"Life Is Beautiful" by Keb' Mo'

Keb' Mo' (Kevin Moore) is a Grammy-winning blues guitarist from Nashville. His mix of gritty and sweet songs have yet to break through to the mainstream, but critics and fans know better. "Life Is Beautiful" is just a taste of the bevy of talent he holds within. If you're not a big fan of the blues, I'm willing to bet Keb' Mo' might help change that.

"On The Road" by Keane

English band Keane formed in the late 90s and managed to break onto the American charts a few years after with "Somewhere Only We Know" (#50) and "Is It Any Wonder?" (#78). Strange that the delicate vocals of Tom Chaplin and the piano/keyboard wizardry of Tim Rice-Oxley did not produce more hit singles in the US. The two crafted songs that could lift your spirit into the clouds or make it feel the heat of Hell's flames.

While this magical team was together, they released four full-length records and an EP. "Strangeland" from 2012 was their latest and may sadly be their last due to tensions in the band. Tom Chaplin has since embarked on a solo career, releasing "The Wave" in 2017.

Most in the US only know the band's ballad side, but they have written some excellent peppy rock. "On The Road" is one of my favorite examples of the latter.

"Do You Want Crying" by Katrina and the Waves

Katrina Leskanich was born in Kansas but formed her band, Katrina and the Waves, in Cambridge, England during the late 70s. The band would finally hit the big time in 1985 when their now classic hit, "Walking On Sunshine," surfed to #9.

"Do You Want Crying" was their follow-up single, but for some odd reason this wonderfully upbeat pop rocker stalled at #37. The band's next single ("Que Te Quiero") fared even worse, stopping at #71.

Fans were probably wondering at this point, "Is that it?", which is funny because that was the title of their next song. However, when it stalled at a dismal #70, the band seemed destined for one-hit wonder status. But technically they avoided this fate -- in 1989, they came back with a great tune that many have forgotten called "That's The Way," which put them back in the top 20 at #16.

The band slowly faded away but came back to score their largest hit ever in the UK after winning the 1997 Eurovision songwriting contest with a feel good tune called "Love Shine A Light."

"I'm Not Falling In Love" by Tim Karr

A lot of decent rock and roll artists fell through the cracks in the late 80s during the glam and hairband craze - Tim Karr is one of them. His 1989 album, entitled "Rubbin' Me The Right Way" (of course) features a shirtless Karr sporting the big hair on his chest as well as his head. Hitching his wagon to the cock rock of the day was the fashionable thing to do, but it might have cost him some credibility as a songwriter. You'll find a talent for melody here, and he sounds a lot like Jon Bon Jovi. Does anyone know what happened to this guy?

"Where Were You Last Night" by Mark Kano

Mark Kano is the distinctive baritone voice that led the 90s band Athenaeum to their 15 seconds of fame with the minor hit, "What I Didn't Know." He's released a couple solo efforts that extend the band's sound, his first being 2009's "Walking On Broadway." It's a terrific EP, with "Where Were You Last Night" just one of several notable highlights. A strong and emotive vocal carries this melodious tune to lofty heights.

"Two Cents Worth" by Kansas

Named for the state where the band was formed in the early 70s, Kansas is a strange beast. Starting off as an experimental prog rock band, they had no chart success. But as their songwriting matured and shortened to radio-friendly lengths, they scored some whoppers that led to millions of albums sold.

"Carry On My Wayward Son" secured the band it's first hit in 1976, just missing the top 10 as the song peaked at #11. "Point of Know Return" also performed well, coming in at #28. Then they scored the hit of their career, "Dust In The Wind" - quite possibly the most depressing song to ever hit the top 10 (it peaked at #6 in 1978).

The band never saw the top 10 again and went through a variety of perplexing lineup changes through the 80s. Founding lead singer Steve Walsh left for a while to form the band Streets. He returned in 1986 and made one of the band's most rocking albums, "Power," which yielded "All I Wanted" (#19), and the title track (#84, the band's last chart appearance).

"Two Cents Worth" comes from the band's 1975 record, "Masque." Just before the band hit it big, this funky rock number sounds like something out of Stevie Wonder's catalogue. A great tune whose lyrics are basically Walsh's two cents worth about the craziness in the world. In my mind, this song, plus the Boston-sounding leadoff track, "It Takes A Woman's Love (To Make A Man)," should have put the group on the charts earlier.

"Loverboy" by Karen Kamon

Karen Kamon had a couple near-misses in the 80s. The singer and actress is perhaps best known for her song "Manhunt" from the Flashdance soundtrack. She had another song, "Squeeze Play" on the D.C. Cab soundtrack. 

Apart from soundtracks, she released two albums, the first of which ("Heart Of You") yielded her lone top 100 single: "Loverboy." A true guilty pleasure and throwback to the 80s!

Kamon married famed producer Phil Ramone in 1984.