2025 in 2025: Day 169

Spiritual Minded - KRS-One

I only have the song South Bronx 2002. I will never defend the lack of KRS-One in my library.

8/10

The Spongebob Squarepants Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Various Artists

What a wonderful movie. The soundtrack is a mixed bag; I really only got it for Wilco's Just a Kid - which sounds a lot like Urge Overkill. I have not heard any other Wilco. Is that standard for them?

Highlights: Just a Kid - Wilco, You Better Swim - Motorhead, Goofy Goober Rock - Tom Rothrock with Jim Wise, Bikini Bottom - Electrocute

6/10

Stabbing Westward - Stabbing Westward

While a very contrasting style to their earlier industrial metal, it is still their mostly miserable dark selves, just in a more polished radio-friendly package. Which suits my sensibilities even more! Pretty sure 2001 LOGMAN thought this album was 100% his jam. It does not hold up quite as well, but there are still some killer moments.

Highlights: Angel, Last Time, Perfect, High

8/10

Stakes Is High - De La Soul

Talk about no nonsense Golden Era hip-hop. This is the type of album you can appreciate the beats and the grooves, because it is just solid all the way through. But when you focus on the lyrical content as well, it just lifts it to the next level. 

Highlights: Stakes is High, The Bizness, Wonce Again Long Island, Brakes, Big Brother Beat

7.5/10

Stand Still, Look Pretty - The Wreckers

Oh hey, yesterday I was all 'I should have a Michelle Branch album' and here is one! Except it is her doing country music with some other young girl. Probably not so young now. 

Highlights: I am starting to be able to really hear when John Shanks is in charge...

5.5/10

STANDARD - SCANDAL

My girls doing their usual rockin' pop styles, before they got adventurous and even more awesome. At least when they were just doing this style, it is all pretty fun, if not all that amazing. Certainly could do with a bit more Mami...

Highlights: 打ち上げ花火, キミと未来と完全同期, OVER DRIVE, 涙よ光れ

7/10

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants - Oasis

I will not pretend this is the greatest Oasis album or anything, but I do see this album as being growth and a little more creative - clearly Noel was keen to experiment a little on the production side of things. And it gives it more of a psychadelic 60s vibe for the most part. I wish they had continued to explore that and just gone full 68 Beatles.

Highlights: Fuckin' In The Bushes, Put Yer Money Where Yer Mouth Is, Gas Panic!, Roll It Over

8/10

Star Fleet - Brian May & Friends

This is the first disc of the mighty Star Fleet box set, which means I finally have the mighty Star Fleet in my CD collection! Because I had been living with the original 12" for many years and was always sad to not have it in my iTunes library to crank up. EVH murdering his string on Let Me Out will never not be funny.

Highlights: Star Fleet [Complete Version / 2023 Mix], Let Me Out, We Will Rock You (Fast) [Live At The Palace Theater, LA / 1993]

7.5/10

Star Fleet Sessions - Brian May & Friends

Things kick off with EVH pulling out the opening riff for the future Van Halen classic Top of the World, and from there it is just an hour of these dudes demoing the same two songs. Which is kind of interesting to see/hear how things progressed in the studio.

Highlights: Star Fleet (Take 1), Jam, Funky Jam

6/10

Star Time - James Brown

Now, LOGMAN is not one to praise a compilation or anthology set for being a necessary own - usually you can achieve everything on those by simply collecting many albums. And we have seen how that actually works for me... Anyway, Star Time by James Brown is five hours of the most essential soul and funk cuts and is absolutely worth owning and listening to again and again. Being compiled chronologically, the first disc is my least favourite. But once we hit that second disc and the mid-60s, there is not a bad moment. Just stone cold funk grooves. Soft funk, hard funk, dirty funk, funky jams. And the fun part is a lot of the songs are the full unedited versions; not the "Part 1" and "Part 2" found on the original singles or albums. And Catfish's solo on Ain't It Funky Now is about the funkiest guitar solo on the planet that you just have to do the chickenhead bop to.

Highlights: Get Up Get Into It and Get Involved, I'm a Greedy Man, Funky Drummer, There Was a Time, Bring It Up (Hipster's Avenue), It's Too Funky In Here, Get Up Offa That Thing (Release the Pressure)

9/10

Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk - Meco

The best thing to come out of Star Wars. The Other Galactic Funk is pretty solid as well!

