Yesterday marked the release of Ben Folds and Nick Hornby's Lonely Avenue, about which the Huffington Post opines: "If only all music was so smart and hummable." Music OMH gives the album four stars and says the Folds/Hornby partnership "works like a marriage made in heaven." The Atlantic calls it "an adventure in genre-crossing and a testament to an artistic friendship. It's also a collection of 11 rich and unusual songs." Today, the video for the song "From Above" premieres on AOL, which calls it "priceless ... all you could ask for from a music video."

Philip Selway and Cheikh Lô are among the many musicians from around the world who have lent their talents to a new video from Sudan365, a global campaign calling for a peaceful future for Sudan. The video, part of its Beat for Peace effort, comes as world leaders meet at the UN to discuss the future of Sudan. The video also features the drummers of Coldplay, the Police, and Pink Floyd, as well as Angelique Kidjo, Hugh Masakaela, and others.

Lonely Avenue, the Ben Folds / Nick Hornby album due out next week, has been described as "an affecting and intelligent record" by the BBC. Folds, whom the BBC calls "a consistently enthralling songwriter," joins Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn of Pomplamoose—recent collaborators on the VideoSong "Things You Think"—for a live online chat Wednesday evening at benfolds.com/chat, as part of the Lonely Interview series.

As The Black Keys continue their tour with Kings of Leon on the East Coast this weekend, their music will be well represented at Sunday night's 2010 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles. The video for "Tighten Up," off The Black Keys' album Brothers, has been nominated for Breakthrough Video. MTV says, while it's up against some heavy hitters, "it was the Black Keys' clip that made the biggest impression." Watch it here.

The Low Anthem's summer tour of Europe comes to the end of the road as the band plays the End of the Road festival this weekend and a sold-out show with Iron and Wine at Union Chapel next week. Their next scheduled US date is with Josh Ritter in October. During their tour with The Avett Brothers earlier this year, the band was captured on stage and backstage at the Egyptian Room in Indianapolis for an 11-minute video you can watch here.

The video for "By Some Miracle," the opening track to Philip Selway's solo debut album, Familial, premiered on MySpace last week. It has now been posted to Selway's YouTube channel and can be seen here. The Miami New Times says of the video: "While it incorporates some Radiohead elements, we can't help but think the plot resembles a dark indie film: Filled with beautiful people, with psychological problems that aren't so pretty.

Philip Selway's Familial was released earlier this week; People calls it "a dreamy solo debut." The Onion's A.V. Club calls it "a hushed, fragile collection" with some "truly beautiful, affecting tracks" The New York Post says "Selway's songs feature plain-speaking, personal lyrics and whistle-able melodies." Complex calls it "a warm, folk-ish record that’s a definite departure from his group’s previous catalog, while maintaining Radiohead’s standard for quality." Spinner features Selway in a video interview you can watch here.

AfroCubism, the collaboration between Cuban and Malian musicians that was meant to take place when the Buena Vista Social Club was born, is due out October 19 and is now up for pre-order in the Nonesuch Store with the exclusive bonus track "El Manisero." "What I've heard of Afrocubism so far sounds pretty awesome," says NPR's Robin Hilton on the All Songs Considered blog, which premiered a new behind-the-scenes video today. Watch it here.

"By Some Miracle," the opening track to Philip Selway's just-released solo debut album, Familial, is now the album's featured music video, which premiered on MySpace and can be seen here. "'By Some Miracle' is always the first track that I play to people who are new to my songs," Selway tells Spinner. "I'm aware that no one knows what to expect from me outside Radiohead, and so I think this song sets the tone for what is to come on the record."

Punch Brothers return to the road Saturday for the first of several September performances, starting with a set at the moe.down festival in Mohawk, New York. The band's fall tour includes a stop at the Lied Center in Lawrence, Kansas. Punch Brothers guitarist Chris Eldridge spoke with the folks at the Lied Center about the band's unique sound, in a video interview now on YouTube. Watch it here.

Ben Folds and Nick Hornby have taken the collaborative spirit of their forthcoming album, Lonely Avenue, and joined up with another duo, Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn of Pomplamoose, for the VideoSong "Things You Think," featuring music by Folds and lyrics by Hornby. The song is available now on iTunes, and the video is just out on YouTube. Watch it here.

The Ben Folds "Lonely Interview" series of live online video interviews continues this week, following last week's chat with Bob Saget. Up today are Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer at 6 PM ET and Michelle Branch at 7 PM ET; on Thursday, Ben talks to fans Corey Young (6:30 PM) and Nina Jankowicz (7 PM); and Friday at 4 PM, it's UK video blogger Charlie McDonnell. Tune in at benfolds.com/chat.