Just picked this up on E-bay for $5.50. Seems like I've been looking for it forever. There's no chance I'll get to hear it in time for the Shmoo poll deadline - but I've got expectations that it should be top 20.

I knew that Jan. 15 deadline was gonna bite me on the ass.

Cool album, but you knew I'd say that. Top 5 all year for me...well, since the official release at the end of March anyway, when I got my mitts on it. But some call it a 2003 since it got a small prerelease at the end of 2003. I predict you'll love it. It has just about all the qualities in one album that makes music good for me. Very far reaching, but still highly musical and with great flow. Missing just a little bit of soul to take it over the top, but still one of the best I heard this year.