A Look at the Polaris Long List: 4. Avec pas d’casque – Astronomie

I can’t say I really can give the Francophone albums like this one a fair shake because of the language barrier, years of middle, high school and college French be damned. That being said music (and love) are truly the universal languages and you can still feel the emotion conveyed in a voice even if you don’t understand the language the lyrics are written in and that’s no less the case with Astonomie. Musically this is far more than just competent but as even more folky, country-tinged indie music, wasn’t sure this was superlative, unique-sounding or ground-breaking enough to be considered a serious contender to be either shortlisted or a Polaris winner. I did like the track “Deux Colleys” a lot though. Hit the Bandcamp above to see for yourself and drop a comment with your thoughts.

A Look at the Polaris Long List: 20. Fucked Up Album – David Comes to Life

This was a frustrating album to listen to for me. Prior Polaris Prize winner, Fucked Up‘s David Comes to Life is a period ‘rock opera’ set in a fictional English town called Byrdesdale Spa in the 1970s/80s. If that’s not already enough to make you say, ‘Huh?’ trying to follow along with the story by simply listening to the album will likely only lead to even more frustration for you. Lead singer, Damian Abraham‘s endless shout-yelling singing style on every track renders any nuance within the narrative or character exploration of this four act musical work kind of moot. I actually thought the album was pretty amazing from a purely musical point of view, possibly on par as a commercial proposition with Green Day‘s mega-hit concept American Idiot album, but the vocals kinda ruined it for me. Damn shame. With some ‘regular’ singing this coulda been a contender….

[Event] TODAY in Toronto: The Other Side of Hip-Hop with Famed Hip-Hop Photograher, Ernie Paniccioli

If I wasn’t working I’d take a run out the east end to check this….

On Tuesday July 3rd from 2PM to 4PM, Ernie Pannicioli, who has photographed everyone from the late Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. to Eminem and Lauryn Hill will be presenting his works to Scarborough youth at the Scarborough Civic Centre inside the City’s council chambers. During this one of a kind presentation Ernie will be showing a slideshow of the iconic, eye-catching photography he has done over the years, as well as showing The Other Side Of Hip-Hop, a documentary of the life, politics and photography of Paniccioli. Following the exhibition, there will be a moderated Q&A period which will allow audience members to hear from Ernie, who is also a motivational speaker and ask him questions about his journey and career highlights.

Who: Ernie Pannicioli, Premiere Hip-Hop Photographer in America
What: Presenting exhibit of work, showing of The Other Side Of Hip-Hop Documentary & Speaking Engagement for Scarborough Youth (presented by East Metro Youth Services and Manifesto)
When: Tuesday, July 3, 2012 @ 2 to 4 p.m.
Where: Scarborough Civic Centre

About Ernie Pannicioli
Regarded by most to be the premier “Hip-Hop photographer in America”, Paniccioli first made his foray into the culture in 1973 when he began capturing the ever-present graffiti art dominating New York City. Armed with a 35-millimeter camera, Paniccioli has recorded the entire evolution of Hip Hop. From Grandmaster Flash at the Roxy (a popular Manhattan nightclub of the late 70’s and early 1980s), to the athletic moves of the legendary Rock Steady Crew, to the fresh faces of Queen Latifah, Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., Eminem, and Lauryn Hill.

CLICK HERE to learn more via the Facebook event page