blog post Polaris 2012 short list live announcement

WHOOOOOP!

Nervous and Excited.

Fingers and toes crossed.

I snuck out for coffee. My boss was in line. Good thing I didn't actually "sneak" out. I have pretty full control over my hours of work. It was just awkward 'cause I haven't been in my office for regular hours in a while.

Well isn't this exciting! I am glad I tuned in.

Kirk - how could you leave out Japandroids, Grimes, and Handsome Furs? Should really be a baker's dozen list.

LOUDER

is someone talking???

Noooo, all I'm hearing is dead air...

Speakers are maxed out, I hear almost nothing.

I hear Owen Pallett, is that you Owen!?

Ok, now I'm hearing it.

The 2012 Polaris Prize Pool, International Edition predictions

1    Dan Mangan - Oh Fortune    75%

2    Rich Aucoin - We're All Dying To Live    70.8%

3    Patrick Watson - Adventures In Your Own Backyard    62.5%

4=  Fucked Up - David Comes to Life    54.2%

4=  Grimes - Visions    54.2%

4=  Kathleen Edwards - Voyageur    54.2%

7    A Tribe Called Red - A Tribe Called Red    50%

8    Feist - Metals    45.8%

9=  Cold Specks - I Predict A Graceful Expulsion    41.7%

9=  Japandroids - Celebration Rock    41.7%

9=  Yamantaka // Sonic Titan - YT//ST    41.7%

working today, huzzah for tuning in for polaris short list day! (i've been outside/gardening for a week)

@Garf that sounds about right...not all of my picks, but most are on there.

The biggest travesty of the Polaris Prize this year:

No Loon Choir.

if not, y'all had better be prepared for my pestering you all about it tomorrow :)

Ooh, that didn't turn out so well. I hope my list is legible. Apparently not double-spacing equals no space at all on CBC Music.

Laurita

You just used "y'all" and "you all" in the same sentence without one referring to the other. #MindBlown

jdurley

That's a hard thing to say.

Pete managed it with aplomb, though.  Maybe it's easier with a British accent.

heh rural juror

did anyone else say: Tariq'sssss Basemennnnnt Studioooooo?

Woo! Polaris!

Probably won't be able to stay up-to-date with the comments today!

Does the commenter who claims the Iron Throne get to choose the Polaris Prize winner?

It's warming up around here, again. Perhaps I should indulge in a refreshing Wolf Cola.

@krib. Same iwth me. It is my favourite album of the last year.

Brenda

I picked Cohen for my shortlist along with 9 others I can barely remember. #NotWellInformed

hey! Not Polaris related but still fun: just opened HootSuite, got a pop up video promoting their new app, and the soundtrack was Sidney York! You probably maybe already know this already? but Hurray for the #tracksontracks band!

@zamm: I don't think anyone comes close to his lyrical prowess, and Cohen's voice has mellowed into a really lovely baritone. I think indie cred does come into play in terms of whether or not he ends up on the short list or wins the whole thing. I think the album deserves a Polaris.

at frenchcrunch

i see what you did there.

@westcrunch: boo yeah. blog high fives.

@Krik: :) glad to see my dry humour is not lost on the blog.

This is going to be a good day, me thinks.

Also, my bosses picked the absolute worst day to be here in our office. How am I supposed to stay on top of comments with them having "meetings" in the room that overlooks my desk? Ugh.

@MSteve. I agree. Those albums are good, but really nothing special.

@kirk #68 I agree with your sentiment re: LV and STW. although you probably mean to be more flattering than I would be.

STW and LV albums too much "fun" for snooty Polaris Jurors? Like CMac?  hahaha

I missed who's talking to Pete right now, but I like his voice.  #myinput

@musicSoop hey now. HEY NOW.

What kind of man has LESS THAN two pocket squares? 

a Dal prof and music blogger on some music blog somewhere

@loweeda [75] - that's what i was thinking! :P He sounds like Jim Bryson.

I don't disagree with the LV/STW sentiment, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's fun music that doesn't push the boundaries, great to listen to. Just not worthy of a prize based on high artistic merit & boundary pushing.

Wait, so you're saying that Drake is more substantial than Library Voices?

Hey Polaris, does Drake do his concerts standing on his head? I didn't think so, YO!

