2025 in 2025: Day 171

Strawberry Margarita [Single] - ELLEGARDEN

Bah gawd how to start a day; when this single hit, my friend and I immediately messaged each other to say "THEY ARE BACK!" and it was fucking glorious. 

10/10

Streetcore - Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros

One thing you have to give to Joe Strummer is that he did not shy away from attempting all sorts of musical styles; The Clash were a veritable mish-mash of punk, ska, reggae, and all sorts of pop silliness at the end. And this album just continues that trend. And through it all, he still just sounds punk all the way.

Highlights: Coma Girl, Arms Aloft

6.5/10

Streetlife Serenade - Billy Joel

This dude clearly likes to name his albums starting with an S! I feel like he had been listening to a lot of Elton John here...

Highlights: Los Angelenos, Roberta

6.5/10

Stripped - Christina Aguilera

An absolute pop classic of the early-00s. I have certainly soured on everything she has done apart from this album - and it is pretty far from perfect, as well - but there is no denying her voice was iconic and some of these songs are just top-tier awesomeness.

Highlights: Fighter, Cruz, Dirrty, Get Mine Get Yours

7.5/10

Stripped: Raw and Real - Bon Jovi

Lost Highway-era Bon Jovi doing a live performance - the "Stripped" moniker seems to imply some type of acoustic thing, but Sambora clearly was not interested in that. He is cool and makes everything better for Bon Jovi, so I will allow it.

Highlights: Whole Lot Of Leavin' [Live], Wanted Dead Or Alive [Live]

6/10

Stull - Urge Overkill

I actually only have the one song from this - Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon. It has grown on me over the years, but I will always prefer Urge Overkill just being Urge Overkill instead.

7/10

Subarashiki Sekai - Pile

I only have the one song from this EP - Duel. I think the rest is on the album Tailwind(s). In fact, this song in full is as well. Talk to me about your problems...

8/10

Sueño de la Máquina - Kinky

Driving bass, funky beats, dreamy vocals and big synths. Probably their most consistent album - the whole thing is just a big electro Latin jam from start to finish.

Highlights: Perfecta, Se Borró la Noche, Alma de Neón, Después del After, Inmóvil

7.5/10

Sugar Ray - Sugar Ray

This is purely Answer the Phone. And in crap quality. It is unbelievable that this is the same hilariously awful nu-metal from the late 90s.

8/10

The Suicide Handbook - Ryan Adams

I find it hard to believe this really was how the album was supposed to be released. It is all so minimal and acoustic - it all just sounds like a big bag of demos. But then I remember that some of these were released as is on Demolition, so maybe? But 90 minutes of this is a bit much.

Highlights: Cry on Demand, Wild Flowers, For No One, Miss Sunflower

7/10

Suit - Nelly

This is not one of Nelly's albums that I have listened to all that much, but I have to admit that it is pretty darn groovy. Nelly just does his usual thing - he pretty much has the same melody in every song here - but what can you do?

Highlights: Over and Over, My Place, Paradise, N Dey Say

7/10

Summer Again [Single] - Ayumi Hamasaki

I was sure I had removed all the single doubles caused by the Remember you album, but I must have been wrong. This song is kind of fine? Trying way too hard to be a Summer dance anthem or something.

6.5/10

Summer Trap!! - WANIMA

Pre-COVID world was something else and it is hard for me to believe this EP came out right before the last Summer before it all. It is so wild and energetic. The whole thing personifies the sound of Summer - take that, Ayu!

Highlights: GONG, 夏のどこかへ, Mom

10/10

Sunburn - Fuel

I only have one song, which is surprising - I thought there were songs from this album. I recall the rest being total garbage, but I may have to revisit to make sure. Anyways, this is Shimmer. In another surprising moment, I think the song holds up!

8/10

Sunshower - Chris Cornell

I know I have the whole CD, but I think I just cut out the different versions of this song. Because this song is a masterpiece and the coda on the LP version is perfection. Gawdam Chris Cornell was the voice of my generation.

