LATEST ADDITIONS

<A HREF="http://www.echostar.com">EchoStar Communications</A> has posted some positive numbers in the wake of its recent announcement of a joint HDTV venture with CBS.

It's always nice when the good ones cut through the dross. Case in point: the admirable ascension of London's Coldplay, which has built an appreciative following with its Gold-selling debut album, Parachutes (Nettwerk/Capitol). This disc has all the makings of a future classic as its songs swing from light balladry to intense jamming in the turn of a friendly chord.

In the same way that the Warner Music Group is spearheading DVD-Audio, Sony Music is leading the charge for Super Audio CD - though that's a little difficult to tell from Sony's first batch of surround SACDs, which number exactly two.