top 10 of 2002

Thought some might be interested:

1. Martin Grech, Open Heart Zoo. Yes, I know, Lexus ad, fast signing to a 
major label, rather 'produced' album and only 2 people credited and one is 
the producer, sounds a lot like The Bends...there's a lot here to hate, or 
at least make one suspicious. But this remains one of the most captivating 
albums of the year, if you discard the overwrought first track ("Here it 
Comes") and the somewhat tedious "Dali." On the slower tracks the melodies 
are exquisite and his voice is magic and less reminiscent of Thom Yorke the 
more you listen to it. This hasn't even reached the US as an import yet 
because the British are too busy trying to cram Coldplay down our throats.

2. Beth Gibbons/Rustin Man: Out of Season. Portishead vocalist visits the 
fairy forest with Paul Webb of Talk Talk and makes an excellent British 
folk album. Gorgeous echoes of Nick Drake and Vashti Bunyan, with a hit of 
latter day Tindersticks soul swagger ("Tom the Model"). Somewhat ironically 
released in the late autumn, exactly the right season for this album. The 
only real complaints here are that this will certainly be better than the 
next Portishead album, and that Rustin Man is a terrible, hippy-inflected 
pseudonym for Mr. Webb.

3. Sybarite: Nonument. Big step forward for Xian Hawkins in production and 
breadth of tone; opening the album up to more musicians while keeping a 
tight rein on what makes a Sybarite release just that: unpredictable clicks 
and gentle beats over swaths of electrowash. It's too bad the exceptional 
single "Scene of the Crime" wasn't folded into the album. Coupled with my 
next entry did a
lot to revitalize 4AD's credibility.

4. Piano Magic: Writers Without Homes. If Xian showed restraint in the 
chance to put out a "4AD album," Glen Johnson went apeshit, revisting not 
only sounds of his own band's past but raiding the label's back catalog, 
pulling in Simon Raymond to recall This Mortal Coil and a smattering of 
other old 4AD ghosts as well. Some of the choices could have been better 
("The Season is Long" cries out for a female vocalist of Paula Frazer's 
caliber, rather than the Czars frontman John Grant), but this initial shock 
of this album wore off and I found myself enjoying the nostalgia trip.

5. Charles Atlas: Worsted Weight. Ex-Piano Magic, ex-Rosemarys, and ex-Rosa 
Mota (!) members make the best album of this band's career; liquid 
instrumentals composed around chiming guitar loops and delicate piano, with 
the occasional vintage drum box, saw, and flown-in vocal. Contributions by 
Sean and Denise from the Sunshine Club helped make this the 
electro-post-ambient-shoegaze crossover album of the year (for me at any rate).

6. Thee More Shallows: A History of Sport Fishing. Massive! The most 
impressive debut from a California band since Grandaddy. The instrumentals 
are heartbreaking and the vocal songs are to the point.

7. Sierpinski: This Geography of Ours. Took a while to warm up to but I 
found it in my player more than I'd expected. Ex-Hood drummer and Random 
Number guy's other band. Imagine an instrumental Hood anchored by piano and 
there you have it. Absolutely no-one bought this album so you should.

8. Interpol: Turn on the Bright Lights. Guilty pleasure of the year and 
better than the hype that will sink them. He doesn't sound so much like Ian 
Curtis to me as he does Richard Butler.

9. The Notwist: Neon Golden. The New Order compliment to Interpol's JD. 
Better than Get Ready though.

10. Sonic Youth: Murray Street. Who knew that all it took for Sonic Youth 
to be brilliant again was to add another member and have New York get 
bombed? Sadly too short, and about four years ago Kim quit singing and 
started barking bad poetry so the second to last song here keeps the record 
from Evol status. Kim come back!

kyle
www.agenbyte.com




 

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