Are You Listening?
By Dolores O'Riordan
Remember The Cranberries? If you do (and I’m sure you do), it’s most probably due to lead singer Dolores O’Riordan’s strangely compelling and raw vocals. Smash hits like Zombie relied as much on her mix of plaintive wails and off-kilter melodies as it did the heavy guitar riffs. Now O’Riordan is back with a solo album, and the good news is that her voice has lost none of its magic. While the music has taken a step back, her heavy Irish accent and powerful harmonies still pack a lovely punch. Click on the image to buy now!
 

Endangered Species
By Nickodemus
I’m a total sheep sometimes: when I heard the groovy Latin song playing on the new iPod + iTunes commercial, I simply had to have it. And so I discovered Nickodemus. While Endangered Species has been around since late 2006, it’s unknown enough to warrant a spotlight. The song in the iPod commercial is “mi swing es tropical,” and if it will take you to the Caribbean faster than any cruise ship. But the world tour doesn’t stop there; you’ll sense the Middle East in “Cleopatra in New York” and sample indigenous and African beats. Not a bad way to fly. Click on the image to buy now!
 

Overtones
By Just Jack
He might be “Just Jack” but something tells me you’re going to remember him anyway. A hit in the U.K., Just Jack has yet to make it big on these shores, but his second album should do the trick. His energetic mix of dance, funk, electronica, rap and classic Brit angst is practically addictive. Check out “starz in their eyes” for starters, and try to command your foot not to jiggle. (Unfortunately, Jack loses me for a minute with a jarring hip-hop sequence that ruins what would have been an anthem.) Then follow up with the super-smooth “writer’s block”, which has some terrific lyrics and seems to belong to a slick commercial involving cool people. There seems to be a song for every mood, so feel free to explore. Click on the image to buy now!