Showing posts with label a-ha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label a-ha. Show all posts

Thursday, 4 December 2025

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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Monday, 24 November 2025

2025 in 2025: Day 160

The Scandalous Sex Suite - Prince
Remixes of Scandalous from the Batman soundtrack. One has a big extended guitar solo, one has Kim Basinger talking like Prince is trying to mack on her.
Highlights: That big guitar solo?
6.5/10

Scary Monsters - David Bowie
80s Bowie is just a lot of fun with his oddity. And funky basslines. 
Highlights: Ashes to Ashes, Fashion, Kingdom Come, Teenage Wildlife
7/10

Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters
Is this gayest album of 2004? Turning Pink Floyd into a club dance song would certainly suggest that. The whole thing just constantly switches between Elton John doing 70s pop and late 90s club remixes. 
Highlights: Music is the Victim, Take Your Mama Out, Filthy/Gorgeous, Laura
6.5/10

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Various Artists
Super hipster indie rock all the way, but some of it is pretty good. Especially the songs performed by the bands in the movie. I would totally go to a Sex Bob-omb concert.
Highlights: We Are Sex-Bob-omb - Sex Bob-omb, Black Sheep - Metric, Teenage Dream - T-Rex, Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl - Broken Social Scene
6.5/10

Scoundrel Days - a-ha
More of the usual from these dudes, somewhat darker? It was the mid-90s, so everyone was on that kick, but it is still kind of a mature pop thing.
Highlights: Cry Wolf, Manhattan Skyline, Scoundrel Days, The Swing of Things
7/10

Scream & Shout [Single] - will.i.am
It says Britney Spears is here, but is that her doing the British speaking voice? Repetitive trash. Which could apply to almost every song by will.i.am or Britney Spears.
4/10

Sea Change - Beck
This was the album that got me interested in Beck; it is more acoustic and introspective than anything else he had released to that point, and that was the sort of thing I saw myself doing. There are some good songs, but some of it is a bit... uninteresting. All very chill. Particularly compared to his other work.
Highlights: Sunday Sun, Lost Cause, Lonesome Tears
6/10

Second Sighting - Frehley's Comet
Nothing as catchy as the debut Frehley's Comet album, but still pretty decent Ace Frehley rock album. His style never changes. And that was a good thing. RIP Ace!!!
Highlights: Insane, It's Over Now, Loser in a Fight, Juvenile Delinquent
7/10

Secret - Ayumi Hamasaki
Big beats. Big strings. Big rock guitars. Big hooks. Big ballads. Big feels. Big anthems. If I ever met an Ayu fan that did not love this album, I would be big skeptical of them. 
Highlights: Startin', Born to Be..., kiss o' kill, BLUE BIRD, Beautiful Fighters
9/10

Secret Samadhi - Live
This was Live trying to be a bit darker and edgier and just ending up being noisier and messier. And half these songs genuinely sound the same. Some really lame lyrics and even lamer guitar solos.
Highlights: Graze, Lakini's Juice, Gas Hed Goes West
6/10

SEE YOU - BiSH
Ah I missed BiSH! BiSH is OVER episode something seven? For every great month, there was a really average month. This was one of the latter.
Highlights: I am wasting my time with this marathon when I could be listening to better BiSH
6/10

Seeker Lover Keeper - Seeker Lover Keeper
Three of Australia's top indie folk women unite to make a super group of indie folk women and the result is... amazing lyrics and killer harmonies. I would say it is possibly a little underwhelming, but honestly it is pretty much what it says it is on the box. And I will always have all the heart emojis for Sarah Blasko.
Highlights: Even Though I'm a Woman, Light All My Lights, Bridges Burned, We Will Know What It Is
7/10

Send Away the Tigers - Manic Street Preachers
The most consistent rock album by the Manics. It is just straight up Summer rock, like they have been listening to ELLEGARDEN all Summer like me! Except Summer is only just beginning. And replace actual Summer lyrics with a communist manifesto.
Highlights: Your Love Alone is Not Enough, Indian Summer, The Second Great Depression, Rendition, Autumnsong
9/10

Seventeen Seconds - The Cure
Well, this sure is a change of pace. The REAL first album by The Cure. Lots of dark space and atmosphere and clean guitars.
Highlights: A Forest, Seventeen Seconds, Play For Today
7/10

