@bslon i'm not a big joe jackson guy (he's a vg musician but a lousy singer), but "big world" is one of the best-sounding recordings you'll hear. also the rare live album which has only new songs (jackson browne's is the only other one to come to mind).
my picks:
pg six, starry mind--really good, richard thompsonish folkrocky/jammy stuff
the neats, crash at crush--genuinely great singer + the songs are mostly there
scenic, acquatica--guitar-instro music which sometimes drifts off into the ozone, but they always have beautiful album covers