NPR's All Songs Considered unveils its Spring Music Preview, showcasing "a whole new batch of amazing music" coming soon, starting with "Howlin' for You," off The Black Keys' Brothers. "I just heard this cut and a few others," says producer Robin Hilton, "and loved it immediately. This is gonna be a great record." Host Bob Boilen plays "Only an Expert" off Laurie Anderson's Homeland. "I like her work a lot," he says. "I think she's one of America's great storytellers and has a way of insight into very ordinary, day-to-day stuff."

The Carolina Chocolate Drops have been on a roll on their current tour of the US, playing sold-out sets along the way, including one tonight at Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, North Carolina. Tune in to North Carolina Public Radio's The State of Things live at 12 PM ET to hear a chat with the band. The Raleigh News & Observer says "the best thing the Chocolate Drops have going for them is freshness, an ability to make old music sound and feel relevant."

David Byrne and Fatboy Slim's upcoming collaboration, Here Lies Love, will be released in the US on April 6. In the meantime, you can stream the album in its entirety at NPR Music's First Listen at npr.org

Composer Peter Lieberson wrote Neruda Songs, a 2005 Grammy-winning piece based on Pablo Neruda’s poems, for his wife, the late Lorraine Hunt Lieberson before the mezzo-soprano’s untimely passing. The Washington Post called it “one of the most extraordinarily affecting artistic gifts ever created by one lover to another.” His second cycle based on Neruda premiered in Boston this week.

The Magnetic Fields' Realism tour made its way through England and continues on the Continent for the next week. BBC Manchester spoke with Stephin Merritt, "a brilliant songwriter," for "one of the most honest interviews from a songwriter about how hard it is to work on the art of it." The band's set at London's Barbican Centre elicited "well earned applause," says the Evening Standard's four-star review. The Arts Desk called it "a delightful show ... what a great band; and what a lovely, sad, funny evening."

John Adams led the London Symphony Orchestra in the French premiere of his new piece, City Noir, Tuesday night at Salle Playel in Paris, part of the Domain privé John Adams series. Adams and the LSO had recently given the European premiere at London's Barbican Hall, which was broadcast on BBC Radio 3's Performance on 3 last night, now available online. The BBC called it "one of the season's most eagerly awaited concerts."

Brad Mehldau's latest Nonesuch album, Highway Rider, has been released to critical acclaim. The pianist/composer and his album are the subject of an extensive profile on NPR's All Things Considered. Jon Brion, the album's producer, says of Mehldau, "I just like the fact that he keeps changing it up, and I think that this is just another example of that." Saxophonist Joshua Redman explains: "He has the best groove on the planet."

Brad Mehldau and his forthcoming Nonesuch release, Highway Rider, were slated to be featured on tomorrow's episode of NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday, but the segment has been postponed to a future date. The Guardian, in a five-star review of the album, calls it "the real deal," saying: "Highway Rider's contrasts and dramatic entries spring constant surprises, and show how much progress the mesmerising improviser has made as a big-ensemble composer."

Pat Metheny and his recent Nonesuch release, Orchestrion, were slated to be featured on NPR's Morning Edition tomorrow morning, but will be rescheduled for a later date. Metheny was featured on BBC Radio 3's Late Junction earlier this week. The album is full of "lush diatonic harmonies and sweetly melodic improvisations," says Sequenza21, but "what makes this disc so special" is Metheny's "interaction with a robot ensemble" and its "surprising richness and warmth."

The Carolina Chocolate Drops were on NPR's Fresh Air earlier this week, talking with Terry Gross and performing songs off Genuine Negro Jig. WNYC's Soundcheck names the album among its CD Picks of the Week. The Winnipeg Free Press gives it four stars, citing the "definite feel-good vibe." The Huffington Post reports from the Chicago show that the band "wrapped you in the sheer joy of this music played out loud."

The Carolina Chocolate Drops will appear on NPR's Fresh Air today to talk about their recent Nonesuch debut, Genuine Negro Jig. The trio is currently on a US tour, which stopped at Schubas in Chicago last night. "It’s easy to enthusiastically recommend Carolina Chocolate Drops," said Time Out Chicago. "They’re extremely talented and original musicians, proving that youthful old-time music is not an oxymoron."

Out now is Ali and Toumani, the second and last album pairing Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté. NPR's All Songs Considered calls it "breathtaking." The Philadelphia Inquirer gives it four stars, calling it a "moving, peerlessly beautiful album." The New Jersey Star-Ledger says there is "a timeless depth, a gentle profundity" to it. "It’s irresistible." Dusted calls it "timeless" and "transcendent." Popdose says: "You’ll feel it speak to you on a level few pieces of music ever reach."