Favorites from our 2002 CD rotation, listed alphabetically.(Sound Recording Review)

Beck, "Sea Change" (Interscope)--It's hard for Beck to release a record without reviving the time-honored, and somewhat timeworn, question of his authenticity. Is he an ironist in mannerist's clothing? A mannerist with the heart of a collagist? A parodist with a genius for pastiche? The matter isn't settled with this record, a set of moody breakup ballads that seems like a calculated rejection of the white-boy funk of his last album, "Midnite Vultures." But after immersing yourself in the beautiful melodies and the surprisingly inventive production, you may not care.

Solomon Burke, "Don't Give Up On Me" (Anti)--The singer and songwriter Joe Henry has had an erratic career as an artist, but he redeems himself completely as a producer, overseeing this full-fledged comeback by one of the most flamboyant and sublime soul singers of the sixties. Burke was great back when he was belting out "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" and "Cry to Me"; here, he's even better, tearing into songs donated by Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Van Morrison, Brian Wilson, and Bob Dylan.

Manu Chao, "Radio Bemba Sound System" (Virgin)--Born in Paris to Spanish parents, Chao sings in the languages of his birthplace, his ancestors, and contemporary commerce (English). But Chao is no free-market cheerleader, and this collection, which was recorded last year during his epic world tour, includes sharp-edged songs from his earlier days in Mano Negra (the French rock group named after an Andalusian anarchist group) and his two recent solo albums.

Missy Elliott, "Under Construction" (Elektra)--Elliott's previous album with her producer Timbaland, "Miss E . . . So Addictive," was a breakthrough, unpredictable and full of humor. Here, she and Timbaland refine their sound, simplifying the beats and thickening the melodies. Elliott's raps, while sometimes raunchy, are never crass. The first single, "Work It," is an instant classic along the lines of her earlier hit "Get Ur Freak On," and the entire record is dirty fun for the whole family.

The Flaming Lips, "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" (Warner)--In this delicious caricature of a full-blown rock opera, Wayne Coyne and his fellow Oklahoman visionaries have once again created an enveloping sonic utopia. This time, the Lips take inspiration from the Starburst-colored world of Japanese anime, as the black-belt heroine Yoshimi battles with Goliath-like foes amid Cat Stevens melodies, pulsing Ms. Pac-Man beats, heart-tugging symphonic interludes, and the occasional swell of canned applause.

The Hives, "Veni Vidi Vicious" (Warner)--This five-man Swedish band, fronted by the irrepressible Howlin' Pelle Almqvist--who can come off as a true garage-rock savant or a second-rate Mick Jagger--may not have sold as many records as the Vines or graced as many magazine covers as the Strokes, but they have better clothes, better videos, and, most important, better songs ("Main Offender," "Hate to Say I ...