The Juno Awards - Best New Band Over the years

The Juno Awards are happening in Winnipeg this year, and Robin Thicke was supposed to come but dropped out at the last minute. A fellow I know tweeted, "Thicke's absence opens the door for 13 Engines". I wish.

I went swimming through some history on the Juno Awards, mostly on the category which began as Most Promising Group and morphed into Best New Group/New Group of the Year/Breakthrough Group of the Year. It's easy to find fault in hindsight, but I still think there have been a few odd choices. Some nuggets for ya:

 In 1977, Burton Cummings won for most promising male vocalist. One of the his competitors? Winestoned Plowboy Nestor Pistor.


In 1980 and 1981, Bryan Adams lost out for most promising male vocalist, to Walter Rossi in '80 and Graham Shaw in '81.

Graham Shaw is pretty good though.


In 1998, Age of Electric received a nomination for Best New Group. The band had been releasing albums since 1990. Strangely enough, AOE members Ryan and Kurt Dahle formed a side project called Limblifter, put out a self-titled album in 1996, and managed to get nominated for the Best New Group award - the year BEFORE their old band did.

Age of Electric


Limblifter


1983 saw Rational Youth, The Box, and Images in Vogue lose out to Idle Eyes for Most Promising New Group.

Rational Youth




The Box




Images in Vogue


In 1979, Max Webster lost out for Most Promising Group of the Year to some group called Hometown Band.

Max Webster


Martha & the Muffins and Red Rider lost out in '81 AND '82. One year they lost to Powder Blues Band.

Martha & the Muffins


Red Rider


In 1991, Spirit of the West, Crash Vegas and National Velvet lost out to Leslie Spit Treeo.

Spirit of the West


Crash Vegas


National Velvet


Have the Junos ever gotten this award right? Maybe. Like The Stills and Wintersleep, for example. Rush, Skydiggers, The Hip and The Payolas won, so I am sure some people feel that there have been a few worthy wins.

The Stills


Wintersleep


Skydiggers



However, in 1986 Chalk Circle went up against Cats Can Fly, Eye Eye, One to One, and Glass Tiger. Chalk Circle was robbed, robbed I tell ya.

Chalk Circle
 

My favourites of late - free for you

Okay folks, for your Valentine's pleasure, here's a short list of favourites's I've been listening to for the past year. Almost all of them are available for free download at Stereogum - coool, huh? Just go to their mp3 downloads page, view by artist, and scroll down to the artist you want.

Blitzen Trapper - Furr - A mix of Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, and indie folk/alt country would not be the thing I would expect to love - but I do.



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Counting Crows - 1492 - I know, I know,Counting Crows! The band's been slagged beofre, especially Adam Duritz - his voice on their live album was hilarious. However, this song is not wimpy music fopr coffeeshops, but a noisy barrage of welcome oddity. Including Duritz taking a self-deprecating jab at himself: "I'm a Russian Jew American/Impersonating African Jamaican".

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Friendly Foes – Not free on Stereogum, but free on rcrdlbl.com, this noisy pop band will give you good music. All short tunes full of piss, vinegar and melody. Free. Full Moon Morning is a great tune, as is Get Yr Shit Together.

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Figurines – Hey Girl



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Islands - Creeper



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Nick Lowe – Heart of the City (Live) - Not free on Stereogum, but from the superfine reissue megaversion of Jesus of Cool.

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The Broken West – Perfect Games &
Auctioneer. I couldn't just pick one song from this band, they are my new favourites hands down.
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Old 97’s - Ride - Taken from their fine album Blame it On Gravity.

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Portastatic – Some Small History



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Quinzy – Steady Hand - Not free on Sterogum, but a power pop gem nonetheless.

The Steady Hand - Tour Diary


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Rowdymen – Rode Hard (and put away wet)- Still unreleased, this country gem sounds like Yoakam, Springsteen, and Steve Earle got drunk and then got lost and left a tune in the back of a taxi for a former rockabilly hero to resurrect. Will it come out this year? Ask Jason "Axl" Allen.

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Stills – Being Here



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Western States – The Road is Dark as the Night - Okay, this isn't officially out until sometime in the near future, but you can hear a couple of new one's from our cosmic Canadian purveyors at their MySpace page. Full review to follow nearer to release date.

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Whigs – Right Hand on Your Heart



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Wrens – Everyone Choose Sides



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Young Rival – Your Island