SEX AND LOVE - Enrique Iglesias
Enrique and every guest artist he could find! And Pitbull just hanging around as usual. Some of this is just by the numbers, but some of it is a full on PARTY! And the ballads are pretty much all perfection.
Highlights: Bailando, There Goes My Baby, El Perdedor, Physical, Heart Attack
7/10

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles
I gave a detailed review of this album waaaay back in the day! And I still maintain it is overrated.
Highlights: A Day in the Life, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, With a Little Help from My Friends, Sgt, Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1485


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Wednesday, 24 September 2025

2025 in 2025: Day 125

mimosa - Ayumi Hamasaki
Ayu's most recent single. Nothing groundbreaking, but very good. Still Ayu.
8/10

Mind Games - John Lennon
This albums is very low key, but lyrically still very protesty and freedom for the people. Just less angsty than Sometime in New York City. Almost like Lennon is tired and his energy a bit drained since the last album flopped. And he was drinking and partying a lot. Probably that. 
Highlights: Mind Games, I Know (I Know), Meat City, Out of the Blue
7/10

Minor Earth Major Sky - a-ha
Interesting how these guys always seemed to grow and adapt their sound to be more in step with what was happening in pop music; this certainly sounds like something from around 2000, without sounding too terrible. 
Highlights: Velvet, The Sun Never Shone That Day, Barely Hanging On
6.5/10

Holy moly we are just following up yesterday hilariously well!

Minutes to Midnight - Linkin Park
Not a lot of Mike Shinoda on this one. And the album is boring. Coincidence? Musically, it does have good moments. It is just having it all rely on Chester Bennington do his thing just does not give the songs any dynamics. The proof is in the only two songs that feature Shinoda doing his thing, too, and they are easily the best songs on the album.
Highlights: Bleed It Out, Shadow of the Day, What I've Done
6/10

The Miracle - Queen
This album has it all; dance bops, simple pop, ballads, synth bass, computer drums... and in there are two of their biggest straight rock songs ever. Brian May's tone on this album is absolute perfection. I do have the box set and am looking forward to listening to the various outtakes and what not - I have already heard the version of Breakthru on there with the real drums and bass and it sounds awesome - but I still have like 900 albums in here to get through... so maybe in 2026...
Highlights: I Want It All, Was It All Worth It, Breakthru, The Miracle
8.5/10

Miracle Driving - JUDY AND MARY
Fairly standard JAM offering, though much less punk than usual. But still enjoyable.
Highlights: Miracle Night Driving, Kyoto, Platinum, ステレオぜんかい
7/10

A Mirage in the Sun - MONOEYES
I was going to say something about this being their weakest album, but it really is not. Or all their albums are great and I just sometimes pretend otherwise? The end three songs here are absolute perfection - like the ending of a PASSPO☆ album. These dudes actually released a new album a couple of weeks ago. Shame I will have to wait three more months to check it out...
Highlights: 明日公園で, Wish it Was Snowing Out, Remember Me, グラニート
8/10

MIRROR - SCANDAL
While I do miss the angsty punk vibes from their previous couple of albums, the newfound creativity on display throughout this album more than makes up for it. I should learn some of these riffs for the next time I get to demo Mami's signature strat. That thing is art!
Highlights: MIRROR, eternal, 彼女はWave, アイボリー
8/10

Mirrorball - Sarah McLachlan
For those keeping score at home, this makes THREE live albums from Sarah McLachlan in my collection. Insert a gif of Tim Robinson saying "What the hell?" from I Think You Should Leave here. In fairness, the previous two were EPs and this is a full on long album. And it is long. And it is very good. The songs generally have a bit of an extra kick going on, although I am not sure any of them needed shredding guitar solos.
Highlights: Sweet Surrender, Ice Cream, Wait, Do What You Have to Do
7/10

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Lauryn Hill
Ms. Hill gets a lot of flack, but she also gets away with a lot. A LOT. People give her more leeway than she probably deserves, but the reason for that is this album is a gawdam masterpiece. Two parts hip-hop, two parts R&B, one part reggae, one part gospel, three parts soul. All parts brilliant.
Highlights: Ex-Factor, Zion, Doo Wop (That Thing), Can't Take My Eyes Off of You
9/10

