Song: All I Have
Artist: Eleanor McEvoy, Ireland
Album: Snapshots, 1999
Notes: Too good for prime time, top-drawer lost gem from a grossly overlooked singer-songwriter and accomplished violinist from Ireland, now in her mid-'40s. Stellar album produced by Rupert Hine.
Song: Woke Up This Morning
Artist: Alabama 3, England
Album: Exile On Coldharbour Lane, 1997
Notes: A grit-stuffed gospel blues shuffler composed by band members Jake Black and Rob Spragg after they heard about the real life 1996 murder of her husband by Sara Thornton after she'd suffered 20 years of chronic spousal abuse. Remarkably performed by an English band, much used as the title theme to 'The Sopranos'.
Song: Planes
Artist: Yuna, Malaysia
Album: Yuna, 2012
Notes: Dido-inflected pearl from a splendid new album. Yuna is a big star in her native Malaysia, now getting her English language career under way. Signed to the uber-hip Fader label which also publishes a rather good magazine of the same name.
Song: Fool’s Desire
Artist: Gareth Dunlop, N. Ireland
Album: Devil Mocks Me EP, 2011
Notes: Blue-eyed soul outing by a 24-year old tunesmith as I say from Belfast and named Young Songwriter of the Year at the 2011 Annual Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival. He's opened for the likes of Nanci Griffith, Imelda May and Jeff Beck.
Song: Something
Artist: Cary Brothers, Los Angeles
Album: All The Rage EP, 2004
Notes: Lost corker briefly used on tv shows, 'Scrubs' and 'Bones'. Cary runs his own record label named Procrastination Music, he's had dozens of placements for his smart, erudite, melodic folk-rock catalog on television. Originally from Nashville but not settled in La La Land.
Song: The Only Way
Artist: Gotye, Australia
Album: Like Drawing Blood, 2006
Notes: Ever quirky but always rewarding, a lost gem from the 'Somebody That I Used To Know' hitmaker. Let's hope that the Grammy folks refrain from giving Gotye the Best New Artist Award at next year's ceremony (he's been recording splendid fare for more than 10 years).
Song: Paper Planes
Artist: Susan Justice, Aruba
Album: Eat Dirt, 2012
Notes: Breezy warm new music from a promising newcomer who was a busker in the subways in New York, graduated to the club scene and has now made her way to the major leagues. Whole album is top-notch, especially the title cut.
Song: Revolution on 45
Artist: Morten Remar, Denmark
Album: Not available
Notes: Amazingly just a demo recording, a laid-back reggae-pop outing by an obscure Danish tunesmith who is also the host of a radio show in Denmark about Danish Motorsports.
Song: Even If I Don’t
Artist: Rachel Yamagata, Arlington, VA
Album: Chesapeake, 2011
Notes: One of several overlooked corkers from one of the best albums of last year. The CD was named 'Chesapeake' because it was recorded at her producer, John Alagia's home studio on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay.
Song: Dreamer
Artist: Supertramp, England
Album: Crime of the Century, 1974
Notes: The original studio version of a song which was subsequently a US hit in a live version six years later. When the British prog-rockers played 'Dreamer' in concert, band member John Helliwell would often run his finger around a wine glass to add an eerie sound effect.
Song: Bethlehem Steel
Artist: Nanci Griffith, Seguin, TX
Album: Intersection, 2012
Notes: A typically thoughtful jewel of a song tucked away on the new album from Nanci. Lovely lyrical refrain: 'Robert de Nero will never run naked again, In the streets of Bethlehem' - written of about the steel town of Bethlehem in Pennsylvania.
Song: Bottom of the River
Artist: Delta Rae, Raleigh, NC
Album: Carry The Fire, 2012
Notes: Authentic gospel/folk belter from a sextet anchored by three siblings Eric, Ian and Brittany Holljes. Recently snapped up by industry veteran, Seymour Stein's seminal Sire Records.
Song: Photograph
Artist: World Party, Wales
Album: Arkeology, 2012
Notes: Best known of course for his 1987 hit 'Ship of Fools', this is just one of 70 previously unreleased cuts showcased on the just-released, definitive Karl Wallinger/World Party retrospective, 'Arkeology'.
