Song: Sometimes Always
Artist: Jesus & Mary Chain, Scotland
Album: Stoned and Dethroned, 1994
Notes: Perhaps the finest and most accessible lost nugget room the Scottish alt-rocker's most accomplished and well-rounded album. Superb guest vocal by Hope Sandoval from Mazzy Star. ('Fade Into You).
Song: Carry My Body Down
Artist: Nick 13, Berkeley, CA
Album: Nick 13, 2011
Notes: Lovely rolling Country/Americana number from first solo outing by Kearney Nick Jones who's also the frontman of psychobilly combo, Tiger Army.
Song: Best Days
Artist: Matt White, New York
Album: Best Days, 2008
Notes: Simple, uncomplicated, got a few spins three years ago but largely flew under the radar. Matt studied classical piano from an early age (and composed an entire opera at the age of 11), busked around Greenwich Village after leaving college, now forging a sturdy professional career.
Song: Let Me Go
Artist: Maverick Sabre, England
Album: Maverick Sabre, 2011
Notes: Maverick Sabre is the performance name of Michael Stafford, 21-year old newcomer. A fabulous aggregation of sonic ideas, mixing R&B, folk, electronica, vintage soul - but it all comes together so well.
Song: Don’t Change
Artist: INXS, Australia
Album: Original Sin, 2009
Notes: A new version of an old INXS chestnut from a neat self-tribute album. Several interesting guest vocalists take the lead singer role of the late Michael Hutchence (John Mayer, Ben Harper, Rob Thomas etc.) - but this one features original INXS members Andrew Farriss and Kirk Pengilly sharing vocal duties.
Song: Was It Really All That Bad
Artist: Lex Land, Los Angeles
Album: Were My Sweetheart To Go, 2011
Notes: Too good for prime time: real, earthy, everyday lyrics, understated musical magic from quirky, underrated songstress. Download her new album at lexland.net.
Song: Happiness Writes White
Artist: Harvey Danger, Seattle
Album: Little By Little, 2005
Notes: Band recorded so many catchy pop-rock nuggets over the years - so much more to them than their 1998 signature hit, 'Flagpole Sitta'. The group formed in 1993 in Seattle, fronted by keyboardist and lead singer, Sean Nelson.
Song: The Living Proof
Artist: Mary J. Blige, Bronx, NY
Album: The Help Original Soundtrack, 2011
Notes: 'Nothing about my life's been easy, But nothing's gonna keep me down' - written by the R&B star after seeing a pre-screening of the hit summer movie, 'The Help'. A soulful, no-nonsense R&B/pop ballad that's a cut above the rest.
Song: Far Enough Away
Artist: Mark Sholtez, Australia
Album: The Distance Between Two Truths, 2010
Notes: Little gem tucked away on very promising sophomore album from Aussie singer-songwriter. Recorded the long-player in Los Angeles under the production genius of Larry Klein.
Song: Stand Tall
Artist: Dirty Heads, Huntington Beach, CA
Album: Any Port in the Storm, 2008
Notes: Received a few Modern Rock spins a few years ago, sturdy rock-reggae number from California-based, Clash-inspired combo formed by Dustin Bushnell and Jared Dirty J Watson in Orange County in 1996.
Song: Keep Moving
Artist: Ashley Noot, England
Album: Throwing Away Your Love Songs, 2011
Notes: Originally from Texas but now UK-based, breaking through using the power of social media, especially via the online music recommendation service Grooveshark.com.
Song: Elephants
Artist: Rachael Yamagata, Arlington, VA
Album: Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart, 2008
Notes: Lyrically themed on getting over a lost love deftly using animal analogies. Immensely thoughtful, soft ballad performed to bittersweet perfection by much overlooked songstress.
Song: Hello Again
Artist: Amos Lee, Philadelphia, PA
Album: Mission Bell, 2011
Notes: Latin-laced neo-soul folk from artist who just seems to get better with each new release. 'Mission Bell' album sold just 40,000 legitimate copies in its first seven days of release, but enough to go straight in at number 1 on Billboard (lowest pole position sales ever logged).
