2025 in 2025: Day 23

Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey Soundtrack - Various Artists

This was probably my favourite movie when I was 15. I even dressed a bit like Bill S. Preston, Esq. The soundtrack is very not 1995; it's mostly hair metal and awesome shredding guitars from 1991, because that was still kind of cool in 1991. I watched this movie so much I could probably tell where each song appears - except for the one song that is not in the movie. It always cracked me up that Drinking Again by Neverland was on the soundtrack, but For the Love of by Neverland - which does actually appear in the movie - did NOT make the soundtrack. Did the person compiling this just get confused on which Neverland song was supposed to be used? Anyways, the rest of the soundtrack features Winger delivering possibly their greatest song, Faith No More pre-Angel Dust, Steve Vai shredding up a storm, and Kiss delivering possibly the greatest song ever. And the question still needs to be asked: how on Earth did Primus qualify for a local battle of the bands in San Dimas? This is a good soundtrack. It makes me want to watch Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey again. Maybe even the full trilogy!

Highlights: God Gave Rock & Roll To You - Kiss, Drinking Again - Neverland, Battle Stations - Winger

8/10

Binaural - Pearl Jam

This was the peak and end of my love for Pearl Jam - it completely dropped off a cliff after this album. Not because I hate this album or anything, but because of everything they did after. In fact, LOGMAN 2000 loved this album! Eddie Vedder's voice on this album is kind of annoying. And Mike McCready seems to have been listening to a lot of Radiohead or something. Jeebus, Vedder's mumbling is killing this album. Matt Cameron's drumming is solid, though. I remember seeing a live clip of them performing Insignificance and he was just murdering his drumkit. Okay, I'm bored. LOGMAN 2000 was stupid.

Highlights: God's Dice, Evacuation, Light Years, Insignificance

6/10

Bionic - Christina Aguilera

Well, this is a change of pace. From a boring rock album to a confused pop album. This was Christina's answer to Lady Gaga and what was happening in pop at the time. There are some good songs and it all opens strong, just extra... raunchy? Well, I think that's what she was attempting; Not Myself Tonight works, but Woohoo gets a little gross (though it is still a very enjoyable track). Elastic Love is probably Christina's worst song ever. Maybe even in my top 10 of absolute worst songs by anyone. The middle of this album seems to veer heavily into ballad territory. Then it's finally back to girl power pop, except it's kind of all over the place, and Monday Morning sounds like some indie band I can't put my finger on. Holy smokes, Bobblehead is trying to give Elastic Love a run for it's money. This is the kind of garbage I would expect from someone like Fergie and would be super popular on tik-tok. This album could have used a lot more Linda Perry (her only contribution is one of the best songs on the whole album) and it is definitely too long - but that's probably my fault for getting the deluxe edition. My bad.

Highlights: Bionic, Not Myself Tonight, Lift Me Up

6/10

The Black Album - Jay-Z

Jay-Z at his peak, IMO. Just Blaze and Kanye sampling soul classics, Timbaland with a bigphat monster bounce, Rick Rubin dropping some old school beat - all while Jay raps over top about his life, how great he is and how this is the end. I think we can all agree that Encore is good, but the mashup version with Linkin Park is way better. The songs produced by The Neptunes and Eminem are clearly the weakest, so definitely not a perfect album, but the rest of the songs are so strong it doesn't really matter. I forgot about the Run-DMC sample in Justify My Thug. And the Michael Schumacher reference. Jay-Z the F1 fan, huh? Actually, I just straight-up forgot how darn great his lyrics on this whole track are. Awesome album and perfect way for Jay-Z to retire and say goodbye to being a rapper. Oh, his "retirement" lasted all of two years? Well, at least that is a longer retirement than your average pro-wrestler's...

