Well that was bracing. Actually, the Ride For Heart went really well this year. Overslept my alarm by half an hour and scrambled to get out the door on time, but beyond that everything went hiccup-free. The weather was more accommodating than last year – warmer, if still overcast most of the morning, and less windy. Every factor I had hoped would make a difference in the ease of the ride this year did so. My bike was lighter and faster, I was in much better shape than last year and I just knew the course this time – I knew where the hills were, where I needed to conserve energy and where I could just boot it. Net result? I breezed through the distance without much difficulty at all. The hills that I expected would kick my ass didn’t. The 50 km (actually 43, apparently, though with the ride down there and back it was more like 60) didn’t seem that long at all. It didn’t even take that long, barely two hours and that includes about 15 minutes spent at a rest stop loading up on water and bananas (potassium is your friend!). Granted, I really needed a shower when all was said and done and my ass hurts, but I’m quite pleased with how the ride went. Thanks again to everyone who sponsored me – apparently $1.5 million was raised for heart and stroke research. Thanks to Gary for snapping the ‘in-action’ photo at the end of the race.

Caught the second installment of Kill Bill yesterday, and was pleased to have been able to wait until it hit the rep theatres to do so. It takes the sting out of having to pay twice to see a single film just a little bit. And it really should have been a single film, if I may harp on a point. While the first one was chock full of action and moved really well for a two-hour flick, I found the second part just dragged. I understand it’s supposed to be the talkier, more exposition-filled of the two, and that’s fine. I just wish they weren’t so obviously trying to fill up time to make it feature-film length – it runs out of gas before the finish line and instead of managing to coast the rest of the way, they have to get out and push. A good thirty to forty minutes could have been excised without compromising the story one bit, in fact it would have helped the pacing a lot. The final act wherein The Bride first meets her daughter is particularly excessive – I think Tarantino overestimates the audience’s patience in indulging his every whim (or at least mine) and I’d recommend in the future he avoid trying to give his films any sort of emotional heart. He’s about empty calorie entertainment and pop culture references – trying to work humanity into the mix is simply not his strength. Anyway, besides the fact that I got hungry halfway through and became more interested in what I was going to have for dinner, Volume 2 was alright if considerably less fun than its predecessor. If one of the dozen or so DVD releases for the film is the original 3-hour, single film edit then I might be interested to see it again. Otherwise I’d probably just get annoyed again.

Boo to Tampa Bay for ruining Calgary’s party. Now they’re going to have to award the Stanley Cup on Monday night in FLORIDA. That just ain’t right.

Now I need a nap.

np – Camera Obscura / Underachievers Please Try Harder

Interesting find in the used CD bins yesterday – a solo album from Emily Haines of Metric. Titled Cut In Half And Also Double, it’s a collection of demo-quality songs recorded in the early- and mid-nineties, released seven years ago. I had not heard of the existance of this record in any press or discussions about the band (The only evidence I can find of it on the internet is this review from eye in 1997), so I had to listen to it before buying to make sure it was the same Emily. The blurry photo on the cover wasn’t much help, but a quick listen to a couple tracks confirmed her identity. The songwriting is rougher and less poppy and is very much the sound of a young artist trying to find her voice, but the characteristics that would come to the fore years later in Metric are definitely detectable. It’s almost a shame I’ve decided to keep it – I bet I could get some coin for it on eBay.

Also cool was finding a copy of Rachel Goswell’s The Sleep Shelter EP. It’s so pretty I want to cry. Okay, I don’t really want to cry, but it sounds gorgeous and is surprisingly pop – moreso than the last Mojave 3 album, even. Not that that record was especially pop. But if this is just a sample of what Waves Are Universal (out June 22) will sound like, we may have a sleeper contender for one of my favorite albums of the year.

Possibly my favourite local band, The Sadies will have a new album out August 10 entitled Favourite Colours. For some reason, the idea of those two words spelled Canadian-style on something that’s going to be on sale in the States makes me happy.

Feist explains to Chart why sad songs say so much.

