If there was any justice in this world, Dublin songwiter Marc Carroll would be feted wherever he goes. Instead, the former Puppy Love Bomb/Hormones singer is holed up in LA, cast as some form of recluse from the incivilities of the music industry. You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone else who regards Carroll as one of Ireland's Great Lost Songwriters, but the evidence is here on these reissued early solo albums. Touched by genius (but not, sadly, mobbed by the masses), Carroll in his songwriting leans towards classic tropes (Dylan, The Beatles, The Byrds) and overlooked touchstones (Irish folk). At times he manages the enviable feat of bending (and blending) his influences into a shape that easily constitutes perfect pop songs. If that 's what you're after, you'll find plenty of examples here. marccarroll.com
Download: You Saved My Life Again Last Night (Ten of Swords), A Way Back Out of Here (World on a Wire)