Highlights: December 4th, What More Can I Say, Dirt Off Your Shoulder, 99 Problems, Public Service Announcement, My 1st Song

8.5/10

The Black Album - Prince

By Prime, this album is so funky. Just straight up FUNK. I'm hoping if we one day get a Lovesexy box set they will include this as well. Or just re-release it properly. Until then, I will sit here and get my funk on.

Highlights: All 8 songs are as funky as one another

8/10

The Black and White Album - The Hives

Yeeeeaaaah! These guys know how to open an album. This isn't quite the usual raw punk rock'n roll that The Hives deliver - instead a little more modern production thrown in. It also feels longer than they would usually do, but that might be just me? It is still The Hives in spirit, though. It's like having a beat up old noisy car, but throwing a new coat of paint on it. And then deciding that paint really doesn't work and looks silly.

Highlights: Try It Again, Tick Tick Boom, Hey Little World, Bigger Hole to Fill

6.5/10

Black Clouds - Ryan Adams

Black Clouds itself is such an Oasis ripoff, I can kind of see why he excluded it from any album. But then, when he eventually released Love Is Hell, it still included a ripoff of Purple Rain. So maybe he just wanted to limit the number of ripoffs per album? I didn't even enjoy listening to this when I did my Ryan Adams marathon - not exactly lighting my world on fire when I'm tired and find this dude fairly insufferable. 

Highlights: It finished

4/10

Black Market Music - Placebo

This is purely Without You I'm Nothing with David Bowie. I'm not entirely sure how I ended up with this, but I think I might prefer the original version in some ways. Either way, it's a very dark and somber song. Just what I needed after a miserable Ryan Adams "album"...

8/10

Black Sheep [Single] - Gin Wigmore

This... wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Sure, I still think she is nothing more than an Amy Winehouse imitator, but it is an enjoyable and catchy song. Probably would have sounded even better with Amy Winehouse singing!

7/10

Black Sunday - Cypress Hill

Hot Damn! This is one of those albums that just never gets old. Cypress Hill were one of those earliest hip-hop acts that crossed over to the rock/alternative crowd as well as the hip-hop heads. This album in particular; some of these beats are just straight up hard, and B-Real's voice is so unique, it just gave them a character that connected with the skate kids as well. That harmonica in Ain't Goin' Out Like That is awesome. I do not partake in the marijuana, but even I will tell you that these are the coolest songs about smoking weed you will ever find. 

Highlights: Insane in the Brain, Lick a Shot, Hits from the Bong, Break 'Em Off Some

8/10

Black Tie White Noise - David Bowie

We staying in 1993 for this one! I think this may actually be the first time I have listened to this album in full? It's such a mix of soul and 90s pop. Hard to explain. Maybe I'm just tired.

Highlights: Black Tie White Noise, I Feel Free, I Know It's Gonna Happen One Day

6.5/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 194

2025 in 2025: Day 22

BETWEEN THE TEN [Disc 1] - YUKI

What better way to start the day than with a chronological compilation of all of YUKI's b-sides? And this wasn't compiled by me. Totally official. It's since been updated (online only) to celebrate her 20th anniversary as a solo artist, so that version is now totally complete (even with a new title and everything), and this album is stuck in 2012. But via iTunes means I would have to have all the romaji in the song titles, and I would rather avoid that plague of silliness. 

Highlights: ありがとう, 17才, 舞い上がれ, 首輪

7/10

BETWEEN THE TEN [Disc 2] - YUKI

Honestly, not much to say here. These are good songs - genuinely nothing bad going on here. Just a mixed bag of styles and varying between folky and dance bops - which is totally par for the course when it comes to YUKI. I think all I'm missing in my collection is a couple of singles and the b-sides on that 20th anniversary release.

