Buffalo Soldiers is one of those films that got put on the shelf indefinitely after 9-11, and when it finally did reach the theatres last Summer, it was gone in a heartbeat. Which is a shame, because it’s really a pretty good movie. It’s got Joaquin Phoenix (who’s very good) as a bored supply clerk at an American army base in West Germany who’s running a black market scam and drug ring at the end of the Cold War. Ed Harris is his clueless commanding officer, Scott Glenn is the sargent out to bust him and Anna Paquin is the love interest. It’s definitely a very black comedy but really isn’t very satirical – I don’t think you could say anyone’s trying to make a specific point about anything. That said, it’s hardly a flattering portrait of the US military, with everyone being either utterly corrupt or mind-numbingly stupid. Worth a rental, anyway.

First Slatch broke em, then Catbirdseat stepped up to testify. I now will also add my voice to the choir – Mason Dixon are good. Very good. What sort of stuff is it? It’s the sort of stuff I like, which if you’ve been paying attention in class, should actually give you a good idea. And they’re even looking for band members! Drop them a line. Fame and fortune await.

From the easy easy targets file, MuchMusic has dug up some truly funny footage of former teen heartthrob Corey Feldman making a bid for pop idol on Electric Circus in 1993. Sadly, he still comes out ahead of former partner-in-crap Corey Haim – at least he’s never tried to sell his teeth and hair on eBay. It’s a tough call as to which is a lower career point – Prayer Of The Rollerboys or the Corey Haim Dream Pillow.

CBS has rejected the MoveOn.org’s “Bush in 30 seconds” commercial and it will not air during the Super Bowl as originally hoped. Disappointing, but hardly surprising.

Today’s Penny Arcade is extra funny because some of my friends – not naming names *cough*Vic*cough* – actually argue about pre-Crisis Superman and post-Crisis Superman. Spaz-tacular. And yes, all signs point to us being at the San Diego Comic Con this July.

Whoa. I’ve been nominated in the ‘Best Canadian Blog’ AND ‘Best Music Blog’ categories for the 2004 Bloggies, which as I understand it are like the Tony awards of blogging. WHOA. This is freaking me right out. I feel like Marisa Tomei. Uh, thanks to everyone who nominated me? Wow. This suddenly feels like sweeps week, like I should do some stunt casting or something. Maybe I’ll get Jamie Farr to fill in for me while I’m in Las Vegas. Surely everyone wants to know what Klinger has been up to since AfterMASH? Or maybe just posting FROM Las Vegas will be enough of a gimmick? Come on, people – Chromewaves on the road! Exotic locales! Showgirls! Mobsters! It’s a slam dunk.

On the downside, I am very aware that my life will never get better than this, and it’s all downhill from here. Maybe I shouldn’t be laughing at the Coreys so hard.

np – The Decemberists / Her Majesty

The Chapters in-store music clearance has yielded some pretty good deals. At 75% off, I can afford to sample some artists at very little cost. Yesterday, I grabbed Shannon Wright’s Maps Of Tacit and Clem Snide’s The Ghost Of Fashion for about $5 a piece. Or nothing, if you count the $10 coupon I cashed in when also buying Michael Azerrad’s Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991, but I have a large pile of reading material to get through before I actually pick it up. Maybe it’ll accompany me to Las Vegas. As for the CDs, well I haven’t really had a chance to listen to them yet. I’ll post my impressions when I have some.

People are starting to get their tickets to the Toronto tapings of Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and by ‘people’, I mean those who are not me. Apparently they’re giving tickets out over a span of time so there’s still hope, but I have a nagging feeling that I won’t be so blessed.

The (relative) warm spell that started yesterday brought the people out of the woodwork and onto the streets last night. Drunken university kiddies being drunk and disorderly the way that university kiddies are inclined to be. Ah, youth.

I have officially gone more than one week without having the apartment flood. We’ll call this a triumph.

np – The Delgados / The Great Eastern

Is this Marvin from the forthcoming Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy film? Maybe.

