plus: Joe Strummer [ tickets ] and the Mescaleros, DJ Assault, more.

’NSync
“Celebrity” (Jive)

'NSync’s latest effort is a collection of electronic-music influenced works that is widely expected to top the charts in its first week out. The release is the follow up to last year’s "No Strings Attached," which sold more than 2.4 million copies during its debut week--the best first-week showing of any album since SoundScan began tracking retail figures.

“Celebrity” features the new single, "Pop," which was written by 'NSync singer Justin Timberlake and the group's choreographer, Wade Robson. The track dropped from No. 7 to No. 11 on trade publication Radio & Record's latest pop airplay chart.

Streaming-audio samples of the “Celebrity” tracks “Up Against the Wall,” “Gone” and “Girlfriend” are currently available at the group’s official website.

'NSync is scheduled to make a slew of television appearances to promote its new release, including stops on ABC's "The View" and NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on July 23, Fox's "Teen Choice Awards" on Aug. 12, and NBC's "The Today Show" on Aug. 20.

Six different covers will be published for Rolling Stone magazine's July 27 issue--presumably featuring each 'NSync member individually and a group shot.

‘NSync is in the midst of its "PopOdyssey" tour.

Neil Diamond [ tickets ]
“Three Chord Opera” (Columbia)

The singer-songwriter who gave us "Solitary Man," the title cut on Johnny Cash's most recent album, returns with his first new album since 1996’s "Tennessee Moon.” Diamond’s new album contains a dozen songs, and his first collection of all-new solo material since 1974.

The new album was produced by Peter Asher, who, as half of the duo Peter and Gordon, was a folk-pop peer of Diamond's throughout the '60s. Asher’s production credits include three 10,000 Maniac's albums, as well as numerous works by James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt, among others.

Diamond is scheduled to kick-off a tour in support of “Three Chord Opera” on Sept. 28. A ticket pre-sale for the tour began on Sunday (7/22), and a general on-sale date is set for July 30.

Promotional activity surrounding the release includes VH1’s new program about Diamond, the latest episode in its popular “Behind the Music” series. The show premiered on Sunday (7/22), and is scheduled to air again on Wednesday (7/25), Thursday (7/26), Friday (7/27) and next Sunday (7/29).

Live television performances are also set for Friday (7/27) on "The Today Show," and Saturday (7/28) on the A&E cable channel. A&E will present a live broadcast of Diamond performing (from Sony Music Studios) song requests fans submit via phone and the Internet during the broadcast; an encore airing is scheduled for Sunday (7/30).

Cake [ tickets ]
“Comfort Eagle” (Columbia)

Cake shoots for its third consecutive million-selling album with "Comfort Eagle," the Sacramento, Calif., band's first release for Columbia Records. It's also the band's first new album in nearly three years.

Cake reportedly has been performing club dates in advance of the album under the alias "Churl." A fall headlining tour is in the works.

The album's first single, "Short Skirt/Long Jacket," currently sits at No. 9 on Billboard's Top Modern Rock Track's chart.

On Tuesday night/Wednesday morning (7/24-25), Cake appears on "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn." The band will play a free concert at Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park on Friday evening (7/27), and also is scheduled to play Endfest 10 at Bremerton, Wash's Kitsap Bowl on Aug. 4.

Huey Lewis and the News
“Plan B” (Jive/Silvertone)

Huey Lewis and the News’ latest is the group’s first collection of all-new material since 1991’s “Hard at Play.” Samples of all 11 of the new album’s tracks are available at the popular fan website HLN.org, which is updated regularly with info provided directly from the band’s management.

The group kicked off its summer tour earlier this month, and is scheduled to remain on the road in support of the new release through mid-September.

Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros
"Global A Go-Go" (Hellcat/Epitaph)

Former Clash frontman Joe Strummer goes multicultural on his third solo effort and the follow-up to 1999’s "Rock Art and X-Ray Style." According to Epitaph Records, the title is in reference to the album’s Caribbean, South American, African, Arabic, Balkan and Celtic influences. In addition to its global spirit, the record is expected to pack Strummer’s patented hard rock and politically charged lyrics. To promote "Global A Go-Go," Strummer and his band, the Mescaleros, will make a series of in-store appearances (click here for details) before launching a proper tour on Aug. 4 at Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre.

DJ Assault
“Jefferson Ave.” (Intuit/Solar)

DJ Assault--a.k.a. Detroit-born musician Craig Adams--follows up a string of 12" singles with this full-length album. Assault traffics in raw, salacious electronic tunes, rooted in DJ culture and Luther Campbell-style Miami-bass music. Guest contributors to "Jefferson Ave"'s 20 tracks include Worldwide, Tina, Ms. Kia, DJ Shortsleeve, Puff, Ms. Platinum and Summer, as well as Assault rapping under a second pseudonym, Craig Diamonds the Street Narrator. MTV's "Celebrity Undercover" show utilized two songs from the album, "G Strings" and "Bounce."

Other new releases:

3 of Hearts - “3 of Hearts” (RCA)
Laurent - “Brondel Weld” (Tone Casualties)
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - “Back to Bogalusa” (Blue Thumb)
Terence Blanchard - “Original Sin” [motion-picture score] (Gold Circle)
Butterfly Jones - “Napalm Springs” (Vanguard)
Tracy Byrd - “Ten Rounds” (RCA)
Corporate Avenger - “Freedom Is a State of Mind” (Koch)
Jimmy Cozier - “Jimmy Cozier” (J Records)
Crash Palace - “Crash Palace” (Trauma)
Darwin’s Waiting Room - “Orphan” (MCA)
Drowningman - “Still Loves You” (Equal Vision)
Dust to Dust - “Dust to Dust” (Sanctuary)
Danny Elfman and Paul Oakenfield - “Planet of the Apes” [motion-picture score] (Sony Classical)
Eve to Adam - “Auburn Slip” (Mikendra)
Flying Dutchman - “Pathfinder” (Tone Casualties)
Les Claypool’s Flying Frog Brigade - “Live Frogs - Set 2” (Prawn Song)
Hi-Standards - “Love Is a Battlefield [EP]” (Fat Wreck Chords)
Jimmy Eat World - “Bleed American” (DreamWorks)
David Liebman - “Time Immemorial” (Enja)
Pep Love - “Ascension” (Hieroglyphics Imperium)
My Hotel Year - “The Composition of Ending and Phrasing” (Beyond)
The Nerve Agents - “The Butterfly Collection” (Hellcat)
Tom Paxton and Anne Hills - “Under American Skies” (Appleseed)
Plump DJs - “Plump Night Out” (Nettwerk)
George Shearing Quintet - “Back to Birdland” (Telarc)
Simon Says - “Shut Your Breath” (Hollywood)
Start - “Shakedown!” (Geffen)
Steps - “Buzz” (Silvertone)
Tierney Sutton - “Blue in Green” (Telarc)
Tiger Army - “II Power of Moonlite” (Hellcat)
Steve Turre - “TNT” (Telarc)
Randy Waldman - “Unreel” (Concord Jazz)
Various artists - “Down from the Mountain” (Lost Highway)
Variouis artists - “Leonardo - The Absolute Man” (Magna Carta)
Various artists - “Ibiza Sunset” (Ark 21)
Various artists - “Dark Drums” (Bliss)
Various artists - “V2arious” (V2)
M. Ward - “End of Amnesia” (Future Farmer)

Compiled by Jon Zahlaway with Marc Weidenbaum, Scott Henkemeyer and Rob Evans.