The 2022 Polaris Music Prize short list was announced on July 14, so we asked the CKUA folks who are Polaris jurors to tell us which shortlisted albums are grabbing their attention!
From Alberta Morning host Grant Stovel:
Being a fan of Shad’s is a rewarding ride. He’s just as brilliantly witty, philosophical, musically irresistible and flow-ful as ever on TAO, but it displays a remarkably massive leap forward in so many dimensions, all at once—scope, maturity, sharpness, and artistic ambition. TAO is a stunner; even by Shad’s Olympian standards!
Another pick from Grant Stovel:
With Chiac Disco, Lisa LeBlanc has crafted another gem that showcases her frank, funny, flamboyant, and deceptively poignant style of narrative and delivery, but this one finds her mostly trading in her banjo and Acadian indie-folk style for a big, swoony, synth-y, blissed-out disco romp! It still feels like she’s whispering hilarious and/or heartbreaking secrets in your ear, except it’s more like someone yelling into your ear whilst busting moves on the dance floor.
PLUS! From Traffic Jams host Lisa Wilton:
Lisa LebLanc’s Chiac Disco is a fun, effervescent album that surprised me the first time I heard it. I’m a fan of Lisa’s raucous, banjo-driven indie folk, so when she came back with a synth-driven dance record, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The melodies are strong, and I love that “Le menu acadien,” one of the highlights on Chiac Disco, is basically a run-down of New Brunswick culinary delights such as lobster rolls, fried clams and fish cakes.
Another pick from Lisa Wilton:
As a fan of ‘90s shoegaze, I was really drawn to Ombiigizi’s album, Sewn Back Together. The atmospheric guitar sound is complemented by haunting vocals tracks. The songwriting is excellent, and it really stands out as one of the better albums of the year.
Tune in to CKUA to hear lots of spins from the ten remarkable albums that are shortlisted. The winner will be announced on September 19. See the full short list.
