The Best CDs You Didn't Hear This Year

Published December 22, 2005 at 1:36 PM EST

Alexandra Patsavas, who supervises the music on the TV show The O.C., had high praise for Irish singer Gemma Hayes' The Roads Don't Love You.

Chris Douridas of KCRW thought Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine didn't get the headlines it deserved. The album was one of the top 10 picks from NPR listeners.

Chicago Tribune critic Greg Kot says bluesman Otis Taylor experiments with new sounds and surprising instruments on his CD Below the Fold.

Every year 35,000 new CDs are released. With all those artists clamoring for an audience, it's not surprising that some musical gems get overlooked.

As the year comes to a close, NPR asked a few people who monitor the music business to comb through their files to share a few of this year's releases that, in their view, didn't get the attention they deserved.

Michele Norris talks about the year's best overlooked albums with: Greg Kot, pop music critic for The Chicago Tribune and co-host of Chicago Public Radio music program Sound Opinions. Also weighing in: Chris Douridas, host of the KCRW music program "New Ground" and a music supervisor for a number of TV and film projects; and Alexandra Patsavas, who supervises the music for a number of Hollywood shows, including Grey's Anatomy, Wthout A Trace, and The O.C..

Greg Kot's Picks:

* Out Hud -- Let Us Never Speak of It Again

* Tom Brosseau -- What I Mean to Say is Goodbye

* Otis Taylor -- Below the Fold

* Sons and Daughters -- The Repulsion Box

* High on Fire -- Blessed Black Wings

* The Perceptionists -- Black Dialogue

Chris Douridas' Picks:

* Kronos Quartet and Asha Bhosle -- You've Stolen My Heart!

* Harada Ikuko -- Piano

* Fiona Apple -- Extraordinary Machine

* Josh Rouse -- Nashville

* Avishai Cohen -- At Home

* Sufjan Stevens -- Illinois

* Mia Doi Todd -- Manzanita

* Imogen Heap -- Speak for Yourself

Alexandra Patsavas' Picks:

* Leaves -- The Angela Test

* Gemma Hayes -- The Roads Don't Love You

* Maria Taylor -- 11:11

* Calla -- Collisions by Calla

* Editors -- The Back Room

* Clue to Kalo -- One Way, It's Everyway

* Goldspot -- Tally For The Yes Men

* Feeder -- Comfort in Sound

* Electric President -- Electric President