1. This Is Not A Film by Underwater: This album holds up after many many listens. A great soulful electronica album.
   
   
2. Home Is Where It Hurts by Hood: A stunning EP. Features my favorite song from this year, It's Been A Long Time Since I was Last Here.
   
   
3. Change by The Dismemberment Plan: Another stunning album from one of the best rock bands in America.
   
   
4. Les Bains Douches by Joy Division: A 22 year old concert recording from a band that is better than almost another other group, ever.
   
   
5. Special by Violet Indiana: Robin Guthrie is my hero. 'Nuff said.
   
   
6. Underland by Miles Tilmann: Amazingly good groovey yet mellow electronica.
   
   
7. The Argument by Fugazi: Fugazi have released yet another great album, only this time they are a post-punk band and not a hardcore act. I haven't stopped listening to this since i got it two months ago.
   
   
8. A 24 Syllable Haiku by Isobella: This just came out, although i got a promo copy in April. It was the soundtrack to my summer: intertwined guitar melodies. A great sophomore album from a band i continue to be impressed with.
   
   
9. Idiology by Mouse On Mars: They run the gamut from hard beat dance music to abstract sound collage. And they do it all so very well.
   
   
10. Happiness by Fridge: An album of really great sound collages. I am still kicking myself for missing their show.
    
    
11. Consciousness by Windy And Carl: 30 plus minutes of abstract guitar drones. One of the most purely relaxing albums i have heard in a long time. Brillo would hate it!
    
    
12. Azure Ray by Azure Ray: Beatuiful female harmonies with light guitarwork. A stunning debut. When is the next album coming out?

1. Sketches Of Spain by Miles Davis: I really got into jazz this year, in a much deeper way than i ever have before. Miles was a genius, and i keep coming back to the subtle melodies of this album.
   
   
2. Music Has The Right To Children by Boards Of Canada: A very groovy electronica album, and one that has had a huge influence on electronica now. You can hear a BoC influence on Miles Tilmann, Plaid, and Biowire, among others. But BoC did it best.
   
   
3. The Mirror Pool by The Autumns: Although their last release was disappointing, this album still rocks my world. It's a swirly mess of guitars and voices, and is the perfect album for driving around Atlanta on sunny days.
   
   
4. Places You Call Home by Mean Red Spiders: Even better than their second album, if you can believe that. Shoegazer ain't dead -- it's just Canadian these days, eh?
   
   
5. Young American Primitive by Young American Primitive: I have heard back from dozens of fellow fans after posting this review. Strange, that. But this is a truly great album.
   
   
6. Love At Absolute Zero by My Favorite: The 80's ain't dead, and synthpop is still as catchy as it ever was.
   
   
7. Gold by Bethany Curve: Stark melodies concocted out of swirling guitars.
   
   
8. 33 by SouthPacific: Another great Canadian shoegazer band, unfortunately now defunct.

Sitting mext to my stereo is an ever-growing stack of new stuff that i need to get around to reviewing. These albums sound really good on the first few listens. Eventually i will get around to reviewing them...

Know By Heart by American Analog Set
You Brought Us Here by Bethany Curve
Amerigo Vesta by Casionova
Jetlag Dreams by The Departure Lounge
Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Live Forever by Explosions In The Sky
Elm Street by Lanterna
In The Fishtank Volume 7 by Low with The Dirty Three
Elesgium by Lowsunday
Fuse Time For The Working Force by Plug Spark Sanjay
The Sound Of The Color Of The Sun by SIANspheric

1. THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS w/ Pinfed on Saturday.31.March.2001: Okay, the opener blew chunks, but i had waited 15 years to see The Furs, and they were every bit as brilliant as i had dreamed they would be.
   
   
2. RED HOUSE PAINTERS w/ Champale on Monday.25.June.2001: Again, the opener failed to impress, but Kozelek and co could have played forever on that stage, and i would have been perfectly happy.
   
   
3. ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO w/ Kelly Hogan on Saturday.1.December.2001: Continuing my theme, i could live without the opener, but Alejandro was brilliant!
   
   
4. JOE STRUMMER AND THE MESCOLEROS on Thursday.4.October.2001 at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC: I had just gotten laid off, and yet still sent on a business trip. Big companies are screwy like that. And yet, i got to see Joe. I had waited 20 years to see him in concert, and when they played Armagiedeon Time everything was right in the world. Thanks Joe -- i owe you one.
   
   
5. ARAB STRAP w/ Japancakes on Saturday.7.April.2001: Arab Strap were cracking sexist jokes and drinking like mad. But there music was so beautiful that i was able to get over that.
   
   
6. UNDERWATER w/ Audomobil?, Tourmalin, and Intelligent Life Form on Friday.2.March.2001: This night went late, but all 4 acts (i later found out that the two DJ's were called "Intelligent Life Form", so i wanted to update that) played beautifully. I will miss Underwater.
   
   
7. The CellOrgy on Saturday.29.December.2001: This time i liked the openers more than the headliner. Martyr & Pistol played good 80's rock, but American Dream stold the show. This is definitely the best performance i have ever seen from this band i like a lot. I think we owe it all to Joel, The Star Bar's genius of a soundguy.
   
   
8. THE ORB w/ Witchman and LX Patterson on Saturday.14.April.2001: There is a reason that The Orb are one of my favorite bands, and even if their last album wasn't their best, they still put on an amazing show. This concert also introduced me to Witchman, who is rather great himself.
   
   
9. TORTOISE w/ Autechre and Nobukazu Takemura on Thursday.24.May.2001: A strange show, with the somewhat boring Autechre set. But Tortoise live are more amazing than any band has the right to be.
   
   
10. BURNING AIRLINES w/ Moreland Audio and Schatzi: I will forever miss The Purkinje Shift, but Moreland Audio is a fine continuation, and they get better with each show. Burning Airlines were an unexpected treat -- earnest DC hardcore that works very well in a live setting.