"Built To Last" by Melee

With the resurgence of piano rock in the 2000s, led by groups like The Fray, Keane, and Five For Fighting, you'd think Melee would have been able to capitalize on it. Sadly, their 2007 major label debut, "Devils And Angels" went nowhere. For me, it was one of the best records of the year.

"Built To Last" is the leadoff track from the record, and it surprises me to no end that it wasn't a hit. After the follow-up record in 2010 called "The Masquerade" also tanked, the band called it quits. What a waste of chemistry and talent! 

"Long Goodbye" by The Meadows

The Meadows, fronted by singer/songwriter Todd Herfindal, released two terrific albums in the 2000s: their self-titled debut arrived in 2005 and their sophomore release, "First Nervous Breakdown," arrived in 2008. Both are filled with a bevy of tracks that shine with pop rock goodness along the lines of The Rembrandts or Tom Petty.

"Long Goodbye" is just a taste of what The Meadows had to offer. If their two albums aren't enough for you, be sure to check out Herfindal's solo efforts.

"Buy A Dog" by Luce

Luce is a rock band from San Francisco fronted by singer/songwriter Tom Luce. They arrived on the scene in 2001 with their self-titled debut record and started to pick up some steam with cuts like "Long Way Down" and "Good Day." The latter was featured in several films and TV shows.

In 2005, the band released their sophomore record, "Never Ending," which contained one of my favorites: "Buy A Dog." Unfortunately, the band has not been able to gain enough traction for a commercial breakthrough...yet. 

"Need A Friend" by Low Stars

Not many bands have a major coffee chain to thank for exposure, but Low Stars have Starbucks to thank for theirs. Starbucks dug the duo's coffeehouse acoustic rock and stunning harmony vocals, offering to release their lone self-titled LP on the Starbucks music label, Hear Music.

Low Stars was a one-off project between Dave Gibbs (Gigolo Aunts) and Chris Seefried and Jeff Russo (Tonic). They've drawn comparisons to The Eagles and I can tell you why - just listen to "Need A Friend."

"Eleanor" by Low Millions

Low Millions released a single record, 2004's "Ex-Girlfriends." The lead single, "Eleanor," seemed to have all the ingredients to break onto the charts, but it didn't happen. Another song by the band, "Statue," was just as good, but Low Millions could not even find a low position on the charts. Shame. I would have enjoyed hearing more from this alt rock band.

"Real Emotions" by Los Lonely Boys

With bundles of talent, you'd figure Los Lonely Boys would have amounted to more than a one-hit wonder, but their lone chart hit to date was 2004's "Heaven." The song went to #16 and won a Grammy for Pop Vocal Group. No surprise there - this trio of brothers craft amazing harmonies into their songs.

The sizzling tune "Real Emotions" comes from the same 2003 breakthrough album (self-titled). Hard to believe with songs like this and "Tell Me Why" that Los Lonely Boys couldn't maintain chart success.

"Anything But Ordinary" by Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne got an early start to her musical career, bursting onto the US charts in 2002 with "Complicated," which reached #2 for two weeks. More top 10 hits from her debut album soon followed, including "Sk8er Boi" (#10) and "I'm With You" (#4), which really highlights her amazing pipes. Her songwriting chops also helped make Kelly Clarkson's "Breakaway" a smash hit.

Lavigne continues to crank out hits, mixing up rock and pop with a bit of dance and punk. In 2004, she returned to the top 10 with "My Happy Ending" (#9), and in 2007 she scored a #1 hit with "Girlfriend."

Lavigne's success has made her the third most successful female Canadian artist ever (behind Celine Dion and Shania Twain). In the US, she ranked as the 46th most successful artist in the 2000s.

"Anything But Ordinary" takes us back to her near-perfect debut record, "Let Go." To my ears, it remains one of the catchiest and uplifting songs in her catalogue.

"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.

