My favourite Spice Girl goes solo and it is fairly mixed, but still very pop; a bit of dance-pop, a little bit of R&B, but also kind of alt. rock pop styles, if that makes sense? It all kind of under-delivers, but there are some really great moments. I still can not believe that this is the only album of hers that I actually have!
Highlights: Northern Star, Never Be the Same Again, Ga Ga, Go!
7/10
Not Fade Away: The Complete Studio Recordings and More - Buddy Holly
Things kick off with a home recording from 1949 that is more listenable than an MCR demo from 2019. Then it is on to his recordings with Bob and, again, it has been cleaned up so well it makes it an interesting listen. It is all very country and Buddy just sings harmony for the most part. Down the Line kicks off the real rock'n roll era. How is the 1955 recording of You And I Are Through actually worse than the recording in 1954? Once we get to 1956, it is non-stop rock'n roll awesomeness. It is actually quite amazing what Buddy Holly achieved in that year alone - he may have recorded more awesome songs that year than Elvis! And the year closes with the garage tapes? Bah gawd, those are the greatest home recordings in the history of music. 1957 may have been even better? And 1958 may be even better than that?!? After the apartment recordings close off everything recorded during his lifetime, it is on to the overdubbed versions and I will always find a lot of fun in some of the Fireballs recordings. Most of them, even - they kind of work for some, but others it just feels unnecessary. There are so many more of these songs than I remember; I always think it was like maybe 15 or 20 songs, but there is like 50 of them! It almost feels like every demo or home recording got The Fireballs treatment. This is quite possibly the best box set I have and will ever own.
Highlights: Rave On, Oh Boy!, Down the Line, I'm Gonna Set My Foot Down, Rock Around with Ollie Vee, It's So Easy, Not Fade Away, Crying Waiting Hoping [Fireballs Version], The Garage Tapes, The Apartment Tapes
9/10
Imagine if I had left these discs as separate albums - I could have deleted 5 other albums, like those NZ music compilations! Also, somewhere in all these Fireball versions was my 15,000th song. How am I only just reaching that now? How am I supposed to listen to another 10,000 in a third of the time?!?
Not Over You [Single] - Gavin DeGraw
Funnily enough, I heard this playing in the supermarket the other day. Dude has such a great voice. Why do I not that first album of his? Might be because he's a MAGA clown? Might be...
8/10
Not Shy - ITZY
Party time. Teen girls do not care what you think of them at all, so they are going to dance and since as much as they want, I guess?
Highlights: Don't Give a What, Not Shy, Be in Love, iD
8/10
NOTHING FROM NOTHING - Ayumi Hamasaki
Classic 90s hip-hop makes for a most lowkey debut for the Empress of J-Pop. She does sound like an annoying teenager here, but that kind of tracks considering she was only 17. I wonder what happened to the other dudes on this...
Highlights: Gut it-pez, NOTHING FROM NOTHING (Album Version), LIMIT, NOTHING FROM NOTHING (Single Version)
8/10
Now What - Lisa Marie Presley
The sophomore and final album from Elvis' daughter. The fact she collaborated with Linda Perry for most of it and a song features Pink should give an indication of the style of music here. Very radio pop rock.
Highlights: I'll Figure it Out, Thanx, Now What, Turbulence
6.5/10
The Nylon Curtain - Billy Joel
A very political outing from Mr. Joel, covering things like the recession and the Vietnam war. Still channeling The Beatles pretty hard for the most part, too.
Highlights: Goodnight Saigon, Allentown, She's Right on Time, Pressure
7.5/10
"Albums" listened to so far: 1197
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