Miss-E... So Addictive - Missy Elliott
Oooh yeah we are just hitting all my hip-hop bumps today! This may not be Missy's best work, but there are still some killer tracks. This is her and Timberland starting to find their groove between between making artsy creative hip-hop and getting some hooks. Missy's rhymes are badass, though. And she sure does not have patience for fools. 
Highlights: Get Ur Freak On, One Minute Man (Remix), Dog in Heat, Old School Joint, Step Off
7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1099


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Tuesday, 23 September 2025

2025 in 2025: Day 124

Memorial Address - Ayumi Hamasaki
Could this EP be any more Ayu? It just needs one of her angry heavy Linkin Park style tracks, otherwise it has everything else you would expect; fun pop, funky grooves, big rock ballads. Absolutely awesome.
Highlights: Memorial Address, HANABI ~episode II~, ourselves
9/10

Memorial Beach - a-ha
I hesitate to use the word dark here, but this is more artsy and blues-rock than their previous work. Like, they've clearly been listening to some grunge, but it has not totally overtaken their complete sound. And it really works for me! This album makes me appreciate their all-around musicianship.
Highlights: Move to Memphis, Cold as Stone, Between Your Mama and Yourself, Lie Down in the Darkness
7/10

Merry Christmas - Mariah Carey
Ms. Carey could sing to me the full screenplay of Avatar and the ingredients of a tin of baked beans and I am sure I would sit there all doe-eyed. Merry Christmas!
Highlights: All I Want for Christmas is You
6.5/10

Messin' with the Boys - Cherie & Marie Currie
I did briefly mention The Currie sisters many years ago. The performance in that video is the stuff! This album is so far removed from The Runaways - like a Peter Criss album is to a Kiss album. The reissue is certainly overkill and unnecessary. The world does not need 1288 versions of Cherry Bomb!
Highlights: Since You've Been Gone, Messin' with the Boys, Elaine, This Time
7/10 for the original album, 6/10 for the reissue

Meteora - Linkin Park
Sometimes you just feel like a bit of angry LP doing the angry LP thing. There is something comforting about it, I think. Any album where Mike Shinoda raps lots gets my approval. More on that tomorrow...
Highlights: Lying from You, Nobody's Listening, Numb, Figure.09
7.5/10

Midnite Vultures - Beck
Weird noises, silly lyrics, some funky basslines and the occasional actual hooks. I can appreciate his attempt to make a silly Prince album - and in parts it totally works. But, like, I have Prince. And Flight of the Conchords doing silly Prince.
Highlights: Milk & Honey, Mixed Bizness, Debra, Sexx Laws
6/10

Mike + the Mechanics - Mike + the Mechanics
This is only the song All I Need is a Miracle. It is some sort of 80s staple.
7/10

Milk and Honey - John Lennon/Yoko Ono
If ever an album out there needed to be re-recorded it would be this. Normally I am somewhat against that sort of thing, but in this case I wholeheartedly support it. Hell, bring in McCartney if you must and have him record some backing vocals; the songs being unfinished means Lennon's vocal performances are less than what he was aiming for. There are some pretty decent songs here. They just needed to be... finished.
Highlights: Nobody Told Me, I'm Stepping Out, Grow Old with Me
6.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 1088


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Thursday, 28 August 2025

2025 in 2025: Day 113

Lifeblood - Manic Street Preachers
The Manics go all adult lo-fi rock like they have been listening to Keane and The Cardigans all summer. Luckily they still write good songs, so I am more of the opinion that this album is underrated and underappreciated. Without actually being memorable or anything.
Highlights: 1985, Empty Souls, I Live to Fall Asleep, Always/Never
7/10

Lifelines - a-ha
What is it with today and this adult radio rock and music from the mid-00s? This might well be the most consistent a-ha album I have listened to yet. Does that maybe say something about me?
Highlights: White Canvas, Forever Not Yours, There's a Reason for it
6.5/10

Light Years - Kylie Minogue
This was Kylie's comeback album. Which is crazy. And it was the start of a period where she just known to always be wearing short shorts. I just wanted her to keep making dancey-disco pop - short shorts or not.
Highlights: Spinning Around, Kids
7/10

Lipstick Traces: A Secret History of Manic Street Preachers - Manic Street Preachers
A large collection of b-sides and rarities. Large. Too large. There are some killer tracks hidden in here - and they seem to be more of the modern ones. But I assure you they are buried in a lot of less than special stuff. The second disc is mostly covers, which range from G'n'R classics to punk rock classics to... Wham!
Highlights: 4 Ever Delayed, Judge Yr'self, Just a Kid, Take the Skinheads Bowling
6.5/10

