Tanya Tagaq Lands Polaris Nod

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Tanya Tagaq

The Polaris Music Prize ended months of debate and speculation with the announcement of this year's long list of top Canadian albums and Brandon-based Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq's acclaimed album Animism is among the prestigious names. 

The ecclectic slate of albums was put forward by the 190 member jury -- which includes national music journalists, broadcasters, and bloggers -- along with 39 other names including Arcade Fire, Austra, Cowboy Junkies, Drake, Owen Pallett, and Timber Timbre. The announcement came on June 17 from Calgary's National Music Centre during the Sled Island Festival.

Tagaq has had no shortage of raves for Animism, her fourth album, since its release on Toronto's Six Shooter Records in May, including coverage in The Globe and MailThe Star, NOW, Exclaim!, and many more

Tagaq joins a stellar list of Polaris-listed acts from Manitoba, including KEN mode, Cannon Bros., John K. Samson, Imaginary CitiesGreg MacPherson, Christine Fellows, and The Weakerthans

Now in its ninth year, the coveted prize awards to $30,000 to the best full-length Canadian album. The jury makes its selection entirely on artistic merit and not sales figures. Past winners include Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Arcade Fire, Feist, Patrick Watson, and Karkwa.

The Polaris Jury will next determine the 10 album short list, which will be revealed July 15 at The Carlu in Toronto. The winner won't be revealed until the gala on September 22 at the Polaris gala, aslo at The Carlu. That night an eleven-person grand jury, chosen from the larger jury pool, will be sequestered at the gala to vote for the winner. 

2014 Polaris Music Prize Long List:
Arcade Fire – Reflektor
AroarA – In The Pines
Austra – Olympia
Philippe B – Ornithologie, la nuit
BADBADNOTGOOD – III
Basia Bulat – Tall Tall Shadow
Chromeo – White Women
Cousins – The Halls Of Wickwire
Cowboy Junkies  / Various Artists – The Kennedy Suite
The Darcys – Warring
Dead Obies - Montréal $ud
Mac DeMarco – Salad Days
DIANA – Perpetual Surrender
Drake – Nothing Was The Same
Freedom Writers – NOW
Fresh Snow – I
Frog Eyes – Carey’s Cold Spring
Gorguts – Colored Sands
Tim Hecker – Virgins
Jimmy Hunt – Maladie d’amour
Jessy Lanza – Pull My Hair Back
Kalle Mattson – Someday, The Moon Will Be Gold
Moonface – Julia With Blue Jeans On
Mounties – Thrash Rock Legacy
Odonis Odonis – Hard Boiled Soft Boiled
Owen Pallett – In Conflict
Pink Mountaintops – Get Back
PUP – PUP
The Sadies – Internal Sounds
Shad – Flying Colours
Shooting Guns – Brotherhood Of The Ram
Solids – Blame Confusion
Rae Spoon – My Prairie Home
The Strumbellas – We Still Move On Dance Floors
Tanya Tagaq – Animism
Thus Owls – Turning Rocks
Timber Timbre – Hot Dreams
Chad VanGaalen – Shrink Dust
Bry Webb – Free Will
YAMANTAKA // SONIC TITAN - UZU

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