With a guest appearance by De La Soul and a storyline that's just been optioned by Chris Rock, five MCs have joined forces for the preschool set as The Dino-5. Animated videos are soon to air on Noggin TV, and a nationwide tour is in the works for this summer, but just who are DJ Stegosaurus, Billy Brotosaurus, MC T-Rex, Tracy Triceratops, and TEO Pterodactal? Put away your pick and shovel: This prehistoric crew is none other than Prince Paul, Wordsworth, the Jurassic 5's Chali Tuna, Digable Planets' Lady Bug Mecca, and The Roots' Scratch, respectively, as the colorful young dinosaurs. The Baby Loves Music Records label is releasing the self-titled CD in early April, narrated by spoken-word artist Ursula Rucker.

Next week Guitar Center is the only place to find a Smashing Pumpkins rarity. The song, "SuperChrist," appears on an exclusive CD created by the retailer to show off the talent in its own employee base, each selected by Billy Corgan and his bandmates.

Television Alert

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus this evening, Cat Power on Thursday, and the Punch Brothers on Friday; The Late Show with David Letterman unveils the musical lineage of Liam Finnon Thursday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien hosts James Blunt on Thursday and Shooter Jenningson Friday overnight; The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson presents Dweezil Zappa on Friday overnight; and The Ellen DeGeneres Show features Janet Jackson on Friday.

New Releases Coming Tuesday, March 4:

Autechre - Quaristice (Warp) the group's ninth album, also available in a special two-CD edition in a photo-etched steel case

Bauhaus - Going Away White (Bauhaus Music) all new from the legendary band's brief reunion, producing their first new music since 1983

Black 47 - Iraq (United For Opportunity) appearing this May at Chicago's Gaelic Park Irish Festival, the new CD features songs inspired by various perspectives on the war

The Black Crowes - Warpaint (Silver Arrow/Megaforce) all-new CD and vinyl LP with Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars, and a cover of Reverend Charlie Jackson's "God's Got It"

Blue Floyd - Begins (Airline) two-CD set of Pink Floyd classics interpreted as vintage blues with members of Gov't Mule, the Allman Brothers, and the Black Crowes

BoDeans - Still (He & He LP Records) all new with producer T-Bone Burnett

Jackson Browne - Solo Acoustic Vol. 2 (Inside Recordings) featuring the hits "Redneck Friend" and "Somebody's Baby"

Cadence Weapon - Afterparty Babies (Anti/Epitaph) on tour now with Ruffians

Carlene Carter - Stronger (Yep Roc) featuring the duet "It Takes One to Know Me" with her husband, Joe Breen

Mlle Caro & Franck Garcia - Pain Disappears (Buzzin' Fly) poppin' smooth house grooves from the French duo on Ben Watt's cool boutique label, featuring a bonus Ewan Pearson remix

Chatham County Line - IV (Yep Roc) back with producer Chris Stamey

Elvis Costello - This Year's Model (Hip-O) two-CD deluxe-edition reissue featuring a concert from 1978 and 11 demos and rarities

Bill Cutler - Crossing the Line (Magnatude) with members of the Grateful Dead, Moby Grape, Jefferson Airplane, and New Riders of the Purple Sage

Devil Doll - The Return of Eve (CD Baby) the rockabilly vamp is back, featuring a cover of the classic "Fever"

The Doors - Live in Pittsburgh 1970 (Bright Midnight/Rhino) 16 tracks recorded at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena

Kathleen Edwards - Asking for Flowers (Zoe) with Tom Petty & the Hearbreakers keyboardist Benmont Tench

Everything But the Girl - Eden: Collector's Edition (Rhino) import-only two-CD reissue

Flogging Molly - Float (SideOneDummy) currently shaking the floorboards of venues across America on the fourth annual Green 17 tour; these 11 new pub anthems and daydreams of Ireland shine with a visceral maturity and grace

Foxhole - We the Wintering Tree (Burnt Toast Vinyl) icy, cubic instrumentals to match the CD's embossed white-paper sleeve

