Artist:	Title:	Label/Due date:
Oleta Adams	"Let's Stay Here" (her first album of pop/soul material since 2001; includes a cover of Nina Simone's "Feelin' Good"; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(E1 Music, April 21, 2009)
Art Brut	"Art Brut vs. Satan" (producer: Frank Black; first single: "Alcoholics Unanimous"; Hear here; Read here)	(Downtown, April 21, 2009)
Buju Banton	"Rasta Got Soul" (Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Gargamel, April 21, 2009)
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy	"How Big Can You Get? A Tribute to Cab Calloway" (Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Vanguard, April 21, 2009)
Blockheads, The (new vocalist: Derek Hussey)	"Staring Down the Barrel" (Hear here; Read here)	(U.K. - EMI, April 20, 2009)
Boxmasters, The	"Modbilly" (2 CDs; producers: W.R. "Bud" Thornton, J.D. Andrew; Hear here)	(Vanguard/Sawmill, April 21, 2009)
brakesbrakesbrakes (featuring former and current member of British Sea Power, Electric Soft Parade and The Tenderfoot)	"Touchdown" (producer: The Delgados' Paul Savage; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(FatCat, April 21, 2009)
Tim Brantley	"Goldtop Heights" (producer: Brantley; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Blackledge, April 21, 2009)
Breeders, The	"Fate to Fatal [EP]" (four songs; Hear here)	(Breedersdigest.net, April 21, 2009)
Cage the Elephant	"Cage the Elephant" (Bowling Green, Ky., rock band's first single, "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked," reached No. 31 in the U.K. in 2008; producer: Jay Joyce; Hear here; See here; MP3 Download)	(DSP, April 21, 2009)
Camera Obscura	"My Maudlin Career" (Hear here; MP3 Download)	(2.13.61, April 21, 2009)
Chester French	"Love the Future" (first single: "She Loves Everybody"; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Star Trak/Interscope, April 21, 2009)
Chimaira	"The Infection" (producer: Ben Schigel; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Ferret Music, April 21, 2009)
Slaid Cleaves	"Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away ..." (Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Music Road/Select-O, April 21, 2009)

BTW: Why five years between albums? Touring takes a lot of his time, Cleaves tells P&P.

"And I'm a slow writer," he says. "2004 tour to support 'Wishbones' album. 2005 tour, work out songs and record 'Unsung' album. 2006 tour to support 'Unsung.' 2007 tour and write songs for 'Everything' album. 2008 tour and record 'Everything.' 2009 help start new record label, put 'Everything' together, tour to promote 'Everything ... .' "

Cleaves' new album has been described "dark and lovely." What kind of place was he in when he wrote those songs?

"Literally: in various borrowed vacation homes or hotel rooms, mostly in Texas," he says. "Figuratively: in a place where I wanted to tap into my own struggles in order to create songs in which people recognize their struggles and feel slightly less alone."

Commander Cody	"Dopers, Drunks and Everyday Losers" (his first studio album in 13 years; producer: Aaron Hurwitz; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Blind Pig, April 21, 2009)
Susan Cowsill	"Lighthouse" (Hear here)	(Threadhead, April 21, 2009)
Cryptacize	"Mythomania" (Hear here; Vinyl; MP3 Download)	(Asthmatic Kitty, April 21, 2009)
Cycle of Pain	"Cycle of Pain" (guests: Zakk Wylde, Ray Luzier, Brian Tichy, Sen Dog, etc.; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Reform/Rock Ridge Music, April 21, 2009)
Depeche Mode	"Sounds of the Universe" (first single: "Wrong"; Hear here; Read here; CD/DVD; Deluxe CD/DVD/book box set; 2 LPs/CD; MP3 Download)	(Mute, April 21, 2009)
Dubious Ranger	"Uneasy Truce at the Watering Hole" (first single: "Weapon"; Hear here; See here)	(The Nothing Room, April 21, 2009)
John Dunbar	"Life's Great Listeners" (Hear here)	(Heartpunch/NoiseTrade, April 21, 2009)

BTW: "I was at a gathering of a bunch of musician/artists friends of mine," Dunbar tells P&P. "I was looking around and realized that none of us ever really broke through, or 'made it' if you will. I don't know if that's what bonds us or if some of us are secretly happy that others have failed?, etc. ... All those thoughts led to a song idea.

"When I started writing it, I had too many ideas about the subject to fit into one song, or even one song of epic length; next thing I knew it became a song cycle. There are 12 songs and they all link into each other. The opening title track mentions Donald, who pulls out his old cassettes and plays his songs that nobody gets. The following song 'Hanging Onto Indifference,' delves more into Donald's outlook on his supposed career. In that song, it mentions great players that are just teaching guitar now.

"The next song, 'Watching Fingers,' is sung by one of those talented teachers about his love of guitar and the never ending act of watching guitarist's fingers. You can find the character from each song in the one that precedes it. The pattern continues right up to the final track, 'Latest Last Hurrah,' which is about a guy that's announced he's giving up many times throughout the years and now he's back yet again (is that the most autobiographical song on the record?).

"I am pleased to make it available through NoiseTrade.com as a pay what you want, if anything, download. I've heard some great stuff over there and am very proud to be part of it."

