Rob Thomas' <i>Something to Be</i>
Photo: Atlantic

Rob Thomas has a funny way of showing his desire to be "Lonely No More." He's taking a break from longtime band Matchbox Twenty and setting out on his own with the release of his debut solo album, Something to Be.

Thomas is no stranger to side projects, having worked with Carlos Santana on the song "Smooth" for 1999's Supernatural, but this is the first full album the singer has released on his own since Matchbox Twenty dropped its first project in 1996.

While Thomas should have no problem making a solo name for himself, Houston-bred rapper Mike Jones is taking huge leaps to make sure you remember his. Jones titled his album Who Is Mike Jones? and has made his phone number public knowledge to ensure listeners will be able to answer that question on their own. The album drops on the heels of the single "Still Tippin'."

Ringside, the duo of clothing-designer-turned-musician Scott Thomas and Balthazar Getty, drop their self-titled debut album this week on Fred Durst's Flawless Records imprint.

The somewhat less organically formed Il Divo, a quartet born from "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell's worldwide search, release their self-titled debut featuring covers of Toni Braxton's "Unbreak My Heart" and Frank Sinatra's "My Way," sung in an assortment of languages including English, French and Spanish.

Buzzed-about singer/songwriter Anna Nalick releases her debut, Wreck of the Day, while Hasidic rapper Matisyahu drops Live at Stubb's — Austin, TX 2/19/05.

Also out this week are albums by Danko Jones (We Sweat Blood), Autechre (Untilted), Adam Richman (Patience and Science), Steel Train (Twilight Tales From the Prairies of the Sun) and Second Sun (Inside Out).

Out Tuesday, April 19:

