The Polaris Prize long list was released today and A Tribe Called Red was number one, but that’s because it is in alphabetical order.
The Polaris Prize is Canada’s annual honour for musicians who make what is judged to be the best full-length Canadian album.
The album is chosen on artistic merit, not sales. It can be from any musical genre and record companies have no influence.
The first prize was given out in 2005 and the financial portion has increased over the years to $50,000 (Cdn).
A short list will be released on July 13th, and then 11 jurors will go through the process of selecting the winner.
The gala celebration will take place on September 18, 2017
‘A Tribe Called Red’ is currently on a European Tour and will be playing Glastonbury on June 23rd. The trio who brought the ‘electric Pow Wow’ sound to so many Canadians is nominated for last year’s release called, We Are the Halluci Nation.
Leonard Cohen is also there for his final album, You Want It Darker, and Drake, a current global super star is no surprise with his most recent release, More Life.
One of the big favourites will likely be Gord Downie’s Secret Path. The album was released last fall, after his summer tour with his band, The Tragically Hip. Gord Downie had revealed his illness just prior to the tour. He’d been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.
Secret Path is Downie’s album inspired by the story of Chanie Wenjack. Chanie was the 12 year-old indigenous boy who died walking the railroad tracks, escaping from an Indian Residential School, trying to get home. Chanie died on October 22, 1966, 400 miles from home.
There is an accompanying movie and graphic novel to go with The Secret Path. The novel was illustrated by Jeff Lemire.
The 2017 Polaris Music Prize Long List:
A Tribe Called Red – We Are The Halluci Nation
Alaclair Ensemble – Les Frères Cueilleurs
Anciients – Voice of the Void
Arkells – Morning Report
Philippe B – La grande nuit vidéo
BADBADNOTGOOD – IV
Louise Burns – Young Mopes
Chocolat – Rencontrer Looloo
Clairmont The Second – Quest For Milk and Honey
Leonard Cohen – You Want It Darker
Antoine Corriveau – Cette chose qui cognait au creux de sa poitrine sans vouloir s’arrêter
Le Couleur – P.O.P.
Marie Davidson – Adieux Au Dancefloor
Mac Demarco – This Old Dog
Gord Downie – Secret Path
Drake – More Life
Feist – Pleasure
Figure Walking – The Big Other
Fiver – Audible Songs From Rockwood
Geoffroy – Coastline
Hannah Georgas – For Evelyn
Japandroids – Near To The Wild Heart Of Life
Carly Rae Jepsen – E.MO.TION Side B
B.A. Johnston – Gremlins III
Lisa LeBlanc – Why You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen?
The New Pornographers – Whiteout Conditions
Klô Pelgag – L’Étoile thoracique
Peter Peter – Noir Éden
Lido Pimienta – La Papessa
Jessie Reyez – Kiddo
Daniel Romano – Modern Pressure
The Sadies – Northern Passages
John K. Samson – Winter Wheat
Tanya Tagaq – Retribution
The Tragically Hip – Man Machine Poem
TUNS – TUNS
Leif Vollebekk – Twin Solitude
Weaves – Weaves
The Weeknd – Starboy
Charlotte Day Wilson – CDW
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