According to Billboard, Fountains Of Wayne are looking at releasing a b-sides/rarities collection by the end of the year. Speaking as someone who has a slew of their b-sides in mp3 form, I can vouch for the fact that a lot of them are top-notch quality – often better than tracks from the album to which they were excised.

Stephen Malkmus is contemplating what kind of album to make next. Hey Stephen – how about a good one for a change? Okay, that was a cheap shot. I didn’t mind either Stephen Malkmus or Pig Lib, but neither set my world on fire either. Look for the fruits of his indecision next January, if not sooner.

Rainer Maria and Engine Down are in town to rock you sensitively July 29, venue TBA.

Another show looking for a home is Br. Danielson of the Danielson Familie. If a venue isn’t found, he’ll be roaming the streets of Toronto aimlessly on August 21.

Wanna plan waaaaay into the future? Old 97’s are coming to town September 12 at the Opera House. Don’t wanna wait that long to get a live taste? A Live at the Troubadour DVD is going to be released soon, though maybe not before the show. But maybe it will! The new album, Drag It Up, is out July 27.

Looking even further ahead, The Magnolia Electric Co. (née Songs: Ohia) will be in town October 2. I’m amazed acts book this far in advance. Hasn’t anyone seen The Day After Tomorrow? The world could, like, END. If not tomorrow, then the DAY AFTER tomorrow.

Meet Tontie, your new favorite online time-waster. It’s like a cross between Whack-A-Mole and Super Mario Bros and addictive like nicotine-laced crack.

Tonight is the release party for Shameless magazine down at the 360 ($5 at the door including a copy of the magazine) – I know a few of the people involved with putting this project together and have been very impressed with the dedication and hard work they’ve put into getting to this point. Congratulations to them all.

It’ll be a late post tomorrow – the Ride For Heart starts way early in the morning and will keep me on the road until early afternoon at least. Thanks tremendously to everyone who has generously pledged their money to sponsor me (as well as prove the blog as a viable fundraising device!). I promise I won’t wimp out halfway through the course and take the loser bus of shame back to the finish line.

np – Rachel Goswell / The Sleep Shelter EP

Please be true please be true please be true please be true please be true please be true please be true please be true please be true please be true please be true please be true please be true please be true. Why do I wish Scott Stapp & co ill? I don’t know, but I do. Update: Well, it IS true, but in true ‘watch out what you wish for’ cursed monkey paw fashion, Stapp is working with Can-rock blowhards The Tea Party on a solo jag. Because someone needs to teach him to be MORE pretentious. Ma, get my gun.

The Cowboy Junkies detail very academically their Top 10 British Punk Songs. From The Global Pop Consipiracy.

The GPC will also be holding a dance night at the Drake Hotel next Wednesday, no cover.

The mark-up on my Lollapalooza ticket for day 2 lawns? 75%. For fuck’s sake. I really wouldn’t care as much if they just worked all that bullshit into the face value of the ticket. The $35 I paid is fine. The $19.95 plus $15 in ‘convenience fees’ is just insulting.

Billboard has some details on the new Tanya Donelly record. What they have wrong is the release date – Whiskey Tango Ghosts is out July 27, not August 10. Or at least it damn well better be. That’s what Amazon says, anyway.

Vue Weekly examines the current state of mp3 blogs and speculates on what the future holds. I agree with the general sentiment in that the medium is approaching a critical mass, and something gonna give. I don’t really consider my site an mp3-blog, though my one track a week is certainly a reason I get a lot of my traffic. Link from Largehearted Boy, for whom I take credit for naming the indie-rock evangelist.

np – New Order / Low-Life

Together again like chocolate and cheese, the NME brings us photographic evidence of the Brett Anderson/Bernard Butler reunion, though I’d have preferred it if the pic was more paparazzi-style – Bernard covering his face while Brett winds up to clock the photog one… But seriously, the reunion of the two creative forces behind Suede (all due respect to Mat Osman and Simon Gilbert) after splitting ten years ago is news.

