The story of Mary Cutrufello is not exactly a rarity in the music business. It's the tale of an artist who draws a lot of attention from major labels, comes this close to achieving her dream of superstardom, and then watches in disbelief as the bottom falls out.

• Cover craziness abounds with a pair of terrific new releases. This past month Chicago's punk and cornpone label, Bloodshot Records, celebrated its 100th release of authentic independent country. As a treat to the fans, the label culled its vaults for an appropriate thank-you, and the result is one of the most captivating collections I've heard in a while.

• Do you feel like starting your own record label, boasting an artist lineup that includes Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald, and Maria Callas? A recent New York Times article by Anthony Tommasini has brought to light another weakness in the American record industry's armor - the upcoming tide of European import CDs that take advantage of Europe's copyright-protection laws that put recordings into the public domain after only 50 years.

With the rolling wheels of the record industry grinding down for a holiday break, here are more of my picks for the best of 2002. Best Spoken Word CD of the Year: Paul Krassner - Irony Lives! (Artemis Records) Recorded earlier this year in the post-September 11 dialogue, this thinking-man's comedy release comes from the fertile and skewed mind of the co-founder of the Youth International Party (Yippies) and all-around muckraker, a nail among the balloons of government and the media elite.