Did you know that Matador Records had a message board? I didn’t.

I picked up the GameCube I’m helping Kate sell this evening, brought it home and plugged it in. I think I spent more time packing and unpacking the thing than I did playing. Because every once in a while I need to be reminded why I don’t play console video games. That controller is insane.

From the freaky files: Two-headed terrapin.

Went to two stores tonight looking for the new Pernice Brothers album – no joy. I want it I want it I want it I want it.

np – Elvis Costello & The Attractions / Blood & Chocolate

For fuck’s sake. Stupid browser crashes and I lose the whole damned post. Okay, I can’t be arsed to rewrite the whole thing. Reader’s Digest version – 2002-03 television season is over!

Series finale of Buffy, The Vampire Slayer. A satisfactory ending to a great show that, while it had declined in quality the last couple years, manged to pull up it’s bootstraps enough to go out on a high note. Some killer dialogue to remind me why I enjoyed this show so much in the first place (props for the Trogdor the Burninator reference), some suitably heroic deaths for some of the principals. I’m disappointed that Spike will be returning next season on Angel in some form – I won’t be watching, though. I prefer to have their stories end here.

Season finale of 24. A pretty conventional finish to the season – perhaps the twist is that there were no last-minute traitors, that the good guys won and everyone did the right thing in the end. The more I think about it, the more unhappy I am with the final scene. It was just beyond implausible (and there’s some pretty serious suspension of disbelief going on for this show as is). Why go to all the trouble of trying to set off a nuke in LA if, as Cap’n Eurotrash believes, simply assasinating the President will accomplish the same thing? And how do you get a contingency plan like that in place and executed within 10 minutes of making a phone call? That said, it’s always nice to see Mia Kirshner… Next season will be interesting. Is Palmer dead? Will it start immediately after this season? Will Jack with the bad heart be the main character again? Will Kim finally be struck and killed by the falling space debris that she so richly deserves? Will Lynne finally reveal herself to be the Bajoran spy we all know she is? Mysteries abound.

The new Spiritualized record looks to be a reaction to the over-the-top grandiousity of Let It Come Down. Amazing Grace is being called a ‘garage record’ and was recorded in just weeks, remarkable since that’s how long it would have taken Spaceman to mix a single channel of one song on any previous Spiritualized record. Full story here. Some rockers from Mr Pierce would be quite welcome. The last record was pretty snoozy.

np – The Wedding Present / Bizarro

My oh my what a downpour.

Last Monday, I saw the forecast called for light showers, so I elected to leave the bike at home and transit it in. Of course, it didn’t rain. Fine. So this morning, I see the forecast calls for light showers. I’m not falling for that one again. Cycle to work, no problems. Go out for lunch? Almost sunny. Look out the window at 5 to 5? God is displeased with us. There was no way out of this one.

Within two blocks, I was probably a good three or four pounds heavier from my coat and jeans being saturated with water. Completely and utterly drenched. On the plus side, I think my rear fender was working. Even through the deep puddles (I saw no need to try and avoid them – what was I going to get, wetter?) I didn’t feel that familiar slap of H20 on my ass. No, this was primarily a full-frontal soaking. But now I’m home and dry and if I don’t come down with pneumonia, we’ll just call this a lesson learned. Don’t fuck with Mother Nature.

Currently conquering Europe with the zeal of Napleon, The Hidden Cameras will allegedly be back on home turf in June as part of the CBC Radiosonic showcase at the Horseshoe for NXNE, June 7. Now THAT will be an impossible show to get into.

Hmm, I’m feeling some early 90s indie rock nostalgia. I miss Velocity Girl!!

Mmm, tired now. Quite tired. By rights my day should be over. Yes, I will stop complaining about the summer hours the first time I bolt on Friday at noon.

np – Velocity Girl / Gilded Stars And Zealous Hearts

8AM and I was here. I may have stared blankly at my monitor for the next 30 minutes, but I was here, dammit. Take that, summer hours.

New Pernice Brothers today! The summer has begun.

Preview a couple of the new tracks from GBV’s Earthquake Glue here. They sound good. Real good. Could Bob be undergoing a second renaissance? We shall see.

np – Fruit Bats / Mouthfuls