The whims of record buyers can be difficult to predict or understand: Even the most thoughtful attempts at dissecting consumer psychology can't explain why great music falls through the cracks. The first two of this week's three acts seem ready made for the kind of underground stardom that has eluded them to date, which is bonkers given their quality relative to a lot of what does catch on in today's indie world. I won't name names, but come on, you probably have some idea of who I'm talking about!

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Irving "Situation" (Eenie Meenie)

With their semi-ironic lyrics about romantic entanglements, lighthearted pop forms and upbeat compositions that seem to exclaim "Holy cow, I'm in California!", the Los Angeles-based band Irving approximates the appeal of "The O.C." during the all-too-brief window of time when it was the most fun show on network television. Irving's music, which rotates on sunny alternative rock that serves as shorthand for breezy coolness, sounds as though it were built for that series' famous soundtrack. Just as "The O.C." made even the most angst-ridden moments of its characters' lives seem like a blast, Irving's music is enough to make a person want to live out the relationship troubles of its singers in the hopes that the reality of the situation would feel even remotely as great as their effervescent harmonies and crisp guitar chords.

Right click to download: http://tinyurl.com/msv4a

Buy it: http://tinyurl.com/ztgfh

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The Rogers Sisters "The Clock" (Too Pure)

Though they are not without a well-earned measure of respect and success, the Brooklyn art-punk trio The Rogers Sisters (two-thirds of whom are actually sisters with the surname Rogers) sound as though they are stuck in the wrong decade. There's nothing particularly dated about their records, but it stands in such sharp contrast with much of the limp, diffident music that is currently popular in indie rock circles that they seem like a throwback to the sharper, more dynamic female-fronted bands of the early '90s. Jennifer Rogers sings with cool, unforced authority and plays her guitar with an ear for both hummable melody and visceral noise.

"The Clock," an intense rave-up, is the centerpiece of The Rogers Sisters' most recent album, "The Invisible Deck." Set to a track that alternates between taut verses and fiery instrumental sections, Rogers urgently counts down to zero hour with only vague indications of what this passage of time could mean. The song's menace is only increased by its ambiguity. When Rogers shouts "Is this the place? Is this the time?" in a tone that suggests a state of frozen dread, the listener can only hope that it's not.

Right click to download: http://tinyurl.com/ha9rx

Buy it: http://tinyurl.com/zzzct

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Edu K "Bundalele Baile Jean" (Man Recordings)

I am constantly amazed by the seemingly eternal shelf-life of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean," a hit of such magnitude and staying power that by all rights it ought to sound totally played out to everyone but the very young. Much of the song's everlasting appeal is owed to its indelible and highly malleable bass line, which has been sampled countless times yet manages to feel fresh in almost every new context. Brazilian MC Edu K is only the latest artist to make this groove his own. Edu K twists its beat and key instrumental elements into a new track that is influenced by the raunchy Baile funk music native to the slums of Rio de Janeiro. Edu K's chanted rap is infectious under normal circumstances, but combined with the "Billie Jean" backbeat resistance is futile.

Right click to download: http://tinyurl.com/ztnwp

Buy it: http://www.manrecordings.com

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Matthew Perpetua is the maestro behind fluxblog.org.

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