Canada's Polaris Music Prize Long List Announced

This is exciting. I don’t envy the judges this year. They'll have their work cut out for them with the caliber of this talent pool to choose from.

THE POLARIS MUSIC PRIZE 2008 LONG LIST.

The Long List consists of the top 40 full-length Canadian records released from June 1, 2007 to May 31, 2008, selected by the 180 members of the Polaris Music Prize jury.

The Polaris Jury will now vote from the Long List to determine the 10 album Short List, which will be revealed July 7 at the Drake Hotel in Toronto.
2008 Polaris Music Prize Long List
(alphabetical)

The Acorn - Glory Hope Mountain
Attack In Black - Marriage
Black Mountain - In The Future
Born Ruffians - Red, Yellow and Blue
Buck 65 - Situation
Basia Bulat - Oh, My Darling
Cadence Weapon - Afterparty Babies
Cancer Bats - Hail Destroyer
Caribou - Andorra
City And Colour - Bring Me Your Love
Constantines - Kensington Heights
Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
Destroyer - Trouble In Dreams
Fred Eaglesmith - Tinderbox
Kathleen Edwards - Asking For Flowers
Christine Fellows - Nevertheless
Gatineau - Gatineau
Hayden - In Field And Town
Veda Hille - This Riot Life
HILOTRONS - Happymatic
Holy Fuck - LP
Islands - Arm's Way
Karkwa - Le volume du vent
Corb Lund - Horse Solider! Horse Soldier!
The New Pornographers - Challengers
Pas Chic Chic - Au Contraire
Sandro Perri - Tiny Mirrors
Plants And Animals - Parc Avenue
Ghislain Poirier - No Ground Under
Protest The Hero - Fortress
Justin Rutledge - Man Descending
Sadies - New Seasons
Shad - The Old Prince
Socalled - Ghetto Blaster
Stars - In Our Bedroom After The War
Tegan And Sara - The Con
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra and Tra-La-La Band – 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons
Two Hours Traffic - Little Jabs
The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour
Wintersleep - Welcome To The Night Sky

Rainn the Rocker

Rainn Wilson is a very funny man. Deliberately quirky and thoroughly original he is best known for his role as Dwight in NBC’s The Office. Others will remember him as Frances Conroy’s hapless housemate and off kilter love interest on HBO’s finest hour, Six Feet Under. He recently wrote a thoroughly entertaining blog for Rolling Stone magazine about his experience at the Washington’s 2008 Sasquatch Fest. I particularly enjoyed this astute festival observation:

"There is a specific breed of northwest rocker and rock fan. Unlike the pale, skinny, black jeans and ’80s stud-belt-wearing junkie look of the East Coast set, the northwesterners are a scruffy, cordoroy-wearing, unkempt thrift store crowd of music nerds. Henceforth they shall be known as “nwerds.” Pale, yes. But not junkie pale. TV-watching, basement, rainy Seattle pale. There’s a difference. And they’re a fleshy lot too. I fit right in."

The man is clearly a perceptive type whose eye for detail is a big part of his comedic stylings. His new movie, The Rocker currently due for August release will surely be no exception. I have a feeling we’re going to love this one.

“The Rocker tells the story of a failed drummer who is given a second chance at fame. Robert "Fish" Fishman (Rainn Wilson) is the extremely dedicated and astoundingly passionate drummer for the eighties hair band Vesuvius, who is living the rock n' roll dream until he is unceremoniously kicked out of the band. Twenty years after his rock star fantasies are destroyed, just when Fish has finally given up all hope, he hears that his nephew's high school rock band A.D.D. is looking for a new drummer. They reluctantly make him the newest member of the band, giving him a chance to reclaim the rock God throne he's always thought he deserved, and taking the young band along for the ride of their lives.”

Peter Cattaneo of The Full Monty fame is directing from a script by Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky. In addition to Wilson, Demetri Martin (The Daily Show) adds some comedic and musical talent to an impressive supporting cast that includes Christina Applegate and the 'hi-larious' Jane Lynch (Walk Hard and Best in Show).

Toronto’s NXNE Music Festival Organizers have secured Rainn Wilson to host an exclusive screening of the Rocker at 9:15 p.m. on Saturday, June 14 at the Royal Theatre, located at 608 College Street in downtown T.O. An NXNE festival pass will gain you free admittance. As well 'Nwerds' are encouraged to attend.

Everything is Iggy, Iggy is Everything

Everybody’s favourite lizard-skinned, peanut butter lovin’ rocker Iggy Pop and his band the Stooges are on tour this summer. With two dates in Canada (Montreal and Toronto) this is your chance to witness the seminal outfit up close and personal. Having seen Iggy on a number of occasions I can tell you the experience will be mind-blowing. With energy and intensity to spare to Stooges are still in a league of their own.

