Sarah Kucharski is the Smoky Mountain News’ Arts & Entertainment Editor. Over the years she’s probably spent more time in music stores than she ever spent doing her homework, which might explain why she ended up in this job rather than becoming say, an accountant. For her, purchasing an album is more of an emotional investment and commitment than any actual relationship, therefore it takes time — and that might explain why no one will go with her to the music store anymore. She likes toffee, cats and short walks on the beach and gets made fun of for missing phone calls due to having the stereo turned up too loud.

1. Modest Mouse, The Moon and Antarctica (Expanded Edition)

It’s probably cheap to list a re-release as No. 1, but if four bonus tracks of BBC Radio 1 Sessions are enough to pull this shiner out of the 2003 category, that’s fine with me. The genres of folk and grunge run headlong into a glorious car crash, are taken to the hospital on an alternative gurney, and resurrected with an injection of some bluegrass and Middle Eastern byproduct. One solid listen.

2. Tift Merritt, Tambourine

Lost Highway Records did this Texan come North Carolinian good. Infinitely more Merritt than her toned-down debut Bramble Rose, Tambourine gets the grit in your eyes. You’ll hear Petty’s Heartbreakers’ signature slide on “Stray Paper,” one of the gosh darned best opening tracks ever made. If you’re planning a road trip anytime soon, better load this one in the player.

3. Modest Mouse, Good News For People Who Love Bad News

The follow up to The Moon and Antarctica, Modest Mouse was catapulted onto the mainstream music scene with their single “Float On,” which channels the Rolling Stones for a violently good time. Fronted by the Belushi-esque Isaac Brock, the band rocks out on the death anthem “Bury Me With It,” gets contemplative with the banjo on “Bukowski” and serenades failure with “Blame It On The Tetons.” Understated lyrical masters. Next time you’re making a mix tape, let these guys do the talking.

4. Original Soundtrack, “Ray”

This might as well be a best of collection, as its comprised of all those Ray Charles tunes that you may not know why or when you first heard them, but you’ve remembered them ever since. Ray got a lot of flack for his hyped up gospel. That’s how it is with anyone truly revolutionary. “I Got A Woman” and “Born to Loose” shine.

5. Beta Band, Heroes to Zeros

Picked up on the Beta Band with the “High Fidelity” soundtrack and their tune “Dry The Rain.” The group is distinctly more electrified with Heroes to Zeros, putting out a wild, weird symphony of simple layered riffs, woven with ghostly, British vocals, broken by full-on, exhaustive rock outs. Must have tracks include the funkified “Easy” and “Simple.” Only downer is “Wonderful,” which despite its vague evocation of The Doors suffers from a flat, squishy chorus.

6. Phoenix, Alphabetical

It’s oh so apropos that a follow up album would be themed a relationship revisited. Alphabetical cranks out “Everything is Everything” — a spunky single about the ease of the already known — mellows into acoustic driven ballads with “Love For Granted” — a stripped down ode to the ease of the already known — morphs into Daft Punkish soul meets electronic beats with “Victim Of The Crime,” “(You Can’t Blame It On) Anybody,” “If It’s Not With You” and “Holding On Together.” Notice a pattern? It’s not a break up album, it’s an album for taking a break.

7. Dwight Yoakam, The Very Best of Dwight Yoakam

This 20 track collection travels chronologically through Yoakam’s Kentucky-born crooner come cowpunk career from his first breakthrough with “Honky Tonk Man” to the brand spankin’ new tunes “The Late Great Golden State” and “The Back of Your Hand.” You’ll find yourself hankerin’ for a tight pair of jeans and some Bakersfield Biscuits when it’s all over cause you’ve got to love a man who can play with Buck Jones then turn around and cover 80s pop-rock “I Want You to Want Me,” as though it were a blue collar anthem.

8. Two Dollar Pistols, Hands Up

Sideburns, a cowboy hat and swivel hips make John Howie Jr., who fronts the Pistols, just too much fun to turn down. Admittedly the Pistols are better on stage than on compact disc, but I’ll put on my boots and dance in my living room with a beer bottle in my hand all the same to new classics “Too Bad That You’re Gone” and “It Doesn’t Matter Much To Me.”

9. Eminem, Encore

Wanted this one to be higher on the list, but Eminem has fallen prey to his own conventions, using tired reprises of old tunes and finally succumbing to the words that censors like Cheney have called him for years — immature. Encore holds its own through track six, with the darkly honest “Never Enough” featuring 50 Cent and Nate Dogg and the should have been Kerry’s campaign theme song “Mosh” (it’s rumored Em released the track early with hopes of influencing the election). But everything goes down the toilet — literally — with track seven, only to be restored by the Michael Jackson slam “Just Lose It,” which is catchy, but nothing new.

10. Wilco, A Ghost Is Born

The best thing about this album is its name. Wilco enjoyed commercial success with their last album Yankee Foxtrot Hotel, which boasts more accessible, near rock tunes. The move alienated some hardcore fans, but those looking for a follow up need not look to Ghost. Experimental dissonance, repetitive beats and what are supposed to be solos turn this album into one big bucket of — we didn’t have anything better to do. “Hell is Chrome” comes in as a digestible second course, “Company In My Back” warms up the ears and “I’m A Wheel” dares to rock, despite rabidly nonsensical lyrics. It’s not as bad as the first listen would indicate; Ghost grows on you like a fungus.