· Lenny Kravitz and Lionel Richie have forged a musical friendship, with each artist showing up as a guest on the other's new album. Look for Kravitz's upcoming Baptism album to feature guests Richie and Jay-Z, with Richie's upcoming Just for You to feature guests Kravitz and Daniel Bedingfield.
· Calexico has pulled over its nonstop tour bus and found time to release a new six-track EP next week on the Quarterstick imprint. Split between originals and covers, the band has chosen an interesting mix of songs to interpret: The Minutemen's "Corona," French singer Francoiz Breuts's "Si Tu Disais," and Love's "Alone Again or" with guest vocalist Nicolai Dunger. Cartoon Network fans will find a nifty treat inside, with the animated short film "El Kabong Rides Again," featuring the song "Minas de Cobre" from the band's last album.
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes the Blue Man Group this evening, Puddle of Mudd on Thursday, Finger Eleven on Friday, and Nappy Roots on Tuesday; The Late Show with David Letterman hosts The Walkmen this evening and Liz Phair on Thursday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien features Usher this evening overnight, The Sleepy Jackson on Friday overnight, and The Distillers on Tuesday overnight; and Last Call with Carson Daly sits down with Dizzee Rascal on Friday overnight.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, April 6:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
Ambulance Ltd. - Ambulance (TVT) highly anticipated full-length debut influenced by the Velvet Underground, Spacemen 3, the Kinks, the Beta Band, and Pavement
Diane Anaid - Beautiful Obscene (Five Crowns) domestic release of this critics' favorite from Australia
Trey Anastasio - Seis de Mayo (Elektra) new instrumentals from the Phish guitarist, featuring a 66-piece orchestra
The Beautiful Mistake - This Is Who You Are (Militia Group)
Between the Buried & Me - Between the Buried & Me (Victory) domestic release, now enhanced with bonus video
The Bottle Rockets - Leftovers and Brand New Year (New West) CD re-issues from 1998 and 1999
The Caribbean - William of Orange (Hometapes)
The Damnwells - Bastards of the Beat (Red Ink/Epic) debut
Danger Mouse & Jemini - "Ghetto Pop Life" (Lex) new EP from the Grey Album genius, with guests Tha Liks, The Pharcyde, and Prince Po of Organized Konfusion
Dialted Peoples - Neighborhood Watch (Capitol) with guests Kayne West and Devin the Dude
Tim Easton - Special 20 (New West) CD re-issue of his solo debut from 1999
Fire Divine - It's All a Blur (Deep Elm) four-track EP featuring members of The June Spirit and A Life Once Lost
Greyboy - Soul Mosaic: A Case Study in Beats, Soul, & Funk (Ubiquity)
Ben Kweller - On My Way (ATO) on tour now with Death Cab for Cutie
The Living Legends - Creative Differences (Legendary) eight-man crew featuring Sunspot Jonz and MURS, with a bonus "Legends 101" disc
Local H - Whatever Happened to P.J. Soles (Studio E)
Lock & Key - No Fate (Deep Elm) seven-track EP of post-hardcore emo
Lola Ray - I Don't Know You (DC Flag/Red Ink) Orange County quartet now signed to the boutique label owned by Benji and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte
Russell Malone - Playground (Max Jazz) part of the label's string series of super-smooth jazz, featuring originals and covers of The Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun" and Carole King's "You've Got a Friend"
Pat McGee Band - Save Me (Warner Bros.)
Mocean Worker - Enter the MoWo! (Hyena) with guests Bill Frisell and David Fathead Newman, and samples from Nina Simone and Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Moviola - East of Eager (Anyway) fantastic seventh album from this laid-back Columbus, Ohio, quintet, reminiscent of a stoned, sleepy back-porch hoedown
Charlie Musselwhite - Sanctuary (Real World) with guests Ben Harper, Charlie Sexton, and the Blind Boys of Alabama
The Narrator - Youth City Fire (Flameshovel)
Nitzer Ebb - Body of Work (Mute) two-CD anthology
Doug Powell - Day for Night (Parasol) new from the former Swag member
Pro-Pain - Fistful of Hate (Candlelight) on tour this summer with new drummer JC Dwyer
Proto-Kaw - Before Became After (Inside Out) new from Kerry Livgren of Kansas, featuring a cover of "Greenburg, Glickstein, Charles, David Smith, & Jones" by the Cryan' Shames
Pulley - Matters (Epitaph) the fifth album of Simi Valley punk, featuring major-league-baseball pitcher Scott Radinsky, formerly of Scared Straight
The Roots - Tipping Point (Geffen) with guests Vernon Reid of Living Colour, Jill Scott, and Floetry
Ron Sexsmith - Retriever (Nettwerk) with members of Travis as special guests
Tamia - More (Elektra) with guests Gerald Levert, Fabolous, and Freak the Billionaire
Tears for Fears - Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (Arista) the group's first new music since 1989
They Might Be Giants - Indestructable Object (Barsuk) five-song EP featuring a cover of the Beach Boys' "Caroline, No"
Throbbing Gristle - Mutant TG (Mute) re-mix CD featuring Two Lone Swordsmen, Chris & Cosey, and Simon Ratcliffe of Basement Jaxx
Tight Phantomz - Nightfool (Southern) CD EP from former members of Lustre King
Toots & The Maytals - True Love (V2) with guests Ben Harper, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Ryan Adams, and Bootsy Collins
various artists - Bring You To Your Knees: A Tribute to Guns 'N Roses (Law of Inertia) with Time in Malta, Dillinger Escape Plan, Most Precious Blood, and more
various artists - Neo Soul (Tofu) compilation of Japanese hip-hop stars such as Toshi Kubota and Ken Hirai, influenced by the American soul sound of the 1970s
Varnaline - Varnaline, Man of Sin, A Shot & A Beer, and Sweet Life (Cloud Records) CD re-issues
Hayley Westenra - Pure (Decca) featuring a cover of Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights"
Shannon Wright - Over the Sun (Touch & Go) blistering intensity from this terrific singer-songwriter, captured by producer Steve Albini on her third album