Song: Let The Light In
Artist: Bob Schneider, Austin, TX
Album: A Perfect Day, 2011
Notes: Fabulous cut from new album. Solid live performer, huge in Austin where he's won more than 20 Austin Music Awards over the years.
Song: Saviour
Artist: Dee Carstensen, New York
Album: The Map, 1998
Notes: Lost gem from sorely underrated singer-songwriter, Dee is also a top harpist - and busy mum - she hasn't released any new music for more than 6 years.
Song: Belle of the Boulevard
Artist: Dashboard Confessional, Boca Raton, FL
Album: After The Ending, 2009
Notes: Released as a single to universal silence a couple of years ago. Band led by Chris Carrabba, cut 6 good albums over 11 years.
Song: Still In Love With You
Artist: Sade, England
Album: The Ultimate Collection, 2011
Notes: Added at the last minute to the group's (Sade is the group moniker, Sade Adu is the singer's name) new hits compilation. Tasteful cover of an old Thin Lizzy track.
Song: Everyday Now
Artist: Texas, Scotland
Album: Southside, 2009
Notes: First-rate but overlooked modern rock. Originally from Glasgow, group was formed by Johnny McElhone and lead singer, Sharleen Spiteri.
Song: Single Girls
Artist: Laura Jansen, Denmark
Album: Bells, 2009
Notes: A terrific plaintive ballad from Danish-American newcomer, her frank reaction to being single after a failed relationship. Toured with our next artist.
Song: They Bring Me To You
Artist: Joshua Radin feat. Erin McCarley, Shaker Heights, OH
Album: Simple Times, 2008
Notes: Great backing vocals by guest singer, the brilliant Eric McCarley. Josh is signed to one of the best indie music labels out there, Mom and Pop Records out of New York.
Song: Give Me Something (acoustic version)
Artist: Scars on 45, England
Album: Not available
Notes: You may know the song - a current hit - but not this version: stripped down mostly acoustic gem. Group led by former professional soccer player, Danny Bemrose.
Song: All Lost At C
Artist: Angel Taylor, Los Angeles
Album: Love Travels, 2009
Notes: She never disappoints, bit of a bluesy ballad from her sensational maiden effort.
Song: Rise Above 1
Artist: Reeve Carney feat. Bono and the Edge, New York
Album: Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark Soundtrack, 2011
Notes: Anthemic belter from much-hyped Broadway farce, lead vocal by Carney who plays Spiderman and lives next door to Peter Parker in Greenwich Village. Looking forward to U2 on ice next year.
Song: The Days of Our Lives
Artist: Blue Nile, Scotland
Album: High, 2004
Notes: Song without a chorus and still sounds so good. Highly inventive and enigmatic Scottish band fronted by perfectionist, Paul Buchanan.
Song: Set Fire To The Rain
Artist: Adele, England
Album: 21, 2011
Notes: While everyone is playing 'Rolling In The Deep' and 'Rumor Has It', we'll continue to play the strongest cut from her second album until it's a hit.
Song: Portobello Belle
Artist: Dire Straits, Scotland
Album: Communique
Notes: Unmistakable sandpaper vocals of Mark Knopfler & Co., with overlooked gem about a woman in West London's fashionable Notting Hill area.
Song: Come Back Down
Artist: J. Viewz, New York
Album: Rivers and Homes, 2011
Notes: Excellent rolling electronic/acoustic meld from one-man band/producer called Jonathan Dagan. He released a series of 'work in progress' songs on internet, now collected as a proper album.
Song: Too Late, Farewell
Artist: Delerium, Canada
Album: Voice, 2010
Notes: The vision and project of Canadian keyboard whiz Bill Leeb. Song is from a sublime acoustic album reworking former tunes.
Song: Strange Overtones
Artist: David Byrne & Brian Eno, Scotland/England
Album: Everything That Happened, 2008
Notes: Rather engaging collaboration by top art-rockers, Scottish-born co-founder of Talking Heads and the king of the ambient groove genre from their second release together.
Song: Season’s Trees
Artist: Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi feat. Norah Jones, New York/Italy
Album: Rome, 2011
Notes: Recent teaming of uber-hip producer Danger Mouse with Italian composer, Daniel Luppi, and Norah's lovely vocals. Despite what critics say, rest of the album is ridiculously overrated.
Song: The Persuaders (TV Theme)
Artist: John Barry, England
Album: The Collection Box Set, 2001
Notes: Showing the above how it's done, bit of kitsch, instrumental nostalgia from James Bond soundtrack composer legend, John Barry who recently passed away.
Song: Life In Mono
Artist: Mono, England
Album: Formica Blues, 1997
Notes: Sounds like European film soundtrack music - but never featured in a movie. Glorious track from electronica/pop duo of Siobhan de Mar
Song: Stay Young, Go Dancing
Artist: Death Cab For Cutie, Bellingham, WA
Album: Codes and Keys, 2011
Notes: Lovely, understated rolling track with good advice, which closes the maturing band's strong new album.