"Normal Life" by July For Kings

July For Kings, also known as JFK to fans, is an Ohio-based hard rock outfit that should have hit the big time in the early 2000s with their fantastic album, "Swim." 

Led by the throaty vocals of Joe Hedges, the band has a powerful sound and memorable choruses. In addition to "Normal Life," check out "Girlfriend," "Champagne," and "Meteor Flower."

"Normal Life" is a simple song about craving the simple life, but it simply works. The band has released a few other albums since; their most recent has been 2015's "Middletown."

"There Goes My Baby" by Kelly Jones

A brilliant little record called "SheBANG!" was released in 2008 by independent artist Kelly Jones. Power pop god Mike Viola had his capable hands all over this project, co-writing many of the songs, playing several instruments, producing, and arranging the record. Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne, Tinted Windows) also co-wrote one of the tracks ("Crazy Talk").

The result is a treasure of a power pop record that should have seen mainstream success. Jones has a sweet and beautiful voice that carries these catchy tunes to lofty heights. Check out "There Goes My Baby" as a sample, but do yourself a favor and listen to it all!

"The Authority Song" by Jimmy Eat World

Arizona alternative rock band Jimmy Eat World formed way back in 1993 and, after cultivating a loyal fan base, scored a major commercial success with their infectious single, "The Middle." "The Middle" (no relation to the TV sit-com of the same name) landed at #5 in 2002. Unfortunately, it did not secure future chart success for the band. Follow-up single "Sweetness" stalled at #75 and their final chart appearance came in 2005 when "Pain" hit #93.

Like "The Middle," "The Authority Song" is another gem from the near-perfect fourth record originally titled after the stormy lead-off track, "Bleed American." But after the 9/11 terror attacks, the band reissued the album as a self-titled release, sensitive to the notion that "Bleed American" could be offensive at the time. The deluxe version of this breakthrough record in 2008 reclaimed the "Bleed American" title.

"The Authority Song" is indeed written about John Mellencamp's classic hit from the 80s. It is a catchy and spirited tune with wonderful backing vocals that should have been released as a single. I'm surprised other notable tracks, like "A Praise Chorus" and "If You Don't, Don't," didn't burn up the charts.

The band continues to release new records, their latest being "Integrity Blues" from 2016. I'd say my second favorite record from their catalogue is 2007's "Chase This Light."

"The River" by Jet Black Stare

In 2008, Rod Black and his band, Jet Black Stare, released their one and only record entitled, "In This Life." Hailing from Canada, this band seemed to have all the ingredients to break into the mainstream on this side of the border, but that didn't happen.

"In This Life" is filled with the type of heavy power ballads that made bands like Creed, Saliva, and Cold famous for 15 minutes. "The River" is among those that stand out to me, worthy of repeated listens.

"Bring It On Back" by Jet

Australian rock band Jet took off high into the sky and, after leaving us a thrilling trilogy of records, was never heard from again. These guys were rock purists, drawing comparisons to early Rolling Stones.

Their impressive debut yielded three charting singles from 2003 to 2005: "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" (#29), "Cold Hard Bitch" (#55), and "Look What You Done" (#37). The success of these singles propelled the album, "Get Born," to #26 on the US album chart. Another overlooked track from this magnificent record is "Lazy Gun."

Their follow-up record, "Shine On," went even higher in 2006, to #16. However, it failed to yield any charting singles. Hard to believe given the quality of songs like "Bring It On Back," which shows more of their Beatles influence instead of the Stones.

Much to the dismay of fans around the world, this amazing group suddenly disbanded after the release of another excellent record, "Shaka Rock," in 2009. My favorite track from this final record has to be "She's A Genius." Here's hoping for a reunion record one day...  

"Timebomb" by David Isaacs

David Isaacs is an undiscovered singer/songwriter who released an indie CD called "Timebomb" in 2000. Filled with a bounty of melodic tunes that remind me of Jude Cole, this is an artist that major labels should have been fighting over. The title track is just a small taste of many solid cuts.