Highlights: just life! all right!, 誘惑してくれ, Wild Ladies

7/10

BEYONCÉ - Beyoncé

This has videos as well? I wonder if my iTunes will play those... Anyways, I have never listened to this. Seriously. Was added to my iTunes by someone else and I have no idea why, as I am not a fan of Beyoncé and find her fandom annoying. Not as annoying as Taylor Swift fans, though. Come at me, Swifties. Shiizz, I ain't afraid of you mofos! These songs are too long and just not good. Well, they are somewhat fine musically, but the melodies and vocals and lyrics are just totally naff. Also, Drake is on a song? So I have Drake in my iTunes?!? Yeah, this is going to be a HARD delete. I curse the person that put that MF in my iTunes. At least the videos did NOT play.

Highlights: XO

4/10

Beyond Good and Evil - The Cult

This is only the song Rise. It rocks. It was most welcome after an hour of mediocre Beyoncé.

7/10

Big Band... Small World - Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra and Friends

I was sure I had the whole album, but seems to be simply George Harrison performing Horse to the Water. Apparently Harrison's last recorded performance? And he wrote it with his son - that's pretty cool. And so is the song. Because George Harrison was cool.

8/10

Big Boi & Dre Present... Outkast - Outkast

This is a compilation of pre-Hey Ya! Outkast. I must have picked it up cheap at the time, because I really didn't know much of Outkast. In fact, I think I may have disliked them. I certainly could not stand The Whole World - terrible song. B.O.B. however is all kinds of cool. Otherwise... still not that impressed.

Highlights: So Fresh So Clean, Rosa Parks, B.O.B., Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik

5.5/10

Big Calm - Morcheeba

This album is typical late 90s UK trip-hop folksy stuff. It's been so long since I last listened to it, that I had forgotten which song it was that caused me to get this album. I dig the instrumentals as well.

Highlights: Blindfold, Bullet Proof

7/10

Big Willie Style - Will Smith

Bah gawd this album is fun. Some of his lines are so corny, it is impossible to hate on it. And just makes me smile. Taking the same sample from a Tupac song and turning it into a fun party song is just the ultimate swerve. Songs about Jada and how he's going to get an Oscar are pretty funny now! And Jamie Foxx doing skits back when he was just the dude on In Living Color. Crazy world. Also, did Eminem steal lyrics from Left Eye on the title track?

Highlights: Gettin' Jiggy Wit It, Candy, Don't Say Nothin', Yes Yes Y'all, Big Willie Style

6.5/10

Bigger, Better, Faster, More! - 4 Non Blondes

Somewhere around the turn of the Century, I discovered how awesome Linda Perry can be. Her voice is so strong and has so much passion. This album is not the best example, as it is certainly very early 90s alt rock, but there are shining moments of greatness. I know most people are sick of What's Up, but it was a massive hit for a reason. It's probably the strongest song on the album, in all honesty. Linda Perry still rocks.

Highlights: What's Up, Dear Mr. President

6/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 183

2025 in 2025: Day 21

Best of Van Halen, Vol. 1 - Van Halen

Man, the David Lee Roth era flies by so quick on this compilation. I've never considered myself a huge fan of Van Halen, but when I listen to this I just dig it so much. Except for Dance The Night Away and And the Cradle - they're just kind of okay. The rest are absolute killer. The Sammy Hagar era is not represented entirely well, IMO; I feel like there were better songs that could have made the cut. However, Dreams is awesome and the guitar solo is one of my absolute fav Eddie Van Halen moments. And Right Now always gets me air-drumming. The return of David Lee Roth at the end is pretty awesome, too. Pretty sure we've been singing "Trampoline" in Me Wise Magic for 28 years now. This makes me regret not picking up the Van Halen box sets when I saw them cheap a while back, because clearly I need more Van Halen in my life. Or maybe this is the perfect amount, and that's why I like this CD so much?

