Polaris Prize award up to $50k
BENEFACTOR: Slaight family tops up reward for record of the year, adds 2nd honour
News
The Polaris Prize has upped its award for the record of the year by $20,000 to $50,000, thanks to the Slaight family. The Slaight family has been involved in Canadian music, especially radio, and is benefactor of other campaigns. This year, it will add an additional prize called the Slaight Family Heritage Award, which will award prize money retroactively to previous winners. Also, each act on the Polaris Prize short list will receive $3,000, up from $2,000. The short list nominees will be named July 16 with the ultimate winner named Sept. 21.
Steam Whistle is back for the eighth year of its Unsigned competition. This year’s throwdown sets High Ends against Actors and Blank Cinema, May 28, at the Cobalt. High Ends is the solo project of Jeffrey Innes, who otherwise is a member of Yukon Blonde. High Ends put out an album recently but The Garage hasn’t seen it, much less heard it. Unsigned has raised $75,000 for the charities of Music B.C.
Mathew V has cracked the iTunes R&B chart at 19. The 18-yearold originally is from Vancouver but now lives in London where the song in question, I’m A Bitch, was co-written by Ed Sheeran.
Former Nanaimo singer Allison Crowe has a new album, Sylvan Hour. Though it features her originals, the three covers hint at her diversity — Lovin’ Spoonful’s Darling Be Home Soon, Joni Mitchell’s A Case Of You and Ronnie Shannon’s I Never Loved A Man, which was a hit for Aretha Franklin.
Regenerator Records finally got its shipment of the Terry Jacks retrospective, Starfish On The Beach, which features 40 tracks capped by the 40th anniversary of his enormous Seasons In The Sun.
Citizens Unite is a supergroup of sorts, if anyone is still using that term. Citizens Unite is made up of members of Default, Methods Of Mayhem, Econoline Crush, Noise Therapy and Mushroom Trail. It has an introductory single, Blacksheep.
Shawn Hook bounces back from a stint with Capitol with his debut on Universal, Analog Love, June 9. The former Shawn Hlookoff might be remembered as a strong piano player, but his Capitol album buried him in a contemporary pop sheen. Talented guy but that first album wasn’t him. Lead off single is Sound Of Your Heart.
The Katherines are a female trio of sisters Kate and Lauren Kurdyak plus Kaitlen Hansen-Boucher. The Katherines have an album coming via iTunes, May 26, on the 604 label. It’s preceded by the single and video, Cherry Lips, and a debut gig, May 22, at the Biltmore.
Two new singles from Catlow: Stormsad and Lose Control from a new EP. The band is built around Natasha Thirsk and is on a tour that takes in Kelowna and Harrison Hot Springs but not Vancouver.
Rodney DeCroo is now in the central Canadian part of his tour to promote Campfires On The Moon, but those who bought the album at the Western gigs might have heard some crackling at the beginning that isn’t supposed to be there. In which case, contact info@tonicrecords for a replacement.
CD of the Week
In retrospect, it’s easy to figure out why Glimmer didn’t fit on a Delerium album. It’s too conventional. However, it’s also too good to be consigned to some dusty attic and forgotten. Glimmer’s time to emerge comes via Delerium’s Rarities And B-Sides, which is what the title suggests and includes remixes. Taking a dramatic U-turn from the crunching industrial rock of Front Line Assembly, Bill Leeb achieved success and a new direction with the lusher, more melodic Delerium. He also developed a formula for his brand of electropop, which is to have a female voice atop an attractive soundscape whether it is Emily Haines (of Metric), Rykka, Sarah McLachlan, Kirsty Thirsk or Miranda Lee Richards. There are a deviations here but the album is remarkably cohesive despite what might be assumed to be a rag tag collection. One of the highlights comes at the end when a cascade of glorious notes comes falling as if from above during Days Into Nights.
Fests
Tickets are on sale now for the first Saltspring Island Garlic And Music Festival, Aug. 8-9. Among the performers are Chilliwack, Boom Booms, Shari Ulrich, Roy Forbes, Joel Fafard, The Coalition, Rick Scott and the Uncle Wiggly Hot Shoes Blues Band. That Uncle Wiggly?
Salt Spring is about as close to Vancouver Alex Cuba will get when he’s at Fulford Hall, June 26.
Stay tuned for announcements from White Rock about its forthcoming Concerts At The Pier.
Radio
At the recent industry awards portion of Canada Music Week in Toronto two weeks ago, there were a few B.C. winners, including the Commodore (venue), Bruce Allen (manager), the Vogue (performance centre under 1500 capacity) and Zulu Records (independent record store).
Rock 101 changed its call letters for a day to commemorate the start of the U2 tour, May 15. After 43 years, Classic Rock radio 101 FM became U2 101, and probably will continue to play One or Pride (In The Name Of Love) or Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For for another 43.
Gigs
Red Vienna (May 21, The Hindenburg).
Rod Black (country with a southern-rock leaning, May 24, the Roxy).
John Hall, Ab Bryant, Al Harlow, Rocket Norton (band together to present the hits of Chilliwack, Prism, and possibly Headpins, May 22, Argyle Secondary).
Big Road Blues Band (May 29, The Main).
Bif Naked (May 29, Rickshaw Theatre).
Titans Eve (heavy metal band promoting Chasing The Devil, out June 12, at the Astoria, June 6).
The Sands (rich pop exemplified by the album Breast To Bone, June 12, Media Club).
Babe Gurr (with band, June 15, Blue Frog).