Listen to the Music: The Very Best of the Doobie Brothers - Doobie Brothers
I do not have the full collection, but this sure is a good reminder that I should correct that one day. Such a strange combination of Southern Rock, funk and beautiful harmonies.
Highlights: Listen to the Music, Long Train Runnin'
8/10

Little Fish: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Various Artists
Nope, not really. This is purely Sarah Blasko's cover of Cold Chisel's Flame Trees. It is a rather brilliant interpretation. Sarah Blasko is good like that.
9/10

A Little More Personal (Raw) - Lindsay Lohan
I am unapologetically a fan of LiLo and her singing career, because this album is solid. A bold mix of heartfelt ballads, pop rock, and dare I say darker emo? Honestly, the only misstep on this whole album is the cover of Edge of Seventeen - which hilariously ends with the bass on the wrong note before stopping abrubtly. Possibly cut off? Or they forgot to add that last midi note?
Highlights: Confessions of a Broken Heart (Daughter to Father), If It's Alright, A Beautiful Life (La Bella Vita), I Live for the Day, Black Hole
8/10

A Little South of Sanity - Aerosmith
Oh, time for us to start all these live albums, huh? Sure... Musically, this album is seriously awesome. The songs are all full of energy. Vocally, Tyler is still pretty great, but his voice just clearly gets tired halfway through. And he struggles with some high notes from the jump. But otherwise, this is a very solid album showing a legendary rock group just past their prime and well before they turned into a group of old ladies.
Highlights: Eat the Rich, Love in an Elevator, Dude (Looks Like a Lady), Walk This Way
7/10

Live - Noel Gallagher
This is some random live version of Don't Go Away, performed by Noel Gallagher on acoustic guitar. It is fine, but not exactly mandatory listening.
7/10

Live - Temple of the Dog
This is a random audience recording of Hunger Strike from a Lollapalooza in 1992. I would like a better recording, because Chris Cornell absolutely shreds those high notes and it is epic.
8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 985


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Monday, 21 July 2025

2025 in 2025: Day 97

hours... - David Bowie
This album gets a bad rap. Or at least it used to? But the 'heavier' songs are definitely worth the price of admission.
Highlights: The Pretty Things are Going to Hell, Something in the Air, Survive, New Angels of Promise
7/10

hours... [Bonus Disc] - David Bowie
This disc is so weirdly constructed; it is great having all the different versions (I especially needed all three versions of The Pretty Things are Going to Hell from Stigmata, so thanks for that!), but they are all sequenced by song. So having four versions of Seven back to back that progressively get worse was certainly a choice. 
Highlights: The Pretty Things are Going to Hell [Edit], Seven [Marius De Vries Mix], New Angels of Promise [Omikron: The Nomad Soul Version], The Dreamers [Omikron: The Nomad Soul Longer Version]
6/10

Hozier - Hozier
This was not as bad as I was expecting it to be. I am fairly certain this dude just has one melody and he has put it to different musical backgrounds. It is kind of like a male Florence + the Machine.
Highlights: Take Me to Church, Jackie and Wilson
6/10

Human Clay - Creed
Who needs some generic jock-rock? That riff on What If is pretty darn great. They are like the Nirvana of radio rock; jangly clean guitars on the verses and then big distortion in the chorus. With the occasional triumphant bridge.
Highlights: What If, Faceless Man, Higher, Inside Us All
6.5/10

Hungry for Stink - L7
And now for some dirty budget punk rock. And I am happy for it. They are almost not as angry on this album. Except for Fuel My Fire, which is all sorts of awesome. The rest ticks along nicely.
Highlights: Fuel My Fire, The Bomb, Riding with a Movie Star
6.5/10

Hunting High and Low - a-ha
Could this day be any more diverse? While I do not find the whole thing all that impressive, and it certainly sounds dated in parts, the singles from this album are absolutely perfect.
Highlights: Take On Me, The Sun Always Shines on T.V.
6.5/10

The Hustle - Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony
Like most of my random disco collection, this is purely the one song. And it is a groove. Get down with your bad self!
10/10