Highlights: Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, Runnin' with the Devil, Unchained, Jump, Panama, Dreams, Right Now, Me Wise Magic

9/10

The Best of WCW Vol. 1: Nitro - World Championship Wrestling

Well, I guess this makes up for me not watching WCW for the past few months. Oh you want to watch Bret Hart stick fools in the Sharpshooter? How about 90 minutes of playing 'guess the pro-wrestler's entrance music' instead? The Total Package theme almost sounds like a Chariots of Fire ripoff. And it's been 30 years and I still can't tell the difference between Rey Misterio and Dean Malenko's themes when I first hear them. Pro-wrestling themes with lyrics are always way funnier - especially when they talk about doing all the wrestling moves and what not. The Four Horsemen theme is legit badass. And after watching so much WCW and no Pearl Jam, I'm now convinced this Chris Jericho theme is how Even Flow actually sounds. La Parka's theme is so funk-rock it's awesome and makes me want to play air-guitar on a steel chair. Wait - The Four Horsemen have a second theme song? American Made is no Real American, but it still rocks hard. Luckily we save the best for last with Bret Hart's second WCW theme.

Highlights: Four Horsemen, Satan's Sister (Hollywood Blondes Theme), Parental Advisory Explicit Acts (La Parka Theme), Hart Attack Comeback (Bret Hart Theme)

7/10

The Best of WCW Vol. 2: Thunder - World Championship Wrestling

Oh, I still haven't learned my lesson? Voodoo Child would have been good right now, but those nWo quotes in it are mixed way too loud. At least I get some more disco music with Disco Inferno's theme song? I mean, I'd prefer Disco Inferno from The Trammps again, but sure. Buff Bagwell doesn't even seem to know what's going on with his theme song. 3 Count is just laughable - and purposely so, given their gimmick. Hitman in the House has grown on me, but still stands as his third best theme song. the nWo Midcard theme is super funky. Oh cool - Badstreet U.S.A. is on here! I will never tire of A Man Called Sting. Wolfpac in the house! Wait - almost three hours and no appearance of Brad Armstrong's theme song? I feel cheated.

Highlights: Disco Fever (Disco Inferno Theme), Hitman in the House (Bret Hart Theme), Tear It Up (nWo Midcard Theme), A Man Called Sting (Sting Theme), Billy Kidman (Kidman Theme)

6/10

Best Shots - Pat Benatar

I think we must be almost done with Best ofs! This is some serious 80s power ballad stuff. Hit Me with Your Best Shot really is so weak - needs to be rocked up a notch or two. 

Highlights: Love is a Battlefield, All Fired Up, Hell is for Children, We Belong

6.5/10

BEST★SCANDAL - SCANDAL

No, this is not a best of. This is SCANDAL's debut album. Maybe they called it BEST★SCANDAL because they think they are the best? They might not be, but they can come close some times. These days, anyway. Their early work is more in the vein of pop-punk idol music. Which is totally cool with me! In fact, some of this seriously great.

Highlights: DOLL, ひとつだけ, SAKURA グッバイ

7/10

Between the Black and Gray - MONOEYES

Ugh American spelling. Anyways, more 細美さん means more good times, even if this album is more of a darker vibe. Likely a product of the times, as this was released at the end of 2020, so in the midst of the pandemic and lockdowns and awesome stuff. This is overall probably the weakest MONOEYES album, but the highlights are SUPER highlights. And a weak MONOEYES album is still better than a lot of band's stronger efforts.

Highlights: Fall Out, Interstate 46, Outer Rim, 彼は誰の夢

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 174

2025 in 2025: Day 20

The Best of Dark Horse - George Harrison

A George Harrison compilation of his 80s output plus two new songs. What's not to like? Especially when the new songs are very good - it is a shame that they have not been released elsewhere, even with all the reissues. Otherwise this album would be 100% redundant in my collection. Now it's only 80% redundant. But it at least gives me a good indication of how much better the reissues sound.
Highlights: Got My Mind Set on You, Cheer Down

8/10

Best of Geto Boys & Scarface - Geto Boys & Scarface

As one would imagine, this is simply Damn It Feels Good to Be a Gangsta. Damn It Feels Good to Listen to This Song.

