This Side

"I Should've Known Better" redirects here. For the song by The Beatles, see I Should Have Known Better.

This Side is the Grammy-winning third album by the progressive bluegrass band Nickel Creek, released on Sugar Hill in the summer of 2002. It gained attention in indie rock circles due to the group's recording of a Pavement song, "Spit on a Stranger". Alison Krauss acted as a producer for the album.

This Side
Studio album by Nickel Creek
Released	August 13, 2002
Genre	Progressive bluegrass
Length	49:58
Label	Sugar Hill
Producer	Alison Krauss
Nickel Creek chronology
Nickel Creek (2000) This Side (2002) Why Should the Fire Die? (2005)
Singles from This Side
"This Side" "Speak" "Smoothie Song"
Alternative cover
Japanese cover

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Billboard	(positive)[2]
The Phantom Tollbooth	[3]
PopMatters	(mixed)[4]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Smoothie Song"	Chris Thile	3:20
2.	"Spit on a Stranger"	Stephen Malkmus	2:34
3.	"Speak"	Sean Watkins	4:01
4.	"Hanging by a Thread"	Gordon Kennedy, Wayne Kirkpatrick	4:06
5.	"I Should've Known Better"	Carrie Newcomer	4:27
6.	"This Side"	Sean Watkins	3:33
7.	"Green and Gray"	Chris Thile	3:36
8.	"Seven Wonders"	Sean Watkins, David Puckett	4:10
9.	"House Carpenter"	Traditional; version of "The Daemon Lover"	5:30
10.	"Beauty and the Mess"	Chris Thile, Luke Bulla	2:52
11.	"Sabra Girl"	Andy Irvine	4:04
12.	"Young"	Chris Thile	3:29
13.	"Brand New Sidewalk"	Chris Thile	4:16
Total length:			49:58

Japanese bonus track

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
14.	"Smoothie Song"	Chris Thile	3:20
Total length:			53:18

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (2002)	Peak position	Certification
U.S. Billboard 200[5][6]	18	Gold[7]
U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums[5][6]	2
U.S. Billboard Top Independent Albums[5]	1
U.S. Billboard Top Bluegrass Albums[8]	1
UK Country Albums (OCC)[9]	5

Year-end charts

Chart (2002)	Position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[10]	33
Chart (2003)	Position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[11]	37

Personnel

Nickel Creek

• Chris Thile – mandolin, bouzouki, guitar, strings, arranger, vocals, harmony vocals
• Sara Watkins – fiddle, ukulele, guitar, strings, arranger, vocals, harmony vocals
• Sean Watkins – guitar, arranger, vocals, harmony vocals

Other musicians

• Byron House – upright bass
• Edgar Meyer – upright bass
• Robert Trujillo – upright bass on "Smoothie Song" video

Credits

• Producer: Alison Krauss
• Engineers: Gary Paczosa, Neal Cappellino, Jason Lehning, Tracy Martinson
• Assistant engineers: Eric Bickel, Rob Clark, Thomas Johnson
• Mixing: Gary Paczosa
• Surround mix: Gary Paczosa
• Mixing assistant: Eric Bickel
• Mastering: Don Cobb, Eric Conn, Robert Hadley, Doug Sax
• SACD mastering: Don Cobb, Eric Conn
• Editing: Tracy Martinson
• Production assistants: Jennie Billo, Tasha Thomas
• Art direction: Wendy Stamberger
• Design: Wendy Stamberger
• Photography: John Chiasson
• Illustrations: Terry Hoff
• Assistant: Eric Bickel