Highlights: Star Wars, Other Galactic Funk, Star Wars/Cantina Band [7" Edit]

9/10

Star Wars and Other Hits - Stars on 45

This is some type of disco megamix that starts with the theme for Star Wars and then quickly moves on to other awesome songs, like Layla, Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?, Ma Baker, Don't Stop Til You Get Enough, Bette Davis Eyes, and many more. I stumbled upon this when first trying to find the Meco Star Wars stuff. It is fun.

8/10

Starfish - The Church

This is purely the song Under the Milky Way. It is a solid 80s goth synthwave pop track.

8/10

start over [Single] - BAND-MAID

One of the most pop songs from everyone's favourite band of hard-rocking maids. And probably one of their strongest songs ever. Ending with a bold "I don't give a fuck" is just pure *chef's kiss*.

10/10

State of Mind - Holly Valance

This is only the title track. I recall how much this song was trashed on release, however LOGMAN was like 'That disco beat and the super processed vocals go hard!' Like, it is still kind of terrible, but I still think those parts are fantastic. Temu Kylie Minogue never did anything else of worth.

9/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1610

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2025 in 2025: Day 163

It is "singles" day here in casa de LOGMAN (aka my headphones).

The Singles - Basement Jaxx

I am someone that really only knows the hits, because they were quite popular back in the day. So having a compilation of those and some other songs I do not really know suits me fine. Generally good stuff to get your party in your head going.

Highlights: Romeo, Where's Your Head At, Red Alert, Plug It In

7/10

Singles (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Various Artists

I really need to get the re-release of this one day, because it features all the cool instrumental stuff by Chris Cornell and Paul Westerberg. As it is in its original format, it is the perfect time capsule of the start of the grunge period and that whole Seattle music scene. Except Smashing Pumpkins are very much not from Seattle. Neither is Paul Westerberg. What a joke!

Highlights: Seasons - Chris Cornell, Breath - Pearl Jam, Waiting For Somebody - Paul Westerberg, State of Love and Trust - Pearl Jam

9/10

Singles - John Lennon

A little compilation of non-album tracks, mostly covering the first couple of years of Lennon going solo. Most were hits. Most are awesome. Only one of them is not a statement of everything he stood for at the time.

Highlights: Power to the People, Instant Karma (We All Shine On), Move Over Ms. L, Give Peace a Chance

9/10

The Singles - ABBA

Like the Lennon disc, this is the bonus as part of the original box set. The disco tracks are pretty darn awesome. And if you need their original hits sung in Swedish, then you are in for real treat here!

Highlights: Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight), Under Attack, Summer Night City, Medley: Pick a Bale of Cotton/On Top of Old Smokie/Midnight Special

7/10

Singles - Mötley Crüe

This is just the song Sex. It rocks, but I do not know why I have this song on its own when I could lump with other random Mötley Crüe songs.

8/10

Singles - Travis

And this is just the song Turn. It is the only song by Travis I like, but I like it so much it probably equates to enjoying their entire discography. Which is like 3 other songs?

9/10

The Singles 1992-2003 - No Doubt

Lordy, I am not a fan of this band either. Yet, somehow, I ended up with two songs in my library - Hella Good and Spiderwebs. The former actually makes a lot of sense, because it has some big 80s synth.

8/10

The Singles Box - Alanis Morissette

A whole bunch of live songs from a time when Alanis was not so great live. Well, the acoustic versions are pretty fine, but when she is with a band it all just falls apart. And for once I will not blame Taylor Hawkins.

Highlights: Hand In My Pocket (Live From Brisbane), You Oughta Know (Live From The Grammy's)

5/10

Singles Mixes - Queen

Another of my own compilations from the reissues and box sets. Like my own version of Greatest Hits, because it is always fun to have shorter versions of awesome songs, I guess? I Want It All honestly loses so much.

Highlights: Flash [Single Version], Flash [Single Version], It's Late [USA Radio Edit], One Vision [Single Version]

8.5/10

The Singles, Volume 3: 1964-1965 - James Brown

Hilarious that I skipped Volumes 1 & 2; that would be because I tried to capture mostly James Brown's funk, instead of his early soul stuff. I like the funk. It takes about half the collection, but the early funk is here and it feels good. 

Highlights: Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, I Got You (I Feel Good), Out of Sight, Think

7/10

The Singles, Volume 4: 1966-1967 - James Brown

More soul and a lot more funk. By then end of this one, he is getting some hard funk on the one! One day I will have to complete this series. But thank Prime I did not do that before this marathon!

