Song: Hey Little Girl

Artist: Icehouse, Australia

Album: Primitive Man, 1982

Notes: Catchy New Wave chugger by Aussie synth-pop rock act in the tradition of Roxy Music and Duran Duran. Band was a loose ensemble always revolving around one chap, singer-songwriter/producer/multi-instrumentalist, Iva Davies who was inducted into the Australian Rock Hall of Fame in 2006.

Song: Miles On A Car

Artist: Rachael Yamagata, Arlington, VA

Album: Chesapeake, 2011

Notes: Too good, one of several melodic highlights from one of the best lost albums of recent years, 'Chesapeake'. Her most mature and accessible collection to date, it was recorded at the home studio of top producer, John Alagia, on the Chesapeake Bay.

Song: Foreign Fields

Artist: Elton John vs. Pnau, England/Australia

Album: Good Morning To The Night, 2012

Notes: Elton John's 1973 vocal 'High Flying Bird' reimagined, recreated, a downright clever resurrection by the young Australian duo of Peter Mayes and Nick Littlemore who've wrapped brand new electronic atmospherics and melodies around the original cut. Entire album is more of the cunning same.

Song: Left That Body Long Ago

Artist: Amy MacDonald, Scotland

Album: Life In A Beautiful Light, 2012

Notes: Shades of Sinead O'Connor on this cracking slow burner from Amy's third long-player. The Scottish songstress is a big fan of fellow countrymen, Travis and also the Killers and the Libertines - and she's opened for U2.

Song: Two Hearts

Artist: Sam Gray, England

Album: Brighter Day, 2011

Notes: Recalling a simpler bobby-sox era, an A+ retro confection and an infectious but bittersweet gem tucked away on his freshman album. British tunesmith from Hull in the north of England, more at www.samgray.co.uk.

Song: Take Me Out Tonight

Artist: Angela MccLuskey feat. Morgan Page, Scotland

Album: Lambeth Palace ep, 2012

Notes: An electro rock diamond from Angela's superb new 9-track EP which is imbued with carefully-crafted moods and changing styles - all top-drawer textures. An official Congressional inquiry should be launched to figure out why she isn't a huge star (like Annie Lennox).

Song: Theme To The Newsroom

Artist: Thomas Newman, Los Angeles

Album: Not available, 2012

Notes: 90 seconds of instrumental piano/orchestral magic by the great Newman and the delightful theme to the banner HBO series 'The Newsroom'. He's simply the best living film and television composer/arranger out there. Check out his discography on Wiki.

Song: Dreaming

Artist: Rayland Baxter, Nashville

Album: Feathers & Fishhooks, 2012

Notes: Beautiful chorus, such a sweet but earnest number from his new terrific new album. Charmingly, his father, Bucky Baxter - who's played with Dylan, Ryan Adams and Steve Earle among many others- is featured on steel guitar on his son's long-player.

Song: The Hop

Artist: Radio Citizen & Bajka, Germany

Album: 20 Years of Ubiquity, 2010

Notes: Such an irresistible groove, a funky Dub-step hip-hop outing combining the talents of two acts based in Berlin. The uber-cool Ubiquity indie in California is a top rare groove, jazz, soul, hip-hop club label, always releasing marvelous left-field material - check them out at www.ubiquityrecords.com.

Song: Old Pine

Artist: Ben Howard, England

Album: Every Kingdom, 2011

Notes: Deft guitar work and a top-drawer organic vocal style by a tunesmith beginning to receive the notice he deserves. One of several shimmering cuts on his debut album which was originally released last year and first heard in the US on L&F.

Song: Forever Wherever

Artist: Andrew Jed, Santa Monica, CA

Album: Not available, 2012

Notes: A fab new shuffler by another underrated indie singer-songwriter who was formerly lead guitarist for the Newcomers Home band in Colorado for a decade. Fluent on the guitar, mandolin and banjo, a top fret worker.

