It’s that time of year where I will (re)visit the ten albums that is vying for this year’s Polaris Music Prize 2011.
In case for those that don’t know or living under a rock, the Polaris Music Prize is a music award given out for the best full-length Canadian album based on artistic merit, not on album sales,labels or “other awards. Basically the Canadian version of the Mercury Prize in the UK.
This year the prize has increased from $20,000 to $30,000.
The list of nominees for 2011 is very broad with some new acts and some familiar.
I will review the shortlist nominees in alphabetically order.
Mostly I will repost the review from before but add in my take on the chances of them winning it.
Here is the first album and it’s no surprise that it happens to be The Suburbs by Arcade Fire.
It’s been a year since the Suburbs has been released.
Let’s say alot of things has been earth shattering for the band from Montreal.
The Suburbs has gained them alot of recognition and with the awards it has won them like The Junos, The Grammys and The Brits.
Surely it’s great for them to be on the shortlist.
But it surely has divided alot of people with this.
Those who just follow the Polaris Music Prize and wanting someone new to win will be outraged.
While Arcade Fire fans will have two reactions, if they win: total excitement. If they lose: total outrage at the awards itself.
Emotions aside, we all understand that Polaris is focusing on “Artistic merits” but with the buzz Arcade Fire has gotten since the release, (IMHO) they don’t really need it.
I would be happy if they used the prize money for Haiti relief.
If the awards started out when Funeral was released, then they should have won.
But now with the success they have, why would they need it?
I’d say The Suburbs will have a 70% chance on winning it.
Who will win the Polaris Music Prize for 2011?
We will find out on September 19, 2011.
Here is a repost when the album was reviewed on July 23, 2010 but will add in the Deluxe part.
Arcade Fire has become a band onto its own ever since they released their monumental “Funeral” in 2004.
They are a band you have to see live before you die.
Its been four years since Neon Bible.
All I can say is the band has done it again with another superb album for the summer of 2010.
Its more of upbeat rock album and less of the darker sound that we are accustomed to from their last album.
As Win Butler mentioned in a Spin magazine that the new album is a mix of Depeche Mode and Neil Young.
It really does when you hear the Neil Young sound in The Suburbs, Modern Man, Wasted Hour and Deep Blue.
While the Depeche Mode sound are in Half Light II (No Celebration), We Used To Wait and Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) [A big surprise in this song which sounds like a 1980s synth pop rock song].
While you have the Arcade Fire orchestral rock sound in Rococo, Empty Room (Love the chaotic violins), Suburban War and City With No Children.
Conceptual, I need to listen to it more to get what the concept part of the album is.
This is one album I will not stop listening for the rest of the summer.
Definitely one of my best picks for 2010.
With the two bonus tracks, I really love Culture Wars the most since it still maintains that sombre Arcade Fire sound.
Speaking In Tongues is so-so.
For those that didn’t know from the Deluxe edition that a newly titled Wasted Hour (A Life That We Can Live) has been extended adding a new life.
Best tracks:
- The Suburbs
- Ready To Start
- Rococo
- Empty Room
- City With No Children
- Half Light I/Half Light II (No Celebration)
- Suburban War
- Month of May
- Wasted Hour (A Life That We Can Live)
- Deep Blue
- Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
- The Suburbs (Continued)
- Culture Wars
- Speaking In Tongue
http://youtu.be/DSykB-j_2UQ
http://youtu.be/0L6ZFhZVOx0
Next album that is on the Shortlist will be Austra’s Feel It Break.
