A Look at the Polaris Long List: 37. Bry Webb – Provider

This is it, the HOLY GRAIL! After repeatedly saying throughout this journey through the Polaris Prize Long List nominated albums for this year how I would only be moved by one of the many, many (many) folk/country, indie/singer-songwriter-y albums on the list, if it was exceptional sounding. And just when I thought that might not happen this year or that just maybe my ears were just not attuned enough to this stuff to recognize the exceptional when I hear it, it finally reveals itself with only three albums left for me to review. Now others may disagree but Bry Webb‘s Provider is a really good listen to my ears. Quiet songs that still speak volumes. Simple but memorable. Heartfelt vocals. And with the kind of quality and personality in the songs that you can actually listen to them over and over again. “Get You Up In Peace” to cite just one standout song on a very good album is a really beautiful piece of music. I might not have voted for this but it was a contender and this is one album that, if it gets shortlisted, I will not have a quibble with over that fact. A pleasant, pleasant surprise.

Dig what you hear in the two track sampler from his label, Idée Fixe Records above or by my endorsement? Then hit the jump to hear the whole album via the Rdio streaming player (preview snippets only for non-Rdio subscribers but c’mon, stop playing and subscribe already)

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[Audio] Listen to the Polaris Long List Salon, Toronto Panel Discussion

Missed me at the Polaris Long List Salon from a couple weeks ago? It’s now available for download via AUX-TV’s podcast channel or just click play below (note: audio is little shaky in parts and also, if you are reading this and the streaming player is looking crazy, just mouse over it to highlight the play button). Other salon panelists were Liisa Ladouceur, James Keast (moderator), Aaron Levin and Michael Joffe.

BTW: damn, I look terrible in this picture. Seriously, I look like I’m balding! And on a re-listen to this audio, I am amazed at how many times I used the term, ‘quote-unquote hip-hop‘ – smdh. Also I know, I gotta finish my reviews of all the 2012 long list nominees. Only three to go….

[via AUX-TV]

A Look at the Polaris Long List: 5. Azari & III – Azari & III

This is another one of the few albums I was familiar with before getting into my epic journey of long list-nominated album listening. As I had said before and during the Polaris Salon I was a panel member of (which you can listen to HERE if you missed it, click podcast #1): the Azari & III album is fantastic! Like I also said, I can probably count the number of truly great (non-compilation/DJ Mix) house music albums on two hands and this just might be one of them. The album references early, classic Trax Records vibes but gives them a fresh, shiny coat of paint so it feels modern and new and not dated or like a pastiche.

I was privy to some discussions that tried to justify the worth of this album because of the sociopolitical subtext of the lyrics and their commentary on AIDS, addiction, homophobia etc. I think that’s cool but I actually don’t have an issue with celebrating a record that is “just dance music” or a “soundtrack to partying” if it’s great at being that. What’s wrong with being excellent within those parameters anyway? Do you know how hard that is to make an album that works as music a real DJ could credibly play in his sets at the club and also as an at-home listening experience? Azari & III managed to thread that incredibly tough needle and do both with their album.

If you love dance music or even if you’re on the other end of the spectrum and think electronic music is not ‘real’ music or something that makes for a great album listening experience and should stay in the clubs, then you need to check this out. On my short list and proudly so!

[album stream via Hypetrak]

A Look at the Polaris Long List: 29. Parlovr – Kook Soul

Have to admit, the Kook Soul album by Parlovr wasn’t too bad. It was a solid listen all the way through and there were tracks I dug. “Married on a Sunday” had a bit of a vaguely Bloc Party feel to it the way the vocals were delivered and I also dig “4000.” Overall though, while it was good it wasn’t transcendentally good to my ears. I already had three picks locked in for my short list ballot that I had voted onto the long list one and there were just other albums I like more than this to fill my final two slots.

[album stream via Exclaim!]

A Look at the Polaris Long List: 11. Cannon Bros – Firecracker​/​Cloudglow

This album was, to my ears, a blend of the folk-y indie sound that, as a genre, seems to dominate the Polaris list year after year but mixed with power pop (by way of oddly, New Order maybe??) which, by Polaris standards, actually rates as making this progressive, relatively speaking. As you can probably guess if you’ve been reading my reviews, just by dint of being a decent but not exceptional execution of that sound, this didn’t rate high in contention for me when I was figuring out my short list ballot picks although some tracks did appeal (like “Plan Rock”, “Glow” and “Just Anybody” to name just some).