Topic: Polaris Music Prize 2009 (Read 11390 times)

Scarychips · « **on:** 07 Jul 2009, 09:48 »

So, Polaris Season is on again. For those who don't know the Polaris usic Prize is a Canadian music prize given to an Canadian artist who's put out an album between June 1st 2008 et May 31st 2009. Earlier winners includes Final Fantasy with He Poos Clouds (2006), Patrick Watson with Closer To Paradise (2007), and Caribou with Andorra (2008).

The Longlist was sent to those who subscribed on June 15th.
• Arkells - Jackson Square
• Jill Barber - Chances
• Beast - Beast
• Bell Orchestre - As Seen Through Windows
• Bison B.C. - Quiet Earth
• Bruce Peninsula - A Mountain Is A Mouth
• Cœur De Pirate - Cœur De Pirate
• Leonard Cohen - Live In London
• D-Sisive - Let The Children Die
• Elephant Stone - The Seven Seas
• Elliott Brood - Mountain Meadows
• Fucked Up - The Chemistry Of Common Life
• Great Lake Swimmers - Lost Channels
• Handsome Furs - Face Control
• Tim Hecker - An Imaginary Country
• Hey Rosetta! - Into Your Lungs
• Japandroids - Post-Nothing
• Junior Boys - Begone Dull Care
• K'NAAN - Troubadour
• K-OS - YES!
• La patère rose - La patère rose
• Land Of Talk - Some Are Lakes
• Lhasa - Lhasa
• Malajube - Labyrinthes
• Metric - Fantasies
• One Hundred Dollars - Forest Of Tears
• Pink Mountaintops - Outside Love
• Joel Plaskett - Three
• Snailhouse - Lies On The Prize
• Charles Spearin - The Happiness Project
• Rae Spoon - superioryouareinferior
• The Stills - Oceans Will Rise
• Think About Life - Family
• Timber Timbre - Timber Timbre
• Chad VanGaalen - Soft Airplane
• Martha Wainwright - I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too
• Patrick Watson - Wooden Arms
• Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
• Women - Women
• Woodpigeon - Treasury Library Canada C/W Houndstooth Europa

Then, Today, the Shortlist was announced.
• Elliott Brood - Mountain Meadows
• Fucked Up - The Chemistry Of Common Life
• Great Lake Swimmers - Lost Channels
• Hey Rosetta! - Into Your Lungs (and around in your heart and on through your blood)
• K'naan - Troubadour
• Malajube - Labyrinthes
• Metric - Fantasies
• Joel Plakett - Three
• Chad VanGaalen - Soft Airplane
• Patrick Watson - Wooden Arms

Any thoughts? Who should've been on the Shortlist? Who do you think will win?

michaelicious · « **Reply #1 on:** 07 Jul 2009, 10:05 »

I hope Chad VanGaalen wins. All those other albums on the shortlist are junk except maybe Fucked Up.

My Shortlist would have been very short:

Bruce Peninsula - A Mountain is a Mouth
Timber Timbre - Timber Timbre
Chad VanGaalen - Soft Airplane
Women - Women (winner!)

allison · « **Reply #2 on:** 07 Jul 2009, 10:18 »

If Joel Plaskett or Great Lake Swimmers win, I will be very happy. In fact, I'm listening to Three right now! I saw JP this past weekend and I'm going to see GLS at Shelter Valley Folk Fest over Labour Day weekend. They're both pretty fantastic.

Scandanavian War Machine · « **Reply #3 on:** 07 Jul 2009, 10:25 »

the only album on that entire list that i've even heard is the Charles Spearin one, which i thought was excellent.

Johnny C · « **Reply #4 on:** 07 Jul 2009, 11:22 »

Quote from: michaelicious on 07 Jul 2009, 10:05

I hope Chad VanGaalen wins. All those other albums on the shortlist are junk except maybe Fucked Up.

Uhhhh Elliott Brood and Joel Plaskett rule, what are you talking about? Nevertheless, I'm disappointed that Bison B.C., WOMEN and Japandroids didn't make it on - I get that this list basically plays to the Radio 3 crowd but it's starting to get disappointingly predictable and it's only a four year-old award.

Will · « **Reply #5 on:** 07 Jul 2009, 11:25 »

I'm unfamiliar with almost everything on those lists except for Fucked Up; however, Chemistry Of Common Life was my album of the year last year, so I would be happy to see it get a nod.

michaelicious · « **Reply #6 on:** 07 Jul 2009, 11:36 »

Quote from: Johnny C on 07 Jul 2009, 11:22

Quote from: michaelicious on 07 Jul 2009, 10:05
I hope Chad VanGaalen wins. All those other albums on the shortlist are junk except maybe Fucked Up.

