this year has been a banner year for good music. here's my initial list. I haven't listened enough to beck's sea change, but it could find its way here before the year ends. a couple albums I haven't heard yet - the new wire ( or both new ones for that matter) and the new jurassic 5. the new sigur ros is really beautiful, but they sing in a made up language, which to me is a cheap way out of writing lyrics, don't you think?? actually, it's quite good and might find itself here too. what're yours?

excellent 2002 albums (in no particular order)

spoon - kill the moonlight
cornelius - point
gillian welch - time (the revelator)
fugazi - the argument
notwist - neon golden
sonic youth - murray street
wilco- yankee hotel foxtrot
the breeders - title tk
the hives - vini vidi vicious
interpol - turn on the bright lights
queens of the stone age - songs for the deaf
sleater-kinney - one beat
flaming lips - yoshimi battles the pink robots
guided by voices - universal truths and cycles
iron & wine - the creek drank the cradle

close but no cigar-
hot snakes - suicide invoice
avalanches - since I left you
jeff tweedy, glenn kotche - chelsea walls soundtrack