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.

Natalie Merchant concludes her summer US tour, featuring music from her album Leave Your Sleep, at the Peace Center in Greenville, South Carolina, tonight. She hits the road again in October for a five-stop tour of the mid-Atlantic states backed by a full orchestra. Glide says the new album shows "once again that Natalie Merchant not only has the chops to be one of the best singer-songwriters of her generation, but rather she is one of the defining ones."

Today marks the North American release of Philip Selway's Familial. The Detroit Free Press says the Radiohead drummer "defies expectations on his solo debut," which "showcases Selway's gentle, tuneful vocals ... Familial is a wonderful surprise." The Globe and Mail gives the album four stars, citing its ""haunting Nick Drake-style of contemporary folk." The Village Voice says "Elliott Smith's influence runs strong." Philadelphia Weekly calls it "a delicate and dreamy record of intimately told folk songs."

"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."

A week in the unique life of Laurie Anderson has been documented in the UK's Observer magazine through photos Anderson took earlier this summer for the magazine's Show and Tell feature. Under the Radar reviews Anderson's new album, Homeland. "Laurie Anderson has a gift for creating evocative recordings," says the magazine. Homeland's "rewards come from setting aside the time to settle in for the full flight."

Ben Folds will perform in a live fundraising event to benefit victims of the floods in Pakistan, which airs online at live4pakistan.tv today starting at 4 PM GMT / 11 AM ET. The event, led by singer/songwriter Imogen Heap and Sir Richard Branson, will feature live music and open discussion. Other performers include Heap, Amanda Palmer, KT Tunstall, and Josh Groban. Contributions are being accepted for UNICEF, OXFAM, and Architecture for Humanity.

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.

Laurie Anderson and Brad Mehldau are featured on New York magazine's list of The 20 Most Anticipated Events of the Fall in classical music and dance. Anderson tops the list with the New York premiere of her piece Delusion, which opens BAM's Next Wave festival. Brad Mehldau comes to New York as holder of the Debs Composer's Chair at Carnegie Hall, for the New York premiere of Highway Rider.

Björk is in Stockholm to receive the 2010 Polar Music Prize in a gala ceremony at the Stockholm Concert Hall tonight. His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden will present her with the prize. The awards ceremony at Stockholm Concert Hall includes performances by Sweden's own Robyn and others and will be broadcast live on Swedish TV4 and via TV4 Play at 5:30 PM CEST / 11:30 AM EST.

Carolina Chocolate Drops tour Midwest ... Bill Frisell joins Paul Motian Trio at Village Vanguard ... Richard Goode plays Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw ... Natalie Merchant brings Leave Your Sleep to Atlanta and Nashville ... Philip Selway plays Osaka ... Chris Thile goes solo in NYC ... Allen Toussaint joins Cyndi Lauper in LA ... Sara Watkins, Garrison Keillor, and A Prairie Home Companion bring Summer Love to Oregon ... and more ...

Philip Selway kicked off his tour in Tokyo last night performing the "warm, tender acoustic nuggets" of Familial, reports SPIN, proving to be a "talented frontman." The Irish Independent hears "pleasurable echoes of the comforting delicate folk of Nick Drake" on the new album, The Independent (UK) "the quieter moments of Talk Talk and Radiohead." The Sun gives 4.5 stars to this "mighty fine" album, featuring "one of the most gorgeous songs you'll hear all year."