Top 7 Albums of 2002

[pax]

(I dunno, it seems like people always do Top 5 or Top 10 lists...I wanted to be different.)

List yours here.

1.) A Rush of Blood to the Head, Coldplay
Absolutely, without a doubt, brilliant. Heart-stoppingly beautiful in more than a few places. Has the same effect on me as Achtung Baby. Highlights (for me) include "In My Place," "The Scientist," "Daylight," "Amsterdam."

2.) The Rising, Bruce Springsteen
It should have been #1, and if I were more sentimental it would be. Nevertheless, a totally stellar and rockin' effort. Were it not for "Paradise," which I just hated for some reason, it maybe could have been my #1. Highlights: "Worlds Apart," "The Fuse," "Lonesome Day," "The Rising," "My City of Ruins."

3.) Scarlet's Walk, Tori Amos
Recovers nicely from way-too-freaky-for-my-liking To Venus and Back and Strange Little Girls. More piano, less techno filler=good. Highlights: "A Sorta Fairytale," "Crazy," "Sweet Sangria," "Taxi Ride," "Gold Dust."

4.) Sea Change, Beck.
A lot of music critics are naming this as #1, but it's a bit too depressing to make my #1. Still, a great album for getting drunk and crying. Plus, Beck's voice has never been sexier or sadder. Highlights: "The Golden Age," "Guess I'm Doing Fine," "Lost Cause."

5.) Best of 1990-2000, U2.
Hey, this is a U2 site. Forget the fact that it only has 2 new songs. "Electrical Storm" looped over and over 14 times would have been enough for this to crack my top 7.

6.) Under Rug Swept, Alanis Morissette.
Okay, maybe I'm a *little* sentimental. Alanis kept me from slashing my wrists in 8th grade, when I came home from school every day and immediately put on Jagged Little Pill. And it really was a good album, though it would have been way better without "A Man" and "Utopia." Highlights: "Hands Clean," "Flinch," "Surrendering," "Precious Illusions."

7.) Riot Act, Pearl Jam.
I'm still getting into this one, but after the 3rd listen I started feeling right at home with it. Eddie Vedder, like Beck, is sounding sad and sexy. But they all look so...old. Anyway. Highlights: "Love Boat Captain," "Can't Keep," "Thumbing My Way."

Maybe would make the list if I were in a different mood:
Daybreaker, Beth Orton
A New Day at Midnight, David Gray
Charango, Morcheeba

EDIT: Would definitely make the list if I were sure it were released in 2002 (and I'm not):
White Blood Cells, The White Stripes
Room for Squares, John Mayer

 

[adamswildhoney]

My turn:

*Rush of Blood to the Head by Coldplay

*Rising by BRUCCE

*Best of 1970-2002 by Elton John

*Best of U2 90-00

*40 Licks by Rolling Stones

and thats all I can think of right now!

Oh my list is in no particular order!!!!!!

 

[U2fan42]

1. Coldplay (A Rush of Blood to the Head)

2. The Wallflowers (Red Letter Days)

3. Sheryl Crow (C'mon C'mon)

4. Lifehouse (Stanley Climbfall)

5. Matchbox 20 (More Than You Think You Are)

 

[theSoulfulMofo]

U2~BestOf1990-2000
RollingStones~40Licks
Nirvana~Nirvana
PearlJam~RiotAct
VA~Salutations
theGravityShow~FabulousLikeYou
Blackalicious~BlazingArrow

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

Alanis kept me from slashing my wrists in 8th grade, when I came home from school every day and immediately put on Jagged Little Pill.

true dat. now that i think of it, at least. that album really did help me get through the 7th grade. her stuff is too for me to get into now. i only have jagged little pill.

anyway, i don't own enough new albums to make one of these top 7 lists.

 

[Zoomerang96]

matchbox twenty and lifehouse? are you serious?

yikes.

anyway, best ofs SHOULD NOT make this list.

1. () - Sigur Ros

i dont even need to listen to the whole thing, ive heard one of the songs from it, and im positive it will be the best. im getting it for christmas.

2. Sea Change - Beck

stunning. this is almost scary how beck completely turned into something else. what a great artist.

3. Q... U.X.O. - gy!be

beautiful haunting music.

