Rolling Stone talks to New York City’s Ivy about their just-completed fourth proper album (fifth if you consider covers album Guestroom). In the article, the band mentions that the new album is a return to their rawer Apartment Life-era sound and if that turns out to be the case, I’ll be happier for it. I found their last studio album Long Distance to be pretty, but too adult-contemporary sounding and generally weighed down by the production. The new tracks they recorded for Guestroom (as opposed to the ones taken from older b-sides and whatnot), however, were stripped-down and great. Fingers crossed that this new record puts them back on track. They’re hoping for a January 2005 release – add that to their promise to release a compilation of rarities and unreleased material sometime next year and a new Fountains Of Wayne record in April, Adam Schlesinger and company are busy indeed… but not too busy to help you make chili.

The Arts & Crafts website has Broken Social Scene at the Harbourfront Centre on August 27 taking part in the NOW-sponsored Gobsmacked festival. Details are sketchy on exactly what this is, but one thing that is known is that this show is FREE. Eff arr eee eee. Yay. Also appearing at the festival will be NYC lit-rockers (no, I don’t really know what that means) One Ring Zero – they’re scheduled for the 28th.

Comic Book Resources reports that Halle Berry will not be reprising the role of Storm in X-Men 3 after it was decided that she would not be given a larger part in the third and probably final film – after all, they telegraphed the Dark Phoenix story a mile away. I personally won’t miss her – after all, Storm never really did much. Which I suppose is sort of the root of her complaint…

This may well have been one of the most stressful two weeks in recent memory. Which is extra sad considering I had a four-day weekend sandwiched in there. It hasn’t been pull-my-hair-out nervous-breakdown stressful, just really really busy. So many things to do, my life of late has been an endless series of lists made, revised, crossed off, rescheduled, thrown away, and new lists made. MAN. Needless to say, I am glad today is just a half day and I’ll be on my way at the stroke of noon. Of course, I’ve still got a crapload of stuff to take care of at work before I leave. And speaking of craploads of stuff, it’s obvious to me that I don’t know how to pack. I swear I’m not bringing that much stuff yet I feel like my bags are way too full and heavy for just a week. I don’t understand. Am I spoiling myself with too much clean underwear?

ANYWAY.

I obviously won’t be posting daily while I’m away, but I’ll have access to computers pretty much everywhere I go so I will likely make a few updates. One from each of my various destinations, at the least. Apologies to anyone who comes here for a daily news fix, you’ll just have to do without for a week. Unless something earth-shaking happens, I’ll probably just let it slide and catch up when I get back. I will be checking my email, though, so if you need to get in touch go ahead and do so like normal. I’ve also set my mp3 of the week to update at the stroke of midnight on Saturday night, so if all goes well I won’t be missing an entry there. See how I take care of you? You love it.

np – Elvis Costello & The Attractions / Blood & Chocolate

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