Michael Penn

Michael Penn's "No Myth" hit the radio like cool spring rain back in 1989, an era when its mix of power-pop hooks and folk-rock melodism was sorely missing from the charts. Penn has kept at it over the years, putting out his individualistic pop tunes (and writing movie scores) through grunge, Brit Pop, neo soul, the indie explosion, and the domination of American Idol. "Brave New World" cuts like old Elvis Costello, and "Walter Reed" shows that Penn's still at the top of his game.