Christopher Scott Thile is an American musician, best known as the mandolinist and singer for the acoustic trio Nickel Creek and acoustic folk/bluegrass quintet the Punch Brothers. He stopped by The Current studio for this Theft of the Dial.

This week on New Hot, read about a band who become a YouTube sensation, a side project of Radiohead and the debut solo album from The Smiths' former guitarist. These are our three recommended releases for Tuesday, February 26.

"Retrograde," which you'll hear on The Current starting this week, builds on the avant-R&B of James Blake's debut, but steers clear of the out-there electronic wrinkles that usually characterize his production.

Aretha Franklin's biography is a tour of the music industry's movers-and-shakers over the past half-century. She is the musical equivalent of Kevin Bacon: so linked to the influential figures of rock and soul history that a connection is never more than six steps removed.

On Atoms for Peace's first official album, Radiohead singer Thom Yorke lays his weary-but-soaring vocals over an assortment of sounds that whir, clatter, click, twitch and sprawl.

Earlier this morning, Steve and Jill included Aerosmith's supercharged version of "Train Kept A-Rollin'" in their "Rolling" themed Coffee Break. Hearing the '70s proto-metal high energy performance made me think back on how songs morph and change while being passed along like a hot potato from musician to musician.

To celebrate the announcement of Wits™'s 2013 season, we're bringing you an exclusive web-only Theft of the Dial from one of last season's guests, the hilarious Maria Bamford.

Particularly in its first half, Optica plays like a marvelous '80s mixtape, albeit one with modern production values and a good deal of subtlety. In all their sweet and sunny glory, the Swedish pop band's songs invariably chime and shine.

This week on New Hot, read about a band whose front-woman is the daughter of a famous puppeteer, an album from Will Oldham's alter-ego and the next breakout act from Australia. These are our three recommended releases for Tuesday, February 19.

Brothers Dan and Matt Wilson have been playing together since they were kids. Now they're taking over The Current to share their favorite songs with you.