This Side (Sugar Hill SUG-CD 3941, 2002) is Nickel Creek's full artistic arrival, produced by Alison Krauss with engineer Gary Paczosa. Chris Thile (mandolin, bouzouki, vocals), Sara Watkins (fiddle, strings, vocals), Sean Watkins (guitar, vocals), and Byron House (acoustic bass) push further into indie rock and classical territory — most memorably with a cover of Pavement's "Spit on a Stranger" — while retaining the acoustic virtuosity of the debut. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album at the 45th Grammy Awards in 2003 and was certified Gold by the RIAA. Note: the catalog's personnel entry lists "Keith Moseley" — the String Cheese Incident bassist — as a data error; the correct bassist is Byron House.
Tracklist
- 1 Smoothie Song 3:21
- 2 Spit On A Stranger 2:35
- 3 Speak 4:01
- 4 Hanging By A Thread 4:07
- 5 I Should've Known Better 4:28
- 6 This Side 3:33
- 7 Green And Gray 3:37
- 8 Seven Wonders 4:10
- 9 House Carpenter alt version 5:31
- 10 Beauty And The Mess 2:52
- 11 Sabra Girl 4:04
- 12 Young 3:30
- 13 Brand New Sidewalk 4:17