Here's my pick of favs from 2002. 1. June Tabor - Rosa Mundi. Breathtakingly beautiful! This one might take a few listens, but the rewards are well worth the effort. This is late night, glass of wine, roaring fire kind of music. Extremely romantic, highly melancholy, and exquisitely recorded. Accompanied primarily by piano, and string quartet, June's voice has never sounded better. I can't imagine anyone on this list not being knocked out by this recording.
2. Joni Mitchell - Travelogue. Not much to say that hasn't already been said. This album absolutely works for me. 3. Steve Earle - Jerusalem. Rocking and controversial - this is classic Steve. 4. Peter Gabriel - Up. This one took a while, but has really grown on me. While driving to work one day, my wife called to tell me that her mother had finally succumbed to her fight with lung cancer. In one of those amazing synergystic moments, immediately after hanging up with her, the song "I Grieve" started to play. It was so emotionally wrenching, that I had to pull off the road. Anyone who has ever lost a loved one, either to death or through a painful break up, should be able to feel the despair in this song. 5. Beck - Sea Changes. This guy keeps finding new ways to express himself, and this latest release is a beaut. I was a little put off at first by the sameness of the sound over the whole CD, but this no longer bothers me. Another one for thoses quiet evenings at home. I'm sure there were others, but these are the five that I keep returning to over and over. Jack