Song: Shadows
Artist: Gordon Lightfoot, Canada
Album: Shadows, 1982
Notes: He's just too good for what passes muster as 'great' these days, the unmistakable and masterful Canadian tunesmith on a lost ballad from 30 years ago. Dear Gordon, now 73, still tours most years: recently released a strong new concert album, 'All Alive'.
Song: Flowers In Your Hair
Artist: Lumineers, Denver
Album: Lumineers, 2012
Notes: The Waterboys meet Dylan meets Mumford, organic, rumbling, nu-folk/Americana from a tight trio based in Denver. Radio at large is currently spinning 'Ho Hey' but there's plenty of other strong numbers on their freshman collection. Current tour dates at www.thelumineers.com.
Song: Sunshine On My Shoulders
Artist: Carly Rae Jepsen, Canada
Album: Tug of War, 2008
Notes: The overlooked first single from four years ago by this year's breakout pop smash artiste, Carly Rae Jepsen who's having a global hit with 'Call Me Maybe'. Surprisingly good cover of the John Denver chestnut.
Song: Boys & Girls
Artist: Alabama Shakes, Athens, AL
Album: Boys & Girls, 2012
Notes: Old-school, new school blues and the title cut from their breakout 'Boys & Girls' debut long-player. Once again showcasing the band's trademark soul-drenched vocal stylings of Brittany Howard.
Song: You Were Never There
Artist: Diego Garcia, Detroit
Album: Laura, 2011
Notes: Lovely lost treasure, sounds like a hybrid of McCartney circa 1967 and Terry Hall (lead singer of Colourfield). Garcia is an Argentinian-American singer-songwriter, who graduated from Brown University and formed indie-rock combo, Elefant, before going solo in 2010.
Song: Make You Feel My Love
Artist: Adele, England
Album: 19, 2008
Notes: A truly soulful, earnest interpretation, perhaps the best version of a timeless composition written by Bob Dylan which has been cut by several artists over the years including Billy Joel who also nailed a wonderful cover.
Song: The Daylight
Artist: Andrew Belle, Nashville
Album: The Daylight, EP, 2012
Notes: L&F is the only show which regularly spins the incredible A-list melodic corkers created by this sorely under-appreciated singer-songwriter. Andrew recently established his own 1L Music company - do check it out: www.1L-music.com.
Song: Our Time Has Come
Artist: Wood, England
Album: Songs From Stamford Hill, 1999
Notes: Simple, deconstructed, composed about the patience required to let a new love blossom, another lost treasure by James Maddock who recorded one album under the moniker, Wood.
Song: Another You
Artist: Mozella, Detroit
Album: The Brian Holland Sessions, 2012
Notes: Multi-genre talented L&F permanent resident showcasing her latest direction, a Motown-inflected number from a fabulous upcoming collaboration with legendary Motown stalwart, Brian Holland (who was one third of the iconic Holland/Dozier/Holland hitmaking team in the 1960s and '70s).
Song: There He Still Goes
Artist: Jan Akkerman & Kaz Lux, Holland
Album: Eli, 1976
Notes: Too funky for it's own good, trumped up top-line vintage funk rock from the original founder of Dutch prog-rockers, Focus (remember 'Hocus Pocus'?) One of the best axe-men to ever emerge from the Netherlands - joined here by lead vocalist Kaz Lux also from Holland.
Song: Sloom
Artist: of Monsters and Men, Iceland
Album: My Head Is An Animal, 2011
Notes: One of a half-dozen fine outings on the recent offering from the best band out of Iceland (period). Also worth checking out a bonus track available only on the iTunes version of the album, lovely number called 'Numb Bears'.
Song: Hey My Love
Artist: Dion Roy, Namibia
Album: Into The Day, 2012
Notes: No-nonsense melodic pop-rock from burgeoning singer-songwriter, born in Namibia, raised in South Africa but long based in the US. Recently toured with Tyler Hilton. More at www.dionroy.com.
Song: Fountain
Artist: Sara Lov, Los Angeles
Album: Seasoned Eyes Were Beaming, 2009
Notes: Tender ethereal class, once featured on the FOX TV series 'Bones'. Lov was abducted in Los Angeles to Israel at the age of 4 and forced to live with an international fugitive until being rescued by her uncle who brought her back to the United States some 10 years later. As an adult she relocated to Italy and began a solo music career, signing to the wonderful Nettwerk Records label.
