2025 in 2025: Day 182

The Very Best of Cool Jazz - Various Artists

So jazz really is not my thing. It is fine and dandy, but for me it mostly works as background music. Especially a compilation like this, that focuses on the more relaxed and chilled out numbers.

Highlights: I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face - Tony Bennett & Count Basie, She's on the Ball - Ray Charles, Round About Midnight - Wes Montgomery, Take Five - Quincy Jones

6/10

The Very Best of Eddie Cochran - Eddie Cochran

Another brutally tragic story of 50s rock'n roll. Wild to think what kind of music and influence this guy could have had if he made it to the 60s, because some of his wild rockabilly numbers are just all kinds of fun. 

Highlights: C'mon Everybody, Summertime Blues, Somethin' Else, Twenty Flight Rock

7.5/10

The Very Best of Elton John - Elton John

I may well be in the minority, but for as good as Elton John was in the 70s, I find some of his 80s output to actually be somewhat superior. The production is certainly better. I mean, has anyone actually sat down with headphones and paid attention to what is going on in Your Song? Because it is a mess. Meanwhile, songs like Nikita can be used as reference to demo your sound system!

Highlights: I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues, I'm Still Standing, Don't Go Breaking My Heart, Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be A Long, Long Time)

7.5/10

The Very Best of Kim Wilde - Kim Wilde

True to form, this is only the hit song You Keep Me Hangin' On. Which truly is the VERY best of Kim Wilde.

9/10

The Very Best of Play Bach - Jacques Loussier

More jazz, you say? At least this is the kind of jazz I can dig; phenomenal jazz renditions of classical pieces. 

Highlights: Siciliano In G Minor, Sleepers Awake

6.5/10

The Very Best of Rod Stewart - Rod Stewart

Hey, now! I already have a full "best of Rod Stewart"! But Forever Young is not included, so I had to get that elsewhere, I guess. Classic 80s drive. I really should just shoehorn this in to that other compilation...

9/10

The Very Best of Rose Royce - Rose Royce

I only have Car Wash. It is a bonafide funky jam!

9/10

VH1 Divas Live - Cher

This is purely Cher performing If I Could Turn Back Time - at what I can only assume was a VH1 Divas Live concert, because that is what the file says. I got this because Cher's performance at her Las Vegas concert rocked my world. This version does not!

5/10

View of the Rain - Urge Overkill

I got this EP free with Exit the Dragon and these are all live songs recorded in Australia. And they rock. Because Urge Overkill were legit. Still are, I guess!

Highlights: The Break (Live), Crack Babies (Live)

7/10

Vindicated - Dashboard Confessional

I know no other Dashboard Confessional songs. I once heard some being played in a music shop in Melbourne some 23 years ago, but that was about it. If they have anything else like this song, let me know. Because it is a gawdam brilliant track.

9/10

The Visitors - ABBA

Their last album for 40 years and some of this would have fit nicely in Chess. Less disco pop and more of a mature pop album - exceptionally done.

Highlights: When All Is Said and Done, Slipping Through My Fingers, The Visitors, Head Over Heels

7.5/10

Vitalogy - Pearl Jam

I feel like with this album they were caught up in their own hype and thought they were The Beatles or something - because this album sounds like a band trying to make their own Let It Be. Which is not a compliment. Probably the last Pearl Jam album to have any sort of teeth and before Eddie Vedder's voice got too annoying. But bah gawd the good songs here are just incredibly good.
Highlights: Nothingman, Corduroy, Immortality, Better Man

7.5/10

Viva Elvis: The Album - Elvis Presley

I only have one song from this and it is the incredible remix/reimagining of Suspicious Minds. I genuinely should check out the rest of this album, because turning this into a big emo arena rock song actually works. Helps to have an awesome vocal from The King to base it around.

10/10

Vivid - Living Colour

This album is like the most socially conscious hair metal album that will ever exist. And I am not using the hair metal term as any sort of insult, because these guys are awesome. Maybe more of a funk metal, really? 

Highlights: Cult of Personality, Open Letter (To a Landlord), Which Way to America?, Glamour Boys

8.5/10

Vivir - Enrique Iglesias

This sure is some corny late 90s Latin pop that sounds more like 80s pop, but it also still very much sounds like Enrique being Enrique. Which means I enjoy it. Absolutely nothing a Luchador would use as their entrance music, though.

