, Blossom, Cover Me

6.5

Cape Goat - The Bilge Festival

Fun fact: LOGMAN did not always have an allergic reaction to New Zealand music. This was a CD I bought probably back around 1994? I remember some of the songs being played on a late night music video show and I thought it was all pretty cool. It is very typical of the New Zealand sound at the time; kind of like the whole grunge thing, just a bit more reverb. At least these songs are short.

Highlights: Wildebeast A Go Go, Lollyscramble, Sick of Renown

5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 267

2025 in 2025: Day 31

Brothers Gonna Work it Out - The Chemical Brothers

Massive DJ mix from The Chemical Brothers. It's mostly pretty funky. Mostly. I just did a google on this and my tracklisting does not match wiki. Nor do the times. Weird, because mine is a direct rip of the CD. And it is impossible to properly rate or anything, because it's just one massive DJ mix, really.

7/10

Bryan Adams - Bryan Adams

When I was about 13 or 14, I bought Gold Signature Tour Editions of Bryan Adams' albums, from You Want It, You Got It to Waking Up the Neighbours. I foolishly passed on this album and Live! Live! Live! and have never been able to find said versions of them again, so almost 20 years later I had to settle for just a normal edition of this album. As an album, it is quite different to everything he released after; more light-hearted and poppy. And no Keith Scott.

Highlights: Hidin' From Love, Win Some Lose Some, Remember

6.5/10

Buddah Mix - Cypress Hill

This was a bonus disc that came with Temple of Boom; it's just one track - a 20 minute DJ mix of songs from the first two Cypress Hill albums. They're all great songs, so there are worse ways to spend 20 minutes. Obviously a morning for DJ mixes!

7/10

The Buddha of Suburbia - David Bowie

I can appreciate this album for being both adventurous and having some wonderful songs buried within the weirdness. The instrumentals are really more like soundscapes or interludes; they certainly aren't musical or something you would put on to jam to. But the songs are generally pretty darn great and fit somewhat with some of the songs from Black Tie White Noise, which was only released a few months beforehand.

Highlights: Buddha of Suburbia, Strangers When We Meet, Untitled No. 1

6/10

Buhloone Mindstate - De La Soul

De La Soul with James Brown's old horns section and sampling some Run-DMC? And Michael Jackson? And an appearance from a legit Japanese hip-hop trio? As you might imagine, all this adds up to make a genuinely fantastic groove.

Highlights: En Focus, Long Island Wildin', Area, Breakadawn

7/10

Burlesque: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Christina Aguilera and Cher

This journey through Christina's catalogue has forced me to accept that I just don't like her doing big band songs. In fact, I may have to face the reality that... I actually... don't really like much of what she has put out in general. She has been a totally mixed bag since Stripped. Her vocals sound super processed on this album, and I can not imagine why. I really liked this movie, but there are two standout songs on this album - and only one is by Aguilera.

Highlights: Express - Christina Aguilera, You Haven't Seen the Last of Me - Cher

6/10

Burn in the Night [Single] - Ryan Adams

Another one of his singles from 2015. These are actually good; very 90s garage rock.

Highlights: Burn in the Night, Cop City

6/10

Bury the Hatchet - The Cranberries

Hmmm... I find this woman to be one of the absolute worst singers I have ever heard in my life. And their guitarist produces some of the worst guitar solos I have ever heard in my life. At some point, I actually found I had about four of their albums in my iTunes library. And they were all deluxe editions. Thankfully, I saw sense and deleted all of them bar this; I kept it because Promises is a very good song. Starting this album, I am not sure that song is worth 70 minutes of The Cranberries. Halfway through, I was ready to eat my words, because things didn't start off too badly - and there was even another song I thought was very good! But then it slowly trailed off and got to Copycat, which is not only utterly terrible, but hilariously ironic in that the lyrics are complaining about bands copying other bands - yet there is ZERO originality found in The Cranberries. Heck, most of their songs they are trying desperately to sound like The Cure. At least a really terrible version. The singer seemed to really hate women; most of her songs are complaining about bad Mothers and the like.  If I could skip the rest of this dreck and delete now, I wouldn't even hesitate. 

Highlights: Promises, Shattered

3.5/10

Business as Usual - Men at Work

This is purely Who Can It Be Now? and I think I needed some fun 80s to try and recover from that. I could go for more Men at Work - I don't have this whole album, but an entire album from The Cranberries? Make it make sense...

7/10

Butterfly - Mariah Carey

I remember all the hullabaloo around this album when it was released; Carey had been strictly R&B/pop and this album was supposed to be more of her getting a sexier image and trying to get in the hip-hop scene or something. Sure, that influence is definitely there on a few songs like Honey and Breakdown, which hilariously samples Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, but it is still mostly the middle of the road Mariah Carey of old with the songs about love and singing insanely high. Great background music.

Highlights: Butterfly, The Roof

6/10

BYE-BYE [Single] - Ayumi Hamasaki

I think this was Ayu's most recent single? It's... okay? My wife certainly wishes Ayu would say "Bye-bye" for a while...

7/10

Bye-Bye Show [Single] - BiSH

This was the culmination of a year-long BiSH is OVER campaign, where they released a single (2 songs) each month and would then disband. Of course, WACK realised the money they were making from this so milked it for an extra month... and then decided they would keep touring until their final concert in June - six months later. And of course, this would not be the final single...  Which is a shame, because ending things with a song called SPARK when their first song was called スパーク (Spark) seemed like a great full circle kind of idea. And also it is an awesome song.

8/10

The Byte is in My Blood - Robot Goes Here

This is some random punk dude that is also a scientist and makes solo electronic punk music. It's kind of fun; I'd almost be interested to hear how they could have ended up if not completely programmed, but I still admire his execution. This was one of those wonderful $1 CDs I bought back in the day. I miss getting fun surprises like this. Bahaha I forgot about his full electronic version of Back in Black - complete with computer generated vocals. I actually recall on his MySpace he had an EP that was just him covering other heavy metal classics, like Iron Maiden's The Trooper. Hilarious stuff.

Highlights: Back in Black

5/10

Finally finished with B albums!

"Albums" listened to so far: 262