Patrick Watson Takes The 2007 Polaris Prize
"I really didn't want to win ... I was hoping Chad would," Patrick Watson said as he accepted the award (and $20,000 kicker) at last night's Polaris Prize ceremony/concert. And Watson's probably not alone in feeling that way, although for others' money you could swap out VanGaalen with Arcade Fire (Neon Bible, Feist (The Reminder), the Besnard Lakes (The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse), Junior Boys (So This Is Goodbye), Julie Doiron (Woke Myself Up), Miracle Fortress (Five Roses), the Dears (Gang of Losers), or Joel Plaskett Emergency (Ashtray Rock).
[Photo by David Topping for Torontoist]
Stacked field (we were with Besnard Lakes), but like the Mercury Awards a few weeks back the esteemed panel eschewed the obvious and decided to go the unexpected route and help out an underdog. Unfortunately the Canadians aren't quite as betting crazed as our Brit friends so no week-by-week odds to track speculatively Pat's progress, but a good number of you guys seemed to know from the go. So congrats to Watson, and like we said last time -- nice video.
Posted at 9:53 AM
Tags: Patrick Watson | Polaris Music Prize
i'm gonna go out on a limb here and call shenanigans!
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"i really didn't want to win." - who says that? what an idiot. The Polaris Prize people are like "oh whoops he didn't really want to win and we gave the award to him. This sucks."
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The album is incredible. His live performance is one of the best that I have ever seen....I doubt that anyone who has experienced both would argue about the decision to award him the prize (not taking anything away from all of the other amazing albums that were nominated).
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I'm not one to normally bitch about the underdog...
But this song sounds like a pastiche hybrid of M.Ward and Coldplay and nothing else...
I'm unimpressed.
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No, I'm definitely going to go with Jeff Buckley Jr. on this one.
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I called this one...
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steve and max, you beat me to the punch. i heard a combo of all three. at least it's more m. ward and buckley sounding than coldplay though. could be worse. could've been better (besnard lakes)...
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"I really didn't want to win ... I was hoping Chad would."
To paraphrase Homer Simpson, GIVE HIM THE CHECK!
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This is a great album. Yeah, parts of it sound a bit like Coldplay, but who among us doesn't secretly wish that band's output had gotten better instead of worse after Parachutes? My point is, Close to Paradise evokes memories of the _good_ parts of old Coldplay tunes. Of course, that's the easy musical comparison. I also hear snatches of Dark Side of the Moon.
All around, I think it's a very good album and very deserving of the Polaris Prize. And good on the Polaris Jury for recognizing the fact that sometimes underdogs really do deserve to win, not because they're the underdogs, but because they made the best fucking record of the bunch.
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Definitely better than anything Arcade Fire-related winning (and good to know not everyone is sucking on Win Butler's dick).
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The worst choice next to Joel Plaskett. I mean, no offense to Patrick Watson because it's an ok album. But i mean his competition is leagues ahead.
Miracle Fortress should have destroyed this.
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awesome!
he fully deserves it. go get the album right now! i've wondered why he hasn't gotten much blog hype. that's totally fine, but it makes be think watson is under-appreciated. what an amazing album!!!!!!
ps. i love how this is so NOT about arcade fire and they didn't win and someone still feels the need to say they didn't deserve to win. yikes. we get it. you don't need no internet telling you what's good...right...then stop reading blogs...
arcade fire rules. patrick watson rules. everybody celebrate!
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theyre called 'arcade fired' in montreal...
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