The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia (SubPop) highly anticipated soul-brother project from the Screaming Trees' Mark Lanegan and the Afghan Whigs' Greg Dulli

Bing Ji Ling - June Degrees in December (To the Curb) retro R&B soul CD EP from this alter ego of one of Tommy Guerrero's musical crew

Dawn Landes - Fireproof (Fun Machine/Cooking Vinyl) my pick of the week is this buttercup that mixes a clever tongue and a mix-it-up alternative-folk wink; look for a bonus cover of Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down"

M.I.A. - Paper Planes: Homeland Security Remixes (Interscope) with tweaking via Blaqstarr, Diplo, DFA, and Adrock

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Real Emotional Trash (Matador) featuring Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss holding down the beat

Mason Proper - "Short Hand" (Dovecote) CD EP featuring a bonus DVD with videos for each song

Michael McDonald - Soul Speak (Motown) covers collection featuring his take on Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic"

Miss Kittin - BatBox (Nobody's Bizzness/Groove Attack) French electro-pop on CD and two-LP vinyl, featuring cool cover art by Emily the Strange illustrator Rob Reger

Murder by Death - Red of Tooth & Claw (Vagrant) also available in a limited-edition 180-gram blue-vinyl LP edition in a gatefold sleeve

Mark Pickerel & His Praying Hands - Cody's Dream (Bloodshot) new from the former Screaming Trees and Truly drummer, featuring members of Supersuckers and Young Fresh Fellows

Pete Rock - NY's Finest (Nature Sounds) with guests Jim Jones, Raekwon, Redman, Sheek Louch, and Little Brother

Rootz Underground - Movement (Mystic Urchin) debut from Jamaica, featuring the number-one international hit "Victims of the System"

The Ruby Seas - Sea Lion (SubPop) New Zealand band influenced by Kenyan rhythms

Steve Stevens - Memory Crash (Magna Carta) the return of Billy Idol's amazing guitarist, with guest Dug Pinnick of King's X on a cover of Robin Trower's "Day of the Eagle"

Swing Out Sister - Beautiful Mess (Avex) all-new import-only album with bonus Little Wizard remixes

Thrice - "Come All You Weary" (Vagrant) iTunes-only single release with a bonus acoustic version of "The Whaler" and a remix by Dillinger Escape Plan's Ben Weinman

The Tossers - Live on St. Patrick's Day (Victory) CD/DVD set recorded at The Metro in Chicago, featuring rare acoustic footage from the JBTV studios

Vanilla Fudge - Orchestral Fudge (Airline) their first official live album, featuring covers of "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" and "People Get Ready"

Vvervvolf Grehv - Zombie Aesthetics (Relapse) side project from Dapose of The Faint

Waco Brothers - Waco Express: Live & Kickin' at Schubas Tavern, Chicago (Bloodshot) recorded over two nights

The Waifs - sundirtwater (Compass) fifth studio album from this popular Australian trio

What Made Milwaukee Famous - Trying to Catch Up (Barsuk) on tour with Louis XIV next month; this reissue from 2004 boasts four bonus tracks with Jim Eno of Spoon

Whiskeytown - Strangers Almanac (Mood Food/Geffen) expanded two-CD reissue from 1997, featuring rare acoustic versions, previously unreleased songs, and covers of Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" and Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone"

Jim White - Transnormal Skiperoo (Luaka Bop) co-produced by Joe Pernice

Johnny Winter - Live Bootleg Series Volume Two (Friday Music) collection of recordings from the late 1960s and early 1970s, featuring a cover of B.B. King's "Rock Me Baby"

various artists - Eyeball Awareness Volume 2 (Eyeball) benefiting the Ugandan children relief program Invisible Children, with music by Man Without Wax, Tiger Lou, Wolftron, and E for Explosion

various artists - Saturday Night Live: Lost & Found - SNL in the '80s (Universal) featuring musical guests Elvis Costello, Queen, James Brown, The Kinks, and Roy Orbison