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For Chinese indie band Rebuilding the Rights of Statues, the art of making anti-establishment music in a non-democratic state is all in the translation. For example, the band translated the title of its song "Hang the Police" as "the police are laughing."

An air of regret often hangs over the group's bittersweet reunion album, Time on Earth. Still, "Don't Stop Now" more than lives up to the worthy tradition of Crowded House's brightly catchy, sweetly upbeat best.

Caribou's "Melody Day" sounds like the product of a different era — a song that might have been at home on, say, The Velvet Underground's Loaded, had Lou Reed been replaced by Brian Wilson and incorporated layered electronic beats into his songwriting.

"Cold Blooded," from Shivaree's new covers album Tainted Love, sounds harder and more guitar-heavy than Rick James' original. The song manages to hit a deep funk groove in spite of its near-complete lack of syncopation.

On her gorgeous new eponymous CD, it's easy to forget that Keren Ann, a French singer of Israeli-Dutch-Indonesian heritage, is anything but American. "Lay Your Head Down" sounds like Cowboy Junkies once again paying tribute to Velvet Underground.

Lyle Ritz's bass can be heard on many pop singles between the mid-'60s and early '80s. But in Hawaii, a group of enthusiasts know him for a recording made 50 years ago — the first album for jazz ukulele.

In "Swing (Parts 1 & 2)," guitarist Mick Turner plucks out a simple, dreamy hook as a violin radiates unease. Meanwhile, drummer Jim White helps ratchet up the tension over the course of several eerie minutes. As a solo act, Turner expertly emulates his band, Dirty Three.

Percussionist Bobby Sanabria grew up in the musical melting pot of the South Bronx in New York City. Now, as the leader of a big band, it's no wonder that his brand of Latin jazz mirrors a panoply of Afro-Western styles from all over the Americas.

Mary Lou Williams was not only present for nearly every development in jazz music — she was influential to most of them. In her compositions, arrangements, piano playing, and teaching, she constantly advanced jazz music.

Part of jazz trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard's A Tale of God's Will served as the soundtrack to Spike Lee's When the Levees Broke documentary about Hurricane Katrina. Blanchard shares two solo piano performances with WBGO's Josh Jackson.