The Best Albums of 2002

TM, ®, Copyright © 2002 Piero Scaruffi.
History of Rock Music
Reviews of 2002 albums | Best of last year | Best albums of all time | Bands | Back to music
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2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Best of the 1960's Best of the 1970's Best of the 1980's Best of the 1990's Best of the 2000's
Best of Rock Albums
(Read the reviews)

    8.5/10
  1. Low: Trust (Kranky)
  2. Spring Heel Jack: Amassed (Thirsty Ear)
    8/10
  3. Racebannon: In the Grips of the Light (Level Plane)
  4. To Live and Shave in LA: The Wigmaker in Eighteenth Century Williamsburg (Menlo Park)
    7.5/10
  5. Sightings: Michigan Haters (Psych-O-Path)
  6. Acid Mothers Temple: Electric Heavyland (Alien8)
  7. Black Dice: Beaches & Canyons (DFA)
  8. Cerberus Shoal: Mr Boy Dog (Temporary Residence)
  9. Amon Tobin: Out From Out Where (Ninja Tune)
  10. Common: Electric Circus (MCA)
  11. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Nonesuch)
  12. Comets On Fire: Field Recordings From the Sun (Ba Da Bing)
  13. Jessica Bailiff: Jessica Bailiff (Kranky)
  14. Agalloch: The Mantle (End)
  15. Today Is The Day: Sadness Will Prevail (Relapse)
  16. Entropic Advance: Red Yellow Noise (Symbolic Insight)
  17. Maquiladora: Ritual Of Hearts (Better Looking)
  18. Nile: In Their Darkened Shrines (Relapse)
  19. Frog Eyes: The Bloody Hand (Global Symphonic)
  20. Hunches: Yes No Shut It (In the Red)
  21. Alec Empire: Intelligence And Sacrifice (Digital Hardcore)
  22. Tujiko Noriko: Make Me Hard (Mego)

    23. 7/10
  23. Vibracathedral Orchestra: Dabbling With Gravity (VHF)
  24. Xiu Xiu: Knife Play (5rc)
  25. Khanate: Khanate (Southern Lord)
  26. Books: Thought For Food (Tomlab)
  27. Ugly Casanova: Sharpen Your Teeth (Sub Pop)
  28. Notwist: Neon Golden (City Slang)
  29. Out Hud: Street Dad (Kranky)
  30. Broken Social Scene: You Forgot It in People (Arts & Crafts)
  31. Hlidolf: V01d (DFRDoom)
  32. Oneida: Each One Teach One (Jagjaguwar)
  33. Godspeed You Black Emperor: Yanqui UXO (Constellation)
  34. Mastodon: Remission (Relapse)
  35. Mike Johnson: What Would You Do (Up)
  36. Shalabi Effect: The Trial Of St. Orange (Alien 8)
  37. El Guapo: Super System (Dischord)
  38. Interpol: Turn on the Bright Lights (Matador)
  39. Town And Country: C'mon (Thrill Jockey)
  40. Black Tape For A Blue Girl: The Scavenger Bride (Projekt)
  41. DJ Spooky: Optometry (Thirsty Ear)
  42. Neko Case: Blacklisted (Lady Pilot)
  43. Acid Mothers Temple: Univers Zen Ou De Zero A Zero (Fractal)
  44. Zu: Igneo (Wide)
  45. Mum: Finally We Are No One (Fat Cat)
  46. Boards Of Canada: Geogaddi (Warp)
  47. Sunn O))): Flight Of The Behemoth (Southern Lord)
  48. Decemberists: Castaways and Cutouts (Hush)
  49. Scenic: The Acid Gospel Experience (Hidden Agenda)
  50. Deca: Simbionte (VideoRadio)
  51. Otep: Sevas Tra (Capitol)
  52. Add N To (X): Loud Like Nature (Mute)
  53. Noize Creator: Deferred Media (Ambush)
  54. Sage Francis: Personal Journals (Anticon)
  55. Sixtoo: Duration (Cease & Desist)
  56. Howard Hello: Howard Hello (Temporary Residence)
  57. Sigur Ros: ( ) (MCA)
  58. Dntel: Life Is Full of Possibilities (Plug Research)
  59. Oxbow: An Evil Heat (Neurot)
  60. Dalek: From Filthy Tongue of Gods and Griots (Ipecac)
  61. Octopus Project: Identification Parade (Peek-A-Boo)
  62. Early Day Miners: Let Us Garlands Bring (Secretly Canadian)
  63. Greg Davis: Arbor (Carpark)
  64. Jennifer Gentle: Funny Creatures Lane (Sillyboy)
  65. Loscil: Submers (Kranky)
  66. Hwyl Nofio: Hymnal (Hwyl)
  67. Alias: The Other Side of the Looking Glass (Anticon)
  68. MC Trachiotomy: W/Love From Tahiti (Bulb)
  69. Maja Ratkje Voice (Rune Grammofon)
  70. Baby Dee: Love's Small Song (Durtro)
  71. Brendan Benson : Lapalco (V2)
  72. Jaga Jazzist: The Stix (Ninja Tune)
  73. El-P: Fantastic Damage (Definitive Jux)
  74. Streets: Original Pirate Material (Atlantic)
  75. Blevin Blectum: Talon Slalom (Deluxe)
  76. Yohimbe Brothers: Front End Lifter (Rope-a-Dope)
Songs
( Click here to play them on Spotify (thank you Luke!))
