• American Music Club founder Mark Eitzel is mad for covers this Tuesday as his new solo album, Courage & Confidence, is chock full of interesting interpretations by the somber bard. Ten oddly selected songs make up the New West Records release, including his pensive take on Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up," The Flamingos' "I Only Have Eyes for You," Andrea True Connection's "More, More, More," Anne Murray's "Snowbird," Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine," and - dig this - Culture Club's "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" • Both Robert Plant and Dolly Parton have announced that they too will be dipping into the strange cover waters, with Plant's upcoming album featuring his take on the Jimi Hendrix classic "Hey Joe" (itself a cover), Tim Buckley's "Song of the Siren," and the track "Morning Due," previously recorded by Tim Hardin and Jeff Beck.

• My favorite record of the moment is I Can See Your House from Here by The Scooters, a gorgeous sophomore release blending sweeping Brit-pop melodies and easy beat twang. From the open acoustic chords of "This Is How It Ends" and its Radiohead-esque lyrics - "So this is how it ends / Man against machine / It's the finest fistfight / The world has ever seen" - the album stretches out and soars with shimmering three-part harmonies and hook-driven power pop.

Even though it's been without vast amounts of fame or fortune, the career of John Hiatt has had an arc that many musicians would envy. The singer-songwriter has hopped from label to label and style to style, garnered heaps of respect and a bunch or royalties when other artists cover his songs (which happens a lot), and generally gets to do what he wants without the weight of public expectation.

Ron Block doesn't like the spotlight, and that makes him a perfect fit for the world's most popular bluegrass band, Alison Krauss & Union Station.

"The whole concept of my playing is to enhance the sound of the band and not draw attention to myself unnecessarily," said Block, the band's guitarist, banjo player, and most frequent songwriter.