so for the most part, this was a terrible year for music. all i see nowadays are best of lists topped with eminem......not to sugar coat or playa hate, but he's a marginal talented mc at best and should thank sweet jesus that silly white kids buy a ton of records.......all i'm saying is, if it's a battle of white rappers, i'll take the guys from 3rd base anyday......okay, that was my rant. there was lots of great stuff that came out this year, so i've decided to make my own best of list.......
1) pedro the lion- control.......this entire album is absolutely brilliant. pure despair, isolation and regret bellied with hypnotic melodies.
2) the flaming lips- yoshimi battles the pink robots.....the closest we'll ever get to an indie rock circus. i'm fairly sure that wayne is from another planet. 'do you realize' is the sweetie single of the year.
3) wilco- yankee hotel foxtrot........yes this album has been out for over a year, but offical it came out this year......my kids are gonna be digging this album when i'm a useless ol' fart.
4) spoon- kill the moonlight.......a real rock and roller. something i put on while i'm driving and singalong like a silly freak. "the way we get by' is my offical anthem.
5) rhett miller- the instigator........when i first heard he was putting out a solo record, i had some serious reservations. did he wanna become the new ryan adams or something?......but at least half of this record is pitch perfect. 'four eyed girl' makes me smile each and every time i hear it.
6) the explosion- flash flash flash.......this is a real punk rock album god damn it!!
7) ben weasel-fidetevi..........so is this one.
8) death cab for cutie-the photo album......i love everything this band does, but this really was the shit.....and i mean that in a good way.
okay, that's my two cents. what do you guys think?
another year has come and gone. two thousand and two, i hardly knew ya. while i could wax poetics about all the incredible/horrid/tedious stuff that's happened these past 365 days, i'll spare you (but mostly myself). i would like to wish all my friends, family and fellow creatures of the earth a very happy and healthy new year.
-i would like to thank all my close friends for putting up with me during my down and out phrase (you know, the first thirty or so years of my life).
- welcome my two little cousins (mj and emily) into their first full year. grow up soon, i need the company at the little kids table.
-and not to get gushy, but all my awe and love to mamiko. it's been a pretty rad year, right babe? can't wait for the rest of 2003.
typedslowly 
Thursday, January 02, 2003