LV and STW are just too "poppy", for lack of a better term. Neither are really "critics" bands... 

For example, PopMatters, where this guy is from, gave Summer of Lust a 7 out of 10. 

Or what Brenda said (though I disagree about "no substance" with Library Voices)

naughtynerd! Take it back!

Seriously, there are, in certain STW songs, serious, life subject matters, and LV is often seriously intellectual, and cultured. They read and think, it seems.

Not to say the vocals aren't fun, but all sugar and no substance, either? Hardly.

I like Said the Whale and I love Library Voices, I should say. But I'll be surprised if either gets a Polaris nomination in the future. 

RE: substance

Not naval gazing at all. but neither band have staying power with me, their intrigue fades incredibly fast. like a sugar rush.

I definitely disagree about Library Voices not having substance. The reason I love them is in the depth and wordplay of their lyrics. If you think they have no depth, then you haven't really listened to the content at all.

and apparently I also agree with Benoit and alsace in that regard.  LV fans, represent!  

If there was a prize for writing music for intellectuals, LV should win hands down. 

I don't mind Brenda's distaste for Said the Whale. It got me a copy of New Brighton.

and loweeda turns us to the dark side :P

How is a singer/songwriter type of album any different?

sorry, Brenda, since I know you're a fan, but Leonard Cohen's lyrics do nothing for me.  His poetry, either, and I've read a bunch of it trying to get it.  I know people really love him, but he's not for me, I'm afraid.

I think Library Voices are 'deep' enough to warrant getting to the long list, especially seeing some other bands on there.  Don't think they would make the next step to the short list though.

@Benoit. Yeah, that'll show 'em!!

kirby:  I turn you to the dark side? Because I mentioned Drake? Does this call for a Wapuche-esque "what you mean, YOU people?" comment?  

(I'm pretty sure that's not what you meant, but still...choice of words?)

OK, in retrospect my comment above was a little dick-ish. I am genuinely interested in what Drake fans around here have to say. Some of my favourite people love his stuff--we just haven't had an intelligent head-to-head about it. 

OMG, we are MINUTES away, people!!

jdurley

We've always been minutes away. It just used to be a lot more minutes. ;)

@jhurdley. Oh boy oh boy!!

@zamm - We are MERE MINUTES away.

Though it has no bearing on the final decision, I really hope we end up with all ten acts performing during the gala in September. Last year was a bit disappointing.

kriby:  well, I think that gauntlet had already been subliminally dropped by Kirk and Brenda's comments.  I don't think pop is artistic enough to win a Polaris Prize, no, but we don't have to fight about it.

A lot of it has to do with how we all classify genres in our respective heads.

I tend to have "pop" as a broad term that sits on top of whole bunches of other stuff.

Has anyone won the snowmobile yet?

loweeda,

yeah, we need theRadioHead to come in and lob a few bombs to really get things going :-)

and, yes, Brenda ignited much more conversation than your remark.

Some pop albums unfold and get more interesting, some lost their lustre. I don't think pop is unartistic, although they are likely to be digested by more people. Accessibility may not have artistic cred, but then again AF won last year.

@krib and loweeda: I only argue about music with people I know can take it and dish it ;)

JFP FTW. but probably not this year.

I'm glad to see the LV love here on the blog, though. I'm a big fan

and, they are a blast to see live

hmm...I think that The Suburbs was indeed Arcade Fire's most accessible album, but I would argue against them being an "accessible" band overall.  

Oh man Craig is probably just going to steal the Snowmobile for himself. He's a bastard like that.

this is just around the corner from me! is it a private event or can i come?

jdurley: You have it right! Luckily I'm home today, no one will disturb me! :)

yeah, I still had a lot of trouble "accessing" the Suburbs. Lord knows I tried. I so wanted to be a cool kid last year!

oh, Drake must be on the shortlist then.  "Substantial international profiles," anyone?

loweeda: ugh, I hope not.

ugh. Drake is the name I want on there the least.

@apathetic #144: yeah, that comment about gender was hard to swallow. but is the polaris list a reflection of who rises to the top? do they have an obligation to represent? they do not do so for other factors, such as ethnicity/genre/region/etc etc.

