Polaris People For The Week Of July 6 ““ Shooting Guns vs. Leonard Cohen, Mark Davis Gardens, Slakadeliqs Enjoy Air Conditioning

We've added a new thing to the Polaris Universe called “Polaris Profiles.â€

Basically, Polaris Profiles are like Polaris Salons all hopped up on Mountain Dew. They're going to specifically apply to events we host that will feature an artist performance component on top of a Salon-like interview with a Polaris juror.

The first one we're doing is <a href = 'http://polarismusicprize.ca/article/430/introducing-polaris-profiles-featuring-kathryn-calder-on-july-16-2012-in-vancouver/'>happening</a> July 16 in Vancouver with <strong>Kathryn Calder</strong>. Which also happens to be one day before the big Polaris Music Prize Short List announcement in Toronto.

We have absolutely know idea who amongst this year's 40 <a href = ' http://polarismusicprize.ca/article/416/the-2012-polaris-music-prize-long-list-is-here/'>Long List</a> artists will move on, but in the same way a mom's supposed to love all her children equally, we'll be sad for those who don't move on.

Meanwhile, our favourite people, the Polaris People, continued to do interesting things this week. Here's what some of them were up to:

read post

Polaris People For The Week Of June 29 ““ Lindi Ortega Likes Bourbon, Rich Aucoin Debates Money, CBC Endorse Gambling

We’re now only two weeks away from the unveiling of the 2012 Polaris Music Prize Short List.

That means all our<a href = 'http://polarismusicprize.ca/jury/'> jurors</a> are deep in the middle of actually listening to all the albums they were supposed to have already listened to after the first round of voting.

We’re not sweating them, though. Their efforts are yielding some bonus results in the form of intense analysis like that found <a href = 'http://different-kitchen.com/ '>here</a> and <a href = 'http://www.torontostandard.com/culture/postcards-from-the-polaris-prize-part-two'>here</a>.

While all that’s going on our favourite people, the Polaris People, continued to do interesting things this week. Click through to find out what that was.

read post

Polaris People For The Week Of June 22 ““ Feist Goes To Calgary, Austra Tattle On Grimes And More

Let the debating begin.

There was already a good row the night the 2012 Polaris Prize Long List was <a href = 'http://polarismusicprize.ca/article/416/the-2012-polaris-music-prize-long-list-is-here/'>announced</a> when the Waldorf Hotel hosted a special Vancouver Polaris Salon.

Now the arguing hits the east side.

On Tuesday, June 26 an panel of Polaris jurors will <a href = 'http://polarismusicprize.ca/article/422/toronto-long-list-review-happening-june-26-2012/'>convene</a> at the Drake Hotel to talk Long List at a Polaris Salon. Then, the next night, we do the same thing all over again <a href = 'http://polarismusicprize.ca/article/423/montreal-long-list-review-happening-june-27-2012/'>in Montreal</a> at Divan Orange with another group of jurors.

Meanwhile, some of our jurors are getting down to the serious business of <a href = 'http://www.torontostandard.com/culture/postcards-from-the-polaris-prize'>assessing </a>the Long List in anticipation of submitted their Short List ballot.

Throughout, as always, there remains the Polaris People. Click through to find out what they were up to this week:

read post

Polaris People For The Week Of June 15 ““ Japandroids In-Depth, Long List Headlines, Broken Socionics Scene

My goodness. The 2012 Polaris Long List is finally <a href = 'http://polarismusicprize.ca/article/416/the-2012-polaris-music-prize-long-list-is-here/'>here</a>. It’s so good it’s giving us the vapors. But what do you think? Don’t be shy telling us how you really feel. Everyone else is.

In the meantime, though, feel free to check out our recently assembled 2012 Long List <a href = 'http://polarismusicprize.ca/article/418/2012-polaris-long-list-fast-facts/'>fast facts</a> for a quick history primer.

It’s a particularly exciting time in Polaris People tabulation land because we have 40 new records (and people) to talk about. So let’s get started shall we?

read post

The 2012 Polaris Music Prize Long List Is Here

The 2012 Polaris Long List was announced today (June 14) at The Waldorf Hotel in Vancouver, BC.

Polaris Founder and Executive Director Steve Jordan was pretty excited about the List.

"The year's list deliciously illustrates the burgeoning sense of community in our jury," he said. "Almost half of the selections on this list were the direct result of passionate recommendations made by individual members to their peers. We hope the ultimate result of this dialogue will likewise inform the taste of adventurous music lovers from Canada and the world."

read post

2012 Polaris Long List Fast Facts

It's not just the music journalists who are having a field day with the <a href = 'http://polarismusicprize.ca/article/416/the-2012-polaris-music-prize-long-list-is-here/'>just announced</a> 2012 Polaris Music Prize Long List, it's the musical statisticians as well.

