Hamilton, Ontario In The Spotlight For Polaris Podcast EP15

(l-r) Biljana Njegovan, Steve Jordan, Jamie Tennant and J.C. Villamere at Jillard Guitars. Photo by Katie Jensen.

The Polaris Podcast traveled to Hamilton, Ontario for this live taping event at Jillard Guitars featuring jurors Jamie Tennant (CFMU), J.C. Villamere (villamere.com) and Biljana Njegovan (Cut From Steel) talking records with host Steve Jordan.

A wide range of Polaris and Hamilton-related topics were covered by the panel.

Tennant used the opportunity to discuss his favourite Polaris nominated album, Caribou’s Swim.

“That’s a great record,” Tennant said. “I find for me it’s always the album after the Polaris-winning album [Caribou’s Andorra album won #Polaris2008] that I really love from that band. It happened with Fucked Up, it happened with Caribou and a few other artists. Maybe they had all that sweet Polaris money for their studio time. I don’t know…”

When asked to highlight a pre-Polaris era Hamilton area that deserved greater recognition, Njegovan talked about math rock act Kitchens & Bathroom’s 2001 album Thousand Yard Stare.

“I never really understood about math rock or that kind of music, and at the time that was released and at the age that I was, it was something new and strange and I think has kind of stuck with me,” Njegovan said.

Villamere says Arcade Fire’s Everything Now is one of the albums that will be on her #Polaris2018 ballot.

“I think that they have done what they set out to achieve,” Villamere said. “That band can sound however they want and so I trust that when they put out this album it sounds exactly how they wanted it to because they are capable of making whatever sound they want.”

This live recording event took place at Jillard Guitars and was organized with assistance from Side Door.

The Polaris Podcast is available from iTunes, Google Play, Soundcloud, Spotify, and on podcast distribution services such as Acast, Overcast, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, Pod Knife and TuneIn.

Listen to the episode now