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Dave Alvin is best known for his work in the Blasters and X, as well as his solo career. His new CD West of the West is a tribute to California songwriters, and features Alvin performing songs by Jerry Garcia, Tom Waits, Brian Wilson, Merle Haggard and others.

A venerated art-funk band that helped spawn hip-hop and No Wave, ESG should always stay in the way-back machine: It has such a singular sound that, were it to deviate even for a second, it would come across as calculated and fake. Thankfully, it's still 1978 in ESG's world.

The five members of Those Transatlantics claim The Beatles, The Cardigans and The New Pornographers as the shared influences that brought them together, so it should come as no surprise that their music is the sonic equivalent of an ice-cold glass of lemonade on a summer day.

The music of singer-songwriter Mindy Smith appeals to a wide audience while remaining close to her distinct vision. With a ringing endorsement from country icon Dolly Parton — thanks in part to her rendition of Parton's "Jolene" — Smith has built a career on her own terms, without music-industry interference.

German soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf died Thursday at age 90. Along with Maria Callas, she was considered one of the greatest opera singers of the 20th century. Here's some commentary on her life and career, followed by Schwarzkopf singing music by Richard Strauss.

Malajube's quirky power-pop sound should seem familiar to fans of The Flaming Lips or the Super Furry Animals, with a touch of The Beatles at times. On "Montreal -40C," Malajube constructs a warm mixture of "ba ba ba"s, lighthearted synths and infectious melodies.

His song cycle Cross That River tells how African Americans helped shape the western frontier. The CD is part of a project that includes a novel, a musical and plans for an educational offering in Harlem schools.

Whether playing aggressive rock or hauntingly quiet folk, Montreal musician Sam Roberts is likely to inject social commentary into his songwriting. His eclectic mix of rock, pop and folk has won him a growing fan base across North America.

At 65, Dr. John is best known for rhythm and blues and his voodoo charms. In a new album, Mercernary, he's taking Johnny Mercer's pop standards and mixing in his own brand of New Orleans funk.

If the souls of Sly Stone and Prince were united in the form of a white British singer, his name would probably be Jamie Lidell. Though Lidell is likely to perform his funk jams backed by a laptop, he still has the full-throated, improvisational vocal talent and showmanship of his predecessors.