Ry Cooder is the guest on today’s episode of the BBC World Service's The Strand. He talks about his new album, Election Special, and what motivated him to speak out through its songs. "Here we are in the middle of an incredibly critical Presidential campaign ... and all these issues are brought to the front," says Cooder. "Martin Luther King used to say do something if you can, something you could do. If it was writing a speech or a book or singing or marching, do it, when the need is there. So that’s what I’m doing."

Punch Brothers were in London to perform at the 2012 Hard Rock Calling festival in Hyde Park this past July. Among the other artists performing at this year's festival were Paul Simon, Tom Morello, Allison Krauss, Bruce Springsteen, and Paul McCartney. Tune in this weekend to see highlights from the festival, including a song from Punch Brothers' set, airing in the US on VH1 and Palladia and in the UK on Sky Arts. The band resumes its North American tour in September.

Nonesuch Records has signed California-based singer/songwriter Nataly Dawn, one half of the duo Pomplamoose. Dawn’s solo album, How I Knew Her, which was financed by the more than $100,000 raised from her Kickstarter campaign, is scheduled for release on January 22, 2013, with a tour to follow. Pomplamoose, whose other half is Dawn’s partner Jack Conte, has released numerous original songs and covers since 2008 as “VideoSongs” via their YouTube channel; Dawn has released solo VideoSongs and collaborations on her YouTube channel as well.

Ry Cooder’s new album, Election Special is out now in the US. "A guitar great takes a shot at political satire and hits the mark," exclaims Rolling Stone in a four-star review. "Election Special is protest music delivered with a patriot’s gifts—the American-roots beauty and expert fire in Ry Cooder’s playing—and long memory." The album earns four stars from MSN as well, where it is streaming in full this week. Cooder, says MSN, "has returned to early, deep roots in American folk to forge the most impassioned music of his 50-year career."

Sara Watkins is today's guest on NPR's World Café. On the show, Watkins talks with host David Dye about her new album, Sun Midnight Sun, and is joined by her brother Sean to perform three songs from the album as well as two tunes from her self-titled debut solo album. Earlier this month, Watkins appeared on WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show; listen to it here.

With the recent release of Unity Band, Pat Metheny introduced a new ensemble featuring Chris Potter on sax and bass clarinet, Antonio Sanchez on drums, and Ben Williams on bass. All About Jazz described the record as "unequivocally one of Metheny's finest—an album that's sure to find its way to 'best of' lists for 2012." Now, All About Jazz has dedicated a week to the project, offering Catching Up With feature articles on all four band members. The Unity Band resumes its US tour on Saturday, September 1.

Ry Cooder’s new album, Election Special, is out this week. With its UK release today, having previously earned four stars from Mojo, Election Special has received four-star reviews from the Guardian, Independent, Independent on Sunday, Financial Times, and Scotland on Sunday, as well as the Irish Times. "After last year's magnificent Pull Up Some Dust and Sit Down, Ry Cooder returns to the political arena with a vengeance," says the Guardian, which calls it "an entertaining, thoughtful and bravely original set." The Independent on Sunday says Cooder's latest albums "represent the most cogent work of his long career."

Carolina Chocolate Drops, who resume their tour at the Rhythm & Roots Festival in Rhode Island on September 1, are featured on Concrete Country, CMT's celebration of roots music. The band hit the streets of Nashville to perform three songs for the set, opening with a traditional tune, followed by "Country Girl," off their new album, Leaving Eden, and "Your Baby Ain't Sweet Like Mine," off their Grammy Award–winning Nonesuch debut album, Genuine Negro Jig. Watch all three performances here.

Emmylou Harris hosts the inaugural Woofstock in Nashville, a day of music and more to benefit her dog rescue, Bonaparte's Retreat ... The Black Keys continue their European tour with three festival sets: Lowlands, Pukkelpop, and Highfield ... Lianne La Havas plays Lowlands as well, and Summer Sundae Weekender ... Billy Bragg plays Summer Sundae too plus Strummer of Love and Beautiful Days ... Jeremy Denk performs Bach and Elgar at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival ... Dr. John plays San Francisco and Los Angeles ... k.d. lang is in New England ... Jessica Lea Mayfield concludes her Langhorne Slim tour in Louisville ... Punch Brothers are in Kentucky too and Wisconsin ... and more ...

Nonesuch releases Jonny Greenwood’s soundtrack to writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film The Master on September 11, 2012. The soundtrack comprises 11 compositions by Greenwood along with four recordings from the post–World War II era in which the film is set. Performers include the London Contemporary Orchestra, AUKSO Chamber Orchestra, and Ella Fitzgerald, among others. Nonesuch Store pre-orders include an instant download of Greenwood’s "Application 45 Version 1" from the album.

Amadou & Mariam bring their North American tour to a close with a free performance on the Santa Monica Pier on Thursday, as part of the Twilight Concert Series. The show follows tour stops at festivals like Lollapalooza, Central Park SummerStage, Outside Lands, Edmonton Folk, and Osheaga, in addition to headlining shows at theaters and clubs. The Los Angeles Times, in a feature previewing Thursday's show, calls their new album, Folila, "the culmination of a midlife rise to the top strata of the world music scene in Africa, Europe and North America."

London-based singer Lianne La Havas has announced details for her first North American tour promoting her highly praised debut album, Is Your Love Big Enough?. She will join nine-time Grammy Award winner John Legend on 14 dates across the US, in addition to her previously announced September headline shows: September 11 at Bowery Ballroom in New York and September 13 at Le Belmont in Montreal. The New Yorker has described her live show as "stunning."