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Polaris People For The Week Of March 22: YT//ST's Shooting Spree and Drake's Good Deeds

· by Aaron Brophy

Have you been checking out our regular Polaris Picks?

That’s where our jurors throw down and declare for albums they think deserve to win the 2013 Polaris Music Prize. Hollerado, Suuns and Daniel Romano have all been championed in recent weeks.

There’s a group of people who’ve already proven their worth in Polarisland — the past Short- and Long-List nominees who we like to call our Polaris People.

Here’s what some of them were up to recently:

Past Polaris champ Caribou will be reissuing his first three albums — 2001’s Start Breaking My Heart and 2003’s Up In Flames under the moniker Manitoba, while 2005’s The Milk Of Human Kindness — on vinyl. Those first two records were originally recorded under the moniker “Manitoba” until Handsome Dick Manitoba lawyered up and made Dan Snaith change the project’s name to Caribou.

Speaking of former champs, here’s a little Feist-does-Leonard Cohen. May your attempts to purchase this song in a fair and legal manner be fruitful.

Malajube, the Quebec band who’ve Short-Listed twice and Long-Listed once, will further sub-divide in an attempt to conquer Polaris in new ways. Band drummer Francis Mineau will release his own album on May 14 under the moniker Oothèque.

Few people in the world are probably as excited as 2012 Short Lister Grimes as she winds her way through Asia consuming all the K-Pop, J-Pop and anime she can get her hands on. The locals are enjoying her company, too. Like South China Morning Post (nerd pride!), Philippine Daily Inquirer (so weird!) and the Japan Times (we made you!). Unrelated, this.

Fellow class of 2012 member Drake has been doing some nice things lately: visiting a friend in the hospital and decrying gun violence. And those aren’t even among the 22 reasons why he’d make the most perfect boyfriend.

Meanwhile, Drake buddy (Or are they on the outs?! This spot here reserved for gossip I won’t link to) The Weeknd has announced the name of his new album. Apparently it’s a concept album about a spandex heavy metal band’s proposed theme park.


To clear up any confusion, two-time former Short Listers The Besnard Lakes‘ forthcoming album has nothing to do with My Bloody Valentine.

Former champs Arcade Fire continue to work with ex-LCD Soundsystem man James Murphy on their forthcoming fourth record. Apparently it’s going to be one great sounding album.


In random Polaris People round-up news, the Suoni Per Il Popolo festival has announced its lineup. There’s a new documentary out called Hip Hop Eh for folks who’re old enough to remember when Tom Green was a rapper, not a comedian. And the CBC? Well, they’re making “activity books.”

Finally, in exciting projects combining Polaris jurors and past nominee news, Toronto’s Music Gallery, who’s artistic director David Dacks is a jury member, will be hosting “New Music 101: Getting Into The Game” on Monday, April 15 at the Toronto Public Library. The event will feature YAMANTAKA//SONIC TITAN‘s Alaska B giving a special sneak preview of the band’s new musical first-person shooter video game Your Task//Shoot Things. Additionally, Polaris juror Joshua Ostroff will be speaking about the role of music in video games.

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