A couple of weeks ago, the Polaris Music Prize announced its long list of nominees for 2009. Each year the prize is awarded to the best Canadian album chosen by a jury of a hundred-odd music writers, editors and bloggers from all over the country. Any album produced in Canada within the last year by a Canadian band is eligible for nomination. How it goes is that jury members select their five favourite albums, and the top forty make the Polaris long list. A few weeks later, after the albums on the long list have been played repeatedly and agonized over, the Jury selects their top ten for the Polaris short list. This year the short list will be announced on July 7 and the grand prize, an amazing $20,000, will be awarded on September 21.
The Polaris Music Prize was started a mere three years ago in 2006. The very first winner of the prize was Final Fantasy for his album He Poos Clouds. Since then the contest has served to assist numerous Canadian artists by promoting their albums and giving a massive boost to its winners. In 2007, Patrick Watson won for his album Close to Paradise and in 2009 Caribou won for Andorra. Other giants have been included in the Polaris short list for their remarkable releases, including Broken Social Scene, Arcade Fire, Feist, Miracle Fortress, the New Pornographers, Sarah Harmer, the Weakerthans, and the list goes on and on.
This year’s long list features a ton of amazing Canadian talent. Many bands are fresh members of the music scene and many are well-established veterans. The Arkells, Beast, and Coeur de Pirate have all been nominated for debut albums, whereas Metric, The Stills, Martha Wainwright and Leonard Cohen are all recognized for their ongoing work. Patrick Watson is back with another album after his big win two years ago, as are Wolf Parade, Junior Boys, Joel Plaskett and Chad VanGaalen who also all made the short list in 2007. Finally, Ca Va Cool favourites Japandroids, Handsome Furs, and Pink Mountaintops made this year’s long list, much to Ca Va pride.
I have to admit, when I saw this year’s long list just last Tuesday (feels like a lifetime ago) I was a little shocked. Seriously. My mouth was hanging open. I didn’t realize how much music had cropped up in the past year on Canadian soil; there were a lot of names I didn’t recognize and even more albums I hadn’t heard. I had some listening to do. Ten days later (and maybe a bit of sleep), I’ve managed to not only listen to, but also appreciate and digest forty fabulous albums of pure Canadian talent. And I am blown away. There is so much going on in the Canadian music scene that needs to be talked about! Each of these bands deserves to win this prize for their hard work and love for what they do. As far as I’m concerned, they’ve won it already simply by being nominated. So a big congratulations to everyone that made this list. You deserve it!
That said, it was my mission to choose a handful of albums to make up a short-list of my own. I spent a lot of time and energy going through the entire long list, pulling out which albums I felt deserved extra mention. It was an exceedingly hard task, and choosing was not something I did willingly. But it was done and here is my short list:
4 Comments
On top of having just been announced as being on the Polaris Music Prize 2009 long list late last week, Toronto’s Bruce Peninsula have just started their three week Canadian tour with their first performance taking place on Saturday in a slightly soggy Kingston, Ontario at the annual Skeleton Park Music Festival. More a collective than a band, the group usually consists of anywhere from 7 to 12 members. Started in 2006 by Matt Cully and Misha Bower, the group has grown to include a dynamic cast including Neil Haverty, Andrew Barker, Steve McKay, Leon Taheny, Kari Peddle, Daniela Geshundheit, Katie Stelmanis, Caseey Mecija, Maya Postepski, Isla Craig and Doc Dunn.
Bruce Peninsula’s sound ranges from folk to gospel, from jazz to soul. Focus is put on choir vocals. Honest, uninhibited and gutty, they use beautiful harmonies and call-and-response singing to utterly enchant their listeners. I challenge you to listen to them without finding yourself wishing to be a part of that beautiful choir, or at least thinking you’re lost in some alternate ethereal universe.
Listening to Bruce Peninsula is a pleasure. They are an awesome gang with an awesome sound. In the spirit of awesomeness, I sat down with Matt and Neil. Rather, I sat, they stood. What else can you do when its pouring rain and you have to crash the remnants of a bake sale tent to make sure your paper stays dry? As you read: start with a listen to ‘Shanty Song’, included below, off the well-deserved Polaris nominee A Mountain Is a Mouth.
So we didn’t steal the last lonely muffin or the crumbs that sat next to it, but we did talk some music. I learned some pretty cool things about this band, two things in particular that need to be shared: how Bruce Peninsula has chosen to approach their music and what their up-coming tour means to them.
