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In recent months, Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter Mutlu has begun to attract a national audience for his marketable blend of soul, reggae, hip-hop and Brazilian jazz. Hear a session recorded by WXPN.

The Tucson-based band not only takes its name from the border region between California and Mexico, but also finds inspiration in the geography, history and music of the area. Calexico joins David Dye from Wave Lab Studios in Tucson to play songs from its new album, Carried to Dust.

The Athens, Ga., band Of Montreal, led by frenetic frontman Kevin Barnes, has built a reputation on meticulously crafted, synth-driven psych-pop, with flamboyant production and gleeful sonic flourishes. Of Montreal brought this musical spectacle to Washington, D.C., for a full concert, webcast live at NPR.org.

Azam Ali and Loga Ramin Torkian, of the Persian-Indian music trio Niyaz, sit down to talk about their new album Nine Heavens. The disc blends modern electronica with old Persian folk songs and mystical Sufi poems. Ali talks about how her transcontinental journey from Iran to India, and then to the U.S., has shaped her music.

The Strokes' rhythm guitarist, Albert Hammond Jr., joins host David Dye for a Lillywhite Session recorded at Avatar Studios in New York City. Here, Hammond and his band perform four songs from his second album, Como Te Llama?, with the aid of producer Steve Lillywhite.

Alabama native Jimmy Hughes makes a strong all-around case for himself in "I'm Qualified," his first single from way back in the day (that would be 1964), now revived on The Best of Jimmy Hughes and the reconstituted Fame label.

Four years after reviving and releasing his abandoned masterpiece, Smile, Wilson is back with a new album, That Lucky Old Sun. Between performances of songs from the new disc, the former Beach Boys singer shares what it was like to return to his old recording home at Capitol Records.

Ra Ra Riot features swooning violin and cello lines, pop hooks and sinuous rock rhythms that bring to mind Spoon with strings. After the tragic loss of the band's drummer and songwriter, The Rhumb Line is the product of a cathartic recording process that takes a positive outlook on the darker side of life.

Ra Ra Riot's first two years of existence have been difficult, but the band just put out a beautifully polished and inspired debut, The Rhumb Line. Hear the group showcase the album in a full concert, webcast live from the Black Cat in Washington, D.C.

On her new album, Rebel Woman, Chiwoniso shows off an assertive style that no other female singer in Zimbabwe can match. In her songs, she stands up for her country's children and poor. One of the most compelling voices in African music today, she confidently borrows from other genres — especially American ones.