Song: Invisible Ink
Artist: Aimee Mann, Richmond, VA
Album: Lost In Space, 2002
Notes: Impeccable lost pearl by top songstress who has yet to record a bad album over seven long-players since 1993 (after she left Til Tuesday). Aimee runs her own fab SuperEgo Records label.
Song: Olivia
Artist: Rayland Baxter, Nashville
Album: Not available - see website
Notes: Sterling, earnest Americana from an unreleased album which is stacked with future lost gems. Currently unsigned, five demos available for streaming at raylandbaxter.com
Song: Star
Artist: Stealers Wheel, Scotland
Album: Ferguslie Park, 1974
Notes: A mid-chart placing commuting in from mid-'70s from the Scottish duo of the late Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan. Surprisingly, the band's first two albums were produced by legendary songwriting team of the (late) Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.
Song: Believe
Artist: Nicholas Ruth, Oakland, CA
Album: A Rounder's Requiem, 2011
Notes: Tunesmith Ruth moved to LA in 2001 and fronted a really good California band called Malbec. Now solo, check out free downloads at www.nicholasruth.com.
Song: Someone To Someone
Artist: Ross Copperman, Roanoke, VA
Album: Not available, 2011
Notes: One of Lost and Found's top undiscovered songs of 2011. Irresistable melody, strong lyrics, builds superbly. Top drawer singer-songwriter magic from 28-year old now based in Nashville.
Song: I Hate Seagulls
Artist: Kate Nash, Ireland
Album: My Best Friend Is You, 2010
Notes: Odd but highly rewarding - Kate seems to hate buying toothpaste and rude ignorant people, but seems to love picking strawberries, cream teas and ghost stories. Always raw and authentic, highly original.
Song: The Book of Love
Artist: Peter Gabriel, England
Album: Shall We Dance Soundtrack, 2004
Notes: Gorgeous treatment by Gabriel of a composition originally written and recorded by Stephen Merritt, better known under his recording moniker, Magnetic Fields, in 1999. Recorded by Gabriel for Richard Gere-starring movie.
Song: Ruined In A Day
Artist: New Order, England
Album: Republic, 1993
Notes: Early '90s single which somehow got nowhere. Great video featuring a game of charades with a bunch of Buddhist monks. New Order due to (finally) reunite for live benefit concert in Brussels in October.
Song: Deer
Artist: Manchester Orchestra, Atlanta, GA
Album: Simple Math, 2011
Notes: Lead-off track from an already under-appreciated album. Band fronted by Andy Hull, been together for six years, opening for Coldplay at the newly revived Midtown Music Festival in Atlanta next weekend.
Song: Die For You
Artist: Billy Redfield, Maryland
Album: Two Steps Closer, 2006
Notes: Infectious repetitive guitar hook which trademarks this lovely breezy song from tunesmith who is influenced by Dave Matthews. Strong live performer, fans call themselves 'Redheads'.
Song: Precious
Artist: Depeche Mode, England
Album: Playing The Angel, 2005
Notes: Got some modern rock radio exposure back in 2005 but not enough. Amazingly this is the enduring synth-rockers 41st single release.
Song: Plain Sailing
Artist: Tracey Thorn, England
Album: A Distant Shore, 1982
Notes: Very first solo recording before She formed Everything But The Girl with Ben Watt. Sadly no new music from EBTG since 1999 - they've both worked on side and solo projects for more than a decade and focused on raising their three children.
Song: I Adore You
Artist: Melpo Mene, Sweden
Album: Bring The Lions Out, 2008
Notes: Wonderfully harmonious, dreamy rather engaging and relaxing cut from Swedish indie rock combo fronted by a clever musician, Erik Mattiasson.
Song: Best Days of My Life
Artist: Rod Stewart, England
Album: Blondes Have More Fun, 1978
Notes: Self-penned lost gem from hopeless romantic . Don't understand why he stopped writing his own material which was often so much better than the cover version lounge-singer dross of recent years.
