While many musicians at the fringes are doggedly independent artists with fresh ideas, they share that great, circular stage with a number of groups and individuals who don't really aim for high art. There are novelty acts, vanity side projects for more successful artists and, of course, cover bands. When an established artist who usually records unique material decides to do a cover, it's usually out of admiration for the original artist or possibly a cheap ploy to sell records and confuse downloaders. But to be a dedicated cover band is another trajectory altogether. It is to willingly live in the shadow of other, much more prominent artists, or maybe to openly ride their coat tails to a career.

On the subject of coat tails and cover songs, there's a curious tangent in pop music via the piano stylings of Christopher O'Riley. While O'Riley certainly has a career outside of recording cover songs (he hosts a long-running show on National Public Radio and is an accomplished classical pianist), most people know him thanks to his penchant for giving Radiohead the ivory treatment. Of the five albums O'Riley has released, only his first centers on traditional arrangements. Starting with 2003's True Love Waits: Christopher O'Riley Plays Radiohead, he has devoted his recording career to covering pop music as classical instrumental tracks.

My first encounter with O'Riley's Radiohead covers was in a roundabout sort of way. My sister had her first child in 2005 and about a year later I helped my parents babysit my niece while her folks were out of town. One of her nap time albums happened to be True Love Waits. The gentle piano relaxed her and there were no vocals to stimulate her developing language curiosity. I had been a fan of Radiohead since OK Computer, so I found O'Riley's take on these songs to be intriguing.

It wasn't until I really listened more closely that I heard what was really wonderful about O'Riley's covers. A lot of people have accused Christopher O'Riley of using Radiohead's fame for his own personal gain and to an extent I'd say that's true. But these albums are far from schlock. When Ozzy Osbourne's annoying daughter records her own unlistenable rendition of "Papa, Don't Preach", that is shameless co-opting of pop culture. When Christopher O'Riley condenses the complex electronic arrangements and dynamic vocals of one of the most progressive bands of the last two decades into passionate piano pieces, it's a loving homage.

Since the relative success of his two Radiohead albums, Christopher O'Riley has covered two additional artists. In 2006 he paid tribute to the departed Elliott Smith with Home To Oblivion, then moved onto another artist who died too young, covering Nick Drake on 2007's Second Grace. There's a lot to like about O'Riley's careful covers. He's not trying to imitate the original artists or even to snag a portion of their dedicated fans. O'Riley is a fan himself; a highly proficient pianist fan. If he makes some coin recording pretty songs, where's the harm?