Laurie Anderson brings the music of Homeland back home to New York City. Anderson performs a song from the album on the Late Show with David Letterman Wednesday night. The Washington Post picks her concert at The Birchmere this Friday as the must-attend concert this week. Interview says "Anderson proves that time has only sharpened her critical eye," calling Homeland "harrowing and hilarious ... a gift of perspective."

Natalie Merchant launches an extensive summer tour across the United States, performing songs from Leave Your Sleep and throughout her career. "At the root of her success are two qualities," says The Guardian, "an unwillingness to compromise, and total sincerity. In a world of glib, heavily produced pop stars, Merchant stands out."

Laurie Anderson has began a short tour of the East Coast with music from her new album, Homeland, in two shows at Philadelphia's World Cafe Live, one at New York's (Le) Poisson Rouge, and one at The Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia. She was recently featured on PRI's Studio 360 and appears on PRI's Echoes today. The Philadelphia Inquirer says Anderson's "current projects suggest that, at 63, she's at a late-middle-age creative peak."

Punch Brothers follow the success of their recent Caramoor appearance with three shows in Michigan later this week. The Associated Press says their new album, "Antifogmatic, has more range than your average bluegrass album. There’s an old-time feel to some songs. But several songs have a progressive feel that rises above genre limitations." Spinner looks at producer Jon Brion's role in bringing the band's unique acoustic sound to disc.

Emmylou Harris performs at Lilith Fair ... Laurie Anderson live on World Cafe and in NYC ... Carolina Chocolate Drops play the Sugar Grove Festival in NC ... Pat Metheny, Joshua Redman, Rokia Traore, and Caetano Veloso hit the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam... and more ...

The Black Keys have been chosen as MTV's "Push Artist of the Week"; the video for "Tighten Up" from the band's new album, Brothers, is featured on mtv.com, along with exclusive interviews with Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney.

The Punch Brothers played the "American Roots, New Shoots" series at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Katonah, New York, this past weekend, in a mini-festival showcasing "new perspectives on traditional American music." The New York Times describes the "supremely entertaining" show as "cleverly splintered and episodic, with touches of breathless emotion and ... humor."

Punch Brothers' recent Tonight Show spot airs again; quintet plays Caramoor ... Laurie Anderson improvises with Lou Reed, John Zorn at Montreal Jazz Fest; Allen Toussaint brings Bright Mississipi there ... The Black Keys hit the European festivals ... Carolina Chocolate Drops play two sets at High Sierra Fest ... Brad Mehldau plays Traumzeit and Montreax Fests ... Pat Metheny Group tours Poland and Germany ... Joshua Redman plays Ottawa Jazz Fest ... Jeff Tweedy solos in Spain ... Sara Watkins tours Midwest with Dar Williams ... and more ...

Punch Brothers spent the weekend at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee, for Garden & Gun magazine's Soul of the South Weekend, and perform next weekend at the Caramoor Festival in Katonah, New York. The band's new album, Antifogmatic, is on the latest Sunday New York Times Playlist. "Punch Brothers tuck their instrumental prowess into songs, behind or between the arching melodies carried by [Chris] Thile’s high, aching voice," says the Times. "Emotion still outweighs technique."

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.

Carolina Chocolate Drops continue California tour ... Alarm Will Sound joins Dirty Projectors in London ... The Black Keys hit French, Dutch festivals ... Omara Portuondo, Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club come to the States ... Bill Frisell, Joshua Redman play Canadian jazz fests ... Philip Glass closes Cork festival ... Emmylou Harris sells out Atlanta Botanical Gardens ... Punch Brothers headline Garden & Gun's Soul of the South Weekend ... Allen Toussaint plays Bayou Boogaloo ... Sara Watkins kicks off tour with Dar Williams ... and more ...

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."