Favorite 3 Albums of the Year

[Guest Ozymandias]

...Whatever you like.

 

I'll start:

 

1) Pearl Jam - Riot Act

Tape it shut. Pearl Jam may be as hip as Rosie O'Donnell but they're still the best mainstream band in the world and anyone who disagrees should really just turn in their eardrums right now - you obviously aren't doing anything useful with them. Best album since Ten.

 

2) Bob Dylan - Love and Theft

This coming out following Time Out of Mind means I no longer need envy people who followed Dylan in the 60's. God bless you, RZ.

 

3) Eminem - The Eminem Show

I feared a superstar meltdown, but the little prick did it again. Instead of wasting everyone's time by trying to "top' himself in offensiveness, he made an album that all (well okay, MOST) can listen to conscience-free without sacrificing an ounce of quality.

 

Anyone else?

[Guest Edwin MacPhisto]

3) Eminem - The Eminem Show

I'll dispute this one. The Eminem Show is nowhere near the quality of the Marshall Mathers LP, and I'd wager that at least 3 of Eminem's tracks on the 8 Mile soundtrack are better than almost anything on his full-length this year. "Say Goodbye to Hollywood," "Drips," "Superman," and "Soldier" are all just plain bad, the skits aren't as funny as his past work, and with the exception of "Squaredance," nothing really--to me at least--blows the gates down like "Criminal" or "Kill You" or "The Way I Am" did. It's not a bad release, but I wouldn't call it the best album of the year.

 

Lists are sweet, so now onto my picks.

 

1. Interpol, Turn on the Bright Lights - So superb. Weird, moody, driving rock that, yes, sounds a bit like Joy Division, but is a lot more than a rip-off 20 years after the fact. Full of wild energy, weird songs about stabbing yourself in the neck, and 11 damn fine songs that have great titles to boot. "Stella Was A Diver And She Was Always Down" is the best song title of the year, and "Obstacle 1" is probably my favorite tune to come out of 2002. The slower, thicker songs like "NYC" are layered with really impressive harmonies, and there's a chugging minor-key speed to everything on this disc. Love it, love it, love it. I'm seeing these guys live on Friday and I can't wait.

 

2. Wilco, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Uh, it rules. I think we've talked about this one enough here. A very, very close second, and one of the prettiest, most soothing rock albums I've ever had occasion to hear.

 

3. Andrew WK, I Get Wet - You love it or you hate it, and I absolutely love it. It sounds overblown and ridiculous, and it is, but it's impeccably produced and absolutely full of energy, energy, energy. I don't mind heavy silly rock if it's not attempting to be woefully ironic or full of a whiny vocalist, and this anything but. Maybe too earnest for its own good, but a helluva good time with addictive melodies, sing-a-long madness, and a general sense of unrivaled exuberance. Oh, and the best live act today. Period.

 

Obviously number 3 is highly contestable. Huzzah lists.

[Guest Kotzenjunge]

Dance Mix NYC -- Mixed by The Riddler.

 

Fever -- KYLIE~!

 

Louie DeVito's Dance Factory -- Mixed by Louie DeVito

 

Hey, for the genres they're in (Club and Pop), they're the best this year. Kylie's album is on there for 2002 because they weren't released here until this year.

 

As for overall... I've not a bloody clue, as I almost always feel like I'm in over my head in the Music folder anyway, since it takes so little to entertain me and I never go out of my way to discover new, sometimes obscure acts.

 

If only Sophie's album had a chance of being released here before the new year... the "Murder on the Dancefloor" single is being sold here now, but only in the big cities, and I don't see them really promoting her album or anything like they did with Kylie. Fucking bastards. SOPHIE MUST CONQUER AMERICA ALSO!!!!!

 

Fo sheez,

Kotzenjunge

 

EDIT: HA! The thread is FAVORITE albums of the year, so I can safely say anything I want in this thread!!! Nyah nyah!

 

(runs giddily into the night, preferring discussion of preferences over discussions of quality)

[Guest LooseCannon]

From the other thread:

 

1. Trail of the Dead Source Tags and Codes

2. Wilco Yankee Hotell Foxtrot

3. Spoon Kill the Moonlight

4. The Flaming Lips Yoshimi battles the pink robots

5. Interpol Turn on the Bright lights

6. Ugly Casanova Sharpen your teeth

[Guest AzkulKazul]