I should emphasize that don't pretend to have an answer for you and I agree that women are woefully underrepresented.

Pick it up Norris.  hahahaha

the music is (and should be) the only "obligation."  No regional or gender or any other issues should cloud that. Music foregrounded:  that is ALL.

kirk:  i was just trying to stir up the anti-Drake contingent :)

*clap clap*

context should not be foregrounded, though.  it's possible to choose focus, and I'm suggesting that the music itself should be that focus.

Cadence Weapon YES!!!

twitter is WAY ahead of my R3 feed, i think

(twitter stream is ahead of the announcements, fyi)

this list is killing meeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Twitter is way ahead. I am trying not to read, but the anticipation is too much!

wooo Japandroids!

I got 7/10, which is pretty much my average, it seems.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOO Yamantaka!

First Female(s) Polaris Prize Winners????

Recording of the list

Cadence Weapon - hope in dirt city

Cold Specks - I predict a graceful

Drake - Take Care

Fiest - Metals

Fucked Up - David Comes to Life

Grimes - Visions

Handsome Furs - Sound Kapital

Kathleen Edwards - Voyageur

Japandroids - Celebration Rock

Yamataka/Sonic Titan - YTST

well, i am disappointed in that.

Ugh... I like 5 out of 10.

NO RICH AUCOIN? Going to cry many tears now. But otherwise a pretty decent list.

@kirk. It is a disappointing list.

I haven't heard Yamataka/Sonic Titan. I need to get on this. 

191 + 1

Hmm, not going to lie, a little disappointed! Almost none of my picks! I think only 2 of the ones that I wanted? (a couple more from my list that I thought would make it)

191+2. :(

but honestly, I only like about half of that list, some of my picks for the pool were picks I thought would get short-listed, but I personally didn't like.

Solid list. I had David Comes to Life as my best album of last year, so I'm glad to see it here as well.  But if every band we thought was worthy of getting nominated did so, there would be 137 winners who each got $1.75 and a free coffee at Tim Horton's.  

Drake is streaming HERE if you want to listen to it. If anyone else has links to the other other short listed albums, please post!

This list sounds like a dance rave type party soundtrack..anyone have some magic mushroom/E?

This is easily my favorite list yet. I don't mind a single artist on the shortlist, and I'd be psyched for any of them winning (well, maybe not Drake, but...)

@ Apathetic: there just aren't an equal number of women in the bands out there. In several subgenres, it's almost exclusively males! So "no surprise", I say.

I love the way Pete Morey says just about anything.

carlyg;  haha, ya.  PoLARRis.  like a true Brit.

loweeda,

what did you pick in the place of the ones you missed?

Show of hands, who here gave a thorough listen to each of the short listed albums in their entirety.

Not so fast, everyone.

Wapuche @ 205: !!!

I always listen to all the long-listed albums.

I thought for sure Dan Mangan was a shoe in to win.... 

Damian

How many Shortlisted albums have I listened to/purchased?

Aside from when K. Edwards was X3 AotM and sat down w/ Craig, none.

Damian is going to kiss Jian, right?

@230 - I am not so convinced by that theory.

this is bad radio

Damian needs his own talk show E-Damian Tonite.

My friend: "Ben, did you give Drake a chance before dissing him? You'd be hard pressed to find a better Canadian rap album this year."

Me: "F*ck Drake and rap. But I'll give it a try."

I found the stream. I made it through most of a song. Now I'm cowering in a corner, ears bleeding.

I have not listened to full albums of all the long list. I do hope to do that with the short list, but we will see how that goes.

According to IceMan's list in #185 (Thanks iceman!) my randomly generated list was 3/10; my hand-picked list was 4/10.  Guess it really doesn't matter how I do it; I don't have a clue who is going to make it to the Short List!

ApatheticResistance: And Handsome Furs?

Yay for:

Cadence Weapon

Cold Specks

Feist

Fucked up

Handsome Furs

Kathleen Edwards

and Japandroids

I personally have listened to Drake and actually like him... but I am just... resisting it for this prize and I am not sure why.

I am indifferent about Grimes, though can understand her appeal. I know little about YT/ST, but will have to check them out.

I would never imply you were, Donna.  

