The Wooden Birds: Long Time to Lose It

Austin, Texas and Brooklyn, NY combine to make this band, who released their second album, Two Matchsticks, last year. Learn more about the band here.

JMSN

Detroit-based JMSN (Christian Berishaj) lists Prince, Phil Collins, Fiona Apple, Radiohead, Hatiras, and Boys Noize as influences on his music and I can hear them all in the song below. His 2012 album, Priscilla, is a fascinating and unique approach to hip hop. It is also worth noting that he is a one man show, having written and produced all the tracks on the album; he even filmed the music videos himself.

Madi Diaz: Love You Now

This Nashville-based artist's 2012 release Plastic Moon is filled with catchy, well written, folksy pop. I'm usually wrong when predicting the popularity of artists, but I get the feeling that if she gets a few breaks, we could be hearing a lot of this album.

Charles Bradley: Heartaches & Pain

We are in the middle of a sort of 1960's soul music revival fueled in large part by the success of Daptone Records , which is the label that relesed Bradley's 2011 album No Time for Dreaming, where you'll find this song. By all accounts, Charles Bradley has had a life filled with many difficulties, and it is that which brings the gravitas to his sound. When you listen to the song below, not only are you blown away by the performance, but when you hear him sing about heartaches and pain, he is credible. Not all artists possess that quality, and that is what separates good soul from the very best. Let me know what you think.

Blind Pilot: We Are the Tide

Here's the title track off of this Portland, Oregon-based band's 2011 album. It's a brilliantly feel-good tune.