  1. To Live and Shave in LA: Veit Harlan Brown Dress Bob
  2. Xiu Xiu: Hives
  3. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Bang
  4. Out Hud: Story of the Whole Thing
  5. Amon Tobin: Searchers
  6. Xiu Xiu: Luber
  7. Spring Heel Jack: Lit
  8. Suicide: Swearing at the Flag
  9. Add N To X: Large Number
  10. Interpol: NYC
  11. Low: Canada
  12. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Miles Away
  13. Jessica Bailiff: Big Hill
  14. Broken Social Scene:Anthems for a Seventeen Year-old Girl
  15. Sightings: Michigan Haters
  16. National: Available
  17. Maquiladora: Chinese Girl
  18. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Mystery Girl
  19. Racebannon: Flip N' Fuck
  20. Neko Case: Deep Red Bells
  21. National: Trophy Wife
  22. Agalloch: And The Great Cold Death Of The Earth
  23. Lisa Germano: It's Party Time
  24. Maquiladora: Ritual Of Hearts
  25. To Live and Shave in LA: Blandina Oberwilding '77
  26. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Our Time
  27. Interpol: PDA
  28. Queens Of The Stone Age: No One Knows
  29. Common: New Wave
  30. Bad Religion: Sorrow
  31. Brian Jonestown Massacre: If I Love You
  32. Neil Hagerty: It Could Happen Again
  33. Cornelius: Another View Point
  34. Mirah: Recommendation
  35. Nina Nastasia: This Is What It Is
  36. Hunches: Murdering Train Track Blues
  37. Queens Of The Stone Age: Another Love Song
  38. Add N To X: Take Me To Your Leader
  39. Octopus Project: The Way Things Go
  40. Black Lips: Freakout
  41. Hot Hot Heat: No Not Now
  42. Mastodon: Workhorse
  43. Clinic: Welcome
  44. Coldplay: Clocks
  45. Ladytron: Seventeen
  46. Lisa Germano: Candy,
  47. Knotworking: Manuel
  48. Mountain Goats: Blues In Dallas
  49. Gogol Bordello: When The Trickster Starts A-Poking
  50. Paul Lansky: Pattern's Patterns
  51. Black Tape For A Blue Girl: A Livery Of Bachelors
  52. Tom Waits: Misery Is the River of the World
  53. Jason Loewenstein: I'm A Shit
  54. Doves: There Goes The Fear
  55. Clinic: Sunlight Bathes Our Home
  56. Guided By Voices: Skin Parade
  57. Looper: Fucking Around
  58. Mirah: Cold Cold Water
  59. Frog Eyes: Our Lordship Has Devised A New Billing System
  60. Woven Hand: Arrow Head
  61. Bright Eyes: Bowl of Oranges
  62. Baby Dee: Half A Chance
  63. Clipse: Young Boy
  64. Niobe: Radio Mexico
  65. Apparat Organ Quartet: Stereo Rock & Roll
  66. Drones: Motherless Children
  67. Coral: Dreaming of You
  68. Yohimbe Brothers : Psychopathia Mojosexualis
  69. Gorillaz: Clint Eastwood
  70. Brendan Benson : Tiny Spark
  71. Dntel: Suddenly Is Sooner Than You Think
  72. El Guapo: Rumbledream
  73. Sage Francis: Personal Journalist
  74. Alias: Black Tea
  75. El-P: Deep Space 9mm
  76. Atmosphere: Godlovesugly
  77. Streets: Let's Push Things Forward
  78. Alec Empire: Killing Machine
  79. And You Will Know Us: Heart In The Hand Of The Matter
  80. Blevin Blectum: The Way The Cookie Crumbles Straight From The Horses Mouth
  81. N.E.R.D.: Baby Doll
  82. Tujiko Noriko: Give Face
  83. Antipop Consortium: Dead in Motion
Extended compositions
  1. Spring Heel Jack: Obscured
  2. Acid Mothers Temple: Phantom Of Galactic Magnum
  3. Acid Mothers Temple: Pink Lady Lemonade
  4. William Basinski: The River
  5. Hlidolf: V01d
  6. Out Hud: The L Train
  7. Spring Heel Jack: One Hundred Years Before
  8. Sixtoo: Duration Project
  9. Nile: In Their Darkened Shrines
  10. Low: Shots and Ladders
  11. Acid Mothers Temple: Blues Pour Bible Noire
  12. Vibracathedral Orchestra: The Body is the Arrow
  13. Maquiladora: She's More Beautiful
  14. Alec Empire: 2641998
  15. Khanate: Under Rotting Sky