Song: Two Shots
Artist: Elle King, New York
Album: Not available
Notes: Minimalist folk rocker with excellent bittersweet bubbler, biting lyrics. Unsigned (how?) - more at www.myspace.com/ellekingmusic.
Song: 3 Wishes
Artist: Dave Thomas Junior, England
Album: The Prize, 2010
Notes: Delightful, simple, melodic pop-folk from a relatively new tunesmith from Essex in the UK. Quiet lost gem once featured on the ABC tv series, 'Brothers and Sisters'.
Song: The New Hello
Artist: Hawk In Paris, Nashville
Album: Digital track, 2011
Notes: 'Goodbye is the new hello'. An avalanche of anthemic pop-rock electronica. Another unsigned Nashville based combo. Band is named after a live album by jazz great, Coleman Hawkins.
Song: The End (Creasy Dies)
Artist: Lisa Gerrard, Australia
Album: Man On Fire Soundtrack, 2004
Notes: Desperately sad and original orchestral masterpiece from Denzel Washington-starring film soundtrack. Astonishing, deeply moving music with idioglossia lyrics: an idiosyncratic language invented by one person's imagination.
Song: Chocolate
Artist: Snow Patrol, Scotland
Album: Final Straw, 2003
Notes: Overlooked third single from band's 2003 opus. New 'techno'-directed album expected from Snow Patrol early next year - a real departure for their normal melodic rockers.
Song: Florida Rain
Artist: Matt Bauer, Brooklyn, NY
Album: The Island Moved In The Storm, 2008
Notes: First-rate undiscovered Americana from Kentucky native now based in NY. Album was entirely based around the story of an unsolved murder in 1968 of a girl who lived near Matt's childhood home.
Song: Inside These Lines
Artist: Trent Dabbs, Nashville
Album: Your Side Now, 2009
Notes: Piano-driven beauty from musician's musician who has worked with the likes of Erin McCauley, Gabe Dixon, Amy Stroup and Mat Kearney.
Song: All The Same To Me
Artist: Anya Marina, San Diego
Album: Slow and Steady Seduction: Phase II, 2009
Notes: Neo-jazzy horns and playful, sex-kitten vocal style. Anya's music often graces tv shows like 'United States of Tara' on Showtime, Grey's Anatomy and (sadly) 'The Real World' on MTV.
Song: Painkiller (Summer Rain)
Artist: Turin Brakes, England
Album: Ether Song, 2003
Notes: Such an American sound, surprising that this modern folk rock duo are actually from east London in England. Olly Knights and Gale Paridjanian are longtime chums, childhood friends who formed their musical unit in 1999.
Song: Miss Invisible
Artist: Marie Digby, Los Angeles
Album: Unfold, 2008
Notes: Recorded when Marie was 21 years old for a talent competition while she was still in her freshman year at the University of California at Berkeley. Strong following in Japan where she took part in a benefit concert for victims of the earthquake earlier in the year.
Song: New Morning
Artist: Alpha Rev, Austin, TX
Album: New Morning, 2010
Notes: Excellent rousing chorus from alt-rock combo firmly fronted by Casey McPherson - who has recruited more than a dozen different musicians to play in the band at different times. Song featured once on the dreadful 'Celebrity Rehab' with Dr. Drew (if anyone needs rehab for an addiction (to self-promotion and fame) - it's dear old Dr. Drew).
Song: Kept
Artist: Matt Nathanson, Lexington, MA
Album: Modern Love, 2011
Notes: Yet another artist signed to one of America's finest record labels, Vanguard Records (www.vanguardrecords.com). One of several essential tracks by Matt from his uber-good recent album.
Song: By Your Side
Artist: Beachwood Sparks/Sade, Los Angeles, England
Album: Once We Were Trees, 2001
Notes: Very different dream-pop indie cover by LA-based combo segued into Sade's superb original about unconditional friendship.