9/10

The Best of Gloria Gaynor - Gloria Gaynor

This is purely I Will Survive. Stone cold disco anthem. 

9/10

The Best of Meco - Meco

Possibly the best collection of Meco's tunes. As it should be, I guess. But since I have every other Meco album, this should really be redundant. Hahaha like I care. I'll gladly have more disco movie themes. This Empire Strikes Back medley is about the coolest thing from Star Wars ever. Then there is the strangest departure from everything with Werewolf (Loose in London), which sounds like Queen. In every possible way (just with a worse singer).

Highlights: Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band, Empire Strikes Back (Medley), Star Wars (Medley), The Asteroid Field

8.5/10

The Best of Miami Vice - Jan Hammer

The 2004 remix of the Miami Vice theme is just terrible compared to the original version. Almost everything else sounds just like it did in the show. It doesn't quite compare to the songs used in the show, but this is generally a good little capsule from one of the greatest television shows of all time. And nobody does midi guitar like Jan Hammer.

Highlights: Lombard Trial, Airport Swap, Runaround

7/10

The Best of New Order - New Order

I've stuck with this for many years instead of getting the early albums, but I need to change that once I'm finished with this mission. Because when New Order were on, they were unbeatable. When they were bad, they were very very BAD. Like, Run Pt 2 just makes me laugh with that blatant rip-off of One Night Love Affair. And they were clearly hitting the E in Ibiza too hard when writing songs like Fine Time. 

Highlights: True Faith, Regret, Bizarre Love Triangle, Vanishing Point

8/10

The Best of Patrick Hernandez: Born to Be Alive - Patrick Hernandez

Okay, so this is only the song Born to Be Alive - which is another stone cold funky disco jam. I've never heard anything else from the man, which is odd to think about, considering disco is what fuels my heart.

9/10

The Best of The Trammps - The Trammps

Today is a disco day! Not only does this album feature a whole slew of disco good times, it even has the full 11 minute version of Disco Inferno - which I think features the smoothest disco strings and funky guitar solo and makes me want to get down and boogie. That's really the main groove of this entire album; LOGMAN wants to go back to wearing flares and burning up the dancefloor. This is one of those albums that I would just hit on repeat right now if I didn't have another 22,000 songs to listen to...

Highlights: Hold Back the Night, Disco Party, Disco Inferno

8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 168

2025 in 2025: Day 19

BEST HIT AKG - ASIAN KUNG FU-GENERATION
I do love 遥か彼方. Like, it's hard to explain how awesome that song is. The rest of their hits? It's mostly okay. Nothing awful, but again fairly same-same. Although I have a feeling that if I weren't so tired and in the mood for something else, I would probably listen more intently and find more to really get into. However, my lasting memory of these guys will always be them absolutely murdering ELLEGARDEN's 虹 at the Nana-Iro Electric concert. 
Highlights: 遥か彼方, アンダースタンド, 藤沢ルーザー
7/10

Best In Show - Grinspoon
There was a time when I was unemployed and living in Melbourne, so I would spend a lot of my days at Borders listening to music (you could just scan a CD and load up the tracks to "preview"). Grinspoon's New Detention was high on my rotation at the time. But this is their greatest hits collection, so that story means nothing. This includes all their early heavy punk stuff like Dcx3, Just Ace and More Than You Are. Classic Aussie rock, this. I mean, it is over 20 years old now, so I can call it classic now. Like my time living in Melbourne. Crazy how time goes by.
Highlights: No Reason, Lost Control, Chemical Heart
6/10

The Best Of Acid Jazz - Volume 2
Fun story: I ordered, if I remember correctly, a Corduroy CD from ebay, and in the case was this CD instead. Which wasn't so bad, in the end, because I got the reissue of said Corduroy album instead, while getting more Acid Jazz in my life. This is mostly a lot more electronic than I remembered. And I was sure there was an early Jamiroquai song on here, but clearly I'm mistaken. It is quite the chillout groove vibes, though.
Highlights: Ain't No Use (Mo' Soul Mix) - Pure Wildness, Girl Overboard - Snowboy & Anna Ross
6/10

