Two local acts make Polaris Prize long list

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This article was published 15/06/2012 (5163 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Two local acts have made it on the Polaris Music Prize long list.

Albums by indie-rock group the Cannon Bros. and Weakerthans frontman John K. Samson are in the running for the $30,000 prize awarded to the best Canadian album of the year as determined by a jury of more than 200 music journalists, broadcasters and bloggers. The award is based solely on artistic merit without regard to sales, label affiliation or genre. All albums must have been released between June 1, 2011, and May 31, 2012, to be considered for the list.

A total of 40 albums are part of the long list, which will be whittled down to a final short list of 10 by July 17. The winner will be announced in Toronto on Sept. 24.

The Cannon Bros.’ debut Firecracker/Cloudglow and the debut solo album, Provincial, by Samson are in the running against albums by rapper Drake, veteran poet Leonard Cohen, indie songstress Feist, roots rockers Black and the Rodeo Kings, singer-songwriter Dan Mangan and female metal duo Mares of Thrace.

Arcade Fire won last year’s prize for its Grammy Award-winning third album The Suburbs, while other past winners include Final Fantasy, Karkwa, Caribou, Patrick Watson and F—ed Up. Both Watson and F—ed Up are on this year’s long list.

Here’s the complete list in alphabetical order:

A Tribe Called Red – A Tribe Called Red

Marie-Pierre Arthur – Aux alentours

Rich Aucoin – We’re All Dying to Live

Avec pas d’casque – Astronomie

Azari & III – Azari & III

Bahamas – Barchords

The Barr Brothers – The Barr Brothers

Blackie and the Rodeo Kings – Kings and Queens

Cadence Weapon – Hope in Dirt City

Kathryn Calder – Bright and Vivid

Cannon Bros. – Firecracker/Cloudglow

Coeur de pirate – Blonde

Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas

Cold Specks – I Predict a Graceful Expulsion

Rose Cousins – We Have Made a Spark

Mark Davis – Eliminate the Toxins

Drake – Take Care

Kathleen Edwards – Voyageur

Feist – Metals

F—ed Up – David Comes To Life

Great Lake Swimmers – New Wild Everywhere

Grimes – Visions

Handsome Furs – Sound Kapital

Japandroids – Celebration Rock

Dan Mangan – Oh Fortune

Mares of Thrace – The Pilgrimage

Ariane Moffatt – MA

Lindi Ortega – Little Red Boots

Parlovr – Kook Soul

Sandro Perri – Impossible Spaces

Joel Plaskett Emergency – Scrappy Happiness

PS I Love You – Death Dreams

John K. Samson – Provincial

Shooting Guns – Born to Deal in Magic: 1952-1976

The Slakadeliqs – The Other Side of Tomorrow

Patrick Watson – Adventures in Your Own Backyard

Bry Webb – Provider

The Weeknd – Echoes of Silence

Yamantaka//Sonic Titan – YT//ST

Yukon Blonde – Tiger Talk