A Look at the Polaris Long List: 16. Tim Hecker – Ravedeath, 1972

This was an interesting album to have made the Polaris Long List. It was super ambient sounding. I mean I dig Eno, Autechre et al. but honestly, it was hard for me to imagine very many scenarios where someone would want to listen to this. That being the case, should an album like this be penalized or especially championed for something like Polaris? I’m not sure I know the answer to that question. Do any of y’all have any thoughts on that?

Download Tim Hecker The Piano Drop [MP3]

Download Tim Hecker Borderlands [MP3]

A Look at the Polaris Long List: 15. Jenn Grant – Honeymoon Punch

This isn’t really my thing but it wasn’t bad. Sounded like the kind of ‘quirky’ music you hear in those ipod nano commercials or something! If you dig Feist and Adele, you know: female pop music that’s still kind of cool and vaguely ‘edgy’, this may appeal. BTW: I apologize if my reference point sound crazy. Once I veer away from my favorite genres (hip hop, R&R/soul, some strains of indie and electronic and club music, sh-t can get kinda wobbly very quickly!)

Download Jenn Grant Getcha Good [MP3]

Download Jenn Grant Parliament Of Owls [MP3]

Download Jenn Grant Oh My Heart [MP3]

A Look at the Polaris Long List: 14. Galaxie – Tigre et diesel

This Montreal, Quebec-based band was giving me a bit of a throwback 90’s Madchester, psychedelic Britpop vibe with Francophone lyrics which theoretically could be right up my alley. But while it was pretty well done, it seemed a little too all over the place from an album perspective to really warrant serious consideration for long list support (from me, at least).

Galaxie Piste 1 [MP3]

Galaxie Camouflar [MP3]

A Look at the Polaris Long List: 11. Dirty Beaches – Badland

I’m not gonna lie: I didn’t really get or dig this one at all. An Asian dude doing some kind of Elvis pastiche over lo-fi, 50’s-era rock n roll and surf rock type beats. Seeing him live during NXNE (something like the video below) didn’t really help clarify things for me either. Fans of this, please explain it to me becuase I was at a loss…..

A Look at the Polaris Long List: 9. Destroyer – Kaputt

Someone on the Polaris jury described this album as a “Pet Shop Boys in Avalon” parody record. Not sure I really agree with that description as funny as it it but while Kaputt wasn’t bad, it all started to sound the same to me after a while….

Download Destroyer Suicide Demo for Kara Walker [MP3]

Download Destroyer Chinatown [MP3]

Bonus:

Not on the Kaputt album but hit the for \Hood Internet mashup of Destroyer with Raekwon.

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