Hybrid Theory - Linkin Park
Is this the best album I have listened to today? I always ALWAYS forget how good this album is until I listen to it. Have I mentioned I saw them live on tour for this album? Right before they got big; small venue, cost was very little, and afterwards they hung around signing autographs and just generally being cool guys. Made me a fan.
Highlights: Papercut ,In the End, Forgotten, A Place For My Head
8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 808


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Wednesday, 16 April 2025

2025 in 2025: Day 60

E.T. (feat. Kanye West) [Single] - Katy Perry
Even when I didn't think Kanye was a nutjob that should be ignored, I preferred the album version of this song. And I felt very awkward rapping his part in front of little kids. 
8/10

E=MC² - Mariah Carey
I remember the video for Touch My Body being completely hilarious. That intro for Side Effects sounds like the opening for a song by The Lonely Island. I do enjoy that all throughout this album some dude just keeps randomly yelling "M.C." And what does "O.O.C." stand for?
Highlights: Touch My Body, Cruise Control, I'm That Chick, Last Kiss, Thanx 4 Nothin'
7/10

Early Takes - George Harrison
Acoustic demos and alternate takes, mostly from the All Things Must Pass sessions. The acoustic takes are good for more of a focus on the lyrics and George's singing. These definitely showcase how great he actually was.
Highlights: I'd Have You Anytime [Early Take], All Things Must Pass [Demo], My Sweet Lord [Demo], Mama You've Been on My Mind [Demo], Woman Don't You Cry For Me [Early Take]
8/10

Earthling - David Bowie
Little Wonder is so schizophrenic; when it came out, I actually could not get past the verses, which is sad because if I had I would have realised how great that 'chorus' is. I'm Afraid of Americans never stops being awesome and just gets truer every day. This album is WAY betterer than I have ever given it credit for.
Highlights: Seven Years in Tibet, I'm Afraid of Americans, Looking For Satellites, Battle For Britain (The Letter)
8/10

East - Cold Chisel
The most classic Australian rock album by the most classic Australian rock band. And I feel like Cheap Wine might even be the most classic Australian rock song?
Highlights: Standing on the Outside, My Baby, Cheap Wine, My Turn to Cry
7.5/10

East of the Sun, West of the Moon - a-ha
This is certainly not their finest hour.
Highlights: Slender Frame, Cold River, Rolling Thunder, (Seemingly) Nonstop July
6/10

East Side Story - DJ Reggie
Not even this delicious bottle Pepsi Zero Peach can make me understand how I thought this was fun.
Highlights: Revenge of the Ninja, Kick Em' in the Dungeon
3.5/10

Easy Tiger - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
Look, I can be fair to this guy and still say that his songs are great when they are. And some of these songs are absolutely brilliant. Two features probably his most honest line ever. My only criticism is going to be the drums, because they sound blurgh. But gawdam the harmonies and vocals are very good. Actually, the more truthful line is in These Girls: "These girls are better off in my head". Any woman would be better off not dealing with you in real life, buddy!
Highlights: Goodnight Rose, Two, Oh My God Whatever Etc., The Sun Also Sets, I Taught Myself How to Grow Old
8/10

Easy Tiger Rarities - Ryan Adams
These are fine, I guess? One of the songs was actually re-released with a different title, but there is absolutely no difference between the two except for the title.
Highlights: Alice
6/10

echo - CHARA+YUKI
Two indie pop queens uniting to make an E.P. - 20 years in the making, since they actually recorded the first song back in 1999. And I'm pretty sure they were in a punk band together around then? Anyways, lucky for me, YUKI seems to drive this or at least it all sounds like a YUKI kind of album. And the good kind, too.
Highlights: 愛の火 3つ オレンジ (2020version), 楽しい蹴伸び, Night Track, echo
8.5/10

Echo - Leona Lewis
Gawdam whatta voice! And mostly great songs... that all sound the same. So if you want epic pop songs with massive vocals, then this is a great album. I like those things, so thumbs up from me! Even an Oasis cover thrown in for fun? And yes, that was also epic (though I probably prefer the Oasis version, because Liam's voice not so perfect).
Highlights: Happy, I Got You, My Hands, Broken, Lost Then Found
7.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 485

2025 in 2025: Day 197

Somehow I have made it to the end of the year with 17 albums to go. What a trip... 愛泥C - Charisma.com Like always, big beats, dreamy vocals,...