Nashville (2005)

There are approximately 2,138 white-guy singer-song-writers currently vying for your attention, and while they all seem like perfectly nice fellows, it's hard to imagine any of them topping themselves six albums into their career — a feat Rouse accomplishes with the persistently gorgeous Nashville. Songs like ''Winter in the Hamptons'' and ''Middle School Frown'' draw from both the Mac and the Moz, patching together Cali rock's orange-sunset warmth with Britpop's relentless longing. Somewhere, Nic Harcourt is having a glee-induced seizure.