2025 in 2025: Day 27

Boogie Wonderland: The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire - Earth, Wind & Fire

This right here is over 2 hours of funky disco tunes and soulful ballads. It may surprise you to find that I enjoy the disco songs more than the ballads. And the disco songs are mostly fantastic. There's also random guitar shredding on a few songs, which is hilarious. On Your Face is most recogniseable to me as being sampled for MC Hammer's song. This album is a serious groove for the full 2 hours.

Highlights: September, Saturday Nite

7/10

BORN PINK - BLACKPINK

Pink Venom is such a weird track; everything except the chorus is awesome, but man that chorus is dumb. The rest of these songs kind of suffer from that problem where you think the song is going to go somewhere awesome, but then doesn't, so it kind of falls just short of being special. Still pretty solid, though. So this is all my BLACKPINK done before we even finish a couple of months? BLACKPINK are no longer in my area?

Highlights: Pink Venom, Shut Down, Yeah Yeah Yeah, Tally

7/10

Born This Way - Lady Gaga

As with most Gaga albums, the opening track is pure FIRE. Actually, a whole bunch of songs of this album are straight-up awesomeness. Some average songs sprinkled in, as well. Judas has the same problem as Pink Venom, though the chorus isn't quite as dumb, just a let down from how badass the rest of the song is. Well, apart from the gawdawful lyrics. There's really a lot of talk about Jesus on this album, as well. I have always felt that maybe the album is a bit too long. It's 17 songs. No interludes or skits. 17 actual songs. Sure, I'm part of the problem by buying the deluxe edition, but the extra songs from that are actually worth it - there were a couple of others I would cut instead of them. But not Brian May. He should be on every song. Also, why is there no uncensored version of this album available? It was insulting that I wasn't able to get The Fame Monster on CD in uncensored form, but not even iTunes carries Born This Way with bad language. Wild.

Highlights: Marry The Night, Government Hooker, Hair, Yoü And I, The Edge of Glory

8/10

Born This Way [Special Edition] - Lady Gaga

This is the bonus disc that came with the special edition of the album. It is merely remixes of a bunch of the songs. And they are mostly decent. If you want to get your dance on to some Lady Gaga, you could do much worse.

Highlights: Born This Way (Country Road Version)

6/10

BORN TO BE - ITZY

Talk about a poptastic day! One of the strongest releases from ITZY. And I say this as a total long-term fan that has been listening to them for a total of maybe 9 months. Crown On My Head is awesome and all, but the live version with the band was about 10 times more awesome. I even appreciate that gif that iTunes does for the album cover. Flawless release.

Highlights: Crown On My Head, Escalator

8.5/10

Born to Die - Lana Del Rey

I remember the massive hype on this album when it was first released. A beautiful woman singing dark and moody songs about murder and death and mafia gangsters and all sorts of American classics. Of course people were going to go nuts about her. So if that is your jam, then this album is tops. What I find most interesting is her way of changing her voice to give different characters for each song. It's all very dramatic.

Highlights: Off to the Races, This is What Makes Us Girls, Lolita

7/10

Boston - Boston

Obviously the opening track is super legendary and awesome, but the rest of this album is super rockin' and awesome as well. A whole lot of harmonising guitar solos! I recall listening to this in high school a fair bit - perfect summer vibes. Because we spent high school listening to and pushing 70s rock. You got a problem with that? Shiizz, I ain't afraid of you mofos!

Highlights: More Than a Feeling, Piece of Mind, Rock & Roll Band, Let Me Take You Home Tonight

8/10

Bounce - Bon Jovi

Jon Bon Jovi is angry about 9/11. Me too; that was the date of the Montreal Screwjob and we must never forget such treachery. This album features some of the absolute heaviest of Bon Jovi songs - it also completely goes from awesome to awful super quick. JBJ's attempt at Sprinsteen storytelling is kind of cringe to me. Richie Sambora's playing and singing on this album is awesome, but even he can't save some of these ballads from being absolute dreck. BUT the good songs are VERY good. The Distance is one of their very best power ballads. I could very easily listen to this album again. Well, half of it. They should have stuck with this producer.

Highlights: Everyday, The Distance, Misunderstood, Bounce

6/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 224

2025 in 2025: Day 24

Blackout - Britney Spears

It's Britney, bitch! This album is enjoyable, but also completely laughable. It is very clear that Ms. Spears was involved in the writing purpose - and I do not mean that as a compliment. The lyrics are generally just completely ridiculously terrible. However, some of the production is banging. Some. And her vocals are more processed than ever, so it sounds like a fembot from Austin Powers is "singing". Again, I'm taking liberties using that word, because even with all the manipulation, these vocals are still equal to a talent quest for 12 year-olds and are invoking a lot of snickers. And not the chocolate bar (where's my sponsorship, yo!). The whole thing has serious 'moody teenager' vibes and I have to keep stopping myself from scoring the songs higher because they're mostly making me smile - just because they're so stupidly bad. And holy smokes this sample of Eurythmics is about the worst song of the bunch. The funniest part here is that this isn't even her worst album! I'm pretty sure everything she released after this gets worse and worse.

