Greetings,  again,  from the lab. Two times in one month..sheesh,  am I sick?? Or do I have a lot to say this month?? How bout a little of both? Anyway...2002 was another good year for music. If you knew where to look for it. The mainstream kept feeding people the same b.s. only with a different packaging. A turd is a turd no matter how you dress it up,  folks.  2002 was the year that the mainstream and the Big Brother media conglomerates took a deep breath and yelled "ROCK IS BACK!" Uh,  rock never left.  I swear,  if I see one more feature on the Hives,  the Strokes,  or that super duper punk raawwwwk star Avril Lavinge I'm just going to start shooting people with a flamethrower.  Period.

But,  none the less...in a time when Hot Topic and Spin Magazine (**shudder**) dictate to you how to "be an individual" (and yet still look and think like a few MILLION other people),  there was plenty of good music to be had.  So with that said...let's take a look at the year that was.

First,  I�ve added a few extra categories to my annual year end list. Lets get those out of the way first.. not all of them are directly linked to music,  but they are linked to entertainment in general. So....

Movie Of The Year:
Signs,  Spiderman,  Lord Of The Rings:The Two Towers, Minority Report and Red Dragon all make a case. BUT,  "Road To Perdition" wins. It does,  however,  win with an asterik (I haven't seen L.O.R. yet). None the less,  "Road To Perdition" is a great flick, well acted,  well directed and well written.  Give Tom Hanks ANOTHER Oscar  nomination for this one.

TV Show Of The Year:
The Simpsons. And,  it will CONTINUE to be The Simpsons until Fox takes it off the air.

DVD Of The Year:
Plenty of contenders here (Complete Second Season of The Simpson,  Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown Special Editions, The Reservoir Dogs 10th Anniversary Special Edition) but hands down the winner is the 'Back To The Future' complete trilogy boxset.  Back To The Future is the greatest trilogy EVER without the name "The Godfather" in it and this
boxset does it justice. 

Video Game Of The Year:
Not even close. "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" blows the competition out of the water. It's comical how far away the rest of the video games released this year are in comparison to GTA.

Website of The Year (OTHER than antiMUSIC):
Buddyhead.  I need not say anymore.

Music Festival Of The Year:
Krazyfest Five
June-Louisville,  KY
(featuring: Converge,  Dillinger Escape Plan,  Sick Of It All,  Most Precious Blood,  The Hope Conspiracy,  Drowningman,  Bane and MANY more)
I cannot thank the fine folks at Initial Records for continuing to put on this fine festival year after year. 

Show/Concert Of The Year:
Stretch Arm Strong w/ Burns Out Bright,  Holden Caulfield,  Friendly Fire and Out Of Nowhere  November 30-The Brickhouse-St Albans,  WV 
Best show I've seen around here in almost 6 years.

and now,  the most important part of the column...the Top 10 albums for 2002.

First,  the honorary mentions. This album are all damn good in their own way,  but not just good enough to make the top 10.

Bruce Springsteen-The Rising
Snapcase-End Transmission
Dave Matthews Band-Live At Folsom Field
Darkness Remains-To Touch The Depths Of Sorrow
Eighteen Visions-Vanity
Premonitions Of War-The True Face Of Panic
Foo Fighters-One By One
Coldplay-A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Pearl Jam-Riot Act
Audioslave-Audioslave
Sparta-Wiretap Scars
Sick Of It All-Live In A Dive
Down-Down II

HIGH Honorable Mention
Nirvana-Nirvana Greatest Hits
This album almost made it into the Top 10 based entirely on the fact that 'You Know You're Right' is my favorite song of the year. And, probably of the last FIVE years.

Special Honorable Mention
Both-An Anthology Of Dead Ends
Dillinger Escape Plan & Mike Patton-Irony Is A Dead Scene
Cave In-Tides Of Tommorow
All three of these are Top 10 worthy (in the case of D.E.P./Patton Top 5.) BUT,  all three of them were just EP's.
So, that brings them down a notch and lands them in the Special Honorable Mention section.