While both Butler solo and Suede with Fat Richard on guitar had middling success, neither was able to reach the same dizzying heights evidenced on Suede or Dog Man Star. Anderson lost his sense of romance and Butler lost his balls. My Britpop days are pretty far behind be now, but I do still love those first two records and Butler’s playing still consistently introduces my jaw to the floor so there’s still a good deal of anticipation on my part to hear what comes out of this. I’m hoping that this collaboration is coming from both of them realizing that their best work came from being driven by each other, and not from trying to cash in on the early-90s reunion fever

Wispy Britpop practicioners The Delays are at the Mod Club July 19. Tickets on sale Saturday.

The Believer interviews John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats. From LHB.

I remember when I saw the first Starship Troopers movie in 1997, I walked out of the theatre thinking, “Man, I wish there was a sequel – I want more bug hunting!” Well seven years later, I have my wish. Straight to DVD, no less, and boasting a cast that makes the original one seem star-studded (whither Michael Ironside? Doogie Howser?). The original Heinlein novel was quite good, as was the Roughnecks CGI animated series though that was probably because it drew more from the original novel than the film. However, after reading some of the reviews of Hero Of The Federation and seeing the online trailer, it looks to be dire beyond words and I’m thinking I’d be better off just renting the DVDs of the television show.

Now you too can master the Rumsfeld fighting style! The hidden monkey hands attack is particularly insidious.

np – Suede / Sci-Fi Lullabies

Finally, there is confirmation that Curiosa is coming to Toronto. The Cure and friends will be at the Molson Amphitheatre on August 9. From what I hear, though, you had better be prepared to pay through the nose for this one. Robert Smith has been known in the past to take the stage in hometown hockey jerseys – since this is a Summer tour and it’ll probably be hot out, do you think Fat Bob might do the same thing again but in a much better ventilated Raptors basketball jersey and shorts? I sure as hell hope not.

If you’d given up on MP3.com for dead? Think again – while it’s no longer a repository for tracks from everyone with a 4-track, dictaphone or wire recorder, it is now a pretty cool music guide (a la AMG) with loads of audio clips, links to download services where you can purchase the track and reviews. Consider the alternative/indie subgenre (duh) – you’re one click away from soundclips of their choices for key artists and key songs. Most of the choices are very obvious – no one there is trying too hard to be hip – but you would have a hard time arguing against the worthiness of their selections. A very cool way to get introduced to new stuff you may have only read about in the past. Bravo, CNet.

Gotta say – Bjork’s twist on the live album of releasing complete live versions of all her studio albums? Genius.

The makers of the Emogame get political with Bushgame, wherein you get to take on the evil overlord of the free world with He-Man, Hulk Hogan and Mr T on your side – but look out, the GOP has Voltron!

I’d think it would take some doing to make the list of 100 Worst Porn Titles (NSFW, natch). I can, however, say with the authority of someone who worked in a video store with a not-insignificant number of adult movies that some of the titles, the movie spoofs in particular, are pretty damn clever. Riding Miss Daisy, Edward Penishands and Hump Up The Volume, for example (far more spoofs here – again, NSFW!). From Michaelangelo Matos.

Well there goes my reputation as a PG blog.

Something else from my video clerk days – I remember when Glengarry Glen Ross came out on video, I read the back of the box and couldn’t imagine that a film about real estate agents could be interesting. Ah, youth. A decade later I’ve finally got around to seeing it and you know what? Real estate can be pretty damn intense. Granted, with a powerhouse cast like this one (Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Ed Harris, Kevin Spacey, Alan Arkin) and a David Mamet script, you could make a film about aquarium parts repairmen riveting. I find that’s the great thing about films adapted from plays – since they’re written without any sort of cinematic crutches like special effects, gunfights, car chases, etc, you’ve basically left with actors acting. Do it right, and the results are amazing (do it wrong and you’ve got a 2-hour feast of overacting…) I like to try and picture how it would have originally played out on stage, which is interesting in that I don’t really ever go see plays. Maybe I should start.

np – Pavement / Brighten The Corners