Someone posted here just a minute ago about how s/he wants to investigate certain artists but hasn't had the time yet, hasn't been grabbed by them so far or is struggling to overcome a blindspot in regard to those artists. I thought it was quite an interesting topic and tried to reply but the post had vanished!

Anyway since the poster mentioned R.E.M., Blur, The Smiths, Roxy and Nick Drake I made a little playlist for them showcasing what I feel is the best of those acts.

http://open.spotify.com/user/bossrc20/playlist/5G5sZ5ZbGsqt5cc0qvUfGT

R.E.M. - Country Feedback
Blur - This is a Low
Smiths - Please... Let Me Get What I Want
Nick Drake - River Man
Roxy Music - Streetlife

The first three choices attempt to disprove the conventional stereotype of those acts - so the R.E.M. one isn't jangly or whiny, the Blur one has no cheeky chappy chimney sweepness, and the Smiths one... well, it's still a bit depressing, but you can't picture Morrissey swinging gladioli to it.

As for the other Roxy and Drake choices... well, if you don't like those tracks, don't bother investigating any further.

Bet the OP will have magically reappeared by the time I post this.