• 22-20s - 22-20s (Astralwerks)
• Ad Frank - Ad Frank Is the World's Best Ex-Boyfriend (Stop, Pop & Roll)
• All Shall Perish - Hate, Malice, Revenge (Nuclear Blast)
• Allfrumtha I - Larger Than Life (Free Agency)
• Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass - Whipped Cream & Other Delights (Shout! Factory)
• Autechre - Untilted (Warp)
  Buy Now: Untilted (Warp)
• Balanescu Quartet - Maria T (Mute)
• Bleed the Sky - Paradigm in Entropy (Nuclear Blast)
• Born From Pain - In Love With the End (Metal Blade)
• Todd Bowie - Lucky Space People (Machine)
• Jim Brickman - Grace (RCA Victor)
• Burden of Grief - Fields of Salvation (Cleopatra)
• Chapmans - Simple Man (Pinecastle)
• The Chemistry - The Chemistry (Razor & Tie)
• Chixdiggit! - Pink Razors (Fat Wreck Chords)
• Circa Survive - Juturna (Equal Vision)
• Clit 45 - Self Hate Crimes (BYO)
• Cobra Verde - Copycat Killers (Scat)
• Judy Collins - Portrait of an American Girl (Wildflower)
• Consafos - Tilting at Windmills (Greyday Productions)
• Da Beatminerz - Fully Loaded With Static (Copter)
• Esham - A.1. Yola (Psychopathic)
• The Esoteric - With the Sureness of Sleepwalking (Prosthetic)
• Fallen From the Sky - Tune Out the World (EP, Victory)
• Final Breath - Let Me Be Your Tank (Cleopatra)
• Great Lakes Myth Society - Great Lakes Myth Society (Stop, Pop & Roll)
• Anne Heaton - Give In (Q Division)
• Heavy Trash - Heavy Trash (Yep Roc)
• Johnny Hickman - Palmhenge (Campstove)
• Il Divo - Il Divo (Sony)
• Danko Jones - We Sweat Blood (Razor & Tie)
• Mike Jones - Who Is Mike Jones? (Warner Bros.)
  Buy Now: Who Is Mike Jones? (Warner Bros.)
• Audra Kubat - Since I Fell in Love With the Music (Times Beach)
• Lil Sicko - The Anger & the Pain (Thump)
• Carter Little - Dare to Be Small (Lobby Door Music)
• Lovethugs - Babylon Fading (Rainbow Quartz)
• Matisyahu - Live at Stubb's - Austin, TX 2/19/05 (Or Music)
  Read: "Straight Outta West Chester? Meet Hasidic Hip-Hopper Matisyahu"
  Buy Now: Live at Stubbs - Austin, TX 2/19/05 (Or Music)
• Maria McKee - Peddlin' Dreams (Eleven Thirty)
• MIDIval Punditz - MIDIval Times (Six Degrees)
• Murdocks - Surrenderender (Surprise Truck)
• Anna Nalick - Wreck of the Day (Columbia)
• Niyaz - Niyaz (Six Degrees)
• Outlawz - Outlawz 4 Life: 2005 A.P. (33rd Street)
• Pantommind - Shade of Fate (Sensory)
• Derryl Perry - All Just to Get to You (Music City)
• The Red Death - External Frames of Reference (Metal Blade)
• Jerry Reed - Live Still (R2K/Redeye)
• Kyle Riabko - Before I Speak (Columbia)
• Adam Richman - Patience and Science (Or Music)
  Buy Now: Patience and Science (Or Music)
• Rift - Push on Thru (Mandolin Central)
• Ringside - Ringside (Geffen)
  Read: "Ringside: The Coolest Beatbox-Pop Band On ... Fred Durst's Label?!"
  Buy Now: Ringside (Geffen)
• Barbara Rosene - All My Life (Azica)
• Dino Saluzzi and Jon Christensen - Senderos (ECM)
• Dave Seaman - Renaissance Presents: The Therapy Sessions, Vol. 2 (Thrive)
• Second Sun - Inside Out (System)
• Mem Shannon - I'm From Phunkville (NorthernBlues)
• Sinai Beach - Immersed (Victory)
• Steel Train - Twilight Tales From the Prairies of the Sun (Drive-Thru)
  Buy Now: Twilight Tales From the Prairies of the Sun (Drive-Thru)
• Curtis Stigers - I Think It's Going to Rain Today (Concord)
• Rob Thomas - ... Something to Be (Atlantic)
  Read: "Matchbox Twenty's Rob Thomas Goes Solo, But Not By Himself"
  Buy Now: ... Something to Be (Atlantic)
• Mary Timony - Ex Hex (Lookout!)
• Gianluigi Trovesi/ Gianni Coscia - Round About Weill (ECM)
• Rick Brossard's Two Hoots and a Holler - Rick Brossard's Two Hoots and a Holler (Stag)
• Umbrellas - Umbrellas (The Militia Group)
• Loudon Wainwright III - Here Come the Choppers (Sovereign Artists)
• Wingdale Community Singers - The Wingdale Community Singers (Plain)
• Winter Blanket - Prescription Perils (Fractured Discs)
• DJ Z-Trip - Shifting Gears (Hollywood)
• Zion I - True & Livin' (Live Up)
• Saul Zonana - 42 Days (20/20 Music)
• Various artists - "Charmed: The Book of Shadows" soundtrack (Treadstone)
• Various artists - "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" soundtrack (Motown)
• Various artists - Disco Dimensions Vol. 1 (Smash Hit Music)
• Various artists - Disco Remixed (VI Music)
• Various artists - The Future of the Blues, Volume 2 (NorthernBlues)
• Various artists - Preserve Volume 1 (Fractured Discs)
• DVD: Elvis Costello & the Imposters - "Club Date: Live in Memphis" (Eagle Rock)
• DVD: Dwarves - "F--- You Up and Get Live" (Music Video Distributors)
• DVD: Hieroglyphics - "Full Circle" (Hieroglyphics)
• DVD: Muse - "Manic Depression" (Music Video Distributors)
• DVD: Turbonegro - "ResErection" (Music Video Distributors)
• DVD: Vigilantes of Love - "Fade to Black" (Fundamental)
• DVD: Various artists - "Scratch: All the Way Live" (Scratch Recordings)

April 26:

• Amerie - Touch (Sony)
  Read: "Amerie Shoots Down Goody-Goody Image, Says 'I'm Not A Prude' "
• New Order - Waiting for the Sirens' Call (Warner Bros.)
• Bruce Springsteen - Devils & Dust (Columbia)

May 3:

• Ryan Adams - Cold Roses (Lost Highway)
• Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth (Interscope)
• Stevie Wonder - A Time to Love (Motown)

May 10:

• Dave Matthews Band - Stand Up (RCA)
• Spoon - Gimme Fiction (Merge)
• Weezer - Make Believe (Geffen)
  Read: "Weezer Album Preview: Wailing Guitars And New-Wave Ballads"

• Rob Thomas
• Ringside
• Il Divo
• Matisyahu
• Danko Jones

Thurston Moore performing at a benefit for Kosovo, 5/99
Photo: Dylan Stableford

Eddie Vedder, Stereolab, and Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks are among the acts scheduled to play the third incarnation of All Tomorrow's Parties, a U.K. festival that will hit these shores for the first time in October.