10/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1640

FREE PALESTINE

2025 in 2025: Day 66

Escape - Journey

That opening song is ridiculous and the rest of the album cannot live up to it, but still a decent album overall. Nothing bad. A few great songs.

Highlights: Don't Stop Believin'

7.5/10

Escape - Enrique Iglesias

Now THIS is an Enrique Iglesias album! Pop dance coolness personified. The Spanish version of Escape (Escapar) is hilarious, because they didn't bother to redo the backing vocals where he still sings in English. Maybe Enrique did not want to attempt to hit that high note again? Same thing happens in No Apagues La Luz, so I am definitely going to assume that. Or the producer did not want to have to hear Enrique attempt the high notes. Maybe both!

Highlights: Escape, Don't Turn Off the Lights, Maybe, Heroe

9/10

The Essential Michael Jackson - Michael Jackson

This is just a handful of songs that are not on MJ's solo albums pre-Off The Wall - mostly consists of Jackson 5 songs. Which only serves to remind me that I do not have any Jackson 5 albums, so am officially a loser.

Highlights: I Want You Back, ABC, Blame it on the Boogie, Can You Feel It

8/10

The Essential O'Jays - The O'Jays

And if only to further emphasise my loser status, this is only the song Love Train. It is a perfect soul jam, but I really should have more O'Jays. What a loser.

10/10

Euphoria - Enrique Iglesias

What is this? Awesome Enrique day?? The Spanish language tracks on this are stronger than the English ones, but that is not such a surprise. I Like It is awesome no matter if Pitbull appears or not.

Highlights: I Like It, Cuando Me Enamoro, Dile Que, Everything's Gonna Be Alright

7/10

Even More Dazed and Confused (Music From the Motion Picture) - Various Artists

They should have just released a big box set of all the music in the movie. Because the whole movie is full of awesome 70s rock songs. Never Been Any Reason must be one of the most underappreciated gems of the entire music world.

Highlights: No More Mr. Nice Guy - Alice Cooper, Never Been Any Reason - Head East, Balinese - ZZ Top

7/10

Everybody!! - WANIMA

These guys never fail to raise a smile. I wish the weather was sunny to give them the respect they deserve! Plus it just feels wrong to listen to this kind of awesome summer music when it is grey and cloudy and I don't have a nice cold Pepsi...
Highlights: OLE!!, シグナル, ヒューマン, CHARM, ANCHOR

8.5/10

Everything Must Go - Manic Street Preachers

Sometimes I think I do not actually like Manic Street Preachers as much as I think I do. Does that make sense? Like, I have this idea in my head that they are an awesome band that I really like, but then when I listen to them I don't actually dig it as much as I think I am going to. Anyways, I came in to listening to this album now thinking that way, but turns out I do like it a lot; A Design For Life is a bonafide 5 star hall of fame classic, and the rest of the album is pretty darn solid, as well. I have the 10th Anniversary edition or something, and it has all these live tracks that come after the album and kill the good vibe I was leaving with. They must go.

Highlights: A Design For Life, Australia, Interiors (Song for Willem De Kooning)

8/10 for the original album, 7/10 with all the other stuffs

Everything Must Go: 10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition [Disc 2] - Manic Street Preachers

The demos are kind of fine? Certainly interesting from a development point of view. The rehearsals are... pointless. Unless you want to hear a badly recorded distorted live recording? The b-sides are mostly okay and b-sides for a reason. This is the stuff that makes me think I think I like them more than I actually do...

Highlights: Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky [Demo], Australia [Stephen Hague Production], The Girl Who Wanted To Be God [Stephen Hague Production]

5.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 529

2025 in 2025: Day 40

COMINATCHA!! - WANIMA

These guys are another one of those 'every song sounds the same' kind of band. And that rules, because this album is awesome. Big rowdy summer fun punk and ska good times in every song. Except for the one ballad on each album - which is also fantastic. 

Highlights: 夏のどこかへ, GONG, りんどう, Like a Fire

8/10

commune - YUKI

This is YUKI's second album and she is still in her post-grunge post-punk Beatles groove. It just isn't as strong as her debut album. Nothing outstanding or all that memorable, but definitely nothing bad.

