Morning Music Notes – Metals Gets the Medals

Feist Wins 2012 Polaris Prize

Last night, Toronto played host to the 2012 Polaris Prize, which recognizes the best Canadian album based on “artistic merit without regard to genre, sales history or label affiliation.” Oh, so this is why Justin Bieber wasn’t nominated. Cracking the shortlist were Cadence Weapon, Cold Specks, Drake, Feist, Kathleen Edwards, Fucked Up, Grimes, Handsome Furs, Japandroids and YAMANTAKA // SONIC TITAN.

But as the headline revealed, the winner was Feist for her album, Metals (via Spinner). I had my (imaginary Internet) money on Grimes. Feist wins herself some real money, however, to the tune of $30,000.

The prize is awarded based on a Grand Jury of 11 music media professionals, which is parred down from a bigger Polaris jury pool of over 200 writers, editors, broadcasters, DJs and personalities from across Canada. PeteHatesMusic for Polaris personality in 2013!

Justin Vernon to Walk Away from Bon Iver – Eventually

Bon Iver singer, Justin Vernon, might be pulling a James Murphy and walking away from Bon Iver while he still likes the band and its legacy. Vernon told 89.3 The Current (via the Daily Swarm) when asked about Bon Iver that he is “Winding it down. I look at it like a faucet. I have to turn it off and walk away from it because so much of how that music comes together is subconscious or discovering. There’s so much attention on the band, it can be distracting at times. I really feel the need to walk away from it while I still care about it. And then if I come back to it – if at all – I’ll feel better about it and be renewed or something to do that.”

Bad news for Bon Iver fans, but good news for Kanye West, who can use Vernon in a few more of his excellent collaborations.

Pussy Riot Give In-Prison Interview to GQ

Russian band Pussy Riot currently have 3 of their 5 members in jail for a somewhat ridiculous oppression of freedom of speech in Russia. This didn’t stop them from having an interview with GQ, by slipping pieces of paper through their laywers. However, Yekaterina “Katya” Samutsevich had her answers confiscated (via Consequence of Sound). The bright neon paper pad she decided to use was a poor choice.

One of the highlights of the interview include, “They have small, medium, and large cells here. We’re in three different small ones. Only the large cells have in-room showers; we get showers once a week. After 6 a.m., you’re not allowed to sleep under a blanket. Theoretically, until lights-out at 10 p.m., you’re not allowed to sleep at all, but in practice you can lie on top of the blanket and cover yourself with your coat. Nobody can explain why; the only answer you hear to any question is “That’s the rule” and “We keep to a regimen here.” Every day there’s an hour-long walk in a “yard,” which is a concrete box with two benches and a sliver of sky between a cement wall and a plastic roof. It’s all “Hug the wall” this and “Hands behind your back” that. They search our cells regularly and confiscate our drawings and notes. Why? “The rules.” Pretty much the only news we get is from federal TV channels. Only now do I realize the sheer amount of lies and censorship there. When you have the Internet, you don’t feel it as sharply. But once a week our lawyers bring us different news, words of support, and that helps a lot.”

Why isn’t there a reality show about their time in prison? Untapped market.

Watch Best Coast Cover Nirvana’s About A Girl

Best Coast were recently in Brussels, which I’m led to believe is somewhere in Europe. They have really cool venues, judging by the uniquely shaped brick column in the background. Anyway, Bethany Cosentino and her band, Best Coast, gave Nirvana’s About A Girl the cover treatment at a show (via Consequence of Sound). It sounds pretty true to the original, except there’s a chick singing it, and quite nicely, too. Check it out below.

Best Coast – About A Live live (Original: Nirvana)

Listen! Wiz Khalifa featuring The Weeknd – Remember You

Toronto’s Abel Tesfaye from The Weeknd is the guest star on Wiz Khalifa’s new track, Remember You. The song is taken from Wiz Khalifa’s new album, O.N.I.F.C., which is out December 4. Poor spelling and acronyms seem to be cool with the hip crowd these days. Give the minimalist, vocal-strong track a listen below.

Wiz Khalifa featuring The Weeknd – Remember You