Guitar Player talks to Ryan Adams about making Rock N Roll.

Yo La Tengo played The Onion’s Holiday party last December, and in a brilliant example of art imitating satire, re-enacted the classic “37 Record Store Clerks Feared Dead In Yo La Tengo Concert Disaster” story. Full band report and photos here. From Donewaiting.

In related news, part of the ceiling at the Bloor Cinema collapsed last night during a screening of The Corporation. No one was injured. And to think – I had been planning to maybe go to that, if the birthday party I was at hadn’t run long.

np – Ted Leo & The Pharmacists / Tell Balgeary, Balgaury Is Dead

Lake Holiday’s own Clay Jones gets namechecked in this piece about Beneath Augusta (formerly Mellonova), his other less fun band, in advance of their UK tour with A Northern Chorus in February (two weeks solid, no nights off! Dear God!). Both bands play a warm-up show along with Raising The Fawn tonight at the El Mocambo. Should be an evening of space-rocky goodness.

Belle & Sebastian release a second single from Dear Catastrophe Waitress on February 16. I’m A Cuckoo will have three b-sides, one a remix of the title track by uber-hip outfit The Avalanches.

The Jayhawks will be releasing a live album later this year, perhaps culled from the current tour? Looking forward to next Tuesday’s show – my first concert of 04!

I finally got the second League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen hardcover last night. If ever a series needed annotations, it’s this one. I figured out a lot of the references, but am sure I missed a slew of others. The second series was again very good, but what it gained in character development it lost in pacing. The great threat to Britannia (Martians! How timely!) ends up playing background to the interaction between primary characters and ends up somewhat anti-climactic when all is said and done. Still, there’s so much mileage to be gotten out of the concept that I hope Moore and O’Neill come back for a third swing at things, though they’ll need a new team… (oops! Spoilers!). And not a movie adaptation, thanks.

Mozilla 1.6 is out now. Go get it.

np – Velvet Crush / Teenage Symphonies To God

Boots. Boots make all the difference. Swung by my brother’s place to pick up my winter boots in the middle of a lovely winter storm, and damn do treads help. The Docs are still fine for summer, but treacherous for the winter – the boots, while not as comfortable, are grabbier, warmer and drier. And traction. Oh the traction.

Metacritic certainly takes year-end lists seriously. Consider this the be-all, end-all mother of all year-end lists for music and film. Now let’s put 2003 to bed once and for all and eyes front to the future.

Now that the Pixies reunion appears to be all official and confirmed, I’m a little surprised at the raging indifference that the news is being met with. Granted, a single show at Coachella could end up being a massive cash-grab one-off, of no real consequence to fans who can’t make it to the festival. Or it could be that everyone blew their Pixies load when the false rumours circulated last Fall, and now no one cares.

The Toronto winter concert season is ramping up. Recently announced, and of varying interest to varying people:

The Autumn Defence (John Stirratt from Wilco) – Feb 10 @ The Horseshoe

Stars – Feb 13 @ Studio 99

The High Llamas – Feb 25 @ Lee’s Palace

Elefant – Feb 28 @ Lee’s Palace

The Walkmen – Mar 3 @ The Horseshoe

Liars – Mar 7 @ Lee’s Palace

Britney Spears – Apr 3 @ Air Canada Centre

Everyone is giving Bob Mould props for his blog, as well they should. More rock legends should blog.

The 2004 NAMM show kicks off today in Anaheim. NAMM is the musical instrument industry trade show where manfacturers roll out the new toys they’re bringing to market over the next 12 months. I got to attend in 1999, and it’s a big gear orgy perfect for whipping gear sluts like myself into a frenzy. I’ll be hitting ‘refresh’ on Harmony Central’s NAMM 04 page all weekend, believe you me.

np – Ted Leo & The Pharmacists / The Tyranny Of Distance