Ok, I'm running out of time to sort this out, so here goes:

Top 10 new releases of 2002:

1. Neil Halstead - Sleeping on Roads. It feeds my wandering spirit.
2. Lambchop - is a woman. It helps me stay indoors.
3. St Etienne - Finisterre. It reminds me that I live in a city.
4. Mekons - OOOH!.
5. Grand Salvo - River Road.
6. Wagons - Trying to get home.
7. Interpol - Turn on the bright lights.
8. Damien Jurado and Gathered in Song - I Break Chairs.
9. The Church - After everything now this.
10. Songs: Ohia - Didn't it rain.

Nearly there: Spoon, The Notwist, Golden Rough, Registered Nurse.

Bands whose new releases I bought too late to get enough of a listen to: Steve Earle, the Mountain Goats, Happy Supply, Low, Iron & Wine.

Bands whose new releases I hadn't got around to buying yet but kinda meant to: Ninety Nine, Neko Case, Suicide, Gersey, The Walkmen.

non-2002 releases that I bought this year and particularly enjoyed:

• the American Analog Set - Know by heart.
• American Music Club - Mercury.
• Lambchop - Nixon.
• Slowdive - Pygmalion.
• Lali Puna - Scary World Theory.
• Whiskeytown - Pneumonia and Faithless Street.

CD I've owned for ages but recently "rediscovered":

• Jack Frost - Snow Job.

Best covers/tribute album:

• Total Lee! - the songs of Lee Hazlewood.

Best gigs:

• Mark Eitzel's fun.
• Morrissey did a better gig than most of us expected.

Best labels:

• Spunk! brought heaps of great overseas stuff to this part of the world.
• Trifekta had a great boat party - there should be more of them.