There's a conversational charm to David Wilcox's songs. His craft is strong, blending the grace of Joni Mitchell and a low-key wit reminiscent of pre-fame Billy Joel. The Ohio native enjoyed major-label status from the late '80s through the late '90s, but it wasn't until the '00s, or when he went indie, that he broke out as a folk icon with an ongoing streak of terrific albums. It'd be hard to overstate the intelligence of his songs, which will catch you unaware because they are not self-consciously clever. —Chris Parker