There’s been a copy of The Count Of Monte Cristo sitting in the apartment for a few months now, I don’t know where it came from. Kinda like the movie itself – I don’t remember taking note of it at all when it came out last year. There’s no real star power in it, the biggest name being an extra foppish Guy Pearce as the villain on the piece, but it’s actually alright. Very standard boy’s own Saturday afternoon adventure flick, but pretty well done and entertaining. Good enough to get me through an otherwise dull Saturday night, anyway.

I found a used copy of an album I’d been digging for for a while – Newness Ends, by The New Year, which is essentially the dearly departed Bedhead with a little bounce in their step. It’s so good, and you have to love a band fronted by a guy named Bubba Kadane. You just have to.

I’ve finally stared reading A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius, which had been sitting on my nightstand for about a month now. It took me a good long while to get through the stack of magazines and comics piled on top of it, but I’m down to it now. I’ve just started, and while the forward was almost unbearably smug and self-congratulatory, the book itself isn’t so bad. In related news, author Dave Eggers lists his favorite music of the moment. He gives Beulah props, so he’s okay with me.

np – The New Year / Newness Ends

Identity is like a really smart, smug kid who needs a good smacking. Ooh, yeah, you’re so clever. Look at you, Mr Smarty-Pants. Get over here. WHACK!

I had the same reaction to this film as the detractors of Adaptation (which I loved) had. And that’s really all I have to say about that.

I picked up Echoes, the debut solo album from Gene Clark. Clark penned some of my favourite early Byrds tunes and his stuff if frequently covered by some of my favorite artists (Velvet Crush, Yo La Tengo among others). An excellent example of a ‘cult artist’, there’s little chance his profile will expand the way that Gram Parsons’ did – his output was not nearly as influentual nor his story as romantically tragic – but he’s still underappreciated, usually relegated to footnote status in Byrds history.

Nerve has a chat with Travis Morrison on the occasion of The Dismemberment Plan’s dismembering.

And a fun link to come out of that article is this: Buddyhead’s Rules Of Rock – For Everyone In A Band Or Who Wants To Be In A Band.

np – Superdrag / Last Call For Vitriol

Went to see a new-ish local act last night, Friday Morning’s Regret. Despite the emo-ish name, these guys actually trade in some very convincing alt.country. Just a three-piece (acoustic guitar/harmonica, drums, bass) but the songs and arrangements are terrific. Certainly worth paying attention to.

October 7 continues to pull ahead in the race to be the day most replete with cool new releases. Add to the list the new Ted Leo & The Pharmacists EP, Tell Balgeary, Balgury is Dead. Full tracklisting and a preview mp3 are available at Lookout! Records’ website.

Spiritualized’s Fall tour to promote Amazing Grace has a stop in Toronto at the Opera House on October 19 with Soledad Brothers in tow. Even when he’s rocking out, as he’s supposed to be doing on the new record, Spaceman & Co. are pretty snoozy. And $31 a ticket? Nooooo.

I missed their CD release party a few weeks ago, but Metric give me another shot when they play the Horseshoe September 27 with Tangiers.

The new issue of Magnet is a 10th anniversary special, and takes a look back at the indie rock scene from 1993-2003. Check out that Pablo Honey-era shot of Radiohead on the cover! Nice hair, Thom!

Speaking of the ‘Head and weird-looking Thom Yorke, you can see the new, all CGI video for “Go To Sleep” here. And if you’re feeling inclined to eat up all your bandwidth, there’s many many many Radiohead b-sides, live tracks and rarities for download here. Like, LOTS. All in zip files. Grab ’em while you can. Link-o from El Boy-o Largeheart-o.

np – Beulah / The Coast Is Never Clear

Ryan Adams has renamed his oft-delayed new album to the simple, Rock N Roll and has it slated for a November release. Which means that it will be delayed and renamed in early October, the 4-disc box set put back on the release schedule sometime around the third week of October and Ryan will scrap the whole deal by the first week of November in favour of writing more pissy letters to music writers who’ve said unkind things about him in the past. Lather, rinse, repeat. From Miss Modernage.

Comic Book Resources talks to Grant Morrison about the end of his run on New X-Men, his upcoming stint on Superman and myriad other things. Clicky.

Hrmm. Slow day.

np – Elliott Smith / Either/Or

Why can’t I live in a place where I can vote for either Arnold Schwazenegger, Larry Flynt or Gary Coleman for governor? Why why why? I bet the campaign ads will be awesome.

I just saw a Mariah Carey video where Dave Navarro of Jane’s Addiction is prancing around shirtless on the stage with her, striking guitar god moves without there being any audible guitar in the song. I am confused and dismayed.

Stuff like this might have kept me taking piano lessons when I was a kid. Maybe.

Skyscraper talks to Billy Bragg, an excellent interview. Once again, thanks to Largehearted Boy for the link – and the copy of Martin Amis’ Time’s Arrow winding it’s way to me soon.

San Franciscan drum-and-organ popsters Mates Of State pay a visit to the Horseshoe on September 25 to promote the release of their third album Team Boo, out the previous week.

np – Jay Farrar / Terroir Blues