Uhhhh Elliott Brood and Joel Plaskett rule, what are you talking about? Nevertheless, I'm disappointed that Bison B.C., WOMEN and Japandroids didn't make it on - I get that this list basically plays to the Radio 3 crowd but it's starting to get disappointingly predictable and it's only a four year-old award.

Talkin' about how they're junk.

Johnny C · « **Reply #7 on:** 07 Jul 2009, 11:37 »

Will (and actually anyone remotely interested in RIFFY F'N METAL), I think you might enjoy Bison B.C.'s Quiet Earth. Basically just huge nasty walls of metal guitar, bellowed vocals and giant riffs - kind of what everyone wanted Mastodon to keep sounding like but instead those guys just fucked off and did whatever it is they're doing now.*

I had a chance to interview them earlier this year and I loved this particular question-answer exchange.

Quote

Let's talk about your new record. Sonically, it's a bit more opened-up than Earthbound - there's the use of cello and violin the opening of "Wendigo Pt. 1" and the outro of "Quiet Earth," really huge gang vocals on "These Are My Dress Clothes" and "Quiet Earth," longer tracks and just an overall heavier sound. Were these self-conscious choices or just the natural evolution of Bison B.C.'s sound?

Dan And: Yeah, just a natural evolution. Except for the strings, that was a conscious decision. We just decided, "Let's be a bunch and try to put some strings on the record." What bigger dick move is there than putting strings on a record? But it is heavier, some of it's longer, we're taking more chances. When we did Earthbound, we were still learning how to play with each other, write together and arrange together. It's natural to get more comfortable with each other, more confident. We know what we're capable of doing, now we're going to push that and see what else we're capable of doing. Write one song that's like seven minutes? Fuck it, let's write one that's eight minutes!

*Huge lines of cocaine.

Johnny C · « **Reply #8 on:** 07 Jul 2009, 11:37 »

Quote from: michaelicious on 07 Jul 2009, 11:36

Talkin' about how they're junk.

Maybe your ears are broken? This is a thought.

Tom · « **Reply #9 on:** 07 Jul 2009, 14:52 »

Will Patrick Watson win again in what will most likely be another unexpected minor upset? Will...nah, I only really care about Fucked Up really and Women are stuck on the longlist - looks like a boring financial year in music for Canada.

michaelicious · « **Reply #10 on:** 07 Jul 2009, 18:24 »

Quote from: Johnny C on 07 Jul 2009, 11:37

Quote from: michaelicious on 07 Jul 2009, 11:36
Talkin' about how they're junk.

Maybe your ears are broken? This is a thought.

Hey man, you know I am sensitive about my broken ears. Why you gotta go and make this personal?

Professor Snuggles · « **Reply #11 on:** 07 Jul 2009, 19:53 »

Leonard Cohen should be on that list.

David_Dovey · « **Reply #12 on:** 07 Jul 2009, 20:24 »

It's a very good live album indeed, but no live album deserves to win a motherfucker like this.

Johnny: so Bison B.C., at two years into their career, sound like they are basically taking the exact same path Mastodon took anyway. Incidentally this can only be a good thing in my opinion. It's not like there aren't any other riffy stoner metal bands out there.

Johnny C · « **Reply #13 on:** 07 Jul 2009, 20:42 »

I love Leonard Cohen but it's not like this list isn't full of music for grandpas as-is.

tania · « **Reply #14 on:** 07 Jul 2009, 22:11 »

also disappointed that women did not make it and with how predictable the shortlist has become. but i remember also being disappointed with last year's shortlist and then caribou, who is super great and really deserved it, won! so how about that! hopefully this year it'll go to someone who deserves it just as much. i am hoping for either elliott brood or chad vangaalen.

Johnny C · « **Reply #15 on:** 08 Jul 2009, 00:17 »

i just wish it was more exciting than jian gomeshi's ipod on-the-go playlist

エーイ (ノ#-_-)ノミ　┴┴

Melodic · « **Reply #16 on:** 08 Jul 2009, 00:18 »

I am saddened Wolf Parade didn't make the shortlist.

scarred · « **Reply #17 on:** 08 Jul 2009, 00:51 »

Metric made the shortlist and Japandroids didn't? Boooooooooooooo

KvP · « **Reply #18 on:** 09 Jul 2009, 12:50 »

As far as I'm concerned, Fucked Up or Joel Plaskett should take it.

But there's a Broken Social Scene satellite band in the running (isn't there always?) and I'm inclined to bet lazily on them, as someone who doesn't follow baseball might bet on the Yankees in the late 90's or doesn't follow basketball might bet on the Bulls in the early-to-mid 90's. It's just sort of the path of least resistance.