Highlights: ハミングバード, ファンキー・フルーツ

6/10

The Complete '68 Comeback Special: The 40th Anniversary Edition - Elvis Presley

It is day 40 and we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the greatest television special recorded! I like the way that worked out. Even funnier knowing that I also have the 50th Anniversary Edition, but never bothered to import the extra disc that it contains. Because LOGMAN is a dork, sometimes. So this first disc is mostly just the original album. Which is the weakest part of the set; the mixes are kinda meh and there is crowd noise edited in between all the songs. Which just makes If I Can Dream sound super cheesy. Despite my complaints, it is still great a great album (especially the Gospel medley) and then it has some bonus tracks that are awesome; this version of It Hurts Me is powerful and I still can not understand why that segment has been cut from the home video version of the special. Let Yourself Go and A Little Less Conversation are super great songs. I really did not need another version of Memories - it is one of the worst songs Elvis recorded and a terrible sign of what was to come in the future. It is followed by the definitive version of the greatest song Elvis recorded. Elvis was all about peaks and valleys. Then we move on to Disc 2, which is the first of the 'Sit-Down' and 'Stand-Up' shows. I really enjoy the loose nature of the sit-down shows; it really just feels like a group of dudes jamming at home and reminiscing about about their younger days. Elvis was only 33 here, but had been in the business 13 years already! And Elvis clearly starts to really enjoy himself by the end of it. The 'Stand-Up' show is a different beast; big orchestra arrangements on all the old songs, Elvis all alone singing to backing tracks. I actually dig the arrangements on the 50s songs, but Elvis is clearly struggling to keep up on songs like Jailhouse Rock and he messes up hilariously in Blue Suede Shoes. The second 'Sit-Down' show is more of the same; feeling a bit more comfortable now, the guys just repeat some of the jokes that worked for the first crowd, Elvis messes up more songs and gets more unprofessional in the way only Elvis could get away with. The second 'Stand-Up' show is probably the stronger of the stand-up shows, if only slightly, as Elvis just continues to get more comfortable and just powers through the whole thing quickly, before reluctantly recording the Trouble/Guitar Man medley and then lip-sync to If I Can Dream. I'm very glad they never bothered using that in the final version of the special. And then, we are on to disc four; this is rehearsals, so not in exactly the best sound quality, but there a whole bunch of songs that they did not perform for the special. And the most interesting part is all the banter and just general tomfoolery of Elvis and his crew.

That's a big wall of text...

Highlights: Medley: Where Could I Go But To The Lord/Up Above My Head/Saved, If I Can Dream, It Hurts Me, That's All Right (First 'SIT-DOWN' show), Trying To Get To You (First 'SIT-DOWN' show), Don't Be Cruel (First 'STAND-UP' show), That's All Right (Second 'SIT-DOWN' show), Don't Be Cruel (Second 'STAND-UP' show)

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 333

2025 in 2025: Day 4

All About Chemistry - Semisonic
Almost 25 years ago, my brother moved overseas and left me a whole bunch of his stuff - including half of his CD collection. This was one of those CDs. And this is the first time I've ever actually listened to it! It's a fairly harmless piece of early-2000s radio rock. Nothing out of the ordinary here.
Highlights:
6/10

All Bad Things - Mötley Crüe
This was Mötley Crüe's farewell single. When they embarked on their final concert tour... before recording more songs and then going back on tour and then recording more songs and going back on tour. 80s rockers retire like they are pro-wrestlers. The funniest part of this song is that it opens with Nikki Sixx stating they "would rather just break up than be bland", but then this song is exactly that.
4/10

All My Life - Billy Joel
This was kind of in the same vein; Billy Joel kind of retired from releasing music in the 90s, and this was his first release since then, something like 15 years later. It's about what you'd expect from an older Billy Joel writing a love song. A very easy breezy piano ballad.
5/10

