Recording of the Year
Published February 13, 2003
7) Stairway to Heaven - Dolly Parton
This recording is not as unlikely an idea as you might imagine. "Stairway to Heaven" by rights was really a folk song guilded in fancy Led Zeppelin guitar work. Dolly brings out the more pastoral aspects of the song. The arrangement is intricate and flawless, her voice as good or better than ever.
8) Without Me - Eminem
The guy's getting substantially overexposed and overrated. Geez, he's probably already sold more records than James Brown. Nonetheless, this is one of the top good time jams of the year. It's got a real song underneath the rhythmic elements, strong hooks, and probably his best ever lyrical celebration of the pure joy of bad-boyism. Note the distinctly celebratory natue of this song versus the free floating anti-social anger of, say, "The Real Slim Shady." It also has an exceptional video.
9) Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground - White Stripes
Real rock and roll romance, a strong tune, and some harsh guitar for that extra dramatic edge.
10) John Walker's Blues - Steve Earle
Personally, I think John Walker Lyndh deserved to be shot. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. Despite me being really unsympathetic to the idea, the actual song is probably the best thing Earle's written in a dozen years or more.
Honorable mention also to "The Man Comes Around" by Johnny Cash; "My Ride's Here" by Warren Zevon; "Lose Yourself" by Eminem; "The Last DJ" by Tom Petty; "Tear Off Your Own Head", "Alibi", and "Episode of Blonde" by Elvis Costello; "None of Us Are Free" by Solomon Burke; and "Lord Franklin" by Sinead O'Connor
- Recording of the Year
- Published: February 13, 2003
- Type:
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: Rock, Music: Rap, Music: Hip-hop, Music: Pop, Music: Electronica, Music: Children, Music: Blues
- Writer: Al Barger
- Al Barger's BC Writer page
- Al Barger's personal site
- Spread the Word
- Like this article?
- Email this
Save to del.icio.us
Comments on this articleComments
Add your comment, speak your mind
(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/3163)
Good list, Al: clearly, you've been in a Critiquee frame o' mind.
Me, I think the Earle song (not the best on the album, to my ears, but there-ya-go) is part of a folk tradition: songs told from the perspective of a real-life outlaw (as opposed to some country poseur claiming to be an "outlaw.") I find the song pretty matter-of-fact in its presentation - perhaps too much to be really challenging - but hardly the unpatriotic screed many of its critics claimed it was before they'd even heard it.