wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Erykah Badu: "New AmErykah, Part One (4th World War)" (Universal Motown)

Neo-soul was born in the early 90s, but became really popular a little over ten years ago, when R&B singer Erykah Badu released her first album. That record, “Baduizm,” sold almost three million copies, gave her two Grammys and the title of queen of soul. But Erykah ended up hating the neo-soul label, finding imprisoned by it. After an eight-year break she is back with an album that has funk, hip-hop, jazz, soul and lots of jarring sound juxtapositions. It's both very political and personal. Picked by Gisele Regatao

Kaki King, "Dreaming of Revenge" (Velour)

Kaki King is a guitar player and singer-songwriter from Atlanta who came to New York a decade ago, starting out as a subway musician. Lately she’s contributed to the soundtracks for the films “August Rush” and “Into the Wild” and she’s onto her fourth full-length album. It’s called “Dreaming of Revenge” and it comes out tomorrow. The 12 songs include both electric and pedal-steel guitar and are full of virtuosic finger-picking, fret-slapping and percussive thumping. --Picked by Brian Wise

2 Foot Yard, "Borrowed Arms"

Two Foot Yard is the oddly-named trio headed by violinist, singer, and songwriter Carla Kihlstedt, who made a reputation as part of the Tin Hat Trio – the popular avant-Americana band. With cellist Marika Hughes and drummer/guitarist Shahzad Ismaily, Carla creates what I’ll loosely call pop songs, that tell elliptical stories or sketch out half-lit landscapes. The bowed strings give it all a classical elegance, but the trio’s roots in American folk and rock show through clearly, and Kihlstedt’s voice, which has been a kind of secret weapon in her Tin Hat recordings, is a secret no longer. -- Picked by John Schaefer

Heavenly States, "Delayer" (Rebel Group)

The Heavenly States holds the distinction of being the first American rock band to tour Lybia. In 2005, this Oakland indie band traveled to Libya … somewhat on a whim … when the U.S. government lifted a 30-year travel ban. They met with resistance from Libyan officials but eventually they played a cover of the Clash’s “Rock the Casbah” in the basement of a British diplomat. Indie rock had arrived in Libya, and the band scored a huge amount of media attention. Their latest album is called Delayer. --Picked by Joel Meyer