Song: What Good Is Love
Artist: Schuyler Fisk, Los Angeles
Album: Blue Ribbon Winner, 2011
Notes: Daughter of actress, Sissy Spacek (who taught her guitar), graduate from the University of Virginia with a rather enchanting number.
Song: Fake Empire
Artist: National, Cincinnati, OH
Album: The Boxer, 2007
Notes: Sturdy quintet led by deep baritone of Matt Berninger with a pair of brothers, the Dessner lads and the Devendorf siblings.
Song: Waiting On A Friend
Artist: Rolling Stones, England
Album: Tattoo You, 1981
Notes: Evergreen cracker from Mick and Keith. Music video filmed in NY outside 96, St. Mark's Place in Manhattan - same building depicted on front cover of Led Zeppelin's 'Physical Graffiti' album.
Song: Love Shines
Artist: Ron Sexsmith, Canada
Album: Long Player, Late Bloomer, 2011
Notes: Much under-appreciated singer-songwriter from Ontario, loved by many other musicians (McCartney, Costello etc.). Been knocking it out of the park over 11 albums since 1991.
Song: Teardrop
Artist: Massive Attack, England
Album: Mezzanine, 1998
Notes: Haunting heartbeat theme to the hit medical drama tv series,
Song: Drive
Artist: Dawn Landes, Louisville, KY
Album: Straight Lines EP, 2008
Notes: Intriguing acoustic gem from worthwhile seven-song EP. Married until very recently to another fine singer-songwriter, Josh Ritter.
Song: Mirror Man
Artist: Human League, England
Album: The Very Best Of, 2003
Notes: Mixing Motown-inspired beats and backing vocals with synth-pop rock. Written by lead singer, Phil Oakey about another 80s pop star, Adam Ant.
Song: Barricades
Artist: Fyfe Dangerfield, England
Album: Fly Yellow Moon, 2010
Notes: Lovely string arrangement, understated vocal style. One album to date, which also features a good cover of Billy Joel's 'She's Always A Woman'.
Song: You Used To
Artist: Distant Cousins, England
Album: Warm Hatred, 1992
Notes: Extremely obscure and very worthwhile lost pearl from Manchester-based band, recorded at Abbey Road in London. Once toured with Stone Roses.
Song: Red Dirt Girl
Artist: Emmylou Harris, Birmingham, AL
Album: Red Dirt Girl, 2000
Notes: Grossly overlooked gem from one of the greats. A+ album features guest spots from the likes of Springsteen and Dave Matthews.
Song: Not As We
Artist: Alanis Morissette, Canada
Album: Flavors of Entanglement, 2008
Notes: The saddest song of all time (at least this week), written about one of her own lost loves. Too sad for words.
Song: Middle of Nowhere
Artist: Hot Hot Heat, Canada
Album: Elevator, 2005
Notes: Lost rocker from Canadian indie quartet fronted by Steve Bays - much influenced by British new wave acts of the 1970s (XTC etc.)
Song: Lost In My Mind
Artist: Head and the Heart, Seattle
Album: The Head and The Heart, 2010
Notes: Intriguing indie folk-rockers from Seattle, signed to the city's legendary Sub Pop Records label.
Song: Song 6
Artist: Freak Power, England
Album: More of Everything For Everybody, 1996
Notes: Groovy electronica from genre-whiz, Norman Cook (formerly in the Housemartins and Beats International). Extremely rare corker, hard to track down, sorry.
Song: The Light Today
Artist: Eddie Vedder, Evanston, IL
Album: Ukulele Songs, 2011
Notes: Engaging stripped-down cut by Pearl Jam frontman's new 'ukulele-only' album recorded entirely with the underrated four-string instrument originally imported by Portuguese cowboys to Hawaii in the 1800s.
Song: In The Deep
Artist: Bird York, Los Angeles
Album: Crash Original Film Soundtrack, 2005
Notes: Shades of Sarah McLachlan, Bird York is performing name of actress Kathleen York. Song written for the 2005 Oscar-wining movie, 'Crash'.
Song: Food For Thought
Artist: UB40, England
Album: Signing Off, 1980
Notes: Written about famine in Ethiopia, the first ever single from veteran British reggae combo, sadly sans distinctive lead singer, Ali Campbell since 2008.
Song: Connected
Artist: Stereo MCs, England
Album: Connected, 1992
Notes: Big transatlantic hit in early '90s, samples vocals from the reggae hit, 'Now That We Found Love' by Third World.
Song: Stuttering
Artist: Ben's Brothers, England
Album: Beta Male Fairytales, 2008
Notes: Song by British indie rock quintet, featured in a Dentyne Ice television commercial but otherwise flew under the radar.
Song: Is This All There Is?
Artist: Nanci Griffith, Seguin, TX
Album: Blue Roses For The Moons, 1997
Notes: Sensational ballad from the queen of Americana. Parent release was rightly named Best Contemporary Folk Album at the Grammys.
Song: Eleanor Rigby
Artist: Nguyen Le/Beatles, France/England
Album: Songs of Freedom, 2011
Notes: Two versions of the Beatles classic, the first a World Music reading by a terrific Vietnamese French jazz musician, followed by McCartney's original with George Martin.
