Judged by the music charts and commercial radio, 2001 was a rather average year for music. There were a few long-term items (Linkin Park and Alicia Keys most notably), but there certainly wasn’t enough new music to keep one listening to commercial radio. No doubt part of the problem stems from the consolidation of radio formats as illustrated by Clear Channel Radio’s 1200 stations awhich are all centrally programmed from Covington, Kentucky. Another reason stems from the record companies’ response to the downloading of music and to Internet radio. While the major record companies did do Napster in, these majors failed to see that the public wanted new music and would seek it out virtually any way possible via downloading or listening to the new net radio stations which are all over the web. So instead of constructing a venue to "get the music out", the major companies basked in their victory but failed to give the listeners a vehicle in which to hear new music through a reasonably cheap downloading procedure or through supporting web radio. My mild prediction is that within a year or so the major labels will get weaker and less influential once internet music becomes massively accessible, that is, as soon as the major software and computer companies truly address the issue of music distribution (Microsoft and AOL are rapidly heading in that direction as we speak).

But with these thoughts aside, here is a partial list of recordings released this last year that received scant air-play but are worth seeking out.

Elliott Smith
Figure 8
52:06

Four years ago Smith produced a world-class pop recording entitled XO. The songs were mature and catchy. The sonic display of Smith voice and the shimmer of his acoustic guitar were ear catching and well produced. Smith’s latest tunes are still accessible, but his production work and arranging skills have made great steps. Now his tunes are placed within a production frame that highlight his lyrical themes and interesting musical ideas, thus making a recording that holds up to repeated listening and ultimately leaves one humming Smith’s strong tunes.

Bob Dylan
Love and Theft
57:25

I had very little doubt that Dylan’s latest record would receive a Grammy award for best recording of the year. It’s clearly one of the best of the year. While not getting a lot of air play—Dylan never has—there isn’t a bad cut on this recording. Although the styles shift and wander a bit, I don’t think there has been a more enjoyable and consistent Dylan recording since his "Blood on the Tracks" masterpiece from almost 30 years ago. The reason seems to lie in Dylan’s new confidence in his music and arranging. Of course the lyrics are ever-strong, but now Dylan seems to be letting his earlier music works interact with larger "American" musical ideals—tunes from the dancehalls, the deep rural honky-tonks—resulting in a record that is diverse yet consistent. In this recording, Dylan has found a ground that easily embraces the rough edges of the blues and the fine ends of tin pan alley. In this combination Dylan’s recording becomes powerfully listenable and important and worth every nickel.

Lucinda Williams
Essence
50:57

There simply are some artists who cannot make a bad recording. With Williams this is because of her great melancholy voice and a lyrical sense second to none. Not to suggest that every recording of Williams is a masterpiece or that every cut is superlative, but Williams does possess a gift for imagery and song structure that can be heard in virtually every tune she writes. On her opening tune "Lonely Girl" Williams sings "Heavy Blankets, Heavy Blankets, Heavy Blankets cover lonely girls." This extraordinary image fits perfectly with Williams’ vocal support and the haunting arrangement of her laconic music. The result is a musical impression that grabs the listeners and makes them see Williams’ point of view, which is always the point of extraordinary music.

Jon Brion
Meaningless
44:29

It might be argued that guitar-based pop music is as much at the center of rock’n’roll as the blues. No doubt the blues has given rock’n’roll its structure and form, but I’m convinced that guitar pop is the vehicle many songwriters choose to display their lyrical talent. Certainly Dylan has used this genre many times, and there are many artists who similarly live by this style: Aimee Mann, Fiona Apple, Elliott Smith, The Wallflowers and a slew more. The point is that very often rock’n’roll only becomes massively popular when it is musically connected to guitar pop music. Producer, song writer, multi-instrumentalist Jon Brion clearly understands this and has produced a rip-roaring pop recording that should be sought out. Each tune is catchy and powerful, full of interesting musical hooks and lyrical catches, all forcing the listener to pay attention. This record sounds great particularly on the quirky and interesting pop masterpiece "Walking Through Walls," and "Ruin My Day."

Clem Snide
The Ghost of Fashion
47:48