Other highlights include "All We Are," "Waterfall," and "Just A Little More Time." His vocal chops shine through the most on the final chorus of the closer, "Paper Doll."

If anyone knows what happened to this guy, or if he released additional stuff, let me know!

"Will I Ever Make It Home" by Ingram Hill

Ingram Hill is a pop rock band from Memphis that formed in the early 2000s and began their career with an indie release called "Until Now" in 2002. Some of the songs were produced by Emerson Hart, the lead singer and songwriter of the 90s band Tonic. 

Ingram Hill released their major label debut, "June's Picture Show," in 2004. Despite a batch of strong, radio-friendly tunes like "Will I Ever Make It Home," the record didn't make too many waves. They've released a few follow-ups since then, all of which have some nice highlights that have yet to catch the attention of the masses. Welcome to this well-kept secret about another band that didn't get its due.

"Forty Days & Forty Nights" by Ellis Hooks

I came to know this wonderful singer/songwriter from Alabama when I heard his 2004 record, "Uncomplicated." It is actually Ellis Hooks's third record, but the title emphasizes his style: no-nonsense songs played with integrity and heart. Hooks has a voice like Sam Cooke but writes a bit like James Taylor. Hugely underrated, but raw talent usually is.

"Forty Days & Forty Nights" captures the essence of his sound - if you dig it, also check out "Gonna Take Some Time," "It's A Hassle," and the title track.

"My Turn" by Hoobastank

Hoobastank is a hard rock band from California that got a lot of airplay in the 2000s. They stormed onto the scene in 2002 when "Crawling In The Dark" reached #68, followed by the next single, "Running Away," going to #44.

Their next record arrived in 2004 and gave them their biggest but final chart hit when the power ballad "The Reason" soared all the way to #2. The band continued to make some excellent records, but radio was no longer paying attention for some reason.

In 2009, my favorite Hoobastank record arrived, called "For(N)ever." Filled with some of their most diverse yet radio-friendly material, the record still failed to put the band back on the Top 100. In addition to the rocking anthem, "My Turn," there's another killer ballad in "You're The One" and a terrific mid-tempo track called "Tears Of Yesterday."

"Air I'm Breathing" by Todd Herfindal

Todd Herfindal is an indie singer/songwriter you may know from a band called The Meadows. He's released a few standout solo records as well, this track coming from his 2008 effort called "Collective." I liken his sound to Tom Petty or The Jayhawks. He definitely deserves mainstream success - give a listen to one of my favorite tracks by this promising artist, "Air I'm Breathing."

"Careful" by Guster

Guster is an alternative rock and pop band hailing from Boston that formed in 1991. The band began as a more-or-less acoustic outfit and continues to keep a dynamic assortment of instruments in their songs, whether that is banjo or bongos. The common thread in all of their material is the keen attention paid to the craft of songwriting.

The band broke into the mainstream with their 1999 record, "Lost and Gone Forever," which yielded the minor hit, "Fa Fa." My favorite record by the band, however, came next in 2003: "Keep It Together." Arguably one of their most consistent and melodic efforts, "Keep It Together" never disappoints. "Careful" is just one of numerous highlights, with others being "Amsterdam," "Diane," "Homecoming King," and the title track.

"Eighty-eight" by James Guffee

Formerly with cult powerpop band, The Tories, James Guffee released his one and only solo record in 2005, entitled "So Much For Secrets." It is a shame more of the world does not know his musical talents. Just as melodious as his work in The Tories, Guffee's solo effort is filled with memorable tunes that stick with you long after the record is played. His evolution as a songwriter grew by leaps and bounds and I would love to visit a parallel universe where he released more material.

You don't hear too many thoughtful tributes to grandparents, but "Eighty-eight" is a terrific one. Other highlights include "The Hardest Part" and "One More Time."