For those interested in music farther outside the mainstream, Podington Bear's Meet Podington Bear is a wonderful electronic album. This work seems to sit right between what I would call classical experimental music and electronic alternative. This instrumental album uses electronic sounds mixed wonderfully with traditional strings. However, the style is definitely not traditional string music.

This month's additions to the music collection include:The Reminder - FeistDitherer - FogComing On Strong - Hot ChipThe Hair, the TV, the Baby and the Band - Imperial TeenGuestroom - IvySound of Silver - LCD SoundsystemSticking Fingers Into Sockets - Los Campesinos!Natural - MekonsWires Reply - namelessnumberheadmanWest Coast - StudioHey Venus! - Super Furry AnimalsOf particular note, Hey Venus!, Guestroom,

All you folks who've tried to sell me on golden power cords and thousand dollar speaker cables and interconnects need to put The Amazing Randi's money where you're mouth is! Mr. Randi is offering $1M to anyone who can prove there is a sonic difference between jillion dollar speaker cables and regular Monster cable. Seems like a fair test - Monster makes reasonably good speaker cables, not zip wire

Must give a quick shout out to Monkey Swallows the Universe. Very odd name for an exceptional band with a killer female vocalist. Monkey follows the in the same path as Joan as Police Woman or Kings of Convenience, with a bit more leaning towards folk or alt-country. Still in the same quiet is the new loud philosophy. The only album I'm aware of in the states is The Casket Letters. Once again,

Paolo Nutini seems to be getting some airtime these days. I keep hearing the the song New Shoes from the album These Streets in places ranging from adult alternative stations to Dancing With the Stars on TV. I had a heck of a time finding this album after hearing New Shoes on one of the sampler CDs I get every month.It's difficult to define what Nutini is exactly. Kind of an acoustic pop/rock thing

Monday's are my son's gymnastics classes. The lack of wifi in the gym means it's a perfect time to listen carefully to the iPod. I just got a pair of Etymotic BlueTooth headphones, so it's a pretty peaceful listening time. (The new Etymotics are highly recommended. The first wireless headphones I can actually call high-end.)Today I was listening to Bill Frisell's Nashville, which won Downbeat's

I'm officially on the upgrade trail. My music room is electronically a mess. I have a two channel stereo path sort of mixed in with a 5 channel path. The Snell C/Vs are still driven by the Bryston 3NRB which is in turn getting outputs from the Classe 47.5. The Benchmark DAC is the only source. However, I now get digital input from my Apple TV and my DVD player. The 5 channel path has PSB speakers (very