MusicOMH spoke with Laurie Anderson about her new album, Homeland, and describes her point of view as "a refreshing one. She's playful, inquisitive, and sees far enough below the surface to know that glib solutions don't get us anywhere." Anderson also spoke with Filter, which concludes: "It’s almost impossible to fathom how many dull artistic clichés have been exploded in her path." Time Out says that "the riches of Homeland are manifold and durable, each phrase, texture and breathy pause a fresh example of the humane perspective facilitated by Anderson’s keen eye and sharp wit."

"Quicksand," the new single written and performed by Ry Cooder in response to Arizona law SB 1070 and the current immigration battle in the US, is now available, exclusively at iTunes. Cooder has chosen MALDEF, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, to receive all proceeds from sales of the single.

Laurie Anderson's new album, Homeland, was the subject of a feature profile in the Sunday New York Times, which states, "Homeland may be the most frankly emotional record Ms. Anderson has ever made," and on NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday, which calls her performances "the stuff of legend." Homeland receives four stars from the Financial Times, Metro, Irish Independent, and Irish Times.

Audra McDonald begins performances of 110 in the Shade at the Hale Center Theater in Orem, Utah, tonight. She reprises her Tony-nominated role in the play for a special limited engagement, through July 10, to benefit the nonprofit Hale Center Foundation for the Arts and Education. McDonald recently appeared on the PBS special America's Orchestra: Celebrating 125 Years of the Boston Pops and makes her Tanglewood debut in July.

Punch Brothers close out a banner week with Rhapsody naming their new album, Antifogmatic, Album of the Day, calling its songs "so strong and the emotional impact of the material so direct" that they supersede their complex mix of genres. Relix says: "In the world of acoustic music, mandolinist Chris Thile is arguably the most elastic and wildly imaginative player/singer/composer of his generation. He has met his matches in his fellow Punch Brothers," and their new album "is better than the best of all their worlds."

Today is composer Terry Riley's 75th birthday. The Nonesuch Journal spoke with Kronos Quartet's David Harrington about the group's decades long friendship and working relationship with the composer, celebrated in a concert tonight in California. (Kronos and Riley are pictured here at the composer's 50th birthday party.) "For me he's one of the world leading musical thinkers," says Harrington. "I'm looking forward to many more years together."

In response to the immigration battle currently raging in the US, Ry Cooder wrote the song "Quicksand," which tells the story of six would-be immigrants making their way from Mexico to the Arizona border. The track will be released exclusively on iTunes on June 29, with proceeds going to MALDEF, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund; it has now premiered exclusively on NPR's All Songs Considered blog.

Alarm Will Sound, which released its Nonesuch debut album, a/rhythmia, last September, makes its London debut at Wilton's Music Hall tonight, performing works by Aphex Twin, Autechre, and the Beatles. The ensemble joins Dirty Projectors to perform the latter group's Getty Address at the Barbican tomorrow. The events are part of the Barbican's London Blaze festival, which also includes performances by Caetano Veloso, Youssou N'Dour, Kronos Quartet, and Philip Glass.

Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club, featuring Omara Portuondo, was due to kick off a three-city US tour in Brooklyn's Prospect Park tonight. Unfortunately, the performance has been canceled due to visa delays. Instead, a special outdoor screening of Wim Wenders’ classic documentary Buena Vista Social Club will take place. The remainder of the tour, at Ravinia and the Hollywood Bowl, will take place as planned this weekend.

Punch Brothers are back in their adopted hometown of New York City, where they first crafted the songs on their new album, Antifogmatic, for a show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. There's much to celebrate: the album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Heatseekers Chart of new artists. The band will discuss and perform songs from Antifogmatic on WNYC's Soundcheck this afternoon.

With the year at its halfway point, NPR's jazz sampler, Take Five, has picked its choices for the Best New Jazz of 2010 (So Far). Two of the five come from Nonesuch: Orchestrion, on which Pat Metheny "makes every instrument an extension of his guitar skills, technical knowledge and sheer artistic willpower," and Highway Rider, on which Brad Mehldau "shows how much he's grown as a composer, and not just a renowned pianist."

Composer Timothy Andres has been nominated for Project 440, a new commissioning program from Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and New York radio station WQXR that will culminate in the commissioning of four new works, to be premiered as part of the orchestra's 2011-2012 Carnegie Hall season. Comments from the public, via WQXR's website, will be a guiding factor in determining the final four composers to receive commissions.