I am going to try and whittle this list down to 10. Amazingly, there was a lot to like in 2004, sound-wise. And while I didn't have the privilege of hearing everything out there, I can opine about what was best of what I did hear. Now, I will proclaim my favorite LP of the year at the end, but the remaining nine are in no particular order.

• Van Lear Rose - Loretta Lynn This collaboration between country-music legend Loretta Lynn and Jack White of the White Stripes was an unexpected thrill. White produced (and performed on) the album, and Lynn — for the first time in her long career — wrote all the songs. The result: Moody, rocking, passionate songs that cut to the emotional core. One may not have imagined these two artists teaming up, but thank the goddess they did.

• Good News For People Who Love Bad News - Modest Mouse The breakthrough LP for the indie-rockers may rile some of their old fans, and rightfully so. The joy of the Mouse has been the band's unwillingness to conform to the musical mainstream. But this LP, which sounds strangely down-to-earth, manages to be more accessible than anything the Mouse produced before, yet just as exuberant. Worked for me.

• From A Basement On The Hill - Elliott Smith The troubled artist left this coil in 2004, and the album he left behind is wonderful and heartbreaking all at once. Not surprisingly, the music is simply beautiful, filled with emotion-packed vocals, lush backing harmonies, and rich sonic textures. Smith will be missed, and From A Basement on the Hill gives mourning fans, old and new, a fond farewell.

• The Delivery Man - Elvis Costello On this LP, the real king continues his foray through musical genres — this time, with backing band the Imposers, he visits the world of Southern American roots and gospel music. The songs touch upon a number of themes, including the nature of humankind and anti-war politics. The result is a soulful, clever album that Costello aficionados and appreciators of American roots-rock will enjoy.

• Beautifully Human: Words & Sounds Vol. 2 - Jill Scott Four years after we discovered this amazing vocalist — Who Is Jill Scott, Words & Sounds Vol. 1 still has a frequent place in my CD player — she followed it up with this gem. The wait was certainly worth it: Volume 2, which mixes jazz, soul, and old-school hip-hop breakbeats with the singer's powerfully emotive voice, is at least as mesmerizing as Scott's debut. I can't wait for Volume 3.

• Folker - Paul Westerberg The erstwhile Replacement came back in 2004 with an album that shows him being more open and real than in any of his earlier solo work. Folker is reflective, personal, grown-up mood-pop that will resonate with anyone looking back at choices made in life and that continues Westerberg's winning ways as a solo artist.
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