BEST MUSIC OF 2002: The Boss, Steve Earle top list

Top 10 lists, by their very nature, annoy me.

Mostly because I tentatively jot down my picks for the 10 best albums of 2002, look at other lists by more worldly and dedicated music writers and reach a depressing realization: I don't listen to enough music.

That may come as a surprise to those who know me. Friends would scoff, because most records I listen to, they've never heard of. One pal likes to joke that when I make a trip to the Disc Exchange, I march up to the counter and tell the clerk, ``Give me the weirdest stuff you got!''

No matter. My selections seem limited compared to other records I've never heard this year. So instead of calling these the best records of 2002, I'm simply titling this list, ``The Best Albums I Heard This Year.''

1) ``The Rising,'' Bruce Springsteen: Just when we needed him, The Boss came through with an album of post-9/11 angst wrapped in a human package. Songs like ``You're Missing'' and ``Nothing Man'' ache, while others, including the title track and ``My City of Ruins'' swell with hope. A great record that seems to epitomize the uncertainty and confusion prevalent in these troubled times.

2) ``Jerusalem,'' Steve Earle: Nashville's maverick twang-rocker tackles Sept. 11 from the other end of the spectrum, asking hard questions about America's darkest hours. He was blasted for a song about American Taliban John Walker Lindh by critics who never heard the song, but it's rockers like ``Ashes to Ashes,'' with a Crazy Horse vibe of foreboding, that make this Earle's finest effort since ``El Corazon.''

3) ``Riot Act,'' Pearl Jam: I've been a Pearl Jam fan since ``Ten,'' but the past several albums have been hard to embrace. They've seemed scattered, all over the map; ``Riot Act'' trumpets a return with stinging clarity. Songs like ``Save You'' and ``Green Disease'' focus tight riffs against Matt Cameron's blazing drums, and Eddie Vedder never sounded so passionate as he does on the plea for unity, ``Love Boat Captain.''

4) ``By the Way,'' Red Hot Chili Peppers: What a fantastic record. Every song -- every single song shines, and the influences make this a diverse album as well, with ska, salsa, rock and a little of everything else thrown in. If you only heard the title track or ``Zephyr Song'' on the radio, you're missing the other 14 fantastic tracks that make this one the tightest Peppers' record in years.

5) ``1,000 Kisses,'' Patty Griffin: Call it a rainy day album -- a set of slow, rich songs tinged with a hint of melancholy. Griffin's vocals are exquisite, and her story-songs, particularly ``Chief'' and ``Long Ride Home,'' are ones that will stay stuck on repeat in your player.

6) ``Mono,'' Grandpaboy: OK, you'll be hard-pressed to find this one, but take heart: It's sold separately, but it's also a bonus disc packaged with ``Stereo,'' the new record by Paul Westerberg. Grandpaboy is Westerberg's alter-ego, and ``Mono'' is a rough, rocking record of passion and fury. Westerberg's guitar work shines, and the songs haven't been this fast-paced since his days with The Replacements. A great record to lift up your mood.

7) ``One Beat,'' Sleater-Kinney: Another Sept. 11-inspired record finds the Portland, Ore., trio questioning governmental intrusion on basic freedoms, all wrapped up in some excellent three-chord punk rock.

8) ``I Name You Destroyer,'' Jucifer: Loud, raw and furious -- when the band played The Pilot Light in Knoxville's Old City, they had to stop after 50 minutes because the drummer snapped every stick in his bag. Amber Valentine's guitars and sex kitten-meets-demon girl vocals kick ass.

9) ``Cow Fish Fowl or Pig,'' The Gourds: If you've never heard the quirky Tex-Mex Americana stew recorded by The Gourds, this one's a good place to start. The music ranges from rollicking to goofy, but you'll always have a grin on your face.

10) ``All things small produce a spark,'' the Westside Daredevils: Easily one of the best albums by a local band I've ever heard. The punk-influenced pop-rock generates some genuine sing-along gems, from ``Andrea'' to ``Strange You Haven't Fled'' to ``We Miss Him So.'' Park of this record was recorded in Blount County -- Rockford, to be exact -- and the guys are regulars at Patrick Sullivan's and The Pilot Light in Knoxville. Don't miss a chance to catch the Daredevils in concert.

Steve Wildsmith is the Weekend editor. Contact him at steve.wildsmith@thedailytimes.com or at 981-1144.