One that wasn't mentioned here that caught me by surprise was the song from the movie Crash, In The Deep....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbQPxJ10KWs
Beautiful ghostly, evocative... Bird York? Never heard of her, but what a nice surprise.
Another not mentioned is Ricky Lee Jones early work and first solo album...
"Texaco" is an all time classic...