Highlights: El Muro, Volveré, Miente, Lluvia Cae

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1800

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2025 in 2025: Day 170

State of the World Address - Biohazard

The most melodic of hardcore albums. Down For Life immediately aged poorly, since they fired their guitarist after this album. Cypress Hill really were everywhere in 1994. And that was a good thing. Just like this album. Heavy, aggressive, a hell of a groove, and lyrically focused on lower-class urban life and fighting against the system. LOGMAN's album of choice while playing Gran Turismo.

Highlights: Down For Life, How It Is, Love Denied, What Makes Us Tick

9/10

Static & Silence - The Sundays

I thought for sure The Sundays were Australian, but I just read they were actually from the UK. Interesting. More interesting than this album.

Highlights: Summertime, She

6/10

Stay Hungry - Twisted Sister

In only further embarrassment, this is only We're Not Gonna Take It. I guess if you have to have only one Twisted Sister song, it has to be this one. 

10/10

Stay On These Roads - a-ha

This album was released in 2002, yet sounds exactly like it was released in 1987. Make of that what you will.

Highlights: Touchy, Stay on These Roads

6/10

Steelheart - Steelheart

Big late-80s glam rock with the biggest highest screams possible. My only gripe is they seemed to channel Hammer and made every song about two minutes longer than they needed to be, but otherwise this probably should have been pretty popular if it had been released a year or two earlier. 

Highlights: Gimme Gimme, Like Never Before, Rock'n Roll (I Just Wanna), Down 'n Dirty

7.5/10

Step Outside - Greyshack

Old school dirty hard rock all the way from India! Feels like Aussie Summer pub rock, to me. Again, take that how you will.

Highlights: Step Outside, New Day

6.5/10

The Stockholm Sessions - Ryan Adams

DRA going all acoustic - I am thinking this might be quite live? Very quiet and chill.

Highlights: I am falling asleep...

6/10

Stomp 442 - Anthrax

Well, this is surely waking me up! Not their best album... I assume, because it is the only one I have in full, but it does feature Dimebag on lead for a few songs.

Highlights: Nothing, Random Acts of Senseless Violence, King Size, Bare, American Pompeii

7/10

Stone Cold Rhymin' - Young MC

I do not have the full album and that is something that needs serious correcting. What I do have, however, are some stone cold classics. These are my jams, right here.

Highlights: Bust a Move, Principal's Office

9/10

Storm - Heather Nova

Ms. Nova going back to her roots and doing a full on indie acoustic folk album with minimalist production - but much less dark than Glow Stars. In fact, still very much love songs and stuff. But somewhat lacking in emotion, I find.

Highlights: River of Life, You Left Me a Song, Fool For You

6.5/10

Storm Front - Billy Joel

Gawddam We Didn't Start The Fire just has so much drive; musically it is so simple, but these dudes are such solid musicians that they just push the beat so much. Dude is still singing about the USSR like he has seen the light and converted to communism.

Highlights: I Go to Extremes, We Didn't Start the Fire, Storm Front, That's Not Her Style

7/10

The Story So Far - Rod Stewart

A career-spanning compilation and I wish I could say it was complete, but there are a few of his more notable songs missing from here. And there is some seriously awful stuff tacked on the end - I do not need him singing Waltzing fucking Matilda. But honestly, Rockin' Rod is someone I forget is actually good and then I listen to his singles and I am like 'Oh yeah! This song is cool. And this one, too!'.

Highlights: Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?, The Motown Song, Rhythm of My Heart, Downtown Train, Hot Legs, All For Love

7.5/10

The Stranger - Billy Joel

There is a really cool groove to this album. And the ballads are almost quite heartfelt. 

Highlights: The Stranger, Movin' Out (Anthony's Song), Only the Good Die Young, Get It Right the First Time

7.5/10

A Stranger Is Born (Pre Strangers Almanac Demo) - Whiskeytown

Mostly badly recorded demos. Some live stuff as well - also badly recorded. And then one or two actual proper recordings that sound great. Though it might be because of having to listen an hour of badly recorded nonsense.

Highlights: The Rain Won't Help You When It's Over, Ten Seconds 'Til The End Of The World

5/10

Strangers Almanac - Whiskeytown

Many of the songs on the previous 'album' now actually finished and recorded properly. And it is very, very good in parts. I got confused for a minute, because some of these songs are also on my version of Faithless Street in slightly different recordings. And I only JUST read that I actually have some deluxe version of Faithless Street that features like twice the songs. And I have listened to that album many times more than this one.

Highlights: 16 Days, Waiting to Derail, Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight, Yesterday's News

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1625

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