Artist:	Title:	Label/Due date:
Buckwheat Zydeco	"Lay Your Burden Down" (producer: Steve Berlin; guests: Sonny Landreth, Warren Haynes, Steve Berlin, JJ Grey, Trombone Shorty; Read here; MP3 Download)	(Alligator, May 5, 2009)
Paul Carrack	"I Know That Name" (guests: Don Henley, Timothy B. Schmit; first single: "No Doubt About It"; Hear here)	(429, May 5, 2009)
Toni Childs	"Keep the Faith" (her first studio album since 1994; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(429, May 5, 2009)
Ciara	"Fantasy Ride" (producers: Polow Da Don, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Danja, The-Dream; guests: Justin Timberlake, Chris Brown, Missy Elliott, Ludacris, Young Jeezy, The-Dream; Hear here; Read here; CD/DVD)	(Jive, May 5, 2009)
Cracker	"Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey" (guests: Adam Duritz, John Doe, Paterson Hood; first single: "Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out With Me"; Hear here; See here)	(429, May 5, 2009)
Dangerous Summer, The	"Reach for the Sun" (producer: Paul Leavitt; first single: "Surfaced"; Hear here)	(Hopeless, May 5, 2009)
Decyfer Down	"Crash" (producer: Paul Ebersold; Hear here)	(INO/Columbia, May 5, 2009)

BTW: The perils of life on the road are real, as Decyfer Down can attest. A few years ago, their tour van veered off the road during a snow storm, hit a parked car and into a guard rail. Their van was totaled, and fortunately no one was badly injured.

Hence, the title of their new album, "Crash," and its central theme of overcoming adversity.

"It was a very hard time to work through and we had a big 'gut check,' " drummer Josh Oliver tells P&P of the accident. "I think our motives and purpose were greatly challenged on why we do what we do. God really blessed us in all the recovery ... and to all the fans that showed so much love and support, we are very grateful. And many thanks to Disciple and Family Force 5 for coming to our aid on the side of the road."

For "Crash," Oliver says the band "really wanted to show the growth and maturity that we have accumulated over the past few years of touring. We want to reach more people and bring some hope to their lives."

He credits producer Paul Ebersold for stepping up to the plate.

"Paul was awesome," he says. "He has been there and done that when it comes to the music business so we were very excited to have him push and inspire a great new record."

