Dave Jaffer
Freelance writer
Hometown: Toronto
Polaris Jury Member since: 2007

Please share the Top 5 Canadian albums you put on your ballot.

The Liptonians Let's All March Back Into The Sea
Young Galaxy Shapeshifting
Grimes Halfaxa
Selina Martin Disaster Fantasies
Arcade Fire The Suburbs

Tell us about your top-ranked choice. Why #1?

I won't lie – my placement of Let's All March Back Into The Sea was strategic. I put the Liptonians' record at the top of my ballot to try to push them onto the Short List because I knew that Arcade Fire didn't need my support to end up there...

Friend to Polaris and spiritual brother The Nordic Music Prize recently announced its 2011 winner and it wasn't the popular acts Bjork or Lykke Li.

Meanwhile, back here in Polarisland Arcade Fire, Fucked Up and John K. Samson were amongst those making the news.

Polaris Music Prize Short- and Long-List nominees from 2011 also picked up a number of nods at the 2012 Juno Awards nominations. We list 'em off.

Also, folks like Tegan And Sara, Cadence Weapon, Feist, K'