Song: Pastime Paradise
Artist: Stevie Wonder, Saginaw, MI
Album: Songs In The Key of Life, 1976
Notes: Timeless R&B but never a hit for its creator. Used as the trademark sample in Coolio's subsequent crossover hip-hop smash 'Gangsta's Paradise' in 1995 - but itself based on another melody, 'Prelude No. 2 in C Minor' by J.S. Bach.
Song: Real Emotional Girl
Artist: Randy Newman, Los Angeles
Album: Trouble In Paradise, 1983
Notes: Too sad for words, this week's Saddest Song of All Time, the simple morose genius of Sir Randy.
Song: Stuck On You
Artist: Meiko, Los Angeles
Album: The Bright Side, 2012
Notes: Another superb preview track from her much anticipated sophomore album which is a no-risk disk, plenty of intriguing A+ pop-rock nuggets. Meiko is one-quarter Japanese, grew up in Roberta a small town in the deep South.
Song: Back For Good
Artist: Take That, England
Album: Back For Good, 1995
Notes: This week's Guilty Pleasure (no rules on L&F), fabulous harmonies and a hook-filled melody, a pop standard from the British boy band from 1995. Their only US hit, but still a huge act in the rest of the world.
Song: This Is What
Artist: Horse Feathers, Portland, OR
Album: House With No Name, 2008
Notes: Lovely jangly Americana/Country by an act which has been around for eight years firmly based around its founder singer-songwriter, Justin Ringle. His new album (still under the Horsefeathers moniker) has just been released, 'Cynic's New Year'.
Song: So Long
Artist: Jenny Owen Youngs, Montclair, NJ
Album: An Unwavering Band of Light, 2012
Notes: Beautiful, a tender diamond already lost from Young's recent album. All three of the songstress' long-players are worth a gander - more at www.jennyowenyoungs.com.
Song: The One You Love
Artist: Glenn Frey, Detroit
Album: No Fun Aloud, 1982
Notes: Old school sax and keys, but a timeless melody and message: a dilemma posed to a woman by one of her two lovers about which one she'll choose. The Eagles co-frontman at the top of his balladic game from way back when.
Song: Don’t Leave Me (Ne Me Quitte Pas)
Artist: Regina Spektor, Russia
Album: What We Saw From The Cheap Seats, 2012
Notes: Playful, new, Anglo-French offering from the ever unpredictable Spektor who was born in Moscow but long based in Manhattan's East Village. The focus cut from her upcoming sixth studio album (and an updated version of a track she original recorded a decade ago on another CD, 'Songs').
Song: Grey Seal
Artist: Elton John, England
Album: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973
Notes: Plucked from his career-defining double-LP opus in the early '70s which has now sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. Sir Elton's new album, 'The Diving Board' already completed but not due until early next year.
Song: When You’ve Got Trouble
Artist: Liz Longley, Nashville
Album: Hot Loose Wire, 2010
Notes: Such a talented singer-songwriter and Berklee School of Music alumnus who's already won lots of songwriting competitions and opened for the likes of Mindy Smith, Amos Lee and Shawn Colvin. John Mayer thinks her music is simply 'gorgeous'.
Song: I Hear You Now
Artist: Jon & Vangelis, England/Greece
Album: Jon & Vangelis, 1981
Notes: Delightful, esoteric pairing of Yes frontman Anderson with Greek synth-God, Vangelis. Released as a single in 1981 but failed to crack the top 50.
Song: Michael You’ve Got A Lot To Answer For
Artist: Duran Duran, England
Album: Medazzaland, 1997
Notes: Grossly overlooked lost pearl from Simon Le Bon and cohorts from 15 years ago. Le Bon has been married to his lovely wife, Yasmin for more than 25 years - quite an achievement in the heady, temptation-filled world of rock 'n' roll.
Song: Cut
Artist: Plumb, Nashville
Album: Chaotic Resolve, 2006
Notes: Tiffany Arbuckle Lee who goes by the performing name, Plumb, with a typically melodramatic but splendid lost cracker. A mother of three, five albums to date with one on the way.
Song: Trouble
Artist: Gabriel Powell/Coldplay, Albany, GA/England
Album: Albany, 2007
Notes: Deft update of the Coldplay nugget by the extraordinary young gospel/soul singer, Gabriel Powell from the deep South, neatly segued into the original winner by Chris Martin and chums.