Iggy Pop & the Stooges - 2008 Tour Dates

06/14 Seaclose Park Isle of Wight, UK Isle of Wright Festival
06/16 Royal Hospital Kilmainham Dublin, IE Some Days Never End
06/20 Parco San Guiliano Venice, IT Heineken Jammin' Festival
07/04 Skanevik Blues Festival Oslo, NO
07/13 La Grande Armada Rouen, FR
07/19 Garden Nef Party Festival Angouleme, FR
07/26 Race & Rock Festival Seinajoki, FI
08/03 Osheaga Music and Arts Montreal, Canada
08/06 Massey Hall Toronto, Canada
08/08 Terminal 5 New York, NY
08/24 Clapham Common London, UK Loaded In The Park
08/28 Zitadelle Berlin, DE
08/30 Rock Am See Konstanz, DE
09/16 Amphitheater Gelsenkirchen, DE
09/18 Hamburg Stadtpark Hamburg, DE
09/22 Ice Rink St. Petersburg, RU
09/24 B1 Moscow, RU

UPDATE - Playing the Building

POST UPDATE - The latest episode of Boing Boing TV features Xeni Jardin visting David Byrne in NYC where he gives her a tour of a the Battery Maritime Building that he has turned into a giant musical instrument, part of his Playing the Building series of sound installations.

Neko Case Live from Walt Disney Concert Hall

In my ongoing attempt to fill your collective Ipod… Hot on the heels of that killer Basia Bulat/DevotchKa set last week, NPR is streaming Neko Case's stellar performance at LA's Walt Disney Concert Hall. As many of you know, Neko truly shines in a live setting and this show is no exception. The full concert was recorded live on Nov. 16, 2007, at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.

The Setlist:

Hold On, Hold On (excerpt)
Hex (excerpt from Live from Austin, TX)
Things That Scare Me
That Teenage Feeling
Deep Red Bells
Margaret vs. Pauline
The Tigers Have Spoken
Dirty Knife
Star Witness
Favorite
Lady Pilot
Sparrows
Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Hold On, Hold On
Tightly
John Saw That Number

Download the whole thing here in MP3 format

Stream the show from here

New Music Reviews

New Music on the Everything is Pop Radar

The Virgins
The Virgins
Atlantic Records

“Then, one fine mornin', she puts on a New York station
You know, she couldn't believe what she heard at all
She started shakin' to that fine, fine music
You know, her life was saved by rock'n'roll”

Rock and Roll
The Velvet Underground

I’ve always been struck by the uncomplicated power of Lou Reed’s youthful expression in that stanza. Expectant and dutifully iconic I was reminded of this (in the best possible way) as I listened to the debut release by the Virgins. Although it’s unlikely this record will save your life, it will make it a whole lot more enjoyable. This Big Apple based four piece have released a very good ‘summer’ record. Not one for tanning in the sun, this is the one you wait for in the wee small hours on a dark street corner. The one they put on as the real parties start and the darkness is punched by dueling car stereos. This is a record that drips as much of humidity as it does sexuality. Forty years on fine, fine music, girls, and drugs just refuse to go out of style.

The Virgins debut album is one deeply informed by the city from which it came. It really feels like a New York record. The music is angular, funky and marinated in a variety of music styles, the lyrics anxious and hormonal. From disco to punk to new wave this one covers a lot of musical territory. The disaffected vocals of singer Donald Cumming’s the perfect counterpoint. Tracks like the Chic influenced Rich Girls and Love is Colder than Death are catchy and impressive.

The Virgins is a terrific debut to be certain but their second release will be the telling one. Amalgamating their influences to forge their own distinctive hybrid will spell success. If they do it right and they’ll be playing on a lot more than that New York station.

PPP

http://www.myspace.com/thevirginsnyc

UPDATE: The mighty Daytrotter.com have a newly recorded session from the Virgins posted now. As always I recommend you add this to your download agenda. It’s a good one.

http://www.daytrotter.com/article/1299/the-virgins



Young and Sexy
The Arc
Mint Records

Vancouver’s Young and Sexy are the beauty and truth antithesis to the previously mentioned Virgins The former, all sunshine and unhurried musicianship, a shimmering pop four piece with a mean slide guitar and reverb effects to spare. The Arc is the disc you put on coming back from the beach with the setting sun at your back. Both bands are fun, to be sure but they do have distinctly different intentions. Four albums and ten years in now Young and Sexy know their direction well. Using Beach Boy style harmonies, textured guitar and even the occasional orchestral flourish their crafted ‘indie’ pop production is top notch; And on the Arc, they do it better than they ever have before.

This music can not help but warm the surroundings. Co-vocalist Lucy Brain’s wonderful vocals suit the well crafted pop and work to really set this band apart from other 'indie' comers. She is a true highlight on this record and the energy on Young & Sexy Vs. The Arc is palpable. With summer upon us now I can’t think of a better soundtrack.