Matt let me know that when putting the band together it was important for them to make sure they were doing so from a non-commercial standpoint. Therefore, they weren’t going to allow themselves to be in any way constrained by questions of “why?” but ask instead, “why not?” So when they added instruments or their amazing choir there was no need to consider whether or not they could do it. As Neil put it, “we want to hear what we want to hear.” Never mind the rest. Following on that same ethic, they told me of how the Bruce Peninsula sound is a result of songs being worked and re-worked – that writing a song can take up to six months – that the sound cannot be accepted without everyone getting to put their own hands in the plasticine and everyone having their say. As Matt put it, “we are our own audience.”
Bruce Peninsula – Shanty Song
Bruce Peninsula – 2nd 4th World War
Bruce Peninsula – Weave Myself a Dress
No Comments
The Most Serene Republic was a pleasant surprise when I first saw them in 2005. Shortly after signing to Arts & Crafts, they joined an an all-star line-up on Toronto’s Olympic Island, sharing the stage with Modest Mouse, Broken Social Scene, Metric and Do Make Say Think. The young band’s exuberance and the catchiness of their cheekily titled first single ‘Content was Always My Favourite Colour’ managed to outshine a number of the better-known bands on the playbill. It was certainly a great first impression and Underwater Cinematographer was a solid first effort by an up-and-coming band. I wasn’t even aware that a second album, Population, as well as the tour-only EP Phages (which, given the amount of material could be considered a de facto album) were out when I saw them a second time a few years later, which made for a rather confusing performance of unfamiliar material. While Underwater Cinematographer was immediately accessible, the band shifted into a far more complex style which could be considered outright chaotic to the unfamiliar listener. Looking back, there’s some great stuff if you take the time to let it wash over you.
It’s with some surprise that their third album …And the Ever Expanding Universe is markedly more focused than its sprawling predecessors. I don’t want to say the sound is pared down, as any band with this many members is going to have a lot going on, but the somewhat-organized chaos has been harnessed into, well, serenity. I feel like the production by David Newfeld, who has previously worked on albums by Los Campesinos! and Broken Social Scene, both larger bands themselves, had a big hand in the change.
Resident piano virtuoso Ryan Lenssen opens lead-off track ‘Bubble Reputation’ with yet another display of his impressive skills. You’d expect to see this man performing in some concert hall rather than in a humble indie-rock band. The band seems determined to keep using song titles seemingly written by clever English majors, but I won’t begrudge them for it. ‘Heavens to Purgatory’ makes me think of some sort of undead Snagglepuss, which makes me smile. Including the word “gadzooks” only further warms my heart. One of the highlights of the album is the vocal interplay between lead singer Adrian Jewett and guitarist Emma Ditchburn. The contrast between the two voices makes for some pretty melodies, particularly on ‘Vessels of a Donor Look.’
Ending the album with ‘No One Likes a Nihilist,’ an enjoyable song in its own right, can’t help but evoke images of the Big Lebowski in my mind. It’s just another reason this album is such a joy to listen to. Further perfecting their style, the band is clearly not out of their element.
The Most Serene Republic – Heavens to Purgatory
The Most Serene Republic – Phi
The Most Serene Republic – Vessels of a Donor Look
1 Comment
In the second part of my series on modern rock frontmen growing amusing beards, we review former Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker’s recently released Further Complications, a follow-up to his solo debut, simply titled Jarvis. Surely the man who brought us the Britpop anthem ‘Common People’ has some more music left in him. This time around, Steve Albini of Surfer Rosa and In Utero fame joins the fray as producer.
As a whole, the album seems to be preoccupied with rocking out. I’m not normally averse to some good riffage, but Jarvis Cocker’s strength has always been as a lyricist and storyteller. The sludgy rockers present on this album tend to drown out Jarvis’ vocals, diminishing their effect. The leadoff single ‘Angela’, is particularly guilty of this. That damn riff completely overpowers the rest of the song. Combined with the repeated chorus, it seems to be lacking the sophistication I’ve come to expect from Mr. Cocker. The title track and ‘Homewrecker!’ perform a slightly better balancing act between the straight-up rock and witty lyricism, but something about ‘Angela’ just irks me. Perhaps I watch too much of The Office?
