My favorite album to this day is Nebraska, which basically consists of Bruce with only his acoustic guitar. Can anyone recommend similar albums?

I really can't think of any. I assume you're not looking for rap or techno suggestions. Maybe some acapella group like Rockapella? Bobby McFerrin doesn't have a band AFAIK, but he does use his voice as "instruments" to back his vocals.

Sometimes there will be a track on an album that features just the vocalist and a guitar, and later in the track a band kicks in ("Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman and "The Last Day of our Acquaintance" by Sinead O'Connor comes to mind), but it's rare to have a whole album with no band backing at all.

Having said that, Tenacious D plays live with just Kyle and Jack on acoustic guitar, but their album has band backing.

Have you listened to Springsteen's "Legend of Tom Joad"? It seems to pick up where "Nebraska" left off thirteen years earlier.

keith jarrett, koln concert. don't know if this counts, but it's the best solo musician album ever most likely.

There are bound to be tons of folk albums that feature a lone singer and acoutic guitar. The first four Dylan albums, for instance:

Bob Dylan
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
The Times They Are a Changin'
Another Side of Bob Dylan

Not to mention scads of recordings by Woody Guthrie or Robert Johnson...

Well, most of Billy Bragg's work is just him and a guitar. So just buy anything of his

It's Ghost of Tom Joad.

My favorite is I Often Dream of Trains by Robyn Hitchcock.

Patty Griffin: "Living With Ghosts"

joanna newsom - milk-eyed mender

Paul Westerberg "Stereo"

PJ Harvey - 4 Track Demos (personally I loved this much more than Rid of Me)
Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes
Cat Power - You Are Free
Liz Phair - Exile in Guyville (not sure if this counts, but...)
Would Bjork's Medula count?
And if Flood counts then I must mention Lincoln, my favorite by TMBG.

and I'm much agreed with Hollowgen's reply. Glad someone else here has heard (and liked) my favorite album from 04.

I was going to recommend that, but hesitated because Bragg used an electic guitar, and it might not have been what the OP had in mind, although "open All Night" from Nebraska has electric guitar backing.

BTW, the tracks on Back to Basics are just about the only ones from Bragg's career that contain just his vocal and guitar. Most of the songs from his later work have much more instrumentation, up to and including a full backing band.

Robyn Hitchcock - Eye
Gerald Collier - I Had To Laugh Like Hell (although some songs have other musicians)
Dwight Yoakam - dwightyoakamacoustic.net
John Wesley Harding (the singer, not the Dylan album) has quite a few great songs with just him on guitar
same with Johnny Cash

I LOVE "Every Little Bit" off of that album.

Does it count if it sounds like there's a band, but every instrument was actually played by the artist (who is also the singer)? A lot of electronica would fall into this category.

Joni Mitchell- Blue

If it does, then:

keller williams is a one man band that plays about 20 different instraments on stage by looping them one at a time. i believe he has also recorded afew of his albums this way. he's amazing, check him out next time he comes to town.

If that's the case, Nine Inch Nails albums would work as well. Trent Reznor does all of the music himself.

While I wasn't a fan of it, many people were talking up Bjork's new album, Medulla. I believe it done with just her voice, and no instruments at all.
I think Fantomas would fit into this category as well. Mike Patton seems to just make a hell of a lot of random noises with mostly his mouth. The result is... interesting to say the least.

For me the one that comes to mind first is Paul McCartney's first solo album "McCartney" released in 1970. He recorded the entire album in his living room with a four track recorder, playing every instrument himself. He did have some backing on "Band On The Run" from Denny Laine, but the album was largely recorded by Paul himself.

A more recent release that qualifys is Jason Falkner's "Author Unknown". He plays every instrument himself.

Yeah, I really shouldn't have said that. I really haven't listened to much of his stuff from later on in his career lately and am only really focused on the stuff of Bragg with a guitar. Though Don't Try This at Home gets a lot of play on my stereo.

I'm giving this one a shot at Amazon, listening to some snippets, and I can't get past a major annoyance factor. Her voice is like nails on a chalkboard to me. Is this the kind of album that grows on you?

Absolutely. I bought this after hearing someone rave about it on another site. I heard the voice before buying and was skeptical- but I love quirky female singers, and am always looking for something completely new to me.

At first listen, I liked it but thought it wasn't much to rave about, after a few listens I started to catch on and started loving her lyrics and appreciating her voice (there's more range to it than is apparent at first listen). Now it's my favorite album of last year and it's almost always in my car when going to work (in fact, driving home last night in the snow I listened to "This Side of the Blue" 4 or 5 times in a row to soothe my nerves).

Of course, many (most?) people hear her voice and stop listening before 30 seconds have past and then call it the worst they've ever heard, so what do I know?

an amazing album.
Add Tuck & Patti - Best of.... Their version of "Time After Time" is great.

Warren Haynes - "Live at Bonnaroo"

Just a man and his guitar. Great intimate set.