Click through for some fast facts about the Polaris Music Prize 2012 Long List and begin your journey into High Fidelity-plus nerddom.

read post

Polaris People For The Week Of June 8 ““ Dan Bejar Speaks, Julie Doiron Day Happens, Toads Get Licked, And More

One week. Actually less than that. Six days. June 14.

That's when the 2012 Polaris Music Prize Long List gets officially announced in Vancouver, BC with the <a href = 'http://polarismusicprize.ca/article/409/dan-mangan-hannah-georgas-veda-hille-to-be-at-polaris-music-prize-long-list-reveal-in-vancouver-on-june-14/'>help</a> of Dan Mangan, Hannah Georgas and Veda Hille. That night will also feature the official launch to arguing about said list with a <a href = 'http://polarismusicprize.ca/article/410/vancouver-long-list-review-happening-june-14-2012/'>Vancouver Polaris Salon</a>. And after that? Dance party.

Meanwhile, those artists who've already proven their worth by hitting past Polaris Lists, the Polaris People, continued to do interesting things this week.

read post

Dan Mangan, Hannah Georgas, Veda Hille To Be At Polaris Music Prize Long List Reveal In Vancouver On June 14

The Polaris Music Prize Long List announcement happening in Vancouver, BC on June 14 is going to have some star power behind it.

Past nominees <strong>Dan Mangan</strong> (2010 Short List for "Nice, Nice, Very Nice") <strong>Hannah Georgas</strong> (2010 Long List for "This is Good") and <strong>Veda Hille </strong>(2008 Long List for "This Riot Life") will be on-hand to help out when Steve Jordan, Founder and Executive Director of the Polaris Music Prize, unveils the 2012 Polaris Long List at Vancouver's <a href = 'http://www.waldorfhotel.com/'>Waldorf Hotel</a>.

This year's Long List announcement, which can be heard on <a href = 'http://www.siriusxm.ca/'>SiriusXM Channel 152</a> and <a href = 'http://music.cbc.ca/#/radio3/'>CBC Radio3</a>, beginning at 11 a.m. PT / 2 p.m. ET, is particularly exciting because it marks the first time any major announcement related to the Prize hasn't happened in Toronto, Ontario.

Click through to read more.

read post

Polaris People For The Week Of June 1 ““ Patrick Watson Has A Show, The Weeknd's Being Courted, Metric Have Influence And More

That quiet you hear? That’s the Polaris Music Prize jury in deep contemplation about what albums each and every member will be putting on their Long List ballot.

Yes, as of today, the eligibility window for records to being considered for the 2012 Polaris Prize has closed and now it’s time to start voting and begin the slow march to determine which album will become the 2012 winner.

If you’re looking for intrigues, three former Polaris winners — <strong>Karkwa</strong>, <strong>Fucked Up</strong> and <strong>Patrick Watson </strong>— have albums that are eligible for consideration in 2012 and the opportunity to do something that’s never been done before in Polaris history: win twice.

Meanwhile, our favourite people, the Polaris People, continue to do interesting things this week:

read post

Polaris People For The Week Of May 25 ““ Sarah Harmer Rides A Bike, Cadence Weapon Gets Angry And More

In the history of the Polaris Music Prize their have been six winners and debate about whether or not each of them was deserving still rages to this day.

Next level arguers have even been known to go so far as to tackle which of the winners is the best winner.

This is dangerous territory. So we’ve decided to provide our own answer about who’s the winnerest of the winners. Our method? Scrabble tile valuation.

Behold…

<strong>Final Fantasy</strong> “He Poos Cloudsâ€
Scrabble tile total point value: 41

<strong>Patrick Watson</strong> “Close To Paradiseâ€
Scrabble tile total point value: 44

<strong>Caribou</strong> “Andorraâ€
Scrabble tile total point value: 19

<strong>Fucked Up</strong> “The Chemistry Of Common Lifeâ€
Scrabble tile total point value: 68

<strong>Karkwa </strong>“Les Chemins De Verreâ€
Scrabble tile total point value: 44

<strong>Arcade Fire</strong> “The Suburbsâ€
Scrabble tile total point value: 33

So there you go. Fucked Up is totally the best.

Meanwhile, our favourite people, the Polaris People, were up to all sorts of interesting stuff again this week.

read post