plus: Freedy Johnston [ tickets ], Dan Hicks [ tickets ] and the Hot Licks, C.O.C., P.Y.T., "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," more.

Usher [ tickets ]
“8701” (Arista)

Four years after his last studio release, Usher Ray returns with “8701,” an album named for its Aug. 7 release date. Produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and featuring a guest appearance by Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, Usher’s latest is the R&B singer-movie star’s second studio effort, and follows the sextuple-platinum “My Way.”

“8701” includes the single “U Remind Me,” which sits at No. 3 on trade publication Radio & Records’ urban airplay chart.

Originally dubbed “All About U,” “8701” was set to hit stores earlier this year until several of the album’s songs were leaked to Napster. Usher subsequently opted to return to the studio to record a number of new songs for the 15-track album. Seven tunes from the album’s original version remain.

Usher plans to launch the new album with Tuesday (8/7) appearances in New York City, according to his official website, including a performance in Times Square, a spot on the “Regis and Kelly” show, an in-store visit at the Virgin Times Square Megastore, and an appearance on MTV’s “Total Request Live.”

An Aug. 12 appearance at Fox's Teen Choice Awards ceremony is also scheduled.

A world tour in support of “8701” is planned for Nov. 15 through Dec. 31, according to Usher’s website, but no dates have been specified.

Aaron Carter [ tickets ]
"Oh Aaron" (Jive)

The latest effort by Aaron Carter--younger brother of Backstreet Boy Nick Carter--is the follow up to last year's "Aaron’s Party (Come Get It),” which has sold more than 2 million copies and currently sits at No. 58 on the latest Billboard 200 album chart.

"Oh Aaron” includes the new single of the same name, in which Carter tells hundreds of girls that he can squire free Backstreet Boys concert tickets. The song features an appearance by older brother Nick and new Jive artist No Secrets.

Carter’s Jive Records website, meanwhile, offers a sneak preview download of the song “Not too Young … Not too Old.”

Carter is scheduled to make a handful of appearances to promote his new release, including Fox's Teen Choice Awards on Aug. 12, and at the Big Kmart, 770 Broadway (at East Eight Street), in New York on Aug. 7, when he will sign autographs from 2:30 p.m. till 4:30 p.m.

The 13-year-old singer is in the midst of a U.S. tour.

Better Than Ezra [ tickets ]
“Closer” (Beyond)

The latest from this New Orleans trio comes almost exactly three years after its most recent studio effort, “How Does Your Garden Grow?” the group’s final release for Elektra Records. The band’s latest features the hit “Extra Ordinary,” which clocks in at No. 25 on Billboard’s latest Adult Top 40 singles chart.

Band frontman Kevin Griffin will help promote “Closer” with a guest spot on Thursday night’s (8/9) edition of ABC’s "Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher.”

Better Than Ezra launched a U.S. tour late last month, for which dates are scheduled into October.

Freedy Johnston
"Right Between the Promises" (Elektra)

This is singer-songwriter Freedy Johnston's first album since 1999's "Blue Days, Black Nights," and its lead single is a cover of the Edison Lighthouse hit "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)." The album features such guest musicians as Butch Vig (Garbage) on drums and Graham Maby (Joe Jackson's band) on bass. Cameron Greider, who played on “Blue Days, Black Nights,” and who has played with PM Dawn, produced Johnston’s latest.

Promotional appearances include a Monday (8/6) performance on Allentown, Penn., radio station WLEV. Internet users can tune in to the station at WLEV’s official website. Links to samples of three of the tracks from “Right Between the Promises” can also be found at the site.

No full-blown tour is currently planned, but Johnston does have a few August dates scheduled around the release, according to Elektra’s Freedy Johnston website.

Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks
"Alive and Lickin'" (Surfdog)

Last year's "Beatin' the Heat" was Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks' first studio album since 1976. "Alive and Lickin'" documents the band's tour in support of that album. Click here for background on that tour.

Surfdog Records' website is currently hosting audio samples from "Alive and Lickin'."

Corrosion of Conformity
“Live Volume” (Sanctuary)

While touring in support of last October’s “America’s Volume Dealer,” North Carolina’s C.O.C. recorded this 15-track live set at Harpo’s Concert Theatre in Detroit on April 20. Streaming versions of two of the album’s tracks are available at the group’s official website.

A companion home video will be issued on both DVD and VHS on Sept. 25, according to a press release.

P.Y.T.
“P.Y.T. (Down with Me)” (Epic)

Female teen quartet P.Y.T. follows its opening stints for pop sensations ‘NSync and Britney Spears with this debut album.

The group has a pair of concerts scheduled at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fla., on Thursday and Friday (8/9 and 8/10), and is then scheduled to jump into the opening slot on 98 Degrees’ current headlining tour on Aug. 16, according to P.Y.T.’s official website.

Various artists
“Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” soundtrack (Universal)

The soundtrack for Kevin Smith’s latest motion-picture creation features tracks from Run D.M.C., the Bloodhound Gang, PJ Harvey, Bon Jovi and Steppenwolf, among others.

Other new releases:

Bill Anderson - “A Lot of Things Different” (Varese Sarabande)
Eric Bibb - “Painting Signs” (Rhino)
Ron Block - “Faraway Land” (Rounder)
Chocolate Genius - “Godmusic” (V2)
Darkest Hour - “So Sedated, So Secure” (Victory)
Etienne de Crecy - “Tempovision” (V2)
Ferrante & Teicher - “Denizens of the Deep” (Varese Vintage)
Gilberto Gil & Milton Nascimento - “Gil & Milton” (Atlantic)
Goldfrapp - “Utopia” [EP] (Mute)
Hey Mercedes - “Everynight Fire Works” (Jcor)
Isley Brothers w/ Ronald Isley - “Eternal” (DreamWorks)
Carolyn Dawn Johnson - “Room with a View” (Arista Nashville)
Jucifer - “the lambs” [EP] (Velocett)
Dave Kendall - “Vol. 2: A Voyage into Trance” (Hypnotic)
Greg Koch - “Grip” (Favored Nations)
Les Sexareenos - “14 Frenzied Shakers” (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
Life in a Burn Clinic - “Individual Rites” (Metal Blade)
Tony MacAlpine - “Chromaticity” (Shrapnel)
Russell Malone - “Heartstrings” (Verve)
Mystre - “Mysterium” (Highborn)
Sam Newsome “Global Unity” (Palmetto)
Nydia - “Nydia” (Hollywood)
Original cast recording - “Urinetown - The Musical” (RCA Victor)
Philly’s Most Wanted - “Get Down or Lay Down” (Atlantic)
Trevor Rabin - “American Outlaws” score (Varèse Sarabande)
Randy - “The Human Atom Bombs” (Burning Heart)
Six Feet Under - “True Carnage” (Metal Blade)
Toya - “Toya” (Arista)
Trickside - “Trickside” (Wind Up)
Uberzone - “Faith in the Future” (Astralwerks)
Various artists - “Plea for Peace/Take Action” (Sub City/Hopeless)
Various artists - “Osmosis Jones” (Atlantic)
Various artists - “Rat Race” (Beyond Music)
Stephen Warbeck - “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin” score (Decca)
Michelle Willson and the Evil Gal Festival Orchestra - “Wake Up Call” (Bullseye)
Yayhoos - “Fear Not the Obvious” (Bloodshot)
Youngstown - “Down for the Get Down” (Hollywood)

Compiled by Jon Zahlaway with Christina Fuoco, Marc Weidenbaum and James Woster.