Nick Lowe sparkles in Tiny Desk Concert

You've probably heard Nick Lowe before. He's the sarcastic guy who wrote "(What's So Funny About) Peace, Love and Understanding" and "Cruel to Be Kind." But that's probably about all you know about him. Despite being a tremendous talent and genuinely nice guy (I've been blessed to meet him twice), he sadly remains a niche artists. 

In the 30 or so years since his big hits, Lowe has quietly evolved from legendary power-pop performer/producer to soft-rock troubadour. This recent NPR Tiny Desk Concert captures him in fine form, particularly on the new "House for Sale," in which Lowe combines some sharp wit with some nice vocal touches.

A new twist on cover songs

It's kind of incredible to think that artists like Squeeze are re-recording their best-known songs, note for note, without any intent to make money from their fans but instead gain more control over publishing royalties.

"Soundcheck" does a nice job of looking at why artists are doing this, and how some fans get hoodwinked into buying something that isn't truly original. At least Squeeze, tongue in cheek, named its new greatest hits collection "Spot the Difference."

A Giant take on "Don't Stop Believin' "

Anyone who is a long-suffering fan of the San Francisco Giants will love this video takeoff of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'."

Ignore Ashkon Davaran's off-key vocals and enjoy the fresh lyrics and team history. It's amazing how quickly creative people can produce stuff like this.