2002 music wrap-up.
© 2002 Jamie Zawinski <jwz@jwz.org>

Here are the albums I've bought this year that I actually gave a shit about. Of the 130+ albums I bought last year, these are the ones that rose above the level of "utterly forgettable."

A lot of these were actually released in 2001, but I didn't get them until 2002, so I'm allowing a little slack in my categorization there...

There aren't very many items on this list. It's pretty sad, really, considering the number of discs I consumed. I'm somewhat surprised to find that most of the stuff on this list is more rock oriented than electronic oriented. I certainly listened to a lot of electronic music this year, including dozens of comps, many of which I recall enjoying... but I can't remember a single song from any of them, so they don't make the list.

In only approximate order (I haven't really tried to rank them) here is the year-end wrap-up of not-completely-forgettable music.

Pzycho Bitch - "Eden"
S.I.N.A. - "Snapshot"

Essentially the same band with two different names, this is probably my favorite music that I've found this year (though these came out in 2001 and 2000, respectively.) This is really hard, noisy techno-industrial with female vocals (perhaps more properly categorized as "power noise", I'm not real good with the categories.) Anyway, it's a kick in the head. I love it.

Various - "2001 Hands"

A comp from Hands Records, home of the above, that has a lot of good stuff on it. I do love it so, but I can't be more coherent than that, because I haven't dug deeper into the bands represented here (primarily due to the difficulty of getting their stuff: this label doesn't seem to be carried by the major online CD retailers, and shows some evidence of not actually existing any more.)

Kidneythieves - "Zerospace"

Industrial-rock with female vocals, more on the "rock" side. They opened for KMFDM at DNA in June. In the vein of Radio Iodine, or maybe Jane Jensen. Musically, a little reminiscent of the first Stabbing Westward album (please disregard this comment if you don't like Stabbing Westward on general principles; I think SW's "Ungod" was a decent album.)

Voodou - "The Blessing of Curses"

An industrial-rock-ish goth band that I first heard when they opened for Thrill Kill Kult at DNA in October. I like. It's nice to hear something in that genre that isn't just another fucking VNV Nation clone.

Various - "Notes From Thee Real Underground"

A 3-disc comp from Invisible Records; around half of it is really good, much of it in the rough vicinity of Pigface (as you'd probably expect.)

Rasputina - "Cabin Fever"

New album and associated singles/remixes from an old favorite: Rasputina do quirky often-metal-style music with cellos and little-girl voices. This album is good, but it's pretty much just more of the same as was found on their other albums. I like it, but I couldn't tell you which songs came from which album, so they're not really reaching. It's still good, though, so that's fine. And they're amazing live.

Apocalyptica - "Cult"

Quite a lot like Rasputina (what with the cellos), but instrumental, and more unapologetically metal in structure. It's totally head-banging cello music. Hail Satan. \m/

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - "B.R.M.C."

These guys remind me a lot of the David J side of Love and Rockets, with a smattering of Jesus and Mary Chain. Good stuff, though a bit retro.

Concrete Blonde - "Group Therapy"

Oh my god, they were great live! I think this new album holds up really well against their older stuff; more like Mexican Moon than Free. The song "When I Was a Fool" is especially great.

Babes in Toyland - "Viled"

This doesn't really count as a new release: it's b-sides and demo versions. Notable for their rocking cover of "The Girl Can't Help It."

Felix Da Housecat - "Kittenz and Thee Glitz"
Miss Kittin & The Hacker - "First Album"

I might as well lump these together, since they're essentially identical (same vocalist.) This is that "electro-clash" thing you've been hearing so much about and are probably sick of by now: modern bands with modern gear doing continuous remakes of The Normal's "Warm Leatherette." What can I say, it's a gimick, but it's a gimick I like. I'm not burned out on it just yet (though getting close.)

Land of the Loops - "Puttering About a Small Land"

I can't even describe this band. It's bleepy, bleepy music that is so cute it will turn you diabetic, but it really works.

The above albums aside, can music get better now, please?