Hedwig & The Angry Inch – the best mockumentary/comedy/musical about an East German transsexual glam rocker on a cross-country tour of family restaurants I’ve seen this year. Great fun, see it if that sort of thing is your bag.

Also watched Baise Moi, which had been sitting on my shelf for well over a month now, maybe two. Should have left it longer. Truly a waste of time. If it weren’t shot digital I’d say it was a waste of film, as well. Ooh, angry gun-toting women on a fucking and killing spree. How empowering. There you go Mark, I watched it, and the only redeeming thing I can say about it is that it was short.

np – Luna / Slide

Right now, Polyvinyl Records is selling copies of the new Rainer Maria disc, Long Knives Drawn, on their website with a neat bonus – For an extra $2, you can get a CDEP of their first single, “New York 1955″, and the first 500 orders get a 7” of their latest single, “Hell and High Water” for free. I hope I’m one of those lucky 500… never mind that I don’t have a record player, that’s not the point.

One of the big stack o’ comics Kevin lent me were Powers, by Brian Michael Bendis. Kevin and Vic have raved at length about this guy’s work, and I’ve read some of his run on Daredevil and Ultimate Spider-Man, and while it was okay, it wasn’t worthy of the hosannas. Well Powers is. Very impressed, yes I was. It’s about cops who investigate superhero/villain-related homicides, with a real film noir feel to it, courtesy of artist Mike Avon Oeming. It’s good squishy.

Mark has lent me a copy of Freedom Force, my video game moratorium may be coming to an end. I also have Hedwig And The Angry Inch to watch tonight… I will start it at 8:45PM – I will watch the Angry Inch while everyone else watches the Angry Bush.

np – New Order / Power, Corruption And Lies

Yo La Tengo will be at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto on Monday, April 14. Every show I’m going to this year is on a Monday. What’s that all about?

Idlewild have begun announcing dates on their March North American tour. No T.O. date yet, but they explicitly state that Canadian dates are forthcoming. Damn well better, sez I.

Here’s a fun interview with the madmen behind Homestar Runner.

I had intended to go down to the rehearsal space tonight, though it’s a night off from practices, to play drums for a bit and generally tidy up. But I was overcome by sloth and just stayed home. I’ll clean on Thursday. But I did tackle the washroom and am proud to say it’s clean. Er. Cleaner.

np – Bright Eyes / Lifted… Or The Story Is In The Soil Keep Your Ear To The Ground

So Rilo Kiley. Had a few days to digest their latest album, and I’m giving it a thumbs up. A big 7.8, if I were a Pitchfork-er. A good blend of indie rock and country – fuzzy pop hooks but enough twang to make it distinctive. Consider a less orchestrated and heart-on-sleeve, Liz Phair-fronted Bright Eyes. Like their Saddle Creek labelmates, Rilo Kily are verbose and come off as equal parts jaded and ingenueous, but always earnest. Main vocalist Jenny Lewis has a habit of reusing the same vocal melodies, but the strength of the songs as wholes mostly offset this shortcoming. My first happy new find of the year.

I have gotten the idea that I need to upgrade my Telecaster. Not modding parts, but getting a better one altogether. The skinny neck I thought I could get used to, and I have for the most part, but I’ve decided it’s also impeded my playing technique. I figure I can unload it for a couple bills at least, so ideally I won’t be paying more than couple hundred more for a new one. I need something I can drop the same pickups in, cause the Lawrence L490 and Nocaster I’ve got in there now sound ace. Hmm, as soon as I’ve gotten my pedalboard all sorted out, I decide that I need to improve my guitar setup. Coincidence? I think not. But I can’t be spending too much since I do still plan to get a new computer next month and there’s that whole moving out thing to attend to.

Check out Intersection’s new interface. Very sharp. Kyle’s writings are exceptionally well-written and always worth reading. I am honoured to be in his blog Top Ten for six weeks running.

np – Rilo Kiley / The Execution Of All Things

In case you missed it – and I absolutely respect you if you did – here’s the commercial for The Hulk that aired during the Super Bowl last night. We finally get a look at the CGI Hulk… looks good – better than Lou Ferrigno, and that’s saying something. But he moves awful quick for a big fella.

There was apparently also a new Daredevil commercial, but I no longer care.

np – Superdrag / In The Valley Of Dying Stars