PPPp

Life, Death and Rabbits

Cathy Cahill's new exhibition, Life, Death and Rabbits will be opening in Montreal at the Verdun Cultural Centre, 5955 rue Bannantyne, on Wednesday, June 4 at 7 pm.

From Cathy's website.

I am currently illustrating Life, Death and Rabbits, the story of the many dramatic events in my life – both happy and upsetting, which all seemed to happen at once. In this series the people are depicted as rabbits. Besides being aesthetically appealing, the rabbits symbolize fertility, abundance, steadfast vegetarianism and vulnerability – all of which are going concerns in my life at this moment.

La vie, la mort et les lapins est une série de dessins qui racontent une histoire dans laquelle il y a: un accident tragique, un déménagement, un mariage, les funérailles et une grossesse… L’histoire représente une vie pleine d’évènements tristes et heureux qui se passent dans une courte période de temps.Cette histoire autobiographique est peuplée par des lapins qui symbolisent la reproduction, l’empathie et la végétarisme.

Visit her website; this is the most creatively wonderful piece of work I have seen in ages. Better yet, attend the exhibition, running from June 4th to July 11th.

If I Ran the Morning Zoo

As I was driving home from work last night I contemplated the prospect of a guest DJ stint on KCRW’s Guest DJ Project. A guy can dream, um... Right? (Thank you for planting that one Bad Tempered Zombie.)

This is my playlist and for the ‘pop’ record it was very difficult to compile. Let me include three hundred songs next time. Then we’d be talking.

Nina Simone - I Want a Little Sugar In My Bowl
Bob Dylan - Ballad of a Thin Man
Wilco - Via Chicago
Neko Case - Deep Red Bells
Brian Eno - Taking Tiger Mountain

The Beach Boys - Caroline No (Mono)
John Cale - Paris 1919
Robert Wyatt - Shipbuilding
Sonic Youth - Rain on Tin
Iggy and the Stooges – I Wanna Be Your Dog

R.E.M. - So. Central Rain

Are you listening Nic Harcourt? It's me Margaret.

Whose Net? Our Net! (We All Scream for Net Neutrality)

Net Neutrality Bill in Canada

Canadian Member of Parliament Charlie Angus has introduced a private member's bill on Net Neutrality in Canada:

Charlie Angus, who represents Timmins and James Bay, launched his bill one day after 300 people showed up in Ottawa to protest the issue. "You are citizens of a digital realm and you have rights," Angus told the crowd, according to the CBC. The crowd then chanted, "Whose net? Our net!" As a slogan, this leaves something to be desired, but it does get the point across.

The debate has been sparked in large part by recent revelations about traffic`shaping by Bell Canada, shaping that has allegedly reduced the speed of many`P2P sessions by 90 percent. It applies even to ISPs who resell wholesale`access from Bell, and these ISPs have brought Canadian regulators into`the battle over the issue.

Angus sings the net neutrality blues Angus wants Parliament to debate the topic, and his brief bill amends Canada's Telecommunications Act to prohibit various forms of discrimination. P2Pnet hosts a copy of the text, which outlaws "network management practices that favour, degrade or prioritise any content, application or service is transmitted over a broadband network based on its source, ownership or destination." Reasonable network management is still allowed, and ISPs are explicitly allowed to charge different prices for different levels of bandwidth.

Pop Footnote: For those among you who recall trivial music minutiae Angus’ name may seem familiar. Charlie was an original member of the early 80’s ‘punk rock’ outfit, L’Etranger. Yes, the one that included Andrew Cash as a member and the same one that played at your University Pub if you attended at that time. Subsequently, Angus left the band to form Grievous Angels.

Listen to CBC’s Search Engine Podcast on Net Neutrality for more information.

I Can’t Live Without My Internet Radio - Part II

When I was seven years old I used to sleep with a transistor radio under my pillow. That little black RCA receiver brought a wide world of music and dialogue to me that would deeply affect my future listening habits and also forge a deeper love for all music. To this day radio remains an essential medium for me to hear new music and the thoughts and viewpoints of a diverse world.

KCRW (89.9 FM) is a public radio station broadcasting from the campus of Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California, carrying a mixed NPR news, talk radio and freeform music format. A network of repeaters and broadcast translators allows the station to serve the Los Angeles metropolitan area and other communities in Southern California. Thankfully, the station has also become widely known because of nationally-distributed programming, streaming Internet radio broadcasts, and podcasts. That in a nutshell is how a guy from Canada can grow to love a radio station based out of Southern California.

