Gillian Welch's "Soul Journey." Easy choice. I'm a sucker for alt-country/roots music, and Welch makes some of the best, stripped down but catchy. The album is filled with simple, lasting themes: the legacy of parents, the loss of lovers, the weight of the past, the hope of heaven. It's hard not to love an album that starts with an homage to Augustine: "I wanna do right, but not right now." And even though it's a sparsely produced, stark album of mostly acoustic music, at times it just rocks in a put-down-your-cigarette-and-sing-along kind of way.

Mike Marshall and Chris Thile "Into the Cauldron"

If you enjoy acoustic virtuosity, this one is for you. Two of today's best mandolin artists (and I dont use that word lightly) doing a little bit of everything. Bach, bossa, boogie and all kinds of cool stuff. Just two guys and their mandos: not for the faint of heart.

I dunno about "CD I bought" but, um, songs I've been listening too off an album would be the new Fountains of Wayne.

Derek Webb - She Must and Shall Go Free.

The lyrics. They're hard to hear, but so important to the modern church. Fabulous.

Maybe I should have worded it a little more loosely then? How does "album you obtained" strike you?

Either way, I can't really decide about my own favorite. I've bought some good cds this year, but nothing I'd call a 5 star album.

BRMC's Take Them On, On Your Own is a solid rock record, full of attitude, kind of a more distorted-guitar Interpol. I bought Travis' The Invisible Band at McKay's a few months ago and it's quite good also.

i havent purchased it yet, but i thought id mention it since it will have been the only album I have purchased in several years (and I would definately consider myself as one who loves music). The band is PROTO, and I believe the album is self-titled. They are local, and they have a distinct, yet very appealing flavor.

John Mayer: Live

I don't have the studio album yet but I caught a bit of a live show of his and was really impressed. It grows on you more and more. It's real basic just accoustic, drums and bass most of the time - but solid and GOOD. I usually judge good music by how quickly you get sick of it, and this one has been on high rotation for quite a while. He has some classic lyrics too that you have to listen closely too to catch, good stuff. Alot about relationships that most people can relate to.

my favorite purchase would be my most recent purchase of the band Chicago. It is the two cd set of most all of their greatest hits. It conjurs up thoughts of my youth. Eating pizza at Pizzaville and playing Pacman on the table version of the game and watching Karate Kid.This may sound funny but my favorite quote from that movie is by that japanese dude when they are standing on the bridge and daniel has ticked that guy off for the last time. It's funny to me too. he says "You insult my honor again." "Now you must die." Or something to that effect. LOL!! I Love chicago.

Haven't purchased much but about a month ago I bought Diary and LP2, both by Sunny Day Real Estate I like them both but LP2 is phenomenal. Especially track number 6 entitled 8.

Very hip, Slaw. I remember hearing a good bit of hype about SDRE.

Beck's Mellow Gold--"Truckdrivin' Neighbors Downstairs" is worth the price of the CD. This is '90's ironic geek rock at it's best.

I say that some of these albums mentioned are excellent (esp. Gillian Welch and Travis), but that the best album I've bought this year is probably going to have to be Neon Golden by the Notwist; its a crazy mix of electronica and rock that must be heard to believed (in that electronica and rock are tricky to mix, but the Notwist pull it off seamlessly).