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Like the title suggests, White Flag, the latest album from neo-folk singer-songwriter Madeline, exudes an air of quiet resignation. On "Telephone Daydream," for example, Adams sings of death, feeling alone and inadequate. But the hopeless album title may be a bit deceptive.

The disco project of New York-based DJ Andy Butler, Hercules and Love Affair cites influences ranging from Chicago to Magic Carpet to Soundpatrol, all of which rear their heads on a self-titled debut album that conjures images of Saturday Night Fever and '70s punk. Here, the band performs disco-soaked electronica from its acclaimed self-titled debut.

With the exception of an occasional instrument here or there, Peasant is entirely the work of one man: Damien DeRose. The small town of Doylestown, PA is the base of Peasant's operations, which is a fitting origin for DeRose's intimate and earthy neo-folk songs. On his second album, On the Ground, DeRose sings of the hopes and fears associated with life and love like a more optimistic version of Elliott Smith.

This year's oldest Grammy nominee is Delta blues pianist Pinetop Perkins. He's played with the likes of Sonny Boy Williamson and Muddy Waters. He says he even performed for a U.S. president at the White House — though at 95, he can't remember which one.

The daughter of a diplomat, Rokia Traore has built her musical career around a stylish, natural assimilation of African and European cultures. Reviewer Banning Eyre says that the opening track from Traore's new album, Tchamantche, tells the whole story.

Lionel Gilles Loueke (GIL), Ferenc Nemeth (FE) and Massimo Biolcati (MA) form the core of Gilfema, a cross-border collaboration with a jazz foundation. In a session from WBGO, the band displays an egalitarian aesthetic rooted in finding common ground as musicians.

A seasoned alt-rocker and coveted producer, Walker has worked with such chart-topping acts as Katy Perry, Tommy Lee and Pink. Last year, he also found time to release an album of his own, Sycamore Meadows. Named for the street where California wildfires claimed his home, the record finds Walker using his pop production experience to brighten his indie-rock sensibilities.

Ever since the dawn of digital delivery, we've been hearing about how the single-song download is killing the album. But at the Grammy Awards, which take place Sunday night in Los Angeles, there's still a category for Album of the Year. Tom Moon profiles the nominees.

Aptly named, Chris Robley's third solo LP, Movie Theatre Haiku, swirls together dark, evocative instrumentation and poetic lyrics. Quirky track names and the album's long subtitle, "a Masque of Backwards Ballads, a Picturesque Burlesque," provide only a hint of the complexities and eccentricities of Movie Theatre Haiku.

Host David Dye welcomes Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby to the World Cafe. The couple's new self-titled record illustrates the unique teamwork that springs from a husband-and-wife partnership, while showcasing their individually dynamic songwriting skills.