Empire of the Sun	"Walking On a Dream" (Hear here; See here; MP3 Download)	(Astralwerks, April 21, 2009)
Great White	"Rising" (Hear here)	(Frontiers, April 21, 2009)
Greencards, The	"Fascination" (producer: Jay Joyce; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Sugar Hill, April 21, 2009)
Wayne "The Train" Hancock	"Viper of Melody" (Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Bloodshot, April 21, 2009)
High Strung, The	"Ode to the Inverse of the Dude" (producer: David Newfeld; Hear here; Vinyl; MP3 Download)	(Park the Van, April 21, 2009)
Jars of Clay	"The Long Fall Back to Earth" (producers: Ron Aniello, Jars of Clay; first single: "Two Hands"; Hear here; Read here; Vinyl)	(Gray Matters/Essential, April 21, 2009)
Booker T. Jones	"Potato Hole" (instrumental album; producers: Jones, Rob Schnapf; guests: Neil Young, Drive-By Truckers; Hear here; Read here; MP3 Download)	(Anti-/Epitaph, April 21, 2009)
Lacuna Coil	"Shallow Life" (producer: Don Gilmore; Hear here; Read here; MP3 Download)	(Century Media, April 21, 2009)
Manchester Orchestra	"Mean Everything to Nothing" (producers: Joe Chiccarelli, Dan Hannon; first single: "I've Got Friends"; Hear here; Vinyl; MP3 Download)	(Favorite Gentlemen/Columbia, April 21, 2009)
Dario Marianelli	"The Soloist [film soundtrack]" (the Jamie Foxx-Robert Downey Jr. movie opens April 24; See here; Read here; MP3 Download)	(Decca, April 21, 2009)
Meg & Dia	"Here, Here and Here" (producer: Howard Benson; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Warner, April 21, 2009)
Milk & Honey Band, The (led by ex-Leviation guitarist Robert White)	"Dog Eared Moonlight" (Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Ape, April 21, 2009)
My Dying Bride	"For Lies I Sire" (producer: Mags; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Peaceville, April 21, 2009)
Pepper	"Kona Gold" (recorded August 2008 at Fox Theater in Boulder, Colo.; Hear here; See here; MP3 Download)	(Law/Volcom Entertainment, April 21, 2009)
Pet Shop Boys	"Yes" (producers: Pet Shop Boys, Xenomania; guest: Johnny Marr; orchestral arrangements by Owen Pallett; first single: "Love etc."; See here; Read here; 2-disc set)	(Astralwerks, April 21, 2009)
Sarah Reeves	"Sweet Sweet Sound" (producers: Ian Eskelin, Matt Bronleewe; Hear here; Read here; MP3 Download)	(Sparrow, April 21, 2009)
Keith Reid Project, The (Procol Harum lyricist)	"The Common Thread" (guests: John Waite, Chris Thompson, Southside Johnny, Steve Booker, Terry Reid, Chaz Jankel, Bernie Shanahan, Michael Saxell; Hear/read here; MP3 Download)	(Rockville, April 21, 2009)
Jason Ricci and New Blood	"Done With the Devil" (Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Eclecto Groove, April 21, 2009)
Roy Rogers	"Split Decision" (Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Blind Pig, April 21, 2009)
Rick Ross	"Deeper Than Rap" (guests: John Legend, Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, Lil Wayne, Nas; first single: "Magnificent"; Hear here; Read here; MP3 Download)	(Maybach Music Group/Def Jam, April 21, 2009)
Asher Roth	"Asleep in the Bread Isle" (guests: Jazze Pha, Cee-Lo, Chester French; first single: "I Love College"; Hear here; Read here; CD/DVD; MP3 Download)	(SchoolBoy/SRC/Universal, April 20, 2009)
Secret Handshake, The	"My Name in Lights" (Hear here; Read here; MP3 Download)	(Triple Crown, April 21, 2009)
Jamie Slocum	"Dependence" (Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Curb, April 21, 2009)
Son de Madera	"Son de Mi Tierra" (producers: Ramon Gutierrez, Daniel E. Sheehy; first single: "La Bamba"; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, April 21, 2009)
Super Furry Animals	"Dark Days/Light Years" (guest: Franz Ferdinand guitarist Nick McCarthy; Hear here; Vinyl; MP3 Download)	(Rough Trade, April 21, 2009)
Tinted Windows (pop supergroup, featuring Taylor Hanson, Adam Schlesinger, James Iha, Bun E. Carlos)	"Tinted Windows" (Hear here; Read here; MP3 Download)	(S-Curve, April 21, 2009)
Allen Toussaint	"The Bright Mississippi" (producer: Joe Henry; Read here; MP3 Download)	(Nonesuch, April 21, 2009)
Various artists	"17 Again [film soundtrack]" (Burr Steers-directed movie, starring Zac Efron, opens April 17; features new tracks by Cat Power, The Kooks, Santogold, etc., and old songs by Kenny Loggins, Young MC and Kool & The Gang; See here; Read here; MP3 Download)	(New Line, April 21, 2009)
Veer Union, The	"Against the Grain" (producer: Greg Archilla; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Universal Motown, April 21, 2009)
Dale Watson	"The Truckin' Sessions Vol. 2" (Hear here; Read here; MP3 Download)	(Hyena, April 21, 2009)
Wendy & Lisa	"Heroes [TV soundtrack]" (Hear here)	(La-La Land, April 21, 2009)
Ron White	"Ron White: Behavioral Problems — Live, Extended & Uncensored" (Comedy Central special premieres 9 p.m. ET April 19; DVD)	(Capitol Records Nashville, April 21, 2009)
Webb Wilder	"More Like Me" (Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Blind Pig, April 21, 2009)
Jesse Winchester	"Love Filling Station" (his first album in 10 years; Hear here; MP3 Download)	(Appleseed Recordings, April 21, 2009)