Polaris People For The Week Of March 29: Braids' Easter Dilemma & Shad Album Update
Spring is officially here and the Polaris gnomes are starting to get all the pieces together for the big run up to selecting the 2013 Polaris Music Prize winner.
That means the jurors are being fed a constant IV drip of new albums to listen to, the vote-counters are dusting off their gold-plated abaci and the fancy paper hats are being purchased for the Polaris Gala.
In the meantime, some artists who’ve already been through the Hunger Games-like process that is determining the annual Polaris winner were up to some intriguing things recently.
Let’s check in on the latest from our favourite people, the Polaris People:
To start with a heady swirl of things we like, 2007 Short Lister Julie Doiron will be performing a free all-ages concert at Vancouver’s Zulu Records on March 30. Your only excuse for not going is if you hate the world.
Twice Short-Listed rapper Shad has shared some details of his forthcoming Flying Colours album.
Inspirations for the disc include, “Kyle Mooney, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Eli Stone, Queen/Spadina, Grandview Calvary Baptist Church, my friends, my family, 30 Rock, We Are the City, Tolstoy, good weather, and the idea that trying is worth it even if you fail.”
Hey, you may be saying to yourself, it’s been awhile since I’ve heard anything about 2011 Short Listers Braids. I wonder what they’re up to. Well wonder no more.
Is it a big no no to have rabbit for Easter dinner ? Like killing the Easter Bunny ?
— BRAIDS (@braidsmusic) March 26, 2013
Twice Short-Listed Besnard Lakes continue to phase back into our lives with new album Until In Excess Imperceptible UFO and its space rock yacht rock. Also, we’ve been finding out what makes Jace Lasek cry.
Two-time Long-Lister Coeur de Pirate will have a new tag team partner on the road to Wrestlemania… er… wrong column. She’s actually going to be appearing on Lights’ acoustic Siberia album coming out in April.
Not that she didn’t foreshadow it with an album called Geidi Primes, but there may be giant sandworms in Grimes‘ future. Also, folks are discovering her friends.
We’ve all asked this about past Short- and Long-Listers Tegan And Sara at some point, but finally someone did something about it. Here’s how to tell twins Tegan And Sara apart (we’ll probably stick with comparing haircuts and tattoos). Also, here‘s the pair doing “Closer” for NPR.
In the people with impeccable taste category, the folks at the Glastonbury festival have booked a number of Polaris People to play their mud party. Here’s a complete list of announced acts.
Polaris People were also well-represented at the SiriusXM Indie Awards recently. Metric, Japandroids, Cold Specks and Grimes were just a few of the folks who won in their respective categories.
Finally, we’d like to congratulate 2012 Long-Lister Rich Aucoin and director Noah Pink. The pair won the first-ever Prism Prize for best Canadian music video. The winning clip “Brian Wilson Is A.L.I.V.E.” can be seen below:
