Sprawl
I was expecting something of an upset win at last night’s Polaris Music Prize gala, and I suppose in a way that’s exactly what happened. Arcade Fire taking the prize is certainly a well-deserved win, one that nearly anyone could have predicted after The Suburbs won just about every other award on the planet. It wasn’t the grand surprise that Karkwa’s victory last year was, and a part of me (and nearly every other blogger out there, it seemed) truly believed the jury was going to move in the same direction and deliver it to one of the short list’s many underdogs. It was the obvious choice, which is why perhaps it was written off as much as it was. But ultimately, I don’t think who’s heard The Suburbs will put up much of a fight about it. It’s a cohesive record, epic in both length and scope, and brilliantly executed by one of the most talented collective of musicians Canada has ever produced.
But if the performances at last night’s gala proved anything, it’s that all of the artists and albums on display are all winners in their own right. Everyone on stage was electric, each one making their own solid case for why they should be taking home the prize. By the time the grand jury’s decision was made (no easy feat, I’m sure) and the winner was ready to be announced, it was clear that no matter whose name was written on the cheque, that $30,000 would be going into well-deserving hands.
+MP3: Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
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