Song: Bad Bad World

Artist: Guster, Boston

Album: Easy Wonderful, 2010

Notes: Despite its title, a rather sunny, optimistic offering from the sturdy Boston-based quartet. They've been recording highly accessible, melodic indie rock on six albums for just over a decade, but still flying too far under the satellites.

Song: Mad World

Artist: Tears For Fears, England

Album: The Hurting, 1982

Notes: The original and still the best. Subsequently covered to great success by the pairing of Gary Jules and Michael Andrews in 2001 for the 'Donnie Darko' movie and also updated by dozens of other acts over the years (though the 'Glee' cast ruined it last year).

Song: In The Winter

Artist: Janis Ian, New York

Album: Between The Lines, 1975

Notes: Melodramatic melancholia from way back, some bittersweet vintage singer-songwriter magic by Janis. Written about a girl left alone after her partner has moved on to marry someone else. Ian performed her signature tune, 'At Seventeen' on the very first 'Saturday Night Live'.

Song: I’ve Got A Second Chance (David Lee remix)

Artist: Hurricane Bells, New York

Album: Bodega Strings EP, 2012

Notes: A wacky electro-fused winner, an unusual and rather crafty remix of an otherwise Americana nugget originally featured on Hurricane Bell's 'Tides and Tales' album released last year. More at www.hurricanebells.com.

Song: Can’t Get Used To Losing You

Artist: Beat, England

Album: I Just Can't Stop It, 1980

Notes: A cool ska treatment of the classic Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman composition made famous by Andy Williams in the '60s. The (English) Beat proved to be a fertile apprenticeship shop: Andy Cox and David Steele subsequently formed the Fine Young Cannibals while Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger went on to perform as General Public.

Song: Pretending The Stars

Artist: Mindy Smith, Nashville

Album: Mindy Smith, 2012

Notes: New cracker by perhaps the most authentic and tuneful Americana songstress out there, one of four absolute corkers gracing her recent eponymous album. Strongly supported by Dolly Parton at the dawn of her career.

Song: Beginning Of The End

Artist: Steve Moakler, Pittsburgh, PA

Album: Watching Time Run, 2011

Notes: A+ piano-led ballad from horribly under-appreciated Pittsburgh tunesmith. Steve played in a couple of bands as a teenager, went solo at just 18, still unsigned: how is that possible. More at www.stevemoakler.com.

Song: You Told A Lie

Artist: Camera Obscura, Scotland

Album: My Maudlin Career, 2009

Notes: Neatly rolling indie-pop from the land of golf and whiskey, showcasing the glorious crystal clear sound of lead vocalist, Tracyann Campbell. Nice strings arrangement by Bjorn from Peter, Bjorn and John.

Song: The Telephone Call

Artist: Kraftwerk, Germany

Album: Electric Caf�, 1987

Notes: Infectious, crisp, teutonic tones from the undisputed pioneers of electronic rock who influenced hundreds of acts which followed including Depeche Mode, the Human League and New Order. Duo of Ralf H�tter and Florian Scheider formed Kraftwerk way back in 1970 - and way ahead of their time.

Song: The Call

Artist: Regina Spektor, Russia

Album: Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (soundtrack), 2008

Notes: Imbued with just the right amount of innocence, simple melodies, child-like vocals, thoughtful lyrics, all beautifully executed by Spektor. So many lost gems in the Russian-born singer-songwriter/pianist's catalog. She remains delightfully unclassifiable.

Song: Capricornia

Artist: Allo Darlin', England/Australia

Album: Europe, 2012

Notes: Fun breezy music recalling the carefree days of London's Carnaby Street in the 1960s. The half-British half-Australian indie-pop quartet is fronted by Aussie vocalist and songwriter Elizabeth Morris who used to be lead singer of the similarly sounding twee-pop combo, Tender Trap.

Song: Love Is Always Seventeen

Artist: David Gates, Tulsa, OK

Album: Love Is Always Seventeen, 1994

Notes: Exquisite Country-laced vocal honey from Gates with a tender love-lorn stroll around the defining numbers and years of a normal life. This is the original version from a long-deleted album (an updated treatment can be found on incomparable tunesmith's 'Songbook' collection).