4. Riot Act - Pearl Jam

good rock. not formulaic, and definately not creed, matchbox twenty or nickelback. eddie sounds so tired, and weary, its really well done.

thats all im going to mention.

i know of nothing else that has me interested this year.

 

[foray]

Shee-ee, I only had enough money this year for U2's best of.

 

[cloudimani]

um a bit familiar considering my post in top 12 songs thead but anyway...

Gemma Hayes - Night on my Side
Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head
Lifehouse - Stanley Climbfall
Norah Jones - Come Away With Me
Idlewild - In Remote Part
Counting Crows - Hard Candy
Pearl Jam - Riot Act

 

[typhoon]

1. Coldplay--A Rush of Blood to the Head
2. Pearl Jam--Riot Act
3. Bruce Springsteen--The Rising
4. Audioslave--eponymous
5. Queens of the Stone Age--Songs for the Deaf
6. Oasis--Heathen Chemistry
7. Norah Jones--Come Away With Me

 

[Zoomerang96]

i forgot to add

the isness - the future sound of london

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

1)Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head
2)The Streets - Original Pirate Material
3)Gemma Hayes - Night On My Side
4)U2 - Best Of 1990-2000
5)Ash - Intergalactic Sonic 7"s/Cosmic Debris
6)Badly Drawn Boy - About A Boy
7)Manic Street Preachers - Forever Delayed

Actually, those are the only 7 albums/compilations I purchased this year that were new - the others were older albums and stuff.

 

[Basstrap]

1. Sigur Ros - ()
2. Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
3. Ours - Precious
4. Neil Finn - One All
5. Cold Play - A Rush...
6. Doves - Last Broadcast
7. Badly Drawn Boy - Have you Fed the Fish

yes yes

 

[typhoon]

I just got George Harrison's Brainwashed and like it quite a bit. I don't know where it'd fit in my Top 7, so I won't worry about it, but I just thought it deserved some recognition.

 

[Basstrap]

yeah...I'd like to give special notice to
Royal City - Alone at the Microphone

 

[The Wanderer]

Electric Soft Parade - Holes in the Wall
Badly Drawn Boy - Soundtrack: About a Boy
Doves - Last Broadcast
Elbow - Asleep in the Back
Sigur Ros - ()
Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf
Audioslave - Audioslave

 

[brettig]

hmm, I like your list Wanderer

I'd add

Midnight Oil - Capricornia
You Am I - Deliverance (never been a fan of em but this is a fun record)

I agree there shouldn't be any best ofs/compilations included but I'm bucking that theory slightly by throwing in:

The Royal Tennenbaums - Soundtrack (it was released in late 2001 in the States I think but we didnt get it till 2002)

 

[Basstrap]

okay people....the About a Boy soundtrack is probably the worse BDB release to date

why not say his new album which has no shitty filler music?

take out Silent Sigh, Something to Talk about, a couple others and your left with a very substandard BD album relative to his other work

 

[Salome]

1. The Streets - Original Pirate Material
2. Solomon Burke - Don't give up on me
3. Sonic Youth - Murray Street
4. DJ Shadow - The Private Press
5. Lambchop - Is a woman
6. Boards of Canada - Geogaddi
7. Beck - Sea Change



I'm thinking about buying Missy Elliot's latest album

 

[Basstrap]

Good call on the Boards of Canada Salome!! I forgot all about that and one of mine should be substituted for it.

I've heard a few of the songs...is it as good as Music has the right to children?

 

[Elvis Presley]

okay people....the About a Boy soundtrack is probably the worse BDB release to date

why not say his new album which has no shitty filler music?

take out Silent Sigh, Something to Talk about, a couple others and your left with a very substandard BD album relative to his other work

I agree!

 

[The Wanderer]

disagree there, maybe because "Something to Talk About,"
"River, Sea, Ocean," "A Minor Incident," "Silent Sigh" and "Walking Out of Stride" are among my favorite songs of the year and I rate them very highly, too early for me really to judge Fish yet, not sure I'm crazy about it honestly, but as far as the purpose of About a Boy -- to be a soundtrack, it's perfect in conjunction with the movie in that respect

not sure about Pearl Jam yet either, they could move into the list at some point

 

[Sweet Tart]

i don't even know if i bought 7 newly released cds this year.

hmmmmm..... let's see......

doves - the last broadcast
oasis - heathen chemistry
coldplay - AROBTTH
the vines - highly evolved
soundtrack of our lives - behind the music
u2 the best of 1990-2000
nirvana - nirvana

i guess i did but that's every new cd i bought this year. all the others have been older releases.