Highlights: Gimme More, Break the Ice

4/10

BLACKPINK Essentials - BLACKPINK

Now this is some proper pop music. Every BLACKPINK track released before The Album, I believe. And it is all FIRE. 

Highlights: Forever Young, As If It's Your Last, BOOMBAYAH, PLAYING WITH FIRE

8/10

Blak and Blu - Gary Clark, Jr.

This appears to be the song Ain't Messin 'Round. Honestly, I have never listened to this before. I don't know how it ended up in my iTunes. I have not even heard of this song or singer before. It's... good. Big horns and upbeat vibes. 

7/10

Blank Label 7" - Blank Label (Ryan Adams)

JLW is a massive Ramones ripoff. Also, this is trash.

Highlights: Only 7 minutes

2/10

BLAST! - ももいろクローバーZ

Someone really needs to clue me up on whether their group name is written in Hiragana like that, or if the English Momoiro Clover Z is the correct choice. I'll continue to call them MCZ for simplicity. Anyways, this is a very fun EP from a very inconsistent idol group. Idol is shit, but MCZ have their moments - mostly this EP.

Highlights: BLAST!, 何時だって挑戦者

8/10

Bleach - Nirvana

When I was 13, Nirvana were the stuff. Because I was edgy, this was my favourite Nirvana album - it was their most budget indie grunge record they recorded for cheap in a matter of days. I'm not saying anyone who says this is their favourite Nirvana album is also as much of an edgelord as 13 year-old LOGMAN, but this is definitely not their best album and I am now old and mature enough to admit I liked the idea of this album more than the album itself. Also, cool album cover? All this is not to say the album is bad; About a Girl is infinitely better here than that Unplugged version (thank Prime I don't have that album), and Negative Creep is like a gift that keeps on giving. And no Dave Grohl is like double awesome points!

Highlights: Blew, School, Negative Creep, Downer

6.5/10

Bleed American - Jimmy Eat World

What a dumb name for an album - I should delete it just for that title alone. But this is just the one song, The Middle, of course. Do Jimmy Eat World have any other songs? Are they titled stupidly like this album is? At least this is a great pop punk song that every home should have.

8/10

Bleed Like Me - Garbage

The first half of this album is awesome. Back in '05, I would play these first four songs all the time. Well, mostly tracks 2 to 4. It's an impressive way to peak early, that's for sure. The rest of the album still has some decent songs, but they get overshadowed by how awesome those first four are. 

Highlights: Run Baby Run, Right Between The Eyes, Why Do You Love Me

7.5/10

blink-182 - blink-182

So we just going to stick with my old emo songs from '05, huh? This is blink-182's best album, and I won't be taking any arguments otherwise. Dark, serious, interesting - just a genuinely strong album that often makes me mistakenly believe I am more of a blink-182 fan than I really am. I dig them, because I love pop punk. But usually their songs are immature silliness about sex stuff that I have no interest in. This album has none of that. And an appearance from Robert Smith! Great album.

Highlights: Feeling This, Obvious, Stockholm Syndrome, Asthenia

8/10

BLISTER ON MY FOOT - INKYMAP

This is INKYMAP's fist album. It's a bit more rough and hard rockin' than ASTEROID. There's nothing bad, but nothing that really stands out as much as with their later works (ASTEROID onwards). But a great start.

Highlights: Rainy Day, New World, Saturation, Drunken Driver

7/10

Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix - Michael Jackson

If this was simply an EP of the new songs, this would be a really solid MJ release. Really solid. The music and production on Ghosts is epic. My only criticism would be that Is It Scary is MJ's worst vocal performance ever recorded. Then there are the remixes; Scream, Money and 2 Bad are all super funky goodtimes, but the others are just your standard club-beat dance remixes. The one for You Are Not Alone (Classic Club Mix) is actually pretty decent - probably because that is a boring R. Kelly song that could only be improved upon with a remix. And Tony Moran's HIStory Lesson certainly does go big. Look, it's MJ. You're going to have a good time.

Highlights: Blood on the Dance Floor, Morphine, Superfly Sister, Ghosts, Scream Louder, 2 Bad (Refugee Camp Mix)

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 205

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