Sparklehorse:
It's A Wonderful Life

Mark Linkous released an album that was dark and brooding and heartbreakingly beautiful. No fun whatsoever, except that it sounds like it was made on another planet and sent back for our collective perusal. Could call it lo-fi, but Linkous has too much technical expertise on display, when you start digging around under the surface. His most solid work to date, and his most cohesive. For all of that, even at its brightest and most hopeful, it comes off as funereal. Gorgeous at any rate, and a perfect 10/10.

Ken Stringfellow:
Touched

Ken Stringfellow turns in his best vocal work ever here, sending his always wonderful tenor soaring into the atmosphere several times. Offset by orchestral arrangements on a couple of numbers and turning in near-no depression on the opener, interspersed with previously released Saltine wrist slashers (the version of "Reveal Love" here is an incredibly sincere reading), Stringfellow has outdone himself. For what it's worth, "Matinee" from the Posies' EP Nice Cheekbones and a PhD, found him in perfect form, as well. Someone noticed: He got a rather nice feature presentation on National Public Radio's "Weekend Edition" recently. Kudos to him. Another I played to death and then some. Another near-perfect album, 10/10.

The Pernice Brothers:
The World Won't End

Um, it holds the distinction of being able to get me to take the Wondermints' Bali out of the car stereo at the beach this summer. Exceptionally pretty work from Joe Pernice and the gang, has me babbling and crying by the middle of track three, just like my Teenage Fanclub albums do. Oh dear. Beautiful angst for adults, executed with sheer perfection. Still kicking myself for not having their tour tee shirt that proclaimed "I Hate My Life" on it. Always thought it would be great to have that and scrawl "I Can't Stand It" underneath, with proper credit to Wilco. An amazing record where hopelessness and defeat are captured and turned it into a stunning work of musical art. Still yet another 10/10.

Splitsville:
The Complete Pet Soul

Here's all anyone needs to know about this record: It starts off like a total hip-shakin', hand-clappin' pop affair and then promptly dives into the sentimental with "Aliceanna", one of the prettiest songs ever written about a girl. It weaves back and forth like this for the duration. "The Love Songs of B. Douglas Wilson", from a former EP release, and the next to last track on this disc, steals the show right when the boys start singing "surf's up again" in the end chorus. When they nail it, they nail it. They nailed it good. I've heard this for three years now, and the hair still stands up on the back of my neck when i hear it to this day. Sweet. I need a drink of water.

The Charlatans:
Wonderland

I was on the phone with one of my friends from the old Charlies list and he does not like this record. He says it's the end of their career. I think it's the best album they've made since 1995. He hates the female back up singer. I can't use all the expletives here I used talking to him about this record. It's just staggeringly, swaggeringly brilliant. Especially the second track, "Judas", which proves that it is possible to get your funk on while driving, though that may not be especially safe. Also the third track which proves there are people in the world who actually say "lurve" instead of "love". Very charming for Mad Anglophiles. Highly necessary funky, soulful rock and roll at its recent best. Big recommendations.

Mauro:
Songs From A Bad Hat

AKA "Songs from a man with a really bad mustache", though that is certainly irrelevant. Solo venture from former Belgian rock group Evil Superstars member; comes with a lengthy interview from a magazine printed conveniently in Dutch. Recorded in Brooklyn, NY, with the help of Dave Sardy, who also worked with Evil Superstars and is more infamously known for working as producer for Marilyn Manson, amongst others. Veers wildly all over the place from total glam ("Let Me Know", "Cover Up") to questionable sincerity ("She Sits At Home", "Everybody's Friend"), to the just plain strange ("Sky Tiger", which always makes me want to hunt him down and ask what the hell he was drinking when he came up with that one. Must have spawned the mustache too). The opening of the lead track sounds oddly like the beginning of the old "Sesame Street Theme". It also contains lyrics and couplets like "juicy grins". My now nearly-famous ('round these parts) Belgian boyfriend turned fiance' tells me Mauro is mauled by throngs of adoring females in his native land, but I'd still like to take a razor to that top lip. Nevertheless, the record makes me positively giddy every time I listen to it.

Jon Brion:
Meaningless

Ultimately listenable from start to finish, with nary a throwaway in earshot. The lead track, "Gotta Start Somewhere" is such a stunner that the rest of it just flows. The reworking of Cheap Trick's "Voices" rounds it out beautifully. Like the Pernices' album from 2001, this is work in adult angst and relationships, and therefore a bit atypical pop fare---more man/woman than boy/girl. Heretic that I am, sometime in late spring, it dawned on me that the real reason Brion and Jason Falkner couldn't work it out in the Grays is that Brion has just a teaspoon more talent and a few cups more passion in his work. (I can already feel the huge bonfire that will be lit under my butt from Jellyfish and Falkner fans, of which I count myself). As much as love Falkner, and I really do, Brion just has a bit more something in his work, which he displays here to great effect. Yet another 10/10.

Motorpsycho:
Phanerothyme

Just reviewed this recently. Gets on my fave list because it sounds like Traffic and the Doors (in a *good* way) mixed with sun-melted jellybeans then played randomly through a stereo that behaves like a Spirograph toy. "Get up, go to California, go to where the skies are blue" indeed. "You can have kisses by the millions". Oddly (unfortunately ?), we may not ever find out if this band from Norway means candy kisses (probably not) or real ones (Haight-Ashbury is reopening for its original purpose as a thirty-five year old anniversary experiment, maybe ?). Way too much fun, what with all that woodwind and keyboard noodling and those seven-minute long runaway jam solos. Yet another record that makes me giddy every time I play it. Who needs sex and drugs when you can have things like this?

Eels:
Souljacker

I am still yet trying to recover from "That's Not Really Funny", the uproariously funny, abrasively skewed second track on this album. If I ever make a movie, I'm going to write E and ask him politely to let me use this song in it. Hell, someone should script a scene in a movie just to be able to fit this in it. An album full of nothing but surprise on top of surprise on top of surprise. Gets better and better with successive listenings and I'm not done with it yet. I have a feeling it will take me all of 2002 to wear it out and "get it". Moves from strange to straightforward and back to strange in one breath. Makes the list due to lack of boredom quotient.

The Rosenbergs:
Mission:You

All I can do is squeal over this record. I had to go a long many months back for some of these releases and play them again, and I put this on and it just made me realllllllllly happy and I can only say yet again: IT'S JUST SOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOD. Squeal, squeal, squeal. But the squeals are sincere. Standout, straight ahead power pop that has hooks every where and no sinkers. Every serious pop fan should have a copy of this. Anyone who is prone to fits of depression should do likewise: one of those records that makes it impossible to be even slightly sad. Wonderful and catchy, and an absolute must-have.

The Bigger Lovers:
How I Learned To Stop Worrying

Part dying Hawaiian beach embers, but mostly hooky pop songs, especially "Catch and Release" and "Threadbare", which remain my favorite tunes. The best of 2001's 'came out of nowhere to hit me in the head' records, remains a keeper and a great summer spinner. The steel guitars are real cool, too.

Weezer:
Weezer

Another summer record, from a band I will forever associate with summer, even though the only time I saw them was in the dead of winter. Clocks in just shy of half hour, and made lots of people really whiny, while yours truly only thought of phrases like "died and gone to heaven" when it played. Tiny little songs that are perfect in every way. Best of the lot: "Island In The Sun". Album remains reminiscent of orange pop, ice cream cones and sea air for no discernible reason.

Biggest disappointments:

ELO
Sloan (who are my third favorite band, which means I was very disappointed)
Super Furry Animals
Swag

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