The Best of Blind Melon - Blind Melon
No Rain is the only song I have from this? That's odd - they had many great songs other than this. And ones I like a lot more. I need to get more Blind Melon.
7/10

The Best of Blondie - Blondie
Another 'best of' when I should really have their full discography. 
Highlights: Rapture, One Way or Another, Call Me
8/10

The Best of Both Worlds - Jay-Z & R. Kelly
Oh dang. This... has not aged well, has it? Particularly songs like Take You Home with Me. There are some seriously solid grooves here, but these two MFs rapping and crooning about getting it on with the ladies is a very uncomfortable listen now. And this last song is just straight up gross.
Highlights: The Best of Both Worlds, The Streets, Honey
5/10

Best of Bowie - David Bowie
This is a large compilation I should do more editing on; probably the first Bowie 'album' I owned, but have since accumulated many actual albums that contain about 70% of the songs here. Otherwise, it's 2 1/2 hours of Bowie's hits in chronological order, including songs from movies like Labyrinth. Mostly just singles versions. I need to get the full version of Absolute Beginners, because it is one of my favourite songs on the planet (I have the full soundtrack on vinyl). Suffragette City is a straight-up 12/10. Hallo Spaceboy sounds so much better live.
Highlights: Changes, Ziggy Stardust, Suffragette City, Young Americans, Fame, Modern Love, Blue Jean, Absolute Beginners, Magic Dance and just so much!
8/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 160

2025 in 2025: Day 18

Begin to Hope - Regina Spektor

I only first heard of Regina Spektor when I read an interview with Jeff Lynne praising her as a songwriter, which certainly piqued my curiosity. My initial reaction was that this album was way overhyped and I tended to gravitate to her earlier work. Boy, was I wrong! This album is just as clever and pretentious! And seriously fantastic. Not sure how I missed all this before. 

Highlights: Better, Après Moi

8/10

Begin to Hope [Bonus Disc] - Regina Spektor

Of course I bought the deluxe edition with a bonus disc! Who do you think I am? Some sort of novice? Plus, if I remember correctly, it was actually cheaper than the regular version. I miss when The Warehouse sold music and movies. Definitely not as strong as the album itself, but that's not really a surprise.

Highlights: Summer in the City, Uh-Merica

6/10

Beside You - Dave Dobbyn

A best of Dave Dobbyn? This is not something I wanted... Admittedly I do think Be Mine Tonight is a fantastic song. But I already have that in my iTunes *checks iTunes lilbrary* two other times? I have this song 3 times in my iTunes library?? I don't know what else this dude has ever done that might interest me, especially when it appears he has re-recorded some of these "hits". So, crappy songs made worse by being sung by an old man that sounds like a drunk playing at the local pub? Holy hell this album is 90 minutes long. I'm sure this MF has talked about weather in about 80% of the songs I've listened to so far. You know what the funniest part of this is? Numerous times I looked at this album in my iTunes library and thought to myself 'Should I delete this? No, there are a couple of songs I might want to keep' and if I had just checked I would have found ALL of those songs in my iTunes library on other compilations and then I wouldn't be here listening to this MF croon about kisses being like rain. Sounds wet. Who the hell kisses like that?!?!

Highlights: Be Mine Tonight, Slice of Heaven

3.5/10

A BEST - Ayumi Hamasaki

Talk about a palette cleanser! This was the first Ayu album I bought - for $1 at the opshop. Bargain. I've held on to it purely for the re-recorded songs and Love: Destiny, which I believe is not found anywhere else? I'm not really sure. But it is also good to have this little compilation, because it may be the only Ayu my wife will allow outside of Power of Music. My first impression of this album, and thus Ayu, was that maybe I had wasted $1; I didn't think much of her voice and thought the songs sounded very dated. My opinion has certainly changed somewhat... 