 

[pax]

Almost every list has included A Rush of Blood to the Head. We must have very good taste.

Also, I think A New Day at Midnight (David Gray) is growing on me and I feel a bit bad that I didn't put it in my top 7.

Also, White Blood Cells was definitely released in 2001 and I think Room for Squares was too. That's good, but I'm going back through a big John Mayer phase at the moment.

 

[Zoomerang96]

mine didnt mention it, and i bought the album. im sorry angel, but im selling my copy to a friend for 10 bucks.

 

[PopFly]

In no particular order.....

Last Broadcast, by the Doves
Brainwashed, by George Harrison
Riot Act, by Pearl Jam
The Rising, by Bruce Springsteen
Daybreaker, by Beth Orton
Have you Fed the Fish, by Badly Drawn Boy
Ben Folds's album, the name of which I inexplicably can't remember

 

[Salome]

1. The Streets - Original Pirate Material
2. Solomon Burke - Don't give up on me
3. Sonic Youth - Murray Street
4. DJ Shadow - The Private Press
5. Lambchop - Is a woman
6. Boards of Canada - Geogaddi
7. Beck - Sea Change

I forgot Los Lobos' Good Morning Aztl?n
that one would be #4

Good call on the Boards of Canada Salome!! I forgot all about that and one of mine should be substituted for it.

I've heard a few of the songs...is it as good as Music has the right to children?

I prefer "Music has the right ..." but it's still a very good album

 

[Danospano]

Bruce Springsteen is amongst the top 7. No question about that one. As for the rest, I can't say I've heard a lot of the ones mentioned (Coldplay, Tori Amos, et al). Of the ones I've heard at several tracks, here are my picks:

1) Springsteen: "The Rising". "Waiting On A Sunny Day" is was the most cheerful songs I've ever heard him perform.

2) No Doubt: "Rock Steady". I guess it was released a few weeks before the beginning of 2002, but I'll throw it in.

3) Santana: "Shaman". This is because I haven't heard much else. Do the math!

4) Eminem: "The Eminem Show". The dude had a way with words and makes moving music.

5) U2: GH 1990-2000.

6) Rolling Stones: Forty Licks

7) Elton John: GH 1970-2002.

 

[Salome]

Originally posted by Salome
1. The Streets - Original Pirate Material
2. Solomon Burke - Don't give up on me
3. Sonic Youth - Murray Street
4. DJ Shadow - The Private Press
5. Lambchop - Is a woman
6. Boards of Canada - Geogaddi
7. Beck - Sea Change


I forgot Los Lobos' Good Morning Aztl?n
that one would be #4

I also forgot Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's Plastic Fang as #5

 

[Kieran McConville]

The top seven albums of 2002 are as follows:

1. Coldplay - A rush of blood to the head
2. Nick Cave etc - And no more shall we part (actually it's probably from 2001 but I don't care, I heard it this year).
3. Beck - Seachange
4. Augie March - Strange Bird (haven't heard all of it, I just know it will belong on this list).
5. Neil Diamond - I killed a drifter to get an erection
6. Absolutely anything from the Delgadoes that may have emerged this year.
7. There is no number seven.

The worst albums and/or songs of 2002:

U2 best of 1990-2000 - enjoyable random collection of songs for people who don't really like U2. Gets an extra star for the new songs.
Absolutely anything from You Am I, The Whitlams or Grinspoon.
A certain someone who released 'Cock Mobster' (yeah, like Rock Lobster har har) on Australian radio JJJ.

Personal picks:
That song with the guy from Placebo (Alpine?)
That song from Sleater-Kinney (Oh?)
Machine Gun Fellatio

 

[Bono's shades]

The Rising - Bruce Springsteen
The Last Broadcast - Doves
A Rush of Blood to the Head - Coldplay
Best of 1990-2000 - U2
Best of Sting and the Police

Yikes, I think those are the only new albums I bought this year - I bought a lot of CDs, but it was mostly older stuff. Actually there were quite a few albums released this year that I'm interested in buying, but I've been trying very hard not to go completely crazy when I visit the record store.