The lineup — which also includes '70s art-punks Television, alt-rock hipsters the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and airy-voiced songstress Cat Power — was chosen by festival curators Sonic Youth, who will also perform at the event, according to their publicist. All Tomorrow's Parties will be held October 19 and 20 at UCLA.

Other bands confirmed for the festival include indie-rockers Le Tigre, U.S. Maple and Neil Michael Hagerty; techno duo Autechre; solemn songcrafters Smog and Papa M; free-jazz guitarist Derek Bailey and pianist Cecil Taylor; Japanese noisemakers Merzbow and the Boredoms; and '70s deconstructionists Destroy All Monsters. More artists are expected to be added.

Screenings by such filmmakers as Jim O'Rourke of Gastr del Sol fame will also be part of the eclectic gathering, as will spoken-word performances, the publicist said.

All Tomorrow's Parties, named after a Velvet Underground song, debuted in England last April. Curated by Stereolab, the lineup featured Sonic Youth, Shellac, Mogwai and Plaid, among others.

The event's second coming occurred in April of this year, with a lineup assembled by Tortoise that included Yo La Tengo, the Sun Ra Arkestra, Calexico, Television, Broadcast and the Sea and Cake.

Festival organizers created a live album from April's festival, released only in the U.K., and they're planning on similarly documenting the U.S. version.

• Sonic Youth
• Stephen Malkmus
• Stereolab
• Pearl Jam
• Television

Autechre
Photo: Warp Records

Autechre, British leaders of the "intelligent dance music" school, are bringing a new album and tour to their fans on this side of the pond.

The Sheffield, England, duo has planned a set of tour dates to coincide with the release of their sixth album, Confield, which Warp Records will issue on May 15. The nine-track album continues in the same vein of dark experimentalism that fans of Autechre have come to know over their 10-year techno tenure, a Warp spokesperson said. In the days until the album is released, fans may preview the tracks at the Warp Records Web site.

After a sweep of the U.K. and Europe, the duo — comprising Rob Brown and Sean Booth — will bring its knob-twiddling act to the States starting May 4 at New York's Bowery Ballroom and winding up at the second annual Detroit Electronic Music Festival on May 26. Also home to Aphex Twin and µ-Ziq, Warp Records has become synonymous with the blip-and-bleep sound that Radiohead brought to a wider audience with their adventure in experimentalism, Kid A. In the U.S., Autechre have amassed a following over the years with their work for Warp as well as for their own label, Skam. Autechre's tour dates, according to Warp Records:

• 5/4 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
• 5/5 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
• 5/6 - Princeton, NJ @ Terrace Club
• 5/7 - Boston, MA @ Middle East Underground
• 5/8 - Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
• 5/9 - Toronto, ON @ Steam Whistle Brewing Co.

• 5/10 - Columbus, OH @ Wexner Center for the Arts
• 5/11 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
• 5/12 - Minneapolis, MN @ Quest
• 5/15 - Vancouver, BC @ Sonar
• 5/16 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox Theater
• 5/17 - Portland, OR @ B Complex
• 5/18 - Oakland, CA @ 94612.Club Indigo
• 5/19 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theater
• 5/21 - Austin, TX @ Mercury at Jazz
• 5/22 - Orlando, FL @ The Club at Firestone
• 5/23 - Miami, FL @ Knights of Columbus
• 5/24 - Atlanta, GA @ The Roxy
• 5/25 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
• 5/26 - Detroit, MI @ Detroit Electronic Music Festival at Hart Plaza

• "Vi Scose Poise"
• "Cfern"
• "Pen Expers"
• "Sim Gishel"
• "Parhelic Triangle"
• "Bine"
• "Eidetic Casein"
• "Uviol"
• "Lentic Catachresis"

• Autechre