All Night Carnival - Various Artists
So there is this song called One Night Carnival by a group called Kishidan. And for the 20th anniversary of that single, their record label put together this album of other artists performing the song. It just so happens that their record label is Avex Tracks - home to some of the biggest artists in Japan. So you get 11 different artists like Ayumi Hamasaki, BiSH and Momoiro Clover Z giving their take on the same song. It's quite fun getting to hear all these different artists all on the same album... doing the same song. And that part can get a bit old. Because deep down, it is the same song 11 times. That said, some of them really do make this sound like a somewhat different song - the WANIMA version in particular. Because WANIMA are awesome.
Highlights: Ayumi Hamasaki, BiSH, WANIMA
7/10

All The Young Dudes - David Bowie
Well, my iTunes says this is Mott The Hoople, but this is definitely David Bowie singing. And it's a different version to the one found on the Aladdin Sane reissue. So I have no idea what version this is, right now. Clearly I have decided to start 2025 by failing at my musical knowledge. But this is the best studio version I have of the song. And this is a great song.
9/10

All Things Must Pass - George Harrison
This is quite likely the best solo album released by a Beatle. Folksy rock songs, ruminations on religion and love, Hare Krishna chanting, instrumental jams. This album has everything. Even a huge stack of reverb and Psycho Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound". I'm somewhat embarrassed that I do not have the 50th anniversary edition with the new remix (Harrison's son finally and went and did what his Father had been interested in doing, and stripped all that Spector stuff out), because I am genuinely interested to hear how it sounds, but I just don't drop all my money on albums I already own anymore - I save that for overpriced boxes of kung fu movies. And these Beatles-adjacent box sets have been getting more and more expensive. Wah-Wah is my favourite diss track of all-time (Euphoria is now a very close second). I dig the extra tracks on this, as well - apart from the 2000 version of My Sweet Lord. Also, people don't talk enough about Klaus Voorman's bass playing. Between this and Plastic Ono Band, the dude was awesome and had so much groove. Eric Clapton is also tolerable here. I'm not 100% convinced there isn't some type of modernisation going on with Out of the Blue, but it might be just the 5 hours of fake live Kiss I listened to yesterday. I'm sure George Harrison wasn't like that. And "moderinastion" is a hell of a word to throw at something released 25 years ago. I've written a lot, because this is a long album.
Highlights:
9/10

Allegiance - Firewind
I believe this was given to me by the guitarist in my short-lived rock band 15 years ago. I may have listened to it once? It's starting off like some sort of modern Iron Maiden. Wait - was that a dueling guitar and keyboard solo? I get why that dude liked this and gave it to me. Shred shred shred. Actually, with the dramatic vocals and the keyboards and the shredding (and the shredding keyboards?) it all sounds like a less-pop Psychic Lover! It's fun. Like most metal, I get pretty bored fairly easily, but still fun for what it is.
Highlights:
7/10

Aloha From Hawaii [12 January 1973] - Elvis Presley
This is the dress rehearsal concert from two days before the live broadcast. Okay, so this is a weird confession; I've seen this on my old DVD numerous times. However, I bought the Aloha From Hawaii boxset (both concerts on blu-ray and CD) a few months ago and... have yet to the listen to the CDs. Until now! Darn Elvis for being an unprofessional goof and messing up the lyrics to Burning Love - this could have been the best version ever! He also fumbles is his way through part of My Way. Shiz, Elvis ain't afraid of you mofos!
Highlights:
6.5/10

Aloha From Hawaii [14 January 1973] - Elvis Presley
Now it is time for the exact same concert just two days later! You see, Elvis performed and recorded the concert on the 12th as a backup in case they had any satellite issues on the 14th. It also meant they could make more money - as well as money for the children's benefit they were supporting with these shows. So the setlist is pretty much the same, just with a few extra songs (which are well worth it IMO). At least he remembers the words to Burning Love this time, though he does come close to messing it up still. In Elvis On Tour, the dude actually had to read the lyrics on stage. Normally Elvis made everything his own, but that was never the case when he covered The Beatles - his version of Something is just average no matter the night. Anyways, all I can say is this concert is OK to listen to, but much more enjoyable to watch, because you can see Elvis was having fun and that really lifts an otherwise average performance. Shiz, Elvis ain't afraid of you mofos!
Highlights:
7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 35