Monday 25 July 2011
Lemonade
If three is the magic number, then five is a curse. As a Polaris Music Prize judge, we’re only ever allowed to have no more than five albums on our ballot. We could put less, but no more than five. That inevitably means that each year, the judges have to struggle with nailing down the criteria that separates an album from the number five and six spots; the difference between a ballot spot and being left off. There are some who talk of strategic voting, meaning they choose to forgo putting a certain album on their ballot (because they’re pretty confident that the other jurors will vote for it and move it through) in favour of giving a vote to an underdog record that might not otherwise have the popular vote. I don’t care by what name you call it, there’s always going to be that one record that pains you to have to leave off your ballot for whatever reason.
Native Speaker was that record for me this year.
I love this record. Hands down, unabashedly, let all the world take note: I LOVE THIS RECORD. I also didn’t put it on my ballot. There, I said it. It’s out there. I make no apology or excuse. It all comes down to that fine line between five and six, and for whatever reason, Braids ended up in that gawd-awful sixth spot on my list. But I am thrilled that they made it through to the short list, and that more people will be exposed to the sheer joy and beauty that is Native Speaker.
It is the only record on the short list that I believe truly meets the criteria as a “whole record”. Its seven songs (the least number of any of the short listers, but interestingly not the shortest album time-wise) are painted with a psychedelic palette of sounds, layered on top of each other, twisted and intertwined, blurred together to create a whole new sonic hue. It’s not easy to do this kind of music well and make it seem so effortless, but Braids have managed to pull it off right out of the gate on their debut album. At the heart and soul of the record is Raphaelle Standell-Preston’s stunning voice, providing that consistent through line that ties the record together perfectly. Whether it’s the vocal gymnastics she performs on “Glass Deers” or the powerhouse yowl executed on “Lammicken”, there’s one one on this short list (Katie Stelmanis included) who can send shivers (the good kind) down my spine like Standell-Preston.
I mentioned in my Arcade Fire recap a few weeks back that there’s three albums on the short list that I have spent a great deal of time with, and Native Speaker is one of the three. While I tend to jump around and sample the other two records’ songs in and out of order, I can only listen to Native Speaker in its prescribed sequence, as a whole record from start to finish. In terms of meeting the Polaris mandate–best album of the year based on artistic merit–no other record on the list stands as a singular piece of art in the same way Native Speaker does. Will the Calgary natives, now based in Montreal, have the clout to stand up against their fellow cityfolk Arcade Fire? What ultimately happens in the grand jury room remains to be seen, but if anyone is going to give the Suburbs a run for its money in this year’s Polaris race, it’s going to be Braids.
Native Speaker was released 18 Janury 2011 on Flemish Eye Records.
With a great big thanks to Killbeat Publicity and Flemish Eye Records, I’m happy to announce that I have a copy of Braids’ Native Speaker to give away to one lucky QBiM reader and follower. For your chance to win please visit the Quick Before It Melts Facebook page and “Like” this post or leave a comment about it on our Wall. A winner will be randomly selected from all the Likes and Comments left before midnight, August 1. For those not on Facebook, you can also enter by leaving a comment through the link below.
MP3: Braids “Plath Heart”
Facebook: Braids
Twitter: Braids
Tweet
This entry was posted on Monday, July 25th, 2011 at 8:35 am and is filed under Contests, MP3. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Cuff The Duke
