This is turning out to be quite the weekend for freebies for me. Have you seen the trailer for the Dawn Of The Dead remake? The very end of it where the film starts melting and then you see zombies trying to claw through the screen? Well that happened to me yesterday. The film melting, not the zombies. The print of Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind I was watching was awful crappy for being only a day old – not only was the sound all fucked up in spots (though I thought it was a deliberate effect in the film), but the film actually disintegrated halfway through. How on earth does that happen? Either way, it was only out of commission for about five minutes and I got a voucher for a free film at the end of it all. Cool beans.

Oh yeah – the movie? Fantastic. The mind of Charlie Kaufman must be a wonderous place, because not only does he consistently come up with the most original and creative premises, he manages to deliver them in a way that’s still totally comprehensible though heavy on the quirk. Take Eternal Sunshine – after learning his girlfriend has had her memories of him erased after an argument, a man decides to undergo the same procedure but changes his mind halfway through. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet are both terrific as the couple, with Carrey delivering his most low-key and convincingly human role yet – he’s really very good, and this is coming from someone who would never claim to be a fan. Also excellent is director Michel Gondry, best known for his amazing music videos for Bjork and The White Stripes. He keeps the film’s visuals off-kilter enough to convey the experience of having one’s memories selectively wiped, but doesn’t go over the top and artistic indulgence stays very firmly on the back burner behind telling the story. Bravo. I really enjoyed this movie and want to see it again – ideally without the soundtrack fucking up or the film immolating.

And the fictional memory-wipe company has a website – Lacuna Inc. Check it out.

J Mascis finally has his own official website.

The Toronto Star’s Ben Rayner reports on the Canadian invasion of SXSW.

np – Tift Merritt / Bramble Rose

I cashed in one of my frequent buyer cards at a local used CD shop on the Nellie McKay album Get Away From Me, mostly sound unheard, based on the press/hype around her. After all – what’s a free bonus CD for if not taking a chance? Well it was a good decision on my part – this is remarkable record. Okay, maybe it’s not the album that’s quite as remarkable as the artist. It’s already been said to death, but is worth repeating – it’s amazing this girl is only 19 years old. Only the liberal amount of pop culture references gives tell to where she’s coming from, generationally-speaking – otherwise her showtune-y jazz/pop tunes sound timeless and the songcraft – both performace and lyrics – is really remarkable. Let me be clear – I’m not offering praise in a patronizing, “wow this is good… FOR A KID” sort of way. I’m saying “Wow this is good… FOR ANYONE”. That she’s still a teenager just adds to the mind-bogglingliness of it all.

And furthermore, this girl is smart – from the wit that’s apparent in her lyrics, you get the feeling she’s like that scary-brilliant girl in high school who seemed to be operating at a level so far removed than everyone else that it was impossible to even talk to so you didn’t even bother. While musically this record occupies a space quite separate from what I usually listen to, I can see myself really getting into this. There’s an energy, verve and sass here that’s really rare. As I said before, it’s a good thing that I’m missing her Toronto debut at the El Mocambo next Thursday for a sure thing (Ted Leo), because I get the feeling that her live shows are a riotous good time. In addition to the official site linked above, there’s a fan site here that has a number of live and demo mp3s available for your listening pleasure.

Hmm, I seem to have had a real red-heavy photo thing going on the last few days.

Sarah Harmer’s new single “Almost” is doing better at American MOR radio stations than in Canada. It’s probably a sure sign of aging that I’ve been spending so much time championing the new queen of adult contemporary radio formats.

And speaking of feeling old… another of my university friends had his first child this past week. Congratulations to Jeff and Kim on the birth of Marly Catharina Ellen. What a great name.

np – Songs: Ohia / The Magnolia Electric Co.

Leaky McLeakerson, AKA Said The Gramophone, has his second big-time scoop in a week. This time, he has a track from the new Magnetic Fields album up on his site for download. That’s a weird phrase, isn’t it? “Up for download”? Grab “I Don’t Really Love You Anymore” here. Classic Magnetic Fields. i is in stores May 4 and on Soulseek, uh, now. Leaked Wilco and Magnetic Fields in 72 hours – Nonesuch must love this guy.

The full listings for the CBC Radio 3’s “Connect The Dots” tour this May are out. There’s two dates at the Drake Hotel – May 7 will feature Young and Sexy, The Russian Futurists, P:ano and Ninja Highschool, and May 8 showcases The Unicorns, controller.controller, Lederhosen Lucil and I Am Robot and Proud. In addition to the music, there will be a photography exhibition on the tour featuring some of Canada’s best photographers. Don’t forget that this week’s issue has a feature on Sarah Harmer including six live radio session tracks.

This is interesting. The Rub recounts how Mission Of Burma, instigated by a savage Pitchfork review, have blocked the release of Accomplished, a ‘best of’ assembled by Rykodisc and was scheduled to be released this past Tuesday. The band will be assembling their own compilation and be putting out in the Fall. I’m a little sad that the Catalog Sampler I own, which was identical to the aborted Accomplished, is so reviled by the band. I rather like having most of the tracks from the Signals, Calls and Marches EP along with a few of the Horrible Truth live tracks…

A smattering of news from the Rilo Kiley camp. The new album is schedule for a July release on Saddle Creek and will feature mostly Jenny Lewis material – Blake Sennett contributes only one song. Some of the songs on the album will be “Absence of God”, “Love and War” and “Baby I’m Bad News”.

