1. Beck
Sea Change DGC/Geffen Records
Once again, he’s outdone himself. Even Jackson Browne should be suitably impressed with this gloom n’ doom beauty. Take Mutations and remove any semblance of humor.

A real mish-mosh of Beatle-pop, electronica insanity and 70s cliché-isms. A real feast for the ears and a fun record period.

Warner Brothers A perennial favorite of mine who continue to bring a big smile to my face. Wayne & Co. dazzle and amaze once again. The Beck/Lips show was quite a show to behold.

Produced by Pernice Brothers’ Thom Monahan, his stamp is all over this plush pop plethora. Philadelphians oughta be proud to add the Lovers to their list along with The Nazz and The Hooters (well maybe just The Nazz).

Junior Class:

Sondre Lerche – Faces Down (Astralwerks)

The Doves – The Last Broadcast (Capitol)
George Harrison – Brainwashed (Capitol)
Tahiti 80 – Wallpaper for the Soul (Minty Fresh)

Reissues:

Pavement – Slanted and Enchanted: Luxe & Redux (Matador)

Detention:

Amon Tobin – Out From Out Where (Ninja Tune)
Doug Martcsh – Now You Know (Warner Brothers)

These
are a few of my favorite things.

Albums of 2002

Fingathing: Superhero Music
On their second album, Fingathing make hip-hop fun again by adding cello, long drum interludes and an array of vocal samples.

Mum: Finally We Are No One

Another sophomore release, this from an Icelandic band whose work recalls Bjork’s “Vespertine.” Music boxes, bells, and crisp layered sounds conjure
images of snow and ice-covered lakes.

Deadly Avenger: Deep Red

An assortment of soundtrack flavors, breakbeats and old school funk, co-starring the Budapest Film Orchestra. The album comes with stickers too!

Dom and Roland: Back for the Future

The best drum and bass album . . . ever! Industrial-sounding beats are expertly mixed to create a coherent, exciting whole.

Various Artists: Chill Out in Paris 02

After the disappointing Buddha Bar IV, David Visan returns to what made him so effective: a textured, smoothly blended array of international beats and spiritual vocals.

Album Tracks

Linkin Park: <MYDSMR “This is my December; this is my snow-covered home.”

The Doves: There Goes the Fear “Think of me when you’re coming down.”

Tori Amos: Gold Dust “And then we’ll understand, we held gold dust in our hands.”

Craig Armstrong: Sea Song “If you won’t change your mind, I’m going back to the sea.”

Rjd2: Smoke and Mirrors “Who knows what tomorrow will bring, maybe sunshine, maybe rain.”

Movies

Spider-Man:
With great power comes great responsibility, and Raimi fails to disappoint. The rare instance in which the year’s highest-grossing film is also the most enjoyable.

The Two Towers:
The film improves upon the novel by reorganizing the material and expanding the battle of Helm’s Deep. Also check the special edition DVD of Fellowship.

Spirited Away :

A unique and wonderful anime from the maker of Princess Mononoke. Every frame bursts with inspiration; imaginatively conceived and brilliantly executed.

The Brotherhood of the Wolf:
Multiple movies crammed into one, completely over the top. Neither subtle nor
coherent, but ever so entertaining, dramatic & sumptuously lensed.

The
Count of Monte Cristo :

Grand old-fashioned moviemaking; changes in the source material have transformed the story into something more triumphant than tragic.

Books

Revenge: A Story of Hope (Laura Blumenthal) Redemptive Middle East memoir.

Poems to Read (Ed. by Robert Pinsky and Maggie Dietz) Introduced by readers.

Good Poems (Ed. by Garrison Keillor) Good indeed, with categories like “Yellow.”

A Sideways Look at Time (Jay Griffiths) A cross between Calendar and Faster.

The Rural Life (Verlyn Klinkenborg) NYT columnist combines nature & sociology.

~ Rich Allen