Madison, Wisconsin’s Rainer Maria have completed recording their fifth album with an interesting choice for producer – Canadian ex-pat Malcolm Burn. Burn is best known as a protege of sorts to Daniel Lanois and his resume has been pretty roots-centric to this point, most notably the last few Emmylou Harris records. What influence will he have on RM’s decidedly more visceral and punkish sound? I don’t know, but I’m quite curious to find out. I’ve enjoyed the evolution they’ve made over their last couple albums, becoming more tuneful and versitile and leaving their shrill emo roots behind, but I wouldn’t have expected them to work with someone like Burn anytime soon – shows what I know. The still-untitled album is due out sometime in the Spring.

The Tear That Hangs Inside My Soul Forever (Mishie, you have GOT to get a blog name that rolls off the tongue a little easier…) talked to Emm Gryner about her latest album Songs Of Love And Death at her CD release show last week.

It’s been a regular Ben Gibbard video-fest lately. Check out the video for Death Cab For Cutie’s latest single, “Title & Registration”. From Hold My Life.

Prefix is a relatively new online magazine that has built up a nice little archive of interview features. Their latest is a two-part interview with Richard Parry of Arcade Fire, but even if you’re all AF-ed out, there’s surely something else of interest.

I’m honoured to have been nominated as a finalist in the “Best Canadian Weblog” category of the 2005 Bloggies, alongside Marmalade.ca, Bacon & Ehs, Photojunkie and Accordion Guy. It’s interesting that I’ve actually met three of the four other finalists in person, and all are from Toronto – who says cyberspace is impersonal?

I didn’t expect to make the cut in the new Best Entertainment category, and didn’t (though I’m pleased to see Moby was shut out as well). All the finalists there (Largehearted Boy, Stereogum, Fluxblog, Defamer and Whatevs) are juggernauts and deserving of the recognition, though it’s interesting that despite attempts to broaden the range of blogs within the category, three finalists are still almost completely music-centric (I don’t really know what Whatevs is about, but there are often pictures of the NSFW variety, so I’m happy). And yes, Paul, we know the Bloggies enrage you. Simmer down. Anyway, I’d encourage you all to go and vote, but the Bloggies site seem to have exceeded their bandwidth for the month. Whoopsie. Update: Bloggies site is back up.

Excepting a couple brief jaunts to grab the newspaper from my front stoop, I stayed indoors for 42 hours straight this weekend, only venturing outside on Sunday afternoon to get groceries. Hibernation at its finest.

np – The Reindeer Section / Son Of Evil Reindeer

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