Highlights: A Song for xx [New Vocal & Mix], Depend on you [New Vocal & Mix], Who... and all the other awesome songs

9/10

BEST - SPYAIR

Look, I'll be real here; most of SPYAIR's songs sound the same. Half of this album genuinely sounds so similar that I have a hard time telling the songs apart. Luckily, it's a darn great song so all these songs sound like a good time. And the ones that actually sound different? Well, they are mostly EVEN BETTER. 

Highlights: 虹, Beautiful Days, サムライハート (Some Like It Hot!!), ジャパニケーション, Last Moment

8/10

BEST [Bonus Disc] - SPYAIR

I have not listened to this very often; the opening track is absolutely worth having the disc and there is nothing terrible, but this one gets even more same-samey than the main disc.

Highlights: Trust your anthem, MOVIN' ON, Just Like This

6.5/10

Best Fiction - Namie Amuro

Ayu's main rival! And I know a lot of people that seem to prefer Amuro and her R&B styles. I haven't listened to much of her work outside of this album. And even then, I have not really given this more than a few passing listens. It honestly reminds me of Aaliyah and wouldn't feel out of place in a movie like Cradle 2 tha Grave or Romeo Must Die. I don't associate R&B with Jet Li, but that just seemed to be how Hollywood tried to place him. I need to give this another run one of these days.

Highlights: Put 'Em Up, Alarm, Funky Town

7/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 153

2025 in 2025: Day 17

Be Here Now - Oasis

There was a time when I hated Oasis. When this album was released was probably the peak of that time. Then a couple of years later, I decided this album was the reason I was now a big fan of Oasis. The opening two tracks are pretty much perfect album openers. Magic Pie is also great, but goes on about 3 minutes too long. I absolutely adore the harmonies and melodic lead guitar in Stand By Me. The Johnny Depp thing confuses me; teenagers at the time thought it was cool to find out he was playing guitar on Fade In-Out (this was before he turned into... whatever he is now), yet they didn't advertise it or anything. I used to love Don't Go Away, but now I find the horns a bit cheesy. The last few songs are big messes of noise and too long, but oh hell, they're still great. You know, I came back to this album today expecting to be a bit negative towards it (it sounds like it was mixed by me - and I am not a professional mixer), but I'll be damned if I don't still think it is the best Oasis album. My only regret is I don't have a guitar with me to jam along to this whole thing.

Highlights: D'You Know What I Mean?, My Big Mouth, Stand By Me, I Hope I Think I Know

8/10

Be Not Nobody - Vanessa Carlton

As you might expect, this is simply A Thousand Miles. I have no idea why I have this song; it's okay, but I'm not a fan and I probably never listen to it. And I could not name you another Vanessa Carlton song.

6/10

Be Yourself Tonight - Eurythmics

Now this is a band and an album! This album is such a perfect fusion of soul, funk, pop/rock, 80s new wave, and 80s British whiteness (I have no other way of describing it right now). I also love their minimalist approach to some songs, like Conditioned Soul. Normally I'm against the bonus tracks thing, but I actually really enjoy the alternate version of Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves. I really should at least split out the cover songs and make an album of those!

Highlights: Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves, It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back),

8/10

Beast Is The B2ST - Beast

Another one of those random K-Pop songs I ended up with - this is just Bad Girl. Which kind of ties in with Bad Girl II from the other day? Either way, this song is actually slammin' and I need to hear more Beast.