The album fares best on the slower tracks when Jarvis has some breathing room to enter his patented sleazy/seductive/confessional mode, as on album stand-out ‘I Never Said I Was Deep’. I have always thought that if you are going to use a metaphor, you should make it slightly ridiculous. “If every relationship is a two-way street, I have been screwing in the back whilst you drive” certainly passes with flying colours. The closing track, ‘You’re in My Eyes (Discosong)’ is another highlight. The summery, 70’s vibe suggested within the parentheses makes this track particularly refreshing.
I often get myself into these situations with artists I’ve followed for a long time. If they do something different, I pine for times gone by, but when they stick with the usual stuff I find myself disinterested. That’s not to say this is a bad album, far from it, but the harder edge is a little jarring. Perhaps subverting expectations was the goal, if so, mission accomplished.
Jarvis Cocker – I Never Said I Was Deep
Jarvis Cocker – Further Complications
Jarvis Cocker – Homewrecker!
After the break, witness the beardless Jarvis Cocker in the video for ‘Don’t Let Him Waste Your Time’ from his first solo album.
2 Comments
I’m always excited to hear that Andrew Kenny from Austin’s American Analog Set is up to something. Last year, he was on tour with Broken Social Scene for Kevin Drew’s album. A couple of months ago, I was pleased to hear that he had a new band, The Wooden Birds, and that their debut album, Magnolia, was released by Barsuk Records on May 12.
The album has quickly become one of my favourite releases by Kenny. It sounds like American Analog Set going all John Wesley Harding, kind of. The signature guitar sound is still there, just as great as it ever was, but it’s the rhythm section that sets Magnolia apart from his previous releases. The bass and percussion are what give the album a distinct feeling to it. The sparse drumming and shakers set a mood that plays through the album, giving it a clear direction and tone. It really makes the record feel like an album, not just a collection of songs.
Lyrically, there are just as many gems on this record as any from American Analog Set. ‘Hometown Fantasy’, an old favourite of mine from the Home series, featuring Kenny with Ben Gibbard, gets the Wooden Bird treatment and is kicked up a notch, making it a new favourite of mine. On ‘Seven Seventeen’ I find myself questioning Kenny’s lyrics, which tell the love story of a seven and a seventeen year old. A bit odd, but it also happens to be my favourite sounding song on the album.
If this is the direction Kenny continues to head, I wouldn’t be too sad if The Wooden Birds became a more permanent fixture than American Analog Set. He seems comfortable in this band; his songs suit the sound quite well. Still, I’ll keep hoping for a Broken Social Scene Presents: Andrew Kenny record.
The Wooden Birds – Hometown Fantasy
The Wooden Birds – Seven Seventeen
The Wooden Birds – False Alarm
2 Comments
The festival concert is an interesting beast. They beguile you with their attractive band list (which look oh-so-impressive on the back of a t-shirt), their free-spirited collective nature between music lovers (slash, mass gathering of musical hippies/hipsters), and the promise of an excellent juxtaposition of genres. Although, there’s always another side. Between ferocious heat, growling crowds, and overpriced couscous, the three-day festivals bite back with a vengeance. Perhaps after a few different festivals, one acquires a sense of what they want over the course of the musical extravaganza, and not all of these expectations can be met. A few quick notes about Primavera Sound:
The setting: Fórum, by the Mediterranean Sea in Barcelona, Spain. The gusts of salty breeze were refreshing, but didn’t compensate for the lack of luscious grass as at Coachella or the abundant shade at Chicago’s Lollapalooza. Pavement ground covered with empty beer cups and cigarette butts just isn’t the same. Although the side program held in Parc Joan Miró – in an oasis of palm trees and a more personal feel with the band – was a different story.
The timing: Aside from the side-program, the shows didn’t start until the late afternoon/early evening. Likely, this is to avoid the stifling heat of the midday. That, and the Spaniards do things late (DJ Medhi’s set started at 4:30am!). I have mixed feelings about this. While I prefer the nighthawk approach, I think it leads to a tighter schedule with very unfortunate show overlap. On that note…
The scheduling: Oh God, why? Why were The Pains of Being Pure of Heart playing the same time as Carsick Cars, who were cut short by My Bloody Valentine? Gang Gang Dance with Sonic Youth? Andrew Bird and Phoenix? Deerhunter with my only opportunity to eat during the night? Sigh. It happens every time.
The artists: In my opinion, one of the best collections of performers in a festival of this variety. Note: this makes the scheduling additionally difficult to bear.
For your reading pleasure, I’ll go into some of the shows in more detail along with some tracks and exclusive photos. Welcome to Primavera Sound.
