Canada's best: Polaris Prize longlist announced

by Mike Diver, pictures by Gary Wolstenholme [Edit this content] ▾ 20 comments 12:42 June 19th, 2008

Hands up if you want Cadence Weapon to win this year's Polaris Prize, essentially the Canadian version of our Mercury? Awww, Rollie... you can't vote for yourself! Well, we don't think you can.

Mr Pemberton's Afterparty Babies, awarded a 9/10 from DiS here, is one of many albums from Canada's finest making up this year's Polaris longlist. Judges now face the task of breaking the below down to a top ten. Good luck, suckers.

Also with fingers crossed, and with DiS's seal of approval on their side: Destroyer (review), Black Mountain (review), Crystal Castles (review), and Silver Mt Zion (review).

Your vote, it doesn't count, but why not pick a winner and post it in the comments section below? The ten-album shortlist (albums are taken from the period June 1 2007 to May 31 2008) will be published on July 7.

That longlist...

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

Find more information, here. A video? Sure...

Cadence Weapon, 'In Search Of The Youth Crew' (live)

Supersonic 2009: The DiS Review 29 Jul 12:50
Win: trip to La Route Du Rock to see MBV, Horrors, Deerhunter, Grizzly Bear & more 13 Jul 20:52
Shoegaze Week: The Third Wave Collective's Andy Oliver reassesses the Shoegaze phenomenon 24 Apr 18:20
Polaris-ing opinion: Caribou takes Canadian Mercury 30 Sep 15:30
Green Man 2008: full line-up and running order here 25 Jun 13:29
Canada's best: Polaris Prize longlist announced 19 Jun 12:42
Dot To Dot 2008: the DiS review 10 Jun 15:42
Loop: New Young Pony Club, Holy Fuck and Caribou among early names for Brighton festival 23 Apr 18:28

Caribou

View profile

Canada's best: Polaris Prize longlist announced 19 Jun 12:42
Basia Bulat - Oh, My Darling 24 May 12:51
Basia Bulat - Oh, My Darling 24 May 12:51

Basia Bulat

View profile

In Photos: Sonisphere 2009 06 Aug 09:13
The Great Escape 2008: the DiS review 04 Mar 21:38
T In The Park Diary Part 1: Saturday 12 July 21 Jul 17:13
Canada's best: Polaris Prize longlist announced 19 Jun 12:42
In photos: South By Southwest 2008 20 Mar 19:35
Cancer Bats - Birthing The Giant
Cancer Bats - Birthing The Giant

Cancer Bats

View profile

Various - Warp20 (Recreated) 09 Oct 10:32
Born Ruffians: new EP, plus tour dates 14 Aug 17:48
Singles Round-up (07/07/08) 07 Jul 11:42
Canada's best: Polaris Prize longlist announced 19 Jun 12:42
Dot To Dot 2008: the DiS review 10 Jun 15:42
Born Ruffians - Red, Yellow & Blue 03 Jun 16:37
Born Ruffians - Red, Yellow & Blue 03 Jun 16:37
DiScover: Born Ruffians 23 May 17:25

Born Ruffians

View profile

In Photos: Reading Festival 2009 - Day 3 31 Aug 17:48
In Photos: Leeds Festival 2009 - Day 2 30 Aug 11:08
Leeds Festival In Photos: Crystal Castles 29 Aug 18:35
DiS' 20 Must-See Acts at Reading & Leeds 2009 26 Aug 13:17
Reading & Leeds 2008: all of our content compiled 24 Aug 16:16
Sónar 2009: The DiS review 07 Jul 13:23
Win! Tickets to Belgium's Dour Festival 17 Jun 14:47
Playground Weekender 2009: the DiS review 12 Mar 16:30

Crystal Castles

View profile

From the archive

You should:

Tweet This or

Share on Facebook

Comments

- Post a new comment on this article

The Acorn

When Bella Union release the album later this year, and they tour in september, you will see why. Stunning.
Thats my PERSONAL choice.

THat said i have a feeling it will either be plant and animals or Silver MT zion

rosbeef | 19 Jun '08, 12:50 | X | Reply

and doesnt the quality of this list

make you bury your head in your hands when you see the mercury music prize nominations every year

rosbeef | 19 Jun '08, 12:51 | X | Reply

I hope rosbeef is right

The Acorn all the way. Is there a tour announced or is it still just EOTR?

Old_Man_Burner @rosbeef | 19 Jun '08, 12:56 | X | Reply

Hurrah for some decent LPs

I'll be backing Cadence Weapon myself...

champion_versions @Old_Man_Burner | 19 Jun '08, 13:00 | X | Reply

there is a tour

and im pretty sure they will have a 'good' slot at eotr too. I think details will be forthcoming...im sure this polaris nomination and the fact theyve just signed to bella will help convince a fair few.....

rosbeef @Old_Man_Burner | 19 Jun '08, 13:02 | X | Reply