Now if I could find a way to sleep with my laptop under my pillow I would be listening to this program. KCRW's Guest DJ Project invites an array of cultural icons to share and discuss songs that have inspired and moved them with KCRW DJs. Actors, authors, chefs, athletes, directors, tech entrepreneurs and more share their musical passions, giving deep insight into both their lives and their creative process. Illuminating sessions recently hosted by Conan O’Brien, John Cusack and Saffron Burrows have been archived for your listening convenience. I recommend your perusal.

RE: Review - Replacements - Remastered

So far 2008 has been an amazing year to be a fan of The Replacements- (‘the Mats’ for the faithful.) In addition to Jim Walsh’s comprehensive book, All Over But the Shouting, the news had broken earlier this year that the full back catalogue would be getting the ubiquitous remastered/bonus track/’fancy pantsedness’ treatment this year. The first round of these reissues, now on store shelves are the albums originally released on Minneapolis’ Twin/Tone Records. As I mentioned in an earlier posting, in addition to a wealth of unreleased material, these seminal albums have finally received a complete sonic remastering; The quality of which far surpassing previous cd incarnations from Twin/Tone or Ryko in 2000. To quote Paul Westerberg: “Hallefuckinglujah…” For the fans, at last they’ve done it right.

Needless to say, the quandary remains. As a good friend recently lamented… “How many copies of the freaking White Album does one person need?” To turn the phrase then, are the Replacements remasters worth adding to your collection (in some cases again)? -Without question. One listen to their 1984 masterpiece Let It Be and I was completely sold yet again. This could be the best thirty three minutes you will spend this week. Hearing the opening notes of I Will Dare in all its renewed glory actually caused the hair on the back of my neck to stand on end. Primal stuff and so very affecting, The Replacements have played the soundtrack to my life and this was almost like hearing it again for the first time.

What really makes this a truly worthwhile venture though is the plethora of bonus tracks accompanying each original disc. Thirty songs spread out over the four original albums, these are the true musical treasures. On Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash the original basement demo tape recordings that Paul Westerberg gave to Peter Jesperson back in 1980 are included for the first time ever. You’re Getting Married from 1982’s Stink bonus disc is perhaps the highlight of the entire lot though. The song is a testament to the promise of what would be to come from Westerberg. The Let It Be release also includes a set of bonus material with a slate of fantastic covers (20th Century Boy, and Heartbeat - It’s a Lovebeat). That’s right dear Pop reader, T-Rex and the DeFranco Family.



In the interest of full disclosure, this is the music of my youth. The stuff that made me love music and the stuff that got me through it all. If you’ve never taken the Replacements plunge before, now would be the perfect time to start. If you like your music passionate and more than a little torn and frayed you will not be disappointed. I am a little envious though, this music has already changed my life.

Highly Recommended

Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash – PPPP
Stink – PPPPP
Hootenanny – PPPP
Let it Be - PPPPP

Quite Possibly the Coolest Music Store in Canada

UPDATE: Watch Donald's Appearance on CITY TV's Breakfast Television

Donald Quan Launches New Culturally Diverse Musical Instrument Store

From time to time brilliant ideas do emerge to see full fruition. This is indeed one such instance and this inspired plan holds true promise. The official launch of Musideum next week marks the opening of the first and only store of its kind in Canada: a place to find top-quality rare and unusual musical instruments from all over the globe and gorgeous music-related gifts in a beautiful museum-shop-style retail environment.

Musideum is the creation of Donald Quan, and just so happens to be the husband of my cousin Lisa. That aside, Donald is a visionary musician, producer, film & TV composer and musical entrepreneur. Quan is best known for his work composing the scores to popular television shows including Relic Hunter, and Mutant X, for which he's received four Gemini Award nominations, and his creation of the Toronto 2008 Olympic Bid theme song Expect the World with Ron Korb. Donald Quan has provided world music consulting services to Disney for a soon to be released feature film, and is also known for his work on many contemporary world music projects with Canadian artists including musicians Loreena McKennitt, Ron Korb, Toronto Tabla Ensemble, Samba Squad, as well as music for stage with Aboriginal theatre group Red Sky Performance and choreographer Santee Smith. Donald Quan owns and runs Q Music and Q Music Studios, and continues to record and tour with international musicians. The opening of a beautiful retail store that specializes in stunning and perfectly playable instruments from so many cultures and musical traditions is the realization of a dream, and three years of preparation for Donald.

Well done Donald! I wish you all the success in the world with this enterprise.

Musideum will be launched with public opening celebration performances and workshops all day Saturday May 31, 2008. Performer and event details will be announced soon.

Please do check Musideum out if opportunity allows. I assure you the experience will be a rewarding one.

M u s i d e u m: A World of Musical Instruments


Open
Tuesday – Saturday: 12pm-5pm
Thursdays: 12pm – 7pm
401 Richmond Street West,
Suite 133 (Main Floor)
Toronto, Ontario Canada M5V 3A8
416-599-7323

info@musideum.com