CDs 2002 (3)

Interpol : Turn on the Bright Lights. Joy Division from New York basically. The sound has been updated a bit, but even the voice sounds familiar sometimes. Altogether a very good album indeed.

Coldplay : A Rush of Blood to the Head. So here it is, their second album. I still have trouble to get over the couple of weak tracks (the third quarter of the album roughly), but this is still an excellent album (really kicks in at 3 minutes through the first song) packed with glorious anthems. Maybe next time they'll bother to write a flawless album. Or maybe they'll turn crap. But for now they've just released a great album.

Sparta : Wiretap Scars. Can't really remember it now. Comes from one half of At-The Drive In, and follows in the same vein. Solid rock album, not one of the best this year, but nevertheless part of the good ones.

Queens of the Stone Age : Songs for the Deaf. Now this IS one of the albums of the year. Don't know how you classify it . 'Hard' rock ? Not quite. Definitely rocking all the way, but still packed with melodies, this goes on relentlessly, with Dave Grohl on drums. And maybe there's a law somewhere that says that any song that's got 'Lovesong' in the title is great (from PIL to here via Six By Seven). Yes it is absolutely brilliant.

The Music : The Music. If you like a nice little groove that goes on and on, a bit of psychedelic rock (Zeppelin-inspired ?), then this is yours. A few weaker tracks maybe, but this will get you in a nice mood and make you shake along to it. One of the very good and  not-like-a-million-others album of this year.

Leaves : Breathe. Solid rock from Iceland, may be leaning too much on 'Rock FM' at times however. Still not sure whether I really like it or not. This is rather harmless and still has a got a few cracking tunes.

The Future Sound of London : the isness. Bizarre new direction for this (ex ?) techno group, this verges on atmospheric country at times, very folk-ish and altogether quite pleasant.

My Computer : Vulnerabilia: every year sees at least one great album of electronica (Four Tet last year). So this year I think we've found it at last, this is indeed quite excellent.

Death In Vegas : Scorpio Rising. More of the same, more guests, quite fine, but nothing revolutionary there. If you liked the previous album, you'll love this one, if you didn't then don't even bother.

Underworld : a hundred days off. Yeah, I think they could even have taken more time off. What's the point in another Underworld album ? Judging from this tepid effort, not much.

Ladytron : Light & Magic. Electroclash has come in fashion, but I think this album really pales in comparison to their debut, 604. Haven't listened to it much, but it really didn't strike a chord in me.Although after a few more listens, there's a couple of really addictive tracks. Not bad all considered.

The Libertines : Up the Bracket. East London rock, fresh, raw, some really good songs, a lot of attitude, maybe I've just gone a bit too old for that though.(note 3 years later : well I must have gone younger in these 3 years : what was I thinking, this album's bloody brilliant !!!!)

Supergrass : Life on other planets. A solid effort, or maybe an effortless production. Still highly enjoyable, if not at all innovative.

Bright Eyes : Lifted or The story is in the soil, keep your ear to the ground. The album is as long as the title. And is excellent throughout. Part-country, part-rock, this is a monster of an album.  Somewhere near the Magnetic Fields' 69 Love Songs maybe, I think you can't fail to be impressed by this piece of art. Words fail me (or it's just that I've listened to too many other things in the meantime), but trust me this is fantastic.

The Datsuns : The Datsuns. From New Zealand. Rock. Not that far removed from AC/DC. Not quite what does it for me though.

The Delgados : Hate. Something's missing from there, I don't know. It's quite melodic and beautiful, and there's really one stand-out track : coming in from the Cold. It's not uniformly great, but it's got a good load of decent tunes that you will grow to ...love.

Lemon Jelly : Lost Horizons. Critically acclaimed weird electronica. I'm not too chuffed personally.

Radio 4 : Gotham ! Now that's what I call good underground rock'n'roll. If you like it simple, rocking but melodic enough, try this. I think it's much better than most over-hyped new bands. Really really good (maybe they would have deserved to be this year's Strokes...)

JJ72 : I to Sky. On first listen, I wasn't too impressed, wondering where the melodies from the first album had gone. But listen to it again and you will soon feel addicted. Much less direct than their debut then, but enrapturing all the same. Gets better with every listen. I'm hooked now.

Sigur Ros : ( ). What is this with albums with no title ? Song 1 is great then...oh well, More splendour from Iceland. Sometimes, it turns a bit into routine, and a couple of surprises from the first album are missing, but it has got its great moments, and the closing track really is worth its sack of geysers !

Feeder : Comfort In Sound. After the suicide of their drummer, they have come back, and this is packed with good tunes. A very good, if not revolutionary, rock album.

Badly Drawn Boy : have you fed the fish ? Bonkers title, this is a bit patchy, a bit like his debut (I think the 'About a boy' soundtrack is his best overall work), it's got a few decent tracks with some interesting (and downright heartening) lyrics (sample : 'how can I give you the answers you need, when all I possess is a melody ?'), but not much beyond.