Actually looking back on it I don't find much to hate about the Polaris awards thus far. Better than the grammys by a light year.

allison · « **Reply #19 on:** 10 Jul 2009, 07:57 »

I'm listening to Joel Plaskett right now. I don't see how you could not like this. It's so beautiful!
He's opening for Paul McCartney in Halifax this weekend. What I wouldn't give to see that show, man.

michaelicious · « **Reply #20 on:** 10 Jul 2009, 09:43 »

Quote from: Melodic on 08 Jul 2009, 00:18

I am saddened Wolf Parade didn't make the shortlist.

I don't think they were cut because they are undeserving, but maybe because they don't really need the prize. I know the prize is supposed to be based on artistic merit, but I think (hope) the relative popularity of the artist is probably part of the decision-making process too. In the world of Canadian independent music Wolf Parade is pretty huge. I'm not trying to say they're rich rock stars who wouldn't appreciate the recognition and $20,000 but compare them to a smaller band like Bruce Peninsula. Wolf Parade are Pitchfork darlings, release albums on Sub Pop and tour with the Arcade Fire. Bruce Peninsula is a collective of musicians from Toronto that are in bands most people outside of Ontario will probably never hear who plays shows to about 23 people in small cities like Guelph and Brantford. I think the recognition and the cash would do a lot more to help them (or many of the other artists on the list) out!

Johnny C · « **Reply #21 on:** 13 Jul 2009, 18:43 »

I saw Patrick Watson this weekend and he was really good. Still shouldn't get another $10k though!

Johnny C · « **Reply #22 on:** 24 Sep 2009, 11:31 »

Fucked Up won.

valley_parade · « **Reply #23 on:** 24 Sep 2009, 11:36 »

How did Japandroids not make the shortlist?

Melodic · « **Reply #24 on:** 24 Sep 2009, 12:07 »

They're using $20,000 to produce a single album. What the balls.

Tom · « **Reply #25 on:** 25 Sep 2009, 02:12 »

Quote from: Johnny C on 24 Sep 2009, 11:31

Fucked Up won.

Yuss, fuckin' hell yes. This is great and it's also the first time I've truly cared about this prize.

Touch Me Im Sick · « **Reply #26 on:** 28 Sep 2009, 10:12 »

Fuck yeah.

Johnny C · « **Reply #27 on:** 28 Sep 2009, 11:55 »

Quote from: Melodic on 24 Sep 2009, 12:07

They're using $20,000 to produce a single album. What the balls.

Quote

a benefit recording to raise awareness about the estimated 500 aboriginal women missing in Canada

Melodic · « **Reply #28 on:** 28 Sep 2009, 12:29 »

I'm not saying it's not towards a good cause, man, I'm just saying $20,000 is a whole lot of cash to sink on a single record.

Christophe · « **Reply #29 on:** 28 Sep 2009, 12:38 »

orly?

Ten days at Electrical Audio's Studio A with Albini engineering (with lodging at the studio), for about 46-60 min of music would run about $15k.

RallyMonkey · « **Reply #30 on:** 28 Sep 2009, 12:46 »

Yeah, I don't know anything about musical recording, but compared to filmmaking, 20,000 is nothing. 20,000 could maybe get you one day of professional shooting on one location in the film world.

Melodic · « **Reply #31 on:** 28 Sep 2009, 22:31 »

Quote from: Christophe on 28 Sep 2009, 12:38

orly?

Ten days at Electrical Audio's Studio A with Albini engineering (with lodging at the studio), for about 46-60 min of music would run about $15k.

Does a hardcore band from Toronto called Fucked Up really need the Rapemanster?

Tom · « **Reply #32 on:** 29 Sep 2009, 03:53 »

keep in mind that's only sound engineering and studio rental

Liz · « **Reply #33 on:** 29 Sep 2009, 18:17 »

Johnny C took me to see Elliott Brood during Tronnocon last year. They were really good and handed out pots and spoons for the crowd to play with! (I still have the little pan I got, but I broke my spoon.)

Other than that I would love to see Great Lake Swimmers win. And I am also sad that Women did not make the cut, they are fantastic and put on such a good live show. I lucked out and got to see them when they came through Fargo of all places (I know, right?) and it was so wonderful.

Scarychips · « **Reply #34 on:** 29 Sep 2009, 19:11 »

Well, I'm sorry Liz, but Fucked Up won. But! Elliott Brood's performance at the Polaris Gala included aluminums pans so people could play with them.

Liz · « **Reply #35 on:** 30 Sep 2009, 12:12 »

Oh that makes me so happy.

It was a good show, a good bonding experience for we internet people that attended.

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Author Topic: Polaris Music Prize 2009 (Read 11390 times)