THE TOP 10
10)Holden Caulfield - The Beginning Of Forever and Ever - Independent Release
Holden Caulfield,  a band from Charleston WV,  finally settled on a solid lineup and unleashed the fury. This album finds them still 'looking for their sound',  which is evident in the songs themselves. Some are more punk flavored, some more hardcore.  None the less,  a damn good album. Best Song: Complacency Is No Burning Heart

9)Ryan Adams - Demolition - Lost Highway Records
Adams is a song-writing machine. These songs were actually just a collection of demo's he recorded while on tour in support of last years "Gold". Still though,  Adams knows how to write some killer songs,  whether it be rockers or ballads,  the man knows what he's doing. Best Song: Nuclear

8)Codeseven - The Rescue - The Music Cartel
North Carolina's Codeseven used to be a damn fine metalcore band. But,  then they decided to experiment with their sound and this is what we get.  Just like Cave In,  Codeseven went from metalcore to melodic indie rock-ish music that can still rock harder than pretty much anything the mainstream throws at you. Best Song: Southie

7)Blood Red-Hostage - Initial Records
Born from the ashes of Silent Majority,  Blood Red is a band that mixes melody and rock really well. Plus,  they're super nice guys.  This album (their first full length) shows not only their range,  but their talent as well. Best Song: Medicate By Weight

6)The Hope Conspiracy - End Note - Equal Vision Records
An album that mixes flavors of both newschool and old school hardcore,  'End Note' starts out kicking you in the teeth and doesn't stop for the next half hour. There is not a single bad song on this entire album and you'd be better off if you just went out and found it. Best Song: Fallen

5)Norma Jean - Bless The Martyr and Kiss The Child - Solid State Records
Ok,  imagine Eighteen Visions before the glam phase then add some heaviness and you'll begin to understand the scope of Norma Jean.  Words don't do these guys,  or this album,  justice.  Just find it,  buy it and prepare yourself. Friggin unbelievable album. Best Song: Memphis Will Be Laid To Waste

4)Harkonen-Shake Harder Boy - Hydra Head Records
Ok,  take the musical 'sound' of the Pacific Northwest,  tuned down a step or two. THEN,  imagine that quantified sound has sex with Fugazi. The child they'd produce would be Harkonen.   Best Song: Smile Pretty

3)Various Artist-Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit The West Memphis 3-Santuary Records.  
Thank GOD for Henry Rollins and his political stance. Otherwise,  this amazing album would have never graced out ears. This album is so good I can even forgive the inclusion of Corey Taylor.  Most of the songs on here actually OUT ROCK the original Black Flag versions,  if you can believe that.  Of course,  this album gets bonus points for being so good AND benefiting a damn good cause. Best Song: American Waste-Neil Fallon AND Six Pack-Mike Patton

2)Queen Of The Stone Age-Songs For The Deaf - Interscope Records
The talent that Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri have is scary. This album may be getting a lot of love in mainstream press,  and that's fine.  BUT,  it still doesn't take away from the fact that this is the finest thing to come out of Oliveri and Homme yet,  and they'll only continue to get better.  Bonus points are awarded to this album because Dave Grohl drums on it and that alone is worth getting the album.  Best Song: Millionare

And,  finally....

THE NUMBER ONE ALBUM OF 2002

Bloodjinn-Leave This World Breathing - Goodfellow Records.
This album was easily my 'Most Anticipated' album of 2002. I waited..and waited...and waited. Then,  finally,  it was released. Wow. I mean,  it scares me how much these guys continue to improve with each album they release.  While, not for all musical tastes,  'Leave This World Breathing' will blow you away if you even THINK you like heavy music.  This album has it all; killer vocals,  amazing guitar work,  pounding bass,  blasting drums...oh,  and IT'S A CONCEPT ALBUM! My thanks to Bloodjinn for providing me with an album I can listen to over and over without ever tiring of
it.  And for making the album of the year. Best Song: Goodnight But Not Goodbye

So,  there you have it.  Next year is looking good too...new stuff from Converge,  a supposed rarities collection from Nirvana,  'Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas' FINALLY getting the "Special Edition" treatment for DVD...and god knows what else.  Should be fun.  So, until next year...have a safe and happy Xmas...and an even better New Years.
The first round is on me....
 

Questions, Comments and stupid reasons why Courtney didn't kill Kurt (HAHAHAHA) should be emailed to:  [email protected]

Visit At a Fever Pitch to read Dr Fever's take on life and culture.