the blood of a younger man

Polaris contenders (cont'd)

Tim Hecker - Harmony in Ultraviolet

I was warned that it's not possible to multi-task while listening to this album, but I'm a learn-it-the-hard-way kinda gal. It's true. It's physically impossible to do anything but be still and really listen to this album. The wash of noise never seems random, with sounds at times reminiscent of the natural world (waves on the beach, crackling fire and open spaces) and at others, reminiscent of a lived emotion. The album is a cyclical journey through sadness and hope, testing the boundaries of each, managing somehow to blur the two together. Hecker doesn't try to find solution, but solution finds itself in a less moralistic sort of "the journey is the destination." Though an instrumental mix of metal, ambient, noise and electronica influences might sound off-putting, Hecker's greatest talent lies in his ability to communicate experience and emotion, making this album warm, human and strangely familiar.

Tim Hecker - Radio Spirocon

Tim Hecker - Blood Rainbow

who doesn't love that llama?

Miracle Fortress - Five Roses

Miracle Fortress is the love whisper of Montreal's Graham Van Pelt (of Think About Life semi-fame). It's already been designated (by a number of sources) 2007's summer album. While I have beef with seasonally-designated albums, there's no denying that in the same way that no one throws on Pet Sounds in January, this album is built to fit the big skies and long days of summertime. The muted guitar rumbles like dark clouds on a hot afternoon and synth sounds sweeten the mix with layered cicada-like tones. Adorable (and, okay, super twee) lyrics like "lately lately, I've been thinking it could be forever just us two" are half-hidden in the instrumental wash, giving intelligible moments a gem-like appeal. An album so built of dreamscapes risks dizziness and my favourite thing about this album is its restriction; while Van Pelt paints the sky, he keeps the horizon in view.

Miracle Fortress - This Thing About You
If Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson were transported fifty years into the future, and they arrived on Queen West in a skinny tie (for Danny), American Apparel tights and some plastic sunglass frames, "This Thing About You" would be their "song."

Miracle Fortress - Maybe Lately

Miracle Fortress - Next Train

*Miracle Fortress made the Polaris shortlist
*On the Miracle Fortress myspace site, there is a picture of Van Pelt's touring band feeding the llama at the Big Apple in Colborne, ON.

what colour is this horse?

Rock Plaza Central - Are We Not Horses?

The everything theme this year is horses. Somehow, these insightful Toronto country-rockers figured that out ahead of time (I missed the memo) and made an entire concept album about horses (I can hear the buzz from here). So, point for being ahead of the crowd. Besides mad horse cred, this album also has: sweet brass riffs, unpolished vocals (I'm sorry Chris Eaton, was that a caterwaul?), and intricate, intelligent lyrics. For some reason, this album also makes me very emotional. So, a second point for cutting through the steely indifference that is Meghan Sheffield. After putting in some serious time with the Mountain Goats this fall, Are We Not Horses? is fitting perfectly into the Sunset Tree-shaped hole in my heart.

Rock Plaza Central - My Children, Be Joyful
This song is what I was wishing church was like when I was 7 years old and flipping through upside-down hymn books and reading Song of Solomon while ignoring dirty looks from my mother.

Rock Plaza Central - When We Go, How We Go, Pt 2.

who is the dark horse?

The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes are the Dark Horse

I have this thing for paradox. I'm strangely attracted to things that are "both at the same time." Sometime I'll blog about Patty Hearst. What I love about this album is that it is both intimate and ambitious. The songs are big, dark, even orchestral at times, but they never fall into the trap of messy sound or lost lyric. Everything is intentional. The Beach Boys style harmonies on "Disaster" somehow fit beside the reverb and walky-talky sound effects on "And You Lied to Me." This album is telescopic--there is this distance that can't be travelled, but they're trying to look closely anyway.

The Besnard Lakes - Because Tonight
The Besnard Lakes - Disaster

*This album did make the Polaris Prize's Shortlist.
*Besnard Lake in real-life is in northern Saskatchewan, FYI.

selling out large

The short list for the Polaris Music Prize (a $20 000 prize for the best album of 2006, based on artistic merit alone) was announced this week. As one of the 150ish members of the Jury, I participated in two rounds of voting, eventually submitting a rated list of five albums from which the top 10 were selected. Here are my picks, in order.

1. The Besnard Lakes - TBL Are The Dark Horse
2. Rock Plaza Central - Are We Not Horses?
3. Miracle Fortress - Five Roses
4. Tim Hecker - Harmony in Ultraviolet
5. Jim Bryson - Where the Bungalows Roam

I'll write some interesting and witty arguments for these albums later. Maybe. Or just listen to them yourself.

Also, The Besnard Lakes and Miracle Fortress made the top 10.