I'll admit that I didn't listen to all the albums this year.  I usually do, but didn't find the time this time around.  One thing that doing that much listening, even to albums I didn't like, did for me was make me realize how impossible it is to get any award "right."  I usually ended up with about 15-20 albums, any of which I would call quite good in their own right.  While I always had my favorites, there were always going to be albums that I loved that got left out.  It wasn't an indictment about my tastes, or even the abilities of the artists that didn't get nominated.  

I forget what my picks were...I think I got 5/10

I am not happy about Grimes' album being short listed, only because that means the next four weeks of music rotation are going to be very Grimes heavy, and I don't look forward to it.

I didn't make a list ahead of time. I have to be honest I have had a really hard time getting into Polaris this year. I do like this list though.

@Marie_C - Your dog will not be happy about it either.

interesting...a post on CBC SK that U of S researchers have figured out a way to adjust THC levels in hemp, so they can have hemp that is truly free of THC, which means they might be able to export it to the US

Yamantaka // Sonic Titan now has my full support. I hope they win.

Though it'll probably be Grimes.

Or Drake.

kirby re 252:  this program isn't as hard as I thought it would be.  i don't usually blog in the afternoons, tho.  this is an exception.

and for the record, I don't really even like the Grimes album that much, but I figured it would be on the shortlist. 

If Yamantaka // Sonic Titan doesn't win I want Drake to win. I thought the debate abour Arcade Fire being too well known last year was hilarious. It would be 10 times as funny if Drake won.

@TheIceman: Actually my dog is a huge Grimes fan. Maybe he hears something I can't. I tried to get him into Fucked Up but he says it's mostly outside of his range of hearing.

I don't mind the Grimes album. I don't think it's as highly original as some do, but I didn't think Arcade Fire was, either, on account of I'm old and grouchy

Ugh......KE.

le sigh...I'm listening to The Wild Side because I can't handle my disappointment...

I guess the upside is, I'm not nearly as invested in the polaris this year, so I can just sit back and not care until September! 

Seriously, I think this is the biggest disconnect between me and the short list there has been.

(I'll stop complaining now)

EricR:  conspiracy!  

Re: 278 - well then next year they should make the announcement at the LIBRARY. 

@Christine, kirkofdoom Disappointment is sometimes a good thing. Builds character!

Hahahahaha. Pete does not sound convinced. I like it.

THe short list has some solid albums and some real bombs, which is about what you'd expect everyone to think. What shocked me though is that there's really only one album I think is worthy of winning at all, even though I like quite a few of the albums.

steph:  rocknroll <--- that's one of the things.

jdurley:  I agree!  

OK, people.  I have to finish writing this paper about research methods now.  It is way more fun than talking to you guys.  I bet you wish you were writing one.

Beavers are also big in French Canadian culture.

I feel strange listening to Kathleen Edwards talk about Beavers

@loweeda - \m/ 

Hannah Georgas Polaris 2013!

I want to see said Seersucker suit...

@Jdurley: although it'd make no sense, next year the announcement should be made in the BAHAMAS. I'm sorry...it's been a long week. 

@Smallie: It's only Tuesday... *hugs* 

@krib - I was at GG77's place when it was announced and saw his face. It was awesome!

As an aside to everything.. I AM FROZEN. Last week, in 43 humidex temperatures.. our air conditioning system was not working well. This week, it's 19, and it's like a freaking ice box in here. BRAHH..r

Somehow I've been listening the last few hours but missed the actual announcement. Just saw the list thanks to Brenda... WTF!? HOW DID RICH AUCOIN NOT MAKE IT

KJ,

on the plus side, the relative humidity is 94%.

Woah guys...... 

This is weird.

Its like when Craig played Rush.

haha krib re 314 I just busted out laughing.

I really like this song.. :/ 

And bahahah, kirk. 

@Kirk 316 - Hahaha

Nothing jumps out at me artistically yet...

BfO,

oh yeah. Confused it with that Fleetwood Mac song

I guess there's some tempo changes that could be seen as artistic...

#BeingFair

re:325... There are*

Not being a denizen of the club scene so I wouldn't know, but I'll bet Drake is all over it (the club scene).

"Those lovely ladies love me too much..."

I'm still completely geshtumped that Gotye made it on to mainstream radio

Holy shit that was fun. Thanks guys.