Rick Derringer	"Knighted By the Blues" (Hear here)	(Blues Bureau, May 5, 2009)
Devil Wears Prada, The	"With Roots Above And Branches Below" (producer: Joey Sturgis; Hear here; Read here; CD/DVD)	(Ferret, May 5, 2009)
Kevin Devine	"Brother's Blood" (first single: "I Could Be With Anyone"; Hear here)	(Favorite Gentlemen Recordings, May 5, 2009)
Electric Owls (led by Andy Herod of the Comas)	"Ain't Too Bright" (first single: "Magic Show"; Hear here)	(Vagrant, May 5, 2009)
Fischerspooner	"Entertainment" (producer: Jeff Saltzman; Hear here; Read here)	(FS Studios, May 5, 2009)
Michael Giacchino	"Star Trek [Film soundtrack]" (J.J. Abrams-directed movie opens May 8; See here)	(Varese Sarabande, May 5, 2009)
Naomi Greenwald	"Naomi Greenwald [MP3 Download]" (Hear here)	(Naomi Greenwald, May 5, 2009)
Ben Harper and Relentless7	"White Lies for Dark Times" (first single: "Shimmer and Shine"; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Virgin, May 5, 2009)
Hatebreed	"For the Lions" (all covers; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Koch, May 5, 2009)
Heavyweight Dub Champion	"Rise of the Champion Nation" (producers: Resurrector, Patch; guests: Killah Priest, Dr. Israel, A.P.O.S.T.L.E., KRS-One; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(MVD Audio, May 5, 2009)
Horrors, The	"Primary Colours" (producers: Geoff Barrow, Chris Cunningham; first single: "Sea Within a Sea"; Hear here; See here; Read here; MP3 Download; Vinyl)	(XL/Beggars Banquet, May 5, 2009)
Isis	"Wavering Radiant" (producer: Joe Baressi; guest: Tool guitarist Adam Jones; Hear here; Read here; MP3 Download)	(Ipecac Recordings, May 5, 2009)
Jewel	"Lullaby" (acoustic-based children's album; Hear here)	(Fisher-Price/Somerset Entertainment, May 5, 2009)
Levi Kreis	"Where I Belong" (Hear here)	(Centaur, May 5, 2009)
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver	"Lonely Street" (producer: Lawson; Hear here)	(Rounder, May 5, 2009)
Madina Lake	"Attics to Eden" (producer: David Bendeth; Hear here)	(Roadrunner, May 5, 2009)
Ziggy Marley	"Family Time" (children's album; producer: Don Was; guests: Rita, Cedella and Judah Marley, Paul Simon, Jack Johnson, Willie Nelson, Toots Hibberts, Elizabeth Mitchell, Laurie Berkner, Jamie Lee Curtis; Read here; MP3 Download)	(Tuff Gong, May 5, 2009)
Ralphie May	"Austin-Tatious"	(Image, May 5, 2009)
Katie Melua	"Pictures" (released in the U.K. in October 2007; producer: Mike Batt; Hear here; Read here)	(Universal Motown, May 5, 2009)
Chrisette Michele	"Epiphany" (producers: Chuck Harmony, Claude Kelly, B Major, Ne-Yo; first single: "Epiphany," written by Ne-Yo; Hear here)	(Def Jam, May 5, 2009)
Eddie Money	"The Covers EP: Volume One [MP3 Download]" (4 tracks)	(Gigatone, May 5, 2009)
My Favorite Highway	"How to Call a Bluff" (producer: Paul Barber; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Virgin, May 5, 2009)
Bif Naked	"The Promise" (producers: Peter Karroll, Jason Darr, Bif Naked; MP3 Download)	(Canada - The Promise Music Corp., May 4, 2009)
New York Dolls	"Cause I Sez So" (11 original tracks and a new version of "Trash"; producer: Todd Rundgren, who produced their 1973 debut; first single: "Cause I Sez So"; Hear here; Listening Party; iLike; Read here)	(Atco/Rhino, May 5, 2009)
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band	"Outer South" (producer: Oberst; Hear here; Vinyl)	(Merge, May 5, 2009)
Tara Jane O'Neil	"A Ways Away" (Hear here)	(K, May 5, 2009)
Peaches	"I Feel Cream" (Hear here; Read here; MP3 Download)	(XL, May 5, 2009)
Paul Potts	"Passione" (Hear here; See here; Amazon.com exclusive CD/DVD)	(Columbia, May 5, 2009)
Psychostick	"Sandwich" (producer: guitarist Josh Key; Hear here)	(Rock Ridge Music, May 5, 2009)
Rhino Bucket (joined by former AC/DC drummer Simon Wright and Kix guitarist Brian "Damage" Forsythe)	"The Hardest Town" (Hear here)	(Acetate/MVD Visual, May 5, 2009)
Rusted Root	"Stereo Rodeo" (band's first studio album since 2002; first single: "Dance in the Middle"; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Touchy Pegg/ADA, May 5, 2009)
St. Vincent (nee Annie Clark)	"Actor" (producers: Clark, John Congleton; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(4AD, May 5, 2009)
Shout Out Out Out Out	"Reintegration Time" (producer: frontman Nik Kozub; Hear here)	(Normals Welcome, May 5, 2009)
Smithereens, The	"The Smithereens Play Tommy" (a one-disc, abbreviated "Live At Leeds"-styled version of The Who album; MP3 Download)	(E1, May 5, 2009)
Sparks the Rescue	"Eyes to the Sun" (Hear here)	(Fearless, May 5, 2009)
Spring Creek	"Way Up on a Mountain" (Hear here)	(Rebel, May 5, 2009)
Sweet Billy Pilgrim	"Twice Born Men" (producer: frontman Tim Elsenburg; Hear here)	(Wonderland Avenue, May 5, 2009)
Larry Tee	"Club Badd" (guests: Princess Superstar, Perez Hilton, Jeffree Star, Amanda Lepore, etc.; Hear/see here)	(Ultra, May 5, 2009)
Various artists	"Causes 2" (Darfur-earmarked proceeds go to Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières, Human Rights Watch and Oxfam America; contributors: Black Moth Super Rainbow, The Decemberists, Devendra Banhart, Gnarls Barkley, LCD Soundsystem, My Morning Jacket, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, etc.; Hear here; See here)	(Waxploitation, May 5, 2009)
Various artists	"Next Day Air [Film soundtrack]" (action-comedy opens May 8; See here)	(Melee, May 5, 2009)
Patrick Watson & the Wooden Arms	"Wooden Arms" (Hear here; Read here)	(Secret City, May 5, 2009)
Elliott Yamin	"Fight For Love" (producers: Jermaine Dupri, Stargate, Midi Mafia; first single: "Fight For Love"; Hear here; Read here)	(Hickory, May 5, 2009)
Yusuf (the former Cat Stevens)	"Roadsinger (To Warm You Through the Night)" (producers: Yusuf, Martin Terefe; guests: James Morrison, Michelle Branch, Holly Williams; first single: "Boots & Sand"; Hear here; Read here; MP3 Download)	(Universal, May 5, 2009)