Not to be confused with our illustrious space program, N.A.S.A., aka North America/South America, represents the continent-crossing collaboration between L.A.s Squeak E. Clean and Brazils DJ Zegon. This pair of skater jocks debut disc, Spirit of Apollo, crash-landed in stores February 17 with its polyglot sound and armada of guests. From David Byrne to Chuck D, Kool Keith to Tom Waits (and even a resurrected Ol Dirty Bastard), N.A.S.A. skirts the troposphere and beyond with its fusion of hip-hop, New Wave and other genres. Just check People Tree, a fitful head-nodder featuring Byrnes haunting wail and Gift of Gab (Blackalicious) and Chali 2na (Jurassic 5) riding the beat. Or the Wu-Tang-like Way Down, featuring (appropriately) RZA, Barbie Hatch and John Frusciante.
Tue., March 3, 9 p.m., 2009