Our picks for the Electronic Album of 2002:
1) 18 by Moby
2) When I Was Cruel by Elvis Costello
3) Shine by Operatica
4) Original Pirate Material by The Streets
5) Come With Us by the Chemical Brothers
"A sinister cabal of superior writers."
Article comments
1 - Greg Greene
Elvis Costello?!!
2 - Ben Welsh
Costello?
I'm confused.
Boards of Canada, RJD2, DJ Shadow anyone?
3 - Eric Olsen
This was an odd category, I'll agree. We'll do better next time.
4 - Al Barger
Yes, Elvis Costello. I was his top supporter here. It is somewhat pushing the point to consider this as "electronic," but it's defensible not generally for his career, but arguably for this specific album.
The main most defense of the electronic label is most specifically the title song, "When I Was Cruel #2." It's a trip hop SONG that Portishead would commit homicide for. By that genre, and by the fairly highly electrically processed structure of the recording, it seemed reasonable. There's some more processed beats and sounds than typical for an Elvis record. In short, I grant that the Elvis album was significantly behind many others in the degree of electronicness.
However, whatever he lacked in heavy handed processed electronic beats he arguably more than made up for in superior songwriting. I value songwriting, particularly the composition of high quality MELODY the most core issue of what makes a good record in any genre.
5 - batgirl
It BEGAN in Africa
what a radical song