Song: The Matches

Artist: Perennials, Spokane, WA

Album: Stories, 2012

Notes: Ethereal winner from their maiden album, showcasing the husband and wife harmonies of Amanda and Pete Wells with drummer Aaron Hamel, a trio from Spokane. Stream all tracks from the 10-song set at www.theperennials.net.

Song: Heart on Fire

Artist: Taylor Mathews, Alexandria, VA

Album: Not available, 2012

Notes: 20-year old newcomer with a smart new pop bubbler. Now based in Hollywood, the singer-songwriter began playing guitar and composing tunes at the age of 13 much influenced by the likes of Jason Mraz, Mat Kearney and that fine Irish band, the Script.

Song: Golly Sandra

Artist: Eisley, Tyler, TX

Album: Room Noises, 2005

Notes: Delightful indie-rock strummer by a band originally known first as the Towheads and then the Moss Eisley (after a town in Star Wars). Another family combo, four siblings and a cousin, three gals and a couple of lads all from Texas.

Song: Yah Mo B There (Jellybean Remix)

Artist: James Ingram & Michael McDonald, Akron OH/St. Louis MO

Album: It's Your Night, 1983

Notes: Rare remix of the mighty 1983 R&B/pop smash (originally produced by Quincy Jones) by another top helmsman, Jellybean Benitez. Co-written by Rod Temperton - who also penned 'Thriller' for MJ.

Song: Living It Up

Artist: Rickie Lee Jones, Chicago, IL

Album: Pirates, 1981

Notes: Jones at her very best with a filmic, Hollywood-based bohemian mini-movie of a song, a lost ruby buried on her sophomore LP.

Song: Teardrop

Artist: Massive Attack, England

Album: Mezzanine, 1998

Notes: Still sounding fresh and relevant 15 years later, such rich and original aural textures. A haunting heartbeat trip-hop classic (subsequently used in its instrumental form as the theme to the already much-missed hit medical drama tv series, 'House').

Song: Be My Number Two

Artist: Joe Jackson, England

Album: Body and Soul, 1984

Notes: Neat ballad by an artist best known for his new wavish 'Is She Really Going Out With Him? hit and the more jazz-flavored, 'Steppin' Out'. Joe has neatly moved around several genres over the years including pop and rock, jazz, avant-garde and classical.

Song: Cooling of the Embers

Artist: Missy Higgins, Australia

Album: The Ol' Razzle Dazzle

Notes: From her terrific new album, but too sad for words: painful, all-too-real observations about an ailing parent suffering from dementia and heading towards life's end, slipping away.

Song: Pull Up The Bumper

Artist: Grace Jones, Jamaica

Album: Nightclubbing, 1981

Notes: Top R&B shuffler and a similar rhythm vibe to 'Genius of Love' by the Tom Tom Club (which came out around the same time). Jones was pushing the boundaries of fashion and dance music and generally being wonderfully provocative when Lady Gaga was still in a stroller.

Song: New Shoes

Artist: Paolo Nutini, Scotland

Album: These Streets, 2006

Notes: Got a few spins a few years ago but not enough. Signature song by the Scottish singer-songwriter. An engaging number which was also used in an international TV commercial for Puma footwear company in 2007. Italian name but fourth generation Scottish.

Song: Anime Rising

Artist: Caroline Lavelle, England

Album: Brilliant Midnight, 2001

Notes: Extremely tender and quiet with lovely Celtic instrumentation which kisses the bridge. British singer-songwriter and top cellist, an alumnus of the esteemed Royal College of Music in London. Lavelle has worked with the Pogues, Massive Attack, Peter Gabriel, Radiohead and the Cranberries among many others.

Song: You Know I’m No Good

Artist: Hollie Cook/Amy Winehouse, England

Album: Back To Black, 2006

Notes: Rare reggae-tinged dub tribute by Holly Cook nicely morphing into the blissful original by Amy who pass away just over a year ago.