  16. Acid Mothers Temple: Loved And Confused
  17. Oxbow: Glimmer Shine
  18. Comets on Fire: The Black Poodle
  19. Venetian Snares: A Giant Alien Force More Violent & Sick Than Anything You Can Imagine
  20. Cerberus Shoal: Tongue Drongue
  21. Dalek: Black Smoke Rises
  22. Sunn O))): O))) Bow 1 & 2
  23. Sightings: Guilty Of Wrecking
  24. Acid Mothers Temple: Soleil de Cristal et Lune d'Argent
  25. Tujiko Noriko: Sea
  26. Town And Country: Bookmobile
  27. Shalabi Effect: A Glow in the Dark
  28. DJ Spooky: Optometry
  29. Acid Mothers Temple: 41st Century Splendid Man
  30. Mum: The Land Between Solar Systems
  31. Early Day Miners: Summer Ends
  32. Agalloch: In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion
  33. Black Tape For A Blue Girl: The Scavenger's Daughter
  34. Isis: Hym
  35. Yakuza: 01000011110011
  36. Norma Jean: Pretty Soon I Don't Know What But Something Is Going to Happen
  37. Cornershop: Spectral Mornings
  38. Pan American: Red Line
  39. Racebannon: Sober And Sad
  40. Black Dice: Things Will Never Be the Same
  41. Death Cab For Cutie: Stability
  42. Oxbow: Glimmer Shine
  43. Nile: Unas Slayer of Gods
  44. Entropic Advance: Big River
  45. Gallon Drunk: Forget All That You Know
  46. Fursaxa: Backwards Alchemy
  47. Landing: First Snow
  48. Opeth: Deliverance
  49. No-Neck Blues Band: Intonomancy
  50. Pinback: Grey Machine
  51. Common: Jimi Was a Rock Star
  52. Scenic: Lightspeed
  53. Electric Wizard: The Outsider
  54. Gogol Bordello: Hats Off To Kolpakoff
  55. Xinlisupreme: Fatal Sisters Opened Umbrella
  56. Bohren & der Club of Gore: The Art of Coffins
  57. Sightings: I Feel Like a Porsche
  58. Los Natas: La Tierra Delfin
  59. Jaga Jazzist: Suomi Finland
  60. Steffen Basho-Junghans: Inside the Rain
  61. Lamp Of The Universe: Our Celestial Flow
 		Jazz

    8/10
    7.5/10
  1. Marty Ehrlich: The Long View (Enja)
  2. Jane Ira Bloom: Chasing Paint (2002)
  3. Brad Mehidau: Largo (Warner)
    7/10
  4. Black Earth Ensemble: Afrika Rising (2002)
  5. Nels Cline: Instrumentals (Cryptogramophone)
  6. Ken Vandermark Territory Band: Map Theory (2002)
  7. Claudia Quintet: I
  8. Andrew Hill: A Beautiful Day (Palmetto)
  9. Evan Parker: Memory/Vision (2002)
  10. Randy Weston: Ancient Future (Mutablemusic)
  11. Bobby Previte: The 23 Constellations of Joan Miro (Tzadik)
  12. David Ware: Freedom Suite (Aum)
  13. Keith Jarrett: Always Let Me Go (ECM)
  14. Roscoe Mitchell: Song For my Sister (Pi)
  15. Joe Zawinul: Faces and Places (ESC)
  16. Tim Berne: Science Friction (Screwgun)
  17. Tomasz Stanko: Soul of Things (ECM)
  18. Hamiet Bluiett: Blueback (Justin Time)
  19. Thomas Buckner: Alone Together Apart (Mutablemusic)
  20. Joshua Redman: Elastic (Warner)
  21. Bobby Previte: The 23 Constellations (Tzadik)
  22. Leo Smith: The Year of the Elephant (Pi)
  23. Randy Sandke: Inside Out (Nagel)
  24. Jason Moran: Modernistic (Blue Note)
  25. Dave Douglas: The Infinite (RCA)
  26. Paul Motian: Holiday for Strings (Winter)
  27. Abdullah Ibrahim: African Symphony (Enja)
Classical
  1. Prokofev: Symphony 2 (Polyansky, Chandos)
  2. Gubaidulina: Canticle Of The Sun/ Music For Flute Strings, Percussion (EMI 57153)
  3. Mahler: Symphony 9 (BBC, Horenstein)
  4. Varese: Ameriques, Arcana, Deserts, Ionisation (Boulez, DG)
  5. Haydn: Creation Mass (Gardiner, Philips)
  6. Wagner: Tannhauser (Barenboim, Teldec)
  7. Leoninus: Sacred Music (EMI 57153)
  8. Dvorak: Symphony 9 (Ashkenazy, Ondine)
  9. Mahler: Symphony 7 (Abbado, DG)
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Best of the 1960's Best of the 1970's Best of the 1980's Best of the 1990's Best of the 2000's