1) Theory In Practice - Colonizing The Sun

2) Behemoth - Zos Kia Cultus

3) Arcturus - The Sham Mirrors

4) Rotting Christ - Genesis

5) Darkane - Expanding Senses

6) Defleshed - Royal Straight Flesh

7) Kataklysm - Shadows & Dust

8) Empyrium - Weiland

9) Divercia - Modus Operandi

10) Amon Amarth - Versus The World

11) Hatesphere - Bloodred Hatred

12) Immolation - Unholy Cult

13) Thyrfing - Vansinnesvisor

14) Agoraphobic Nosebleed - Frozen Corpse Stuffed With Dope

15) Bloodbath - Resurrection Through Carnage

16) Immortal - Sons Of Northern Darkness

17) Satyricon - Volcano

18) Opeth - Deliverance

19) Ram-Zet - Escape

20) Limbonic Art - The Ultimate Death Worship

21) Symphony X - The Odyssey

22) The Berzerker - Dissimulate

23) Today Is The Day - Sadness Will Prevail

24) Agalloch - The Mantle

25) No Return - Machinery

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Whoa. Agoraphobic Nosebleed has a new one? I'm on it.

[Guest Will Scarlet]

Since I am bored anyway...

 

1) Boa - Miracle

2) Harisu - Vol. 2 - Liar

3) Boa - No 1

4) Baby VOX - Special Album

5) Utada Hikaru - Deep River

6) No Secrets - No Secrets

7) S.E.S. - U

8) Fin Killing Liberties - Volume 4

9) S.E.S. - Friend

10) Chakra - Volume 3

 

Honourable mention - SM Town - Summer Vacation in smtown.com. I have yet to listen to it, but if it has the general upbeat feel I believe it will have, then it will easily be in the Top 3 of my favs of the year. And, really, with such deep and well thought out song reviews as this:

ThIs cD IsH ShO FrEaKiN TyTe!!!!!! ReAlLiE gUd 2 dAnCe 2!!! shinhwa n flytothesky rox!!!!

There is no way it could possibly suck.

[Guest treble charged]

Sam Roberts - The Inhuman Condition

-I think this technically counts. It's just a short, 6 song EP, but all of the tracks are very good, especially 'Brother Down', the first single.

 

treble charger - Detox

-I don't enjoy it as much as some of their stuff from just a few years ago, but it's still a fun album to listen to.

 

I can't really think of a third off the top of my head right now, so I'll just leave it at 2.

[Guest saturnmark4life]

Whilst I would sooner die defending AWK than die for my country, it was released in 2001.

I'll go with: (no order)

 

Frank Black and the catholics - black letter days

The Soundtrack of Our Lives - behind the music

for certain, then these two are compilations of older stuff so i dunno if they count:

 

RFTC - hot charity/cut carefully & play loud

The butthole surfers - Humpty Dumpty LSD

 

though i do not yet own

either new melvins release

The DEP stuff from this year

audioslave

 

and DEP and Mike Patton is strictly an EP, but deserves a mention, bah GAWD.

[Guest Edwin MacPhisto]

Whilst I would sooner die defending AWK than die for my country, it was released in 2001.

Not in the US, at least. The full album was released stateside in March. Counts for meeeee!

 

Also, Kotz--what's the deal with Sophie-Ellis Bextor? After downloading a couple tracks and particularly hearing "Murder on the Dancefloor" quite a bit, I see her as being fairly inferior to your saintly maiden Kylie when it comes to the dance-pop thing.

[Guest Youth N Asia]

Some of these were 2001...but I don't care, and I'm expecting a shread of emo hate

 

"I Get Wet" by Andrew W.K....ok, I know this isn't classic music or anything, but the cd is so damn fun I can't help but love it.

 

"Full Colapse" by Thursday...very good cd.

 

"Tell All Your Friends" by Taking Back Sunday...excelent cd.

 

"10 Years And Running" by MXPX...pretty much a compilation package, but a very good one, and I can't help but mark out for "Punk Rawk Show" and "Move to Bremerton"

 

"Maladroit" by Weezer...pretty much a smark staple, don't need to go into great detail.

 

"Leaving Through the Window" by Something Corporate...I'll just duck to avoid your emo hate rocks. I really like the cd, great lyrics and music.

 

"Free All Angels" by Ash... Very good rock band, excelent cd. Solid from track 1 to track 14. Can't wait for their next cd.

 

"Leechuza" by Fenix TX...a great mix of punk rock and heavy rock with some pop thrown in, pretty non emo. too bad they broke up though

 

"Bleed American" by Jimmy Eat World...far and away my favorite cd of the last few years, top to bottom a modern masterpiece. Great rock band.

[B. Brian Brunzell 0]

Top Three Albums of the Year:

 

Here Comes the Zoo-Local H

 

The Way I Feel-Remy Shand

 

Riot Act-Pearl Jam

[Guest saturnmark4life]

Whilst I would sooner die defending AWK than die for my country, it was released in 2001.

