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For his new album, the Iranian-American musician put together an all-star cast of singers and instrumentalists from several different cultures. One is a celebration of international musicians thriving on their differences.

Athens, GA band Mass Solo Revolt hasn't lost sight of its predecessors — Pavement, Built to Spill — harnessing those raw sounds from the early '90s to create a less polished, yet still infectious, throwback indie rock sound. The opening chords to the band's debut CD, Easy Mark could have been pulled straight off Pavement's Slanted and Enchanted, offering the same lazy, off-kilter sound. Lead singer Martin Brummeler's idiosyncratic lyrics about "crooked teeth" and "rubber knives" add to the song's quirky feel; the track proves uniquely poppy with catchy hooks.

Lyrics Born is a Japanese-American musician making waves in the world of hip hop, by fusing funk, rock, and R&B. But he doesn't like to talk about his ethnic background — except in his songs. He talks with Farai Chideya about his music and new album.

Since its 1994 debut, the hook-heavy rock band Weezer has sold 10 million records and cultivated a devoted following for its guitar-based power-pop. Frontman Rivers Cuomo discusses the band's latest self-titled record, known as The Red Album.

Where Yo La Tengo's "Tears Are in Your Eyes" possesses the heavy-lidded feel of shared sorrow (with a reassuring hint of optimism), Adem's cover opts for a tone of comparative comfort. His version also functions as a sort of Cliffs Notes to what Adem is all about: a figurative glass of warm milk for a world of nervous stomachs.

Esquire music critic Andy Langer previews this week's new album releases, featuring music from actress-turned-singer Scarlett Johansson, Green Day side project Foxboro Hot Tubs, bluegrass banjoist Abigail Washburn, and the Flobots.

An English singer-songwriter, Faulkner specializes in folk-tinged pop music. On his debut album, Hand Built by Robots, Faulkner covers bands as varied as Rusted Root and Massive Attack, using his trademark percussive style on acoustic guitar.

Folk singer Radmilla Cody has a repertoire, which consists of songs from the Native American half of her heritage. Radmilla is also African American: Her mother is Navajo, her father is black. While Cody grew up negotiating the cultures of both parents, she tells Farai Chideya that she feels closest to her Navajo side.

The English electro-pop duo recorded three songs and posted two on their MySpace page. But by their fourth show they were playing host to the entire U.K. music press — quite literally from their own living room. The band just released its debut CD, We Started Nothing.

Hand in glove, Kenny Barron weaves jazz piano into Brazilian samba with Trio da Paz: Romero Lubambo, Nilson Matta, and Duduka da Fonseca. The four friends share the bandstand at Jazz Standard in New York.