Polaris People For The Week Of May 3: Austra Videos, Drake Vehicles & Colin Stetson Albums
How about that Kanye West? He says something really important is going to happen on June 18. We’re hoping it’s similar to when another great entertainer, WWE’s Kane, helped the world understand him better by explaining the relevance of May 19 to his life.
But on to better things. Like our favourite people, the Polaris People.
Let’s see what some of them have been up to recently.
Fans of whattheheckwasthatnoise? are celebrating 2011 Short Lister Colin Stetson‘s newest release, New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light. Jury member Stephen Carlick wrote a Polaris Pick about the album this week, and that was just one of many investigations into Stetson’s fascinating honks and skronks. Rolling Stone, Exclaim, Consequence Of Sound and Seven Days, “Vermont’s Independent Voice,” were among the outlets to speak with Stetson recently.
Braids, another 2011 Short List act, appear ready to move into that deluxe apartment in the sky with their latest news
We’re very proud and happy to announce we’re releasing our next record on @arbutusrecords – US @fulltimehobby EU/UK @flemisheye CDN
— BRAIDS (@braidsmusic) April 29, 2013
And continuing our revisit of 2011 Short Listers, Austra have a new video for their song “Home.” To feel the exact same melancholy you felt the first time you listened to side two of Depeche Mode’s Black Celebration in 1986, well, here ya go:
If ever one needed graphic illustration that Brendan Canning of twice-Short Listed Broken Social Scene was basically a musical trollop, well… BAM. Meanwhile, that other BSS strumpet Kevin Drew is readying a new solo album and getting some sugar sugar with Andy Kim. Oh, and “R.Kelly meets Broken Social Scene.”
Speaking of BSS, if you encounter Feist on your travels and she’s acting a little out of phase don’t be alarm. It’s just a side effect of GETTING TURNED INTO A HOLOGRAM.
Year one Short Listers The New Pornographers are going to be performing in a bus for Red Bull this weekend. That, and Carl Newman is “pretty psyched” about the 18 new songs the Pornos are working on.
Congrats to Win Butler and Regine Chassagne of former champs Arcade Fire on their expanding roster. Fellow band member Sarah Neufeld is creating something entirely different. Her solo album Hero Brother comes out August 20.
Basia Bulat, a former Short and Long Lister, has covered Bruce Springsteen’s “Glory Days” for The Onion. It’s got just the right tone for those of us with one foot in and one foot out of the Blue Jays bandwagon.
Basia Bulat covers Bruce Springsteen
As always, savvy promoters continue to realize Polaris People make the best people to build shows around. Like those folks that are bringing Japandroids to China. Or the folks bringing Metric to P.E.I.’s Big Red Music Festival. Or the ones bringing Joel Plaskett to the Wolfe Island Music Festival. Or, well, just look at the lineup at Le Festival d’été de Québec.
Finally, please pour one out for 2012 Short Lister Drake‘s suspected-dead ultra-limited Range Rover Autobiography. We’re certain a beautiful Scion FR-S could help lift his spirits in this time of mourning.