Not in the US, at least. The full album was released stateside in March. Counts for meeeee!

 

lucky

 

and yeah, that live show was absolutely fucking beautiful. Only frank black and NOFX have topped it for me.

 

oh and as i see my mention of DEP and Patton was no sold, Agent of Oblivion, i know you're a fan, do you have it yet? Cos, um, wow and stuff.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

I've heard a couple tracks. I haven't grabbed the whole thing up yet, though. What I've heard I've liked.

[Guest Kotzenjunge]

Also, Kotz--what's the deal with Sophie-Ellis Bextor? After downloading a couple tracks and particularly hearing "Murder on the Dancefloor" quite a bit, I see her as being fairly inferior to your saintly maiden Kylie when it comes to the dance-pop thing.

The singles aren't as good as the B-sides. Maybe I like her so much because she's a lot like the old songstress types. Either way, she's not on the level of you-know-who (NO ONE IS), but she's still great to me. I've recommended this to everyone, and I do it again: "Move This Mountain" blows away anything else she's done on her own. She used to be in a band called theaudience, but it's almost impossible to find any of that material online.

 

Plus, she's younger and, in my subconscious, more accessible than you-know-who.

 

Fo sheez,

Kotzenjunge

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

*Looks at all the albums he bought this year*

 

Nope. These will only get me laughed at.

[Guest Brian]

Springsteen and the E-Street Band put out the best album this year.

[Guest humanoid92]

1) Red Hot Chili Peppers- By The Way

2) Matchbox Twenty- More Than You Think You Are

3) Midtown- Living Well Is The Best Revenge

4) Our Lady Peace- Gravity

5) Weezer- Maladroit

 

Honorable Mentions:

Eminem- Eminem Show

New Found Glory- Sticks And Stones

Pearl Jam- Riot Act

[Guest Steviekick]

My top five are ::

 

Andrew WK - I Get Wet

Deadsy - Commencement

Arch Enemy - Wages of sin

Lacuna Coil - Comalies

Killswitch engage - Alive or just breathing

 

Honorable mentions go to Shadows fall, Opeth, and Trail of dead

[Guest Ozymandias]

3) Eminem - The Eminem Show

I'll dispute this one. The Eminem Show is nowhere near the quality of the Marshall Mathers LP, and I'd wager that at least 3 of Eminem's tracks on the 8 Mile soundtrack are better than almost anything on his full-length this year. "Say Goodbye to Hollywood," "Drips," "Superman," and "Soldier" are all just plain bad, the skits aren't as funny as his past work, and with the exception of "Squaredance," nothing really--to me at least--blows the gates down like "Criminal" or "Kill You" or "The Way I Am" did. It's not a bad release, but I wouldn't call it the best album of the year.

ARGH! I don't feel passionately enough about this record, so it'll seem like I'm conceding here....

I just liked it. *shrugs* It was no MMLP, but what is? I like all the songs you mentioned, and the only one I disliked on the record was My Dad's Gone Crazy. I never pay attention to the skits anyway.

You're right about the lack of "blow away" songs like the last LP had (I'd include Stan with the 3 you mentioned), but I still think it's a great album. Not excellent, but good enough for 3rd place with me.

[Guest Edwin MacPhisto]

Okay, I can certainly dig that. I wouldn't call it "awful" by any stretch, but yeah, it's disappointing by comparison.

 

And I love "My Dad's Gone Crazy," so I think we've got slightly different tastes in Em.

[Guest TheyCallMeMark]

One By One - Foo Fighters

Songs For The Deaf - Queens Of The Stone Age

 

Ugh, it's a bad year, I gotta go with Maladroit.

 

Biggest dissapointment: RIOT ACT - PEARL JAM.

 

It sucks. Here are my eardrums.

[Guest cartman]

RA "From One" - By far the best COMPLETE album I have heard this year...and hell for a long time. From "Do you call my name"(Track 1), to "Sky"(Track 2) it's an amazing Disc. If any of you havent Bought/Downloaded songs by this band your crazy. So far only one person on this board...Corey...Has mentioned this band besides me. I promise you that your missing out bigtime if you dont give them a chance.

 

Eminem "The Eminem Show" - In my opinion his best overall album. He has grown from the "Shock Value" artist to the "Most Talented" artist and this album shows that. More versatile than he has ever been and still tellin' stories that keep yuo lustening while implementing catchy beats. Gotta give him credit. Sure I agree with other people saying that soe other songs on his previous albums are better than this album, but as a whole this album is his masterpiece thus far. This is only MY opinion remember.