Citizen Erased has a live Ride show from 1992 in Brixton available for download. Go to the ‘Listen’ section of their website. Link from Largehearted Boy.

Free Comic Book Day 2004 has been scheduled for July 3, 2004, in order to coincide with the release of Spider-Man 2. The concept is simple – you go to comic book stores, they give you free comics. Everybody wins.

np – Wilco / The Complete Singles

The Neko Case shows in April just keep growing in scope. Not only will fellow Corn Sister Carolyn Mark now be joining Neko and The Sadies onstage at Lee’s Palace April 3 and 4, they’ll also all be playing The Matador in T.O. on the 19th and 20th 9th and 10th of April to gather more material for the forthcoming live album. No, I didn’t know where The Matador was either, though it sounds like shit-kicking good time. Tip from Tiny Mix Tapes.

Some more excellent songwriting talent will be passing through Lee’s Palace in the next little while. Lloyd Cole is there April 28 (tickets $17.50) and Evan Dando follows on May 3 (tickets $18.50).

So the complete leaked album of Wilco’s A Ghost Is Born has officially begun circulating online, almost three months before its formal release date. While the one sample I’ve had is truly tantilizing, I am going to resist seeking out the rest of the record. I am one of those weirdos who likes to go out the day of release and buy the album, then listen to it on my stereo in a proper listening environment. I know more than half the songs from their live versions anyway, so the record is already fairly familiar to me. It’ll be tough to resist, believe me, but self-denial builds character or some nonsense like that, right? And just as I called Yankee Hotel Foxtrot as my top album of 2002 back in the Fall of 2001, I am calling A Ghost Is Born as the record to beat for my top album of 2004. To the surprise of absolutely no one, I’m sure.

Largehearted Boy got a shout-out from The Anti-Hit List for providing the link to this week’s #5 entry – Jim James, Conor Orbest and M Ward doing a live version of Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan’s “Girl Of The North Country”. John Sakomoto calls LHB “utterly essential”. That’s gotta make a fella feel good.

Flagpole contemplates the career of the Olivia Tremor Control. Fom the utterly essential Largehearted Boy.

np – Portastatic / Autumn Was A Lark

I never get Nigerian scam emails, and feel pretty neglected about it. BUT the luck of the Irish was with me today – I not only got an email but the sender even contacted me by Yahoo Messenger! Fantastic.

browngumel: do you get my mails

f2yang:strong> I don’t think so. I don’t know who you are?

browngumel: just go to you box and get back to me ok

f2yang: nope

f2yang:> what’s this about?

browngumel: are you there

f2yang: in my mailbox? yes

f2yang: what’s this regarding?

browngumel: you see i will like you to assist me to get this money out from the bank

browngumel: this money belongs to one mrs billings who died in a plane crash together with his family

f2yang: wow, that’s terrible

browngumel: ever since than my banking has been looking fir the nexr of kin of the man to come and claim the money but known have shown face

f2yang: that’s really tragic

browngumel: so a bank in the bank i decided to contact you so that you will come as the next of kin to the man who died

f2yang: man who died? I thought you said it was MRS Billings?

f2yang: I can’t imagine why I’d be listed as next of kin. I haven’t spoken to Mrs Billings in many years

f2yang: we had a falling out some time ago

f2yang: how much money are we talking about?

browngumel: so my dear i will like you to indicate your interest so that i will tell you what next to do ok

browngumel: i will be sending you the detailed information of this transaction so that you will go through it and get back to me

f2yang: how much money will I get?

browngumel: remember that i am going to give you directive on what you will tell the bank so that the will not doubt your claim as the next of kin to the deased ok

f2yang: how much how much how much?

f2yang: I’m saving up for an operation.

f2yang: some of that Botox that everyone is talking about.

browngumel: look i will give you the detailed information ok

f2yang: this isn’t going ot be a violation of my parole, is it?

browngumel: we are talking about 8.5million us dorllars

browngumel: no

f2yang: wow, I could get Botox for my whole family

f2yang: Mrs Billings was loaded!

browngumel: we are going to follow adue banking proccess

f2yang: Wait, do I need a bank account for this to work?

browngumel: it is when you have submmited the appilication to the bank that the will atend to you ok

f2yang: I don’t have a bank account

f2yang: I lost all my money in a pork rind futures insider trading scandal

browngumel: then which means you will have to create a new account

browngumel: but before that i will forword to you the appilication text that you will forword to the bank ok

f2yang: I don’t know if the banks will let me. They have posters up instructing the tellers not to deal with me.

f2yang: This goes back to that parole thing I was talking about

browngumel: may be tomorrow i will forword it together with the detailed information ok$

f2yang: This is very exciting

f2yang: This is the best St Patrick’s day present ever.

browngumel: so i will get back to you tomrrow

f2yang: I can’t wait

browngumel: try as you can to get back to me

browngumel: or you can call me on my private line

browngumel: +228-9091645

browngumel: or you can give me yours so that i can call you with it

browngumel: ok

f2yang: I don’t have a phone

browngumel: ok if so you than call me today so that we can talk more on this

browngumel: i am about to close work now in the office

f2yang: okay! Have a good night!

f2yang: Watch out for the badgers!

browngumel: ok bye

I hope they get in touch again tomorrow!

And yeah, I’ve already sent this on to the RCMP – they’ve got a website dedicated to busting the scams.

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