Friday 18 June 2010
the High Five
(photo: Jessica Eaton)
The timing of yesterday’s Polaris Music Prize longlist announcement couldn’t have come at a worse time for a conscientious and OCD-afflicted blogger like myself. Mere minutes after having the whole list announced, I literally had to pack my crap up at work and run out the door to make the trek to Toronto for the Rufus Wainwright show at the Elgin Theatre last night (more on that tomorrow). A little pre-list announcement work ensured that I got yesterday’s post up, but I saved any (semi-)serious Polaris talk for today.
In my short time as a jury member I’ve learned a few things: a) no matter what my opinion is of any given record, someone out there will have the exact opposite impression; b) attempting to point out to someone why their opinion is wrong makes you look like an ass (not that I’ve been guilty of that, but just sayin’); c) nothing is a sure thing. I was charged with choosing five records that to me, represented the best of artistic merit over the past year, and apparently my opinion doesn’t reflect the collected opinion of this year’s jury, as only one of my five records made the longlist cut, but to me, they’re all still shining stars to me.
1. The Besnard Lakes The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night has bee at the top of my list since it came out earlier this year. You see, it’s like this: listening to …The Roaring Night is comparable to being sucker-punched in the gut while simultaneously being tangled up in an embrace of limbs and lips. The punch isn’t pain inducing as much as its sets your sense on fire, heightens your awareness of emotions and feelings. Jace Lasek and company are masters of making epic noise, of finding a thread of humanity in their melodies and connecting on a very emotional level. That’s the deal closer for me, a blogger often accused of being “too emotional and passionate” and someone who doesn’t distance that personal connection from the art and science of music making. Well, fuck you if that’s what you think. I would champion this record to the Grand Jury if I were invited to sit on it specifically because of the emotional and physical reaction I have to it. It was at the top of my longlist ballot, and it will be at the top of my shortlist ballot, and as it stands right now, it will be at the top of my list of favourite albums of 2010.
MP3: The Besnard Lakes “Albatross”
Myspace: The Besnard Lakes
2. The Wilderness of Manitoba Hymns of Love and Spirits evokes a similar response as the Besnard Lakes album does, but less sucker-punching and more caressing and kissing. Its unadorned simplicity and beauty is the perfect showcase for the band’s harmonies and plaintive folk songs. They get compared to Fleet Foxes way more than they should; I stand by my previous belief that there’s more of a Simon & Garfunkel/traditional folk influence going on here. Hymns of Love and Spirits was always longshot to win the award, but I hope my championing of the record has opened the eyes of some of my fellow jurors, and they’ll give serious consideration to the band’s new album, When You Left the Fire, which is out officially next week.
MP3: The Wilderness of Manitoba “Hermit”
Facebook: The Wilderness of Manitoba
Myspace: The Wilderness of Manitoba
3. Julie Fader Outside In was the one record on my ballot that I really wanted to make the longlist, if for no other reason that the exposure would hopefully turn others on to this wonderfully talented singer-songwriter. Fader doesn’t fit any easy categorization, and that’s perhaps why jurors didn’t connect to the record. She’s long been a go-to girl for many established artists, having graced the Polaris gala stage last year playing with two of the nominated acts (Great Lake Swimmers and Chad Van Gaalen). Her solo debut record is haunting, halting, and truly one of this year’s treasures.
MP3: Juie Fader “Goodbye Before Hello”
Myspace: Julie Fader
4. Rufus Wainwright All Days are Nights: Songs for Lulu was always going to make my list, cool credentials be damned. The longlist is very indie-centric, and I’ll be the first to admit that my tastes veer towards indie most times, too, but I have long been a fan of Wainwright’s songwriting, of his lyrical turn of phrases, and his incredible range. …Songs for Lulu reduces his talent down to the essentials: piano, voice and passion. It is his most personal record and the pinnacle of his career to date. His status as a major label artist may exclude him for consideration by the indie music cognoscenti, but there is no denying that Wainwright embodies the spirit of independence far more than most of this year’s longlisters. It’s a real shame he didn’t have more support.
Video: Rufus Wainwright “Zebulon (live on Q TV)
Myspace: Rufus Wainwright
5. Woodpigeon Die Stadt Muzikanten is just that kind of rcord that doesn’t let you off the hook easily. I’ve been of Mark Hamilton’s band of merry music-makers before this, but Die Stadt Muzikanten was the album that made me a Woodpigeon believer. Another longshot to win the award, I will concede that, as pointed out by a few others, it is a bit overlong and could have improved its chances with a bit of pruning, but it’s hard to keep a prolific writer like Hamilton down. It became one of my go-to records this year, always welcome and always revealing new elements that weren’t heard the times before.
MP3: Woodpigeon “Empty-Hall Sing-Along”
Myspace: Woodpigeon
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