This Side
# This Side

Professional ratings :

| Review scores ||
| - | - |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | |
| Billboard | (positive) |
| The Phantom Tollbooth | |
| PopMatters | (mixed) |

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.

## Chart performance

### Weekly charts

| Chart (2002) | Peak position | Certification |
| - | - | - |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 18 | Gold |
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 2 | Gold |
| U.S. Billboard Top Independent Albums | 1 | Gold |
| U.S. Billboard Top Bluegrass Albums | 1 | Gold |

### Year-end charts

| Chart (2002) | Position |
| - | - |
| US Top Country Albums (Billboard) | 33 |
| Chart (2003) | Position |
| US Top Country Albums (Billboard) | 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
