1 Nickel Creek This Side (Sugarhill).  The second album from this California trio of young bluegrass-enthusiasts was a lightning spark of creativity. Instead of retaining their first album style of Alison Krauss-like acoustic- folk- bluegrass, violinist Sara Watkins, guitarist Sean Watkins, and mandolin ingenue Chris Thile made a daring leap forward by infusing their bluegrass background into a beautiful collage of
rock, pop, jazz, and classical song styles. Incredibly original music that hits on the gamut of emotions, Nickel Creek remembers that although their tasteful improvisations and solos on their instruments are positively genius, it's always the melody that's the thing. No other album this year infused me with that feeling of joy you get when you hear a truly transcendent work of art. And they even cover a Pavement song!  Buy this CD

2 Tom Waits Blood Money/Alice (Epitaph).  Buy this CD

3 Coldplay A Rush of Blood to the Head (Capitol).   Buy this CD

4 The Roots Phrenology (MCA).  Buy this CD

5 Medeski, Martin, and Wood Uninvisible (Blue Note Records).  Buy this CD

6 The Flaming Lips Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (WB).  Buy this CD

7 Eminem The Eminem Show (Interscope).  Buy this CD

8 Brad Mehldau Largo (WB).  Buy this CD

9 Rosebud Vespers (self-released).  Buy this CD