My top ten albums:

Ginger sister issued a challenge to come up with you top ten favorite albums asking: What are your top ten?
What do you always return to, no matter what?

I'll do her one better and tell you the reasons why I always return to them.

My top ten are probably (in no particular order):
1. Trumpet Child - Over the Rhine ~ I keep coming back to this album because it's just really good.  Lots of well written (both musically and lyrically) songs with a lot of heart.  Plus they're really fun to sing along with!
2. Living with Ghosts - Patty Griffin ~ This is the album I listen to when I need to feel empowered.  There's no one like Patty to make a girl feel like she can do anything she sets her mind to! 
3. Speakeasy - Stavesacre ~ Although I am not as die hard of a fan as a used to be (3 concerts in one weekend), I still continually return to this album.  I love the combination of great lyrics with powerful music.  Also Gold and Silver is really fun to sing harmony to.
4. Ohio - Over the Rhine ~ I really could probably put every Over the Rhine Album on this list, but these two are definitely the ones I listen to most often.  This one I listen to for a lot of the same reasons as the other album, they really are just darn good!
5. America IV - Johnny Cash ~ I love me some Johnny Cash and it doesn't get better then listening to him sing Dirt and Desperado.  Love it!
6. Extraordinary Machine - Fiona Apple ~Also a girl power album!  Fiona is very creative, in this album especially.  I really just love it.
7. Has Been - William Shatner ~ That's right, I have a spoken word album and I listen to it all the time!  I am a huge closet Shatner fan, if you've seen the first season of Bosten Legal then you know why.  I Think he is a comic genius and this album and he did with Ben Folds Five proves it.  He also has a deep and dark side, who knew!
8. Free At Last - DC Talk ~ This was the first album I ever bought with my own money and I still know all the raps.  It really takes me back and deep down I still like it.
9. Toxicity - System of the Down ~ I still can't believe anyone can sing like he does, I have to keep listening to make sure, plus the first song helped me to memorize a bunch of facts and statistics about drug addiction and jail time.
10. The Essential Billy Joel Disc 2 - Billy Joel ~ Disc 2 and only disc 2.  For some reason I don't like young Billy Joel.  The original reason I started listening to this album was because Uptown Girl was the song we heard most often on our (Amanda, Mark and some other people) on our trip to Senegal.  Now I also can't live without For the Longest Time and Goodnight Saigon.

This was easier then I thought, mostly because I don't own all that many albums.  Most of what I listen to is burned on a mix or on Pandora.  If I had any Beatles albums (I just have a mix) it would be up there.  Coldplay Rush of Blood to the Head is also a close contender.