 

Disturbed "Believe" - Admittedly not the same as their debut album, and they probably lost some fans due to this, but still a great album nonetheless. A bit toned down from their first album I think, but in a good way.

 

Jerry Cantrell "Degredation Trip" - Many songs remind me ALOT of Alice in Chains...Yea DUH I know but still i'm a huge AIC fan and I guess you could say a Cantrell mark. If ya havent checked this album out please do yourself a favor and do so.

 

Honorable Mentions: ( O know i'm gonna lose some credibility here for some of these but...who cares it's MY opinons dammit!)

 

12 Stones (Self titled)

 

Our Lady Peace "Gravity"

 

Silverchair "Diarama"

 

Breaking Benjamin "Saturate"

 

Crazy Town "Darkhorse"

 

Linkin Park "Reanimation"

[Guest The Man in Blak]

Here's my top three:

- System of a Down, Steal This Album!

- Red Hot Chili Peppers, By The Way

- ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, Source Tags And Codes

 

And, as some bonus info:

 

Top Five Overrated albums in 2002:

- Bruce Springsteen, The Rising

- Queens of the Stone Age, Songs For The Deaf

- Pearl Jam, Riot Act

- Beck, Sea Change

- Weezer, Maladroit

Honorable Mention: That damn Interpol album

 

Most underrated albums in 2002:

Jerry Cantrell, Degradation Trip

...and that's it.

 

What a shitty year in music.

[Guest Brian]

Top Five Overrated albums in 2002:

- Bruce Springsteen, The Rising

I can't imagine, looking at the other three, that they're actually better than this unless you have a strong dislike for Springsteen. Writing, meaning, purpose, arrangement, and music.

[Guest Coffin Surfer]

oh and as i see my mention of DEP and Patton was no sold, Agent of Oblivion, i know you're a fan, do you have it yet? Cos, um, wow and stuff.

 

Yeah I got it. It was alot different than what I was expected, but of course with these guys you have to expect unpredictablity. I don't like it as much as Calculating Infinity, but I still think it's good. Too bad, Mike Patton isnt a perment vocalists.

[Guest The Man in Blak]

Top Five Overrated albums in 2002:

- Bruce Springsteen, The Rising

I can't imagine, looking at the other three, that they're actually better than this unless you have a strong dislike for Springsteen. Writing, meaning, purpose, arrangement, and music.

I do appreciate some of Springsteen's earlier stuff, but I really can't get over The Rising.

 

First off, it shouldn't even have the E. Street Band in the title, given the general sound of the album. This is as over-produced and Top 40 rock as you can get and I'm appalled that Springsteen or the Band didn't catch the lack of their signature sound in this forgettable mix.

 

Second off, while Springsteen does pen a couple of poignant lines about Sept.11 through a couple of the songs...the rest of the lyrics are fairly pedestrian for Bruce. Even the better songs, such as the single, "Lonesome Day", don't seem to capture the moment quite as advertised.

 

Third off, The Rising grabs the Overrated tag because just about every magazine from Stone to Spin proclaimed it as our new Jesus. Every goddamn critic under the sun fawned because Bruce BY-GAWD Springsteen, American Working Class Hero, was writing in response to Sept. 11... even though, in all honesty, it had already been done earlier and better by others, such as Wilco (which, consequently, cut loose another album this year that was just a bit overhyped). No matter how good this album could have been (which is wasn't), it couldn't have possibly lived up to the hype, which was a by-product of the long wait since Springsteen's last album, or the rest of this year's music sucking.

 

To me, the general feeling was that the critics and the company reps made sure to frequently point out that "Springsteen's Laying Down The Law About September 11", almost as a means to convince themselves as well as convincing us. The Rising is an okay album, but it's not even in the top three albums of Bruce Springsteen's career, let alone 2002, no matter how horrible the music landscape was this year.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Calculating Infinity is fuckin' awesome. DEP grew so much from Running Board to that album. I really need to grab up the new one. For those that care, Dying Fetus has a new one coming out soon. Vengeance Unleashed.

 

On another note, there's slated to be a new Type-O album the first quarter of next year.

[Guest Brian]

I can see where you're coming from with the overrated bit about the mags, but it's still a real good album even if the lyrics are a bit pedestrian for Springsteen.

 

Just one question, who is Wilco?

[Guest Harry Hood]

It's painfully obvious that noone has listened to Trey Anastasio's self-titled CD.

 

Also liked Busted Stuff, DMB althoguh their older stuff is better.

 

New Phish album Dec. 10th, although I htink I'll be the only one here to pick that up...