8/10

The Beatles - The Beatles

Oh here we go! The greatest mix of awesomeness and sheer awfulness. The album, of course, starts with three awesome songs and then a song I usually despise, but today it isn't annoying me so much. Maybe because I haven't listened to it in forever? Nope - iTunes says I listened to it 18 months ago. That feels like much too soon. I do actually love The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill, though, and it goes so seamlessly in to While My Guitar Gently Weeps it is brilliant. And that song is the greatest work of Eric Clapton's long and boring career. Then Lennon does his own version of Bohemian Rhapsody - except he manages to cram 3 different songs in less than 3 minutes. I'm So Tired is such a great bluesy rock'n roll song. Blackbird is, in my opinion, a most atypical McCartney song. Except it is actually good. Between Beyoncé and every white dude with an acoustic guitar, I'm pretty sick of hearing it, to be honest. Yeah, I don't want to listen to Beyoncé. Shiiizzz, I ain't afraid of you mofos! "You were in a car crash and you lost your hair" has to be one of the greatest song lyrics of all time, right? The second LP/half kicks of with another rockin' McCartney song. And then more Lennon songs mocking the Maharishi. That trip to India really did inspire him to write awesome stuff. Long, Long, Long is one of those songs that you don't think about, but when you listen to it, it is actually great. Revolution is a fantastic song - no matter the version. And there sure are many versions! I'm glad there is only one version of Honey Pie. Okay, I've written enough. Number 9, number 9 number 9, good night.

Highlights: Dear Prudence, Glass Onion, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Happiness is a Warm Gun, Yer Blues, Helter Skelter

7/10

Beatles For Sale - The Beatles

Oh, more of The Beatles? Don't mind if I do... Anyone else get triggered by No Reply and get Vow by Garbage stuck in their head? Overall, I'm actually a fan of this album; it features a fairly fed-up John Lennon starting to write a bit more caustically, McCartney belting out classic rock'n roll numbers like Kansas City, Ringo kicking butt on Honey Don't, and Harrison summing things up with Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby. The Beatles are one of the only bands I will let cover Buddy Holly without being overly critical - plus they do a great job of Words of Love. Look, this isn't the strongest album they released, and they clearly rushed things (which is why they had to record all these rock'n roll songs from their setlist), but I'll be damned if isn't a fun way to spend half an hour.

Highlights: No Reply, Rock And Roll Music, Honey Don't, Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby

8/10

The Beautiful Experience - Prince

In case you don't know, this is an EP by Prince that is just remixes of The Most Beautiful Girl in the World. I had no idea this was released like 18 months before The Gold Experience finally saw the light of day. What a world we lived in. One of Prince's most perfect pop ballads. The remixes are very different to that. Some a big more sexified, if you will. The Mustang Mix is especially cool, because Prince re-recorded all the vocals NOT in falsetto.

Highlights: Staxowax, Mustang Mix, The Most Beautiful Girl in the World [Single Version]

7/10

Beautiful Girls (Soundtrack) - Various Artists

This is purely The Afghan Whigs' take on Can't Get Enough of Your Love. I really dig the way they build it and he goes for it vocally by the end. Legendary song and a cool cover

6/10

A Beautiful Life - Mumsdollar

Would you believe this is a Christian pop-punk band from New Zealand? And that I have their CD in my collection? Well, believe it. And if not for the Christian lyrical themes, I would give this album a 10/10, because musically it just cranks. So all you pop-punk bands out there; more music like this, please. Just study some Bad Religion so you can write meaningful lyrics to go with it. And copy this bass tone, because BY PRIME it is badass. LOGMAN would give you 20/10 if you can do all that.

Highlights: Into the Night

6/10

The Beauty Process: Triple Platinum - L7

Bahahaha more punk, but about as far removed from that last album as punk gets. Four angry women that aren't trying to tell you to accept Jesus into your heart and make some dirty rock'n roll.

Highlights: Drama, I Need, The Masses are Asses

6/10

Beef or Chicken? - PASSPO☆

I have written more than enough today and I have already written about this album. It's still gawddam amazing and makes life worth living. I may even like it now more than I did then.

Highlights: Literally the whole album

10/10

"Albums" listened to so far: 146