Music

2011 Polaris Short List announced

by Sam Sutherland

After a year of yelling at each other over the internet (and occasionally in person at the new-this-year, real-life-social Polaris Salons), the 213 member jury of the Polaris Music Prize has picked through the best of the best of the best and whittled down the 40 artist long list into one lean, mean Canadian musical machine: the 10 short list nominees. At a darling ceremony hosted by CBC megastar Grant Lawrence and Fucked Up carnival barker Damian Abraham at Toronto’s Drake Hotel, the contenders for the final stage of this year’s epic battle for the $30 000 prize were announced. The fighting continues in the streets until the September 19 gala, at which one artist will be deemed Totally The Best.

The 2011 Polaris Music Prize shortlist is as follows:

Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
Austra – Feel It Break
Braids – Native Speaker
Destroyer – Kaputt
Galaxie – Tigre et Diesel
Hey Rosetta! – Seeds
Ron Sexsmith – Long Player Late Bloomer
Colin Stetson – New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges
The Weeknd – House of Balloons
Timber Timbre – Creep on Creepin’ On