Having now seen The Hudsucker Proxy, I can now saw I’ve seen every Coen Brothers film. The (fictional) story about the invention of the hula hoop, it was considered a bomb by commercial standards as it only made back $3 million of its $25 million budget and for that reason, it doesn’t seem to be as highly regarded as their other films. That’s a damn shame because despite the meagre box office take, The Hudsucker Proxy is an unqualified artistic success. For my money, it’s the most lively, fantastical and outrageous of all the Coen Brothers films – and when you look at their filmography, that’s saying something. Seemingly set in its own universe, there’s countless amazing visuals from the mailroom and the clock room of Hudsucker Industries and the sequence where the children of America discover the joys of the hula hoop is priceless. Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Paul Newman and the entire cast do marvelously with the rapid-fire dialogue and really get into the spirit of the picture and seem like they’re having a lot of fun with it. I probably need to see Fargo and The Big Lebowski again before I crown this my favourite Coen flick, but it’s damn close.

And while on the subject of shady corporations – though this story is a lot less funny – Rolling Stone of all places explains just why Clear Channel is evil. Now would be a good opportunity to put on the Smug Canadian hat and boast about how our radio isn’t controlled by one monolithic corporation, but the truth is our playlists are pretty much the same as the US’ and we don’t even have the excuse of it being mandated from above. We just mimic everything our American cousins do and throw in the occasional Tea Party song to satisfy the Cancon requirements. And that’s just sadder. From Donewaiting.

As rumoured, as promised – Wilco are coming back. October 9, Massey Hall. More info to come. And while they’re playing a venue five times the size of the Mod Club, you’ll still have to scramble to get tickets – reserved seating, dontcha know. Still, with two shows in two months – this one at a hall with the best acoustics in the city and on a Saturday night no less – can life get any better? Maybe if I had some Nutella.

The Big Ticket reveals what looks like the artwork for the new Ted Leo & The Pharmacists record, Shake The Sheets (yes, “Sheets” – not “Streets” as originally reported). Look for the CD that looks like this in stores October 19.

It’s worth periodically posting a link to The Jenville Show because it’s just such a fun site. It features indie rockers offering their favourite recipes, complete with video footage. The latest installment has Beulah’s (or maybe that should be EX-Beulah?) singer Miles Krukowsky’s recipe to make a steak dinner for two. Veggie types will be interested in the next interview featuring Ben Gibbard telling us how to make tofu the of Death Cab way. Incredibly lazy types will appreciated Jack Black’s no-nonsense Dorito burrito recipe. From Stereogum.

More Omahans coming to town! Cursive side-project The Good Life will be at the Horseshoe October 18 with Neva Dinova.

Oh… and just to do my part in irresponsible rumour-mongering, there is some buzz going around the web-o-sphere that The Smiths are in early discussions about a reunion. Apparently Frank Black phoned up Johnny Marr while on the European leg of the Pixies’ reunion tour and told him about the five humvees that he was able to buy with the profits from their reunion. If you want to blame someone for starting this rumour, blame Popbitch.

My bike got a flat tire last night. Big “BANG” and everything. How deflating.

np – Broken Social Scene / Bee Hives

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