Highlights: Cold Sweat (Part 1), Get It Together (Part 1), Bring It Up, James Brown's Boo-Ga-Loo

7.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1520

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2025 in 2025: Day 114

Live + 1 - Frehley's Comet
Ace and his band live - not really a lot to say. Except that I would likely rate the Greatest Hits Live album a bit higher. Oh, and the studio track is very good.
Highlights: Words Are Not Enough
7/10

Live Acoustic E.P. - Sarah McLachlan
Sarah McLachlan and a piano performing what sounds like a VERY small group of people. Nothing wrong with any of it, whatsoever.
Highlights: Building a Mystery
6.5/10

Live at Avatar Studios - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
It is all the between-song banter that I enjoy most. I would trade all the extended Grateful Dead-inspired jam endings for another few minutes of yelling out random stupid things like JIMMY HACKEYSACK and RHODA RO. I like Easy Tiger, so this is an Easy Pleaser for me. And that end solo for I Taught Myself How to Grow Old is amazing.
Highlights: I Taught Myself How to Grow Old, Goodnight Rose, Magnolia Mountain, Everybody Knows
7/10

Live at Glam Slam 1992 - Prince
This was part of the Diamonds and Pearls reissue a couple of years ago. It is a killer performance and Rosie Gaines is a the second star of the show. Prince is number one, of course. Some big long funky jams and high energy new jack swing action.
Highlights: Diamonds and Pearls, Jughead, 1999/Baby I'm a Star/Push, Cream/Well Done/I Want You/In the Socket
8/10

Live at The Apollo, Vol. II - James Brown
Bah gawd this album is just about the cold hard funkiest live album ever recorded. So many jams, I am sure everyone in the band got a couple of solos throughout. And those beats! You can not have hip-hop without sampling some of that.
Highlights: There Was a Time, Bring It Up, Sweet Soul Music, Maybe the Last Time
8.5/10

Live at the BBC - The Beatles
A very fine collection of The Beatles performing their early hits and some rock'n roll classics. It is a great showcase of how talented they were as musicians. And hilarious dudes all round, because the between-song banter is generally hilarious.
Highlights: Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby, Ticket to Ride, Matchbox, Slow Down, Honey Don't
7/10

Live at the BBC, Vol. 2 - Queen
This is a little LOGMAN collection of the extra BBC tracks found on all the reissue bonus discs. I would just get the On Air set, but I am really only missing a few now and I am sure they will be reissued in other ways. 
Highlights: We Will Rock You [Fast Version], Spread Your Wings, See What a Fool I've Been, Flick of the Wrist
8/10

Live at the Brixton Academy - Faith No More
Mike Patton sounds like he has cold or is just a terrible singer. I am guessing the latter. The funny thing is when he actually tries to sing something properly he sounds a million times better! I mean, this is just garbage. Wait - there are two bonus studio tracks? In 30 years this is my first time realising that. Perhaps even teenage LOGMAN could not make it through how bad this album was to hear them?
Highlights: The Cowboy Song
4/10

Live at the Rainbow: 31 March 1974 - Queen
More live Queen? Yes please! Especially this performance; Queen II is one of the greatest albums ever, so getting an actual concert from the tour supporting that album is great. And it is a pretty darn impressive performance - they sound absolutely massive and just nail everything.
Highlights: White Queen (As It Began), Father to Son, Ogre Battle, Son and Daughter
8/10

Live at the Rainbow: November 1974 - Queen
And Queen return some 8 months later to promote their Sheer Heart Attack album. Good for them! It is a little lacking compared to the previous show, but it is still pretty great. And boy this crowd are Jonesing for Liar the whole show. Pretty funny when Freddie just gives up trying to introduce it, because the crowd just will not stop yelling about it.
Highlights: The March of the Black Queen, Stone Cold Crazy, In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited
7.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 995

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2025 in 2025: Day 103

J is for JustAnother13000SongsToGo

J・A・M - JUDY AND MARY
YUKI is the stuff. Punk YUKI swearing and shouting is even better. Dang this band were so fun!
Highlights: Judy is a Tank Girl, Power of Love, Lolita A-Go-Go, Glamour Punks
7/10

