The last few 'best of' lists from 2002 are dribbling in - namely Rolling Stone writers' Top 10 albums and Empire Magazine's (fairly conservative) Top 50 Films Of The Year.

Meanwhile, back in the world of blog Olav puts us all to shame with the amount of thought he's put into his review of the year. Quality stuff and well-written to boot. Meanwhile Steve Sabo has presented his Top 10 Albums of 2002 and again there are some excellent choices accompanied by well-reasoned arguments. There's also some controversial selections for over-rated albums of the year (namely Mum, Ugly Casanova and Liars) for you to chew over.

I was interested that Steve had included Loud Like Nature by Add N To (X) amongst his Top 10 albums (well, if we're being pedantic, Top 11) as this is an album I bought for myself this Xmas. It's been out a couple of months but the uninspiring lead single and some dismissive reviews dissuaded me from an immediate purchase. However, having heard a few tracks on Peel I liked, and read some more positive reviews around the net, I decided to explore what is (amazingly, as they don't seem to have been around that long) their fifth album.

And I'm glad I did. Although it doesn't contain anything as catchy as 'Metal Fingers In My Body' or 'Plug Me In' the record is a much happier blend of their 'big beat' tendencies and more experimental electronic inclinations than previous albums, making for their most coherent and cohesive record since 'On The Wires Of Their Nerves'. Which is all the more remarkable since apparently the three members of the group wrote and recorded their respective tracks separately. It's tuneful, funky and fun, with the addition of the usual buzzes, clicks and whirrs for which the band are well known for, making for one of this year's surprise packages and contender for Under-Rated Album Of The Year.