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Volume CXXXII, Number 14 |
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Worthy purchases
SEAN TURLEY
STAFF WRITER
What's any periodical without a blatantly biased top albums list? For the sake of necessity, here are the Top 10 plus 1 (I'm indecisive) albums of 2002:
1. Artist: Wilco
Album: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Key Track: "War on War"
Closest Kin: an Americana run at Radiohead's Kid A
And? Pretend you're conversing with a cactus about your former life as
a depressed urban bar fiend while taking acid and listening to a burned
out radio. A magical and inspiring soundtrack for any desolate desert
road.
2. Artist: Beck
Album: Sea Change
Key track: "Lonesome Tears"
Closest Kin: Becks' Mutations
And? Folk so heartfelt it bleeds tears. Producer Nigel Godrich's electronic
flourishes enhance rather than encumber, allowing Beck's acoustic soul
and tangible lyricism to shine.
3. Artist: The Walkmen
Album: Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me is Gone
Key track: "We've Been Had"
Closest Kin: N/A-it's pretty darn unique
And? Morose and as ethereal as floating concrete, the album's tense and
terse explosions of blended noise sounds like memories of grounded footsteps
on a NYC sidewalk. Simply complex at every moment, the album rewards in
its asphyxiation.
4. Artist: Interpol
Album: Turn on the Bright Lights
Key Track: "Stella was a Diver and She's Always Down"
Closest Kin: Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures-but good
And? Stark. Joyous. As the sound floats into it crashes into a brutal
climax of clattering noise, there's illumination at midnight: Hallelujah.
5. Artist: Weezer
Album: Maladroit
Key Track: "Burndt Jamb"
Closest Kin: Metal by the A/V department
And? OH!! OH! OH OH! So, it's not old Weezer. It's far more succinct in
the 30 minute, out-of-sync, sing-along, I-wish-a-hair-metal-band-actually-made-one-good-record-in-their-career
way that demands repeated listening and geeky respect. If Rivers (God)
is ok with it, I am too.
6. Artist: Super Furry Animals
Album: Rings Around the World.
Key Track: "Run Christian Run"
Closest Kin: The Grateful Dead circa 2000-but funnier
And? The visible colors of the songs reflect a style-spanning kaleidoscope
of prose and protest. Electric modern funk surreal rock disco messiah
freak-outs (if there is such a thing) of the highest order. EVERYTHING
HAS BEEN BUILT. Amen.
7. Artist: Clinic
Album: Walk with Thee
Key Track: "Harmony"
Closest Kin: My Bloody Valentine with a clarinet and a moog
And? The Velvet Underground comparisons are slightly unwarranted: Clinic
is chugging, melodic and taut without excess. You can feel the British
fog clogging your mind, drowning you until suffocation is salvation. 3:00
a.m. clarinet-neurosis on vinyl.
8. Artist: Ben Kweller
Album: Sha Sha
Key Track: "Harriet's Got a Song"
Closest Kin: If a happier rivers went solo
And? He sings about butterflies and verbally warns he's about to rock
out (LETS GO!) all while maintaining that blithe, slacker/effortless attitude
that transforms any nerd excess into cutesy and thoughtful teenage expression.
Never grow old, never grow old.
9. Artist: Sigur Ros
Album: ()
Key Track: They are all untitled! Track 8
Closest Kin: Spiritualized's Laser Guided Melodies
And? titleless = pretentious? Absolutely! Does it translate into shining,
not of this world space rock meltdowns and climaxes? Yes-and that's all
that matters.
10. Arist: The Anniversary
Album: Your Majesty
Key Track: "Never Die Young"
Closest Kin: a Pink Floyd-Weezer collaboration with two female leads
And? Holy God, if all emo was this good (rather, if any other emo was
this good) the world outside the Great Plains would be in trouble. Rock
out harmonic/optimistic dance party of the utmost importance and decadence.
11 Artist: Andrew WK
Album: I Get Wet
Key Track: "Ready to Die"
Closest Kin: Winger laughing at itself
And? I pray he's not joking. The albums got such infectious sing-a-long,
pump-your-bloody-fist-in-the-air party music that it's illegal in Canada-seriously.
This album should be the soundtrack to every wiggle down. PAAARTY HARD!
Close calls:
1. Coldplay's A Rush of Blood to the Head
2. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Master
3. The Vines' Highly Evolved
4. The Doves' Last Broadcast
5. Clinic's Walk With Thee
6. The Warlocks' Phoenix
7. The Breeders' Title TK
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