Jackie - Joanne [Single]
Ooooh yeah a dance classic!
9/10

Jacksonville City Nights - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
This is the most pure and country this dude did and I actually dig it. Still, even! The Follow the Lights version of Dear John is way betterer in parts, but I def get chills at the end of the last verse on this one - credit to Norah Jones' delivery, there. The distortions and stuff just adds to the charm here.
Highlights: The End, Hard Way to Fall, The Hardest Part, Withering Heights, Don't Fail Me Now
8/10

Jacksonville City Nights: Rarities - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
These are great, too! The electric version of September is probably one of the best songs on both versions of the album. This version of Always on My Mind is a masterpiece.
Highlights: September [Alternate Take], Always on My Mind, What Sin Replaces Love (both versions, dammit)
7.5/10

Jacksonville: Paxam Singles Series, Vol. 2 - Ryan Adams
What is this, some sort of Ryan Adams vs Jacksonville documentary?
Highlights: That initial surprise when this was released? Mr. Walkedypants is admittedly quite funny
6/10

Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morissette
The angsty album that all angsty albums are measured against. And they are never going to match it, because no one else is doing it as openly and honestly as Alanis.
Highlights:
9/10

Jagged Little Pill [Acoustic] - Alanis Morissette
Alanis is older and not so angry ten years later, so instead she tries to sing the songs more perfectly. Which also means almost no emotion. Which is the thing that made Jagged Little Pill so awesome. This version of Perfect is actually a million times better, though. Otherwise, some of the arrangements are just cheesy.
Highlights:
7/10

James Brown's Funky People - Various Artists
I do not entirely recall how I discovered this compilation, but I do recall it was one of the first things I ever bought on iTunes. And it is a stellar collection of the biggest stone cold funkiest grooves you could ever find.
Highlights: Gimme Some More - Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s, Damn Right I am Somebody Pts 1 & 2 - Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s, Givin Up Food for Funk Pt 1 - The J.B.'s, (It's Not the Express) It's the JB's Monorail Pt 1 - The J.B.'s
9/10

James Brown's Funky People, Vol. 2 - Various Artists
Less J.B.'s, more Bobby Byrd and Maceo. More of a heavier funk kind of thing, but still a hell of a groove. 
Highlights: You Can Have Watergate Just Gimme Some Bucks and I'll Be Straight Pt. 1 - The J.B.'s, Cross the Tracks (We Better Go Back) - Maceo and The Macks, I'm Paying Taxes What Am I Buying - Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s, Blow Your Head - Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s
8/10

Japanese Complete Level 1, Adj & Adv - VocabuLearn
This is one of many little lessons I would listen to on my walk to & from work to try and build my vocabulary. Whether it not worked is certainly up for debate. It mixes up going from English to Japanese, and then Japanese to English. Exciting!
7/10

Japanese Complete Level 1, Nouns - VocabuLearn
I tend to do better with the nouns. I think maybe I did these lessons more? Or I just use the words more often in conversation?
7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 887

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2025 in 2025: Day 44

The Complete Elvis Presley Masters: Alternate Masters - Elvis Presley
Just when you thought Elvis had left the building...
Not sure what happened here that these were split, when the others weren't. Also, I had changed the title, but must have missed some sorting option or something, because I expected this in another couple of months. So back to 50s Elvis we go! These are all slightly different to the main versions that I am used to. Then we get movie versions of a bunch of movie songs that had different performances in the movies. I'm making sense! The alternative song called Roustabout is better than the one they ended up using (I'm a Roustabout). I dig the slide guitar in Amazing Grace. After a groovy version of She Thinks I Still Care, we are off to some rehearsals and private recordings. Some of these sound like he is just jamming at home with Charlie Hodge. These jams from the That's The Way It Is rehearsals are a big barrel of fun. And Elvis giving a solo acoustic performance of I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry is the best I have ever heard this song. 
Highlights: One Broken Heart For Sale (Movie Version), It Hurts Me
7/10

Complete Fucker Demos - Whiskeytown
And there I was trying to keep the swearing out of this bLogging... These sound a lot more polished than demos. And are way more rocking than I was expecting; I thought this was going to be some chill alt. country-styled jams, and instead this is 90s college radio rock. Nice to hear Ryan Adams when he sang great! Ah ok, about halfway through it turns in to more what I expected. And then back again? I guess it is a collection of demos or whatever, so the different styles kind of makes sense. Either way, this is good.
Highlights: Win, Comfortable Only at Night, Leave the Lights Off, Tearing Me Up Inside, Breathe
7/10

