Fistful Of Mercy

Ben Harper, Joseph Arthur, and Dhani Harrison are Fistful of Mercy. Their website is here.

Little Comets: Isles

This British band's debut album was released by Columbia Records last month. They cite influences as varied as Paul Simon, Claude Debussy, and Roald Dahl (according to Wikipedia).

Dappled Cities: Miniature Alas

Here's a solid live performance of the song Miniature Alas, off this Australian band's 2009 album, Zounds.

Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians

1988 was a great year . . . I guess.

Broken Social Scene: All to All

Here's a great song from a great group hailing from Toronto, Canada.

Blondie: Sunday Girl

Just for old time's sake.

Atmosphere: The Best Day

Off the 2010 double EP To All My Friends, Blood Makes The Blade Holy: The Atmosphere EP's. This Minneapolis hip hop duo is set to release an album in 2011 entitled, The Family Sign.

Paul Cebar

Here is a straightforward live performance by this Milwaukee-based musician. Learn more about him here.

Lykke Li

I like this quirky Swedish singer. The song below, I Follow Rivers, is off her forthcoming album, Wounded Rhymes.

Sleigh Bells: Rill Rill

Doesn't this song just grow on you?

AWOLNATION: Sail

Check out this band's website here.

Superbowl 45

Lefty Frizzell: Cigarettes and Coffee Blues

And while we're thinking about old school honky tonk, here's a classic tune straight out of the 1950's

Wanda Jackson & Jack White

I mentioned this collaboration a while back, here. Now hear it for yourself. Jackson hasn't slowed down a bit, which is fun to watch, but doesn't that brass get annoying after a couple of measures?

Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra: Kiss the Sky

Shawn Lee is a multi-instrumentalist from Kansas. This song is off his album Voices and Choices.

PJ Harvey: Let England Shake

English artist PJ Harvey has been all over the musical map and it seems like her next album, Let England Shake, will take listeners down another unfamiliar path when it is released next week.

What do you think of The Words That Maketh Murder, below?

Teddy Thompson: In My Arms

It's pure pop, but it's good pop, even if it's a couple of years old.

Belle Brigade: Losers

Losers is a single currently on vinyl and available in digital form. This Los Angeles-based band is currently on tour pushing their self titled debut album, which is to be released in April. Learn more about them here.

Raphael Saadiq: Stone Rollin'

Stone Rollin' is to be released in March:

Cesaria Evora

Some artists are good, and others are simply on their own level. The "barefoot diva" of Cape Verde is one of the latter. Below you will find a soulfully superior folk tune called Angola.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.

I really like the tune below, from this Detroit, Michigan-based duo.