9 Comments
Ask me for a list of my favourite things and three things will invariably find themselves near the top: film, indie pop, and musicals. Regular Ca Va Cool readers may remember my unabashed love for the quirky underside of Broadway or my yearning for certain bands to return to their indie pop roots. Needless to say, when I heard that Belle & Sebastian frontman Stuart Murdoch was working on a movie musical, I immediately set out to learn as much as possible about the project. Hours of tireless investigative journalism later (read: I googled it), here’s what I know, and what you should be excited to learn, about God Help the Girl.
About five years ago, while out for a jog, Stuart Murdoch first had the idea for a song entitled ‘God Help the Girl’. In his head, Murdoch could hear the tune sung by female vocals backed with strings. He realized this was something new, which would have to be separate from his songwriting work with Belle & Sebastian. During the recording and subsequent touring of Belle & Sebastian’s latest LP, The Life Pursuit, more songs came to him. He started to identify two or three main characters behind the words to the songs. Murdoch held auditions and internet-wide singing contests, searching for the voices to match these characters. He found three main vocalists: Catherine Ireton, Brittany Stallings, and Dina Bankole. Along with seven other vocalists, including Neil Hannon from the Divine Comedy and Asya from Smoosh, the trio recorded the soundtrack of a musical film which has yet to be written, much less filmed. The result is an album which shares the title of that very first song, set to be released June 22.
Murdoch is currently writing the screenplay to accompany his soundtrack, with plans to film sometime in 2010. Though the final script has yet to be written, we do know that God Help the Girl (the film) will be about a three-woman singing group, that it may end tragically, and that the music will be beautiful. God Help the Girl (the album) features two songs previously recorded by Belle & Sebastian (’Act of the Apostle II’ and ‘Funny Little Frog’ from The Life Pursuit) and a host of new songs which showcase Murdoch’s original vision. Gorgeous vocals from Ireton, Stallings, and Bankole, along with sweeping orchestral accompaniment hint at the cinematic potential of the finished product. The remake of one of my favourite Belle & Sebastian songs, ‘Funny Little Frog’, allows for a direct contrast between Murdoch’s two musical minds, with the new female version trading in the the Scottish group’s indie pop jangle for 60’s-inspired strings and harmonies.
2 Comments
In the fall of 2007 Brooklyn-natives were privy to the exciting new synth-filled sounds of the duo now known as MGMT. The Management, as they were then known, were so unabashedly open about their hipsterness that they quickly began to fill the void that the Steve Aokis and Ed Bangers were losing ability to (because of their newly found mass appeal). MGMT found its way into obscurest playlists, 2007 year-end lists, every festival on the face of the planet and lemon-flavored-soda commercials, all within months. By the time their debut album Oracular Spectacular actually came out in 2008, it was already being given the “2000 and late” seal by hip youth-gangs who were “into them last year”.
In early 2008 word started spreading like wildfire that the year’s best album had already arrived in Vampire Weekend’s self-titled debut. Music blogs, including our very own, all lit up with excitement about the fresh afro-boho-indie-pop-rock from 4 kids pretentious enough to make any prep-schooler feel like they went to Boston Public and kicked it with the hard knocks – it was just so smashingly original. The tremendous hype was followed quite closely by a backlash strong enough to make it fetch, much like in MGMT’s case, to dislike VW before their album actually came out just weeks later. As this backlash was given time to marinate in music consumers’ minds for months, it was now only socially acceptable to like Vampire Weekend as a guilty pleasure – like these guys were a post-sex tape R. Kelly or something – which resulted in an otherwise great album being left off many year-end best lists, ours notwithstanding.
This brings me to our latest potential victims. Since sometime last Fall, the blogosphere has been atweet about Passion Pit, mostly because of the infectious single ‘Sleepyhead’ off their debut, dorm room-recorded EP, Chunk of Change. Originally recorded by Michael Angelakos as a Valentine’s Day gift for his girlfriend, the disc made its way around the Emerson College campus pretty quickly. Soon enough, Passion Pit had landed a record deal at Frenchkiss, a spot in several “bands to watch” lists in respected publications, and a track feature on a MTV show soundtrack and in an electronics commercial. Since then, they’ve readied their full-length debut, Manners.
Passion Pit – Eyes As Candles
Passion Pit – Little Secrets
Passion Pit – Moth’s Wings
9 Comments