The Complete James Brown Christmas - James Brown
Bah gawd, I really chose the wrong time of year to do this! This is certainly a different Xmas experience; he isn't just singing the usual Xmas standards or anything - this is all James Brown making soul music and throwing in Xmas lyrics. And typical James Brown instrumental jams? Including one called Believers Shall Enjoy (Non-Believers Shall Suffer). That doesn't exactly sound like the Xmas spirit. Then again, he also spends one 'Xmas song' thanking the listener for coming to his shows. Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud) is included in here? I guess listening to that makes me happier than a kid at Xmas?
Highlights: Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto, Soulful Christmas, Tit for Tat (Ain't No Taking Back), Go Power at Christmas Time, You Know It, Believers Shall Enjoy (Non Believers Shall Suffer), Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud) Pt. 1 & 2
6.5/10

The Complete Million Dollar Quartet - Elvis Presley
I guess I haven't listened to enough Elvis lately? I am still not convinced this really is all four of them; Johnny Cash is nowhere to be heard (vocally) and Elvis kind of comes and goes. And of course they kind of start with some Xmas songs... The highlight of this recording is Elvis giving a review of the Elvis impersonator at the Fats Domino show he went to. And 'Killer' showing how he got that nickname. I do wish they had known what they were doing with Brown Eyed Handsome Man - I'm sure that would have been great if they could have remembered the words. The gospel jams are seriously fantastic. It all runs out of steam after Elvis tries to sell them all on That's When Your Heartaches Begin (which kind of proves Cash is not there, because his baritone voice would be perfect for that song), but it is an enjoyable listen that clearly I ignore way too often!
Highlights: There's No Place Like Home, When the Saints Go Marchin' In, Just a Little Talk With Jesus, Jesus Walked That Lonesome Valley, I Shall Not Be Moved, End of the Road
6/10

Concert: The Cure Live - The Cure
This is one of those live albums where some of the songs are inferior to the studio versions, but then some are actually a little bit cooler or have more attitude or something. Early 80s The Cure was so atmospheric and the drums always sounded very lo-fi, so live everything gives the songs a lot more energy. But then the studio versions have a lot more going on vocally, which is sometimes missing live. The saxamophone on Give Me It sounds like a goose strangling Bobcat Goldthwaite. I think I prefer this version of 10:15 Saturday Night. This is also the only copy of Killing an Arab that I have, since Robert Smith seems intent on erasing it from existence.
Highlights: Charlotte Sometimes, A Forest, 10:15 Saturday Night, Killing an Arab
7.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 339

2025 in 2025: Day 26

The Blueprint - Jay-Z

By Prime, what an album to start my day. This album is just pure cool Jay-Z; before the dreads and becoming a billionaire, so he still had stuff to talk about (like rocking bucket hats and having girls all over the country) and the production is tight as hell. Back when Eminem was good. Also, legendary beefs getting addressed. Takeover is a badass diss track - that last line telling a bunch of dudes they only worth half a bar is priceless. I sometimes wish Kanye West had just stuck to being a producer and help create awesome jams like that and Heart of the City. Where would we all be now...

Highlights: Takeover, Izzo (H.O.V.A.), Heart of the City (Ain't No Love), Renegade [w/Eminem]

9/10

The Blueprint 2 - Jay-Z

A Dream might well be my favourite opening track on a hip-hop album. The rest of this album really could have been trimmed down from a 2-disc set and made in to one solid disc instead. 

Highlights: A Dream [Ft. Faith Evans & Notorious B.I.G.], Guns & Roses [w/Lenny Kravitz]

7/10

The Blues Brothers: Original Soundtrack Recording - The Blues Brothers

The Blues Brothers is one of the greatest movies ever made. And the soundtrack is a lot of fun. Who would have known two comedians could get together with legends like James Brown and Aretha Franklin and some of the greatest studio musicians ever and bang out some soul classics like this?

Highlights: She Caught the Katy, Gimme Some Lovin', Shake a Tail Feather, Think

7/10

Bodyswerve - Jimmy Barnes

Jimmy's debut album! I'm pretty sure I've barely listened to this; a lot of the songs appeared as either Cold Chisel songs or were re-recorded/remixed for For the Working Class Man and those sound much better. I think the mastering on this album is giving me a headache - some real harsh top-end going on.

Highlights: No Second Prize, Fire, World's On Fire

6.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 216