the mostly solid site Spectrum Culture has a very interesting article right now about the top 10 albums of 2003, from a perspective of five years later. Not sure I agree with all the choices, but it's pretty interesting. http://spectrumculture.com/2009/01/best-cds-of-2003.html
my top 20 from 2003! 01) The Panics - A House On A Street In A Town I'm From 02) Phaser - Sway 03) Bluebottle Kiss - come across 04) Halogen - save the ones you love 05) The Stills - logic will break your heart 06) The Cooper Temple Clause - Kick Up the Fire... 07) Great Lake Swimmers - moving pictures silent films 08) Leaves - breathe 09) The Beta Band - hot shots ii 10) Guided by Voices - Universal Truths and Cycles 11) Biffy Clyro - The Vertigo of Bliss 12) The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow 13) Mew - frengers 14) My Morning Jacket - it stills moves 15) The Unicorns - who will cut our hair when we're gone 16) Million Dead - a song to ruin 17) The Wrens - meadowlands 18) Clearlake - Cedars 19) The Hidden Cameras - the smell of our own 20) The Postal service - give up