this is what I get when emerge -uDv world:

[...snip...]
* Applying xmms-1.2.10-gcc34.patch... [ ok ]
* Applying xmms-1.2.10-id3v2edit.patch... [ ok ]
* Applying xmms-1.2.10-jump.patch... [ ok ]
* Applying xmms-1.2.10-sigterm.patch... [ ok ]
* Applying xmms-1.2.10-recode-csa27.3.patch... [ ok ]
* Applying xmms-1.2.10-recode-csa27.3.regressionFix.patch... [ ok ]
* Applying xmms-1.2.10-recode-csa27.3.nullTitle.patch... [ ok ]
* Applying xmms-1.2.10-fhs-skinsdir.patch... [ ok ]
* Applying xmms-1.2.10-diskwriter-audio.patch... [ ok ]
* Applying xmms-1.2.10-random.patch... [ ok ]
* Applying xmms-1.2.10-sid-songpos.patch... [ ok ]
* Applying xmms-1.2.10-alsa-pause.patch... [ ok ]
* Applying xmms-1.2.10-stream-seek.patch... [ ok ]
* Running aclocal in /var/tmp/portage/xmms-1.2.10-r5/work/xmms-1.2.10/....
aclocal: configure.in: : macro `AM_LC_MESSAGES' not found in library
aclocal: configure.in: : macro `AM_PATH_PROG_WITH_TEST' not found in library
aclocal: configure.in: : macro `AM_PATH_PROG_WITH_TEST' not found in library
aclocal: configure.in: : macro `AM_PATH_PROG_WITH_TEST' not found in library
aclocal: configure.in: 67: macro `AM_PATH_GLIB' not found in library [ !! ]

* Running automake in /var/tmp/portage/xmms-1.2.10-r5/work/xmms-1.2.10/....
configure.in:8: version mismatch. This is Automake 1.7.9,
configure.in:8: but the definition used by this AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE
configure.in:8: comes from Automake 1.7.8. You should recreate
configure.in:8: aclocal.m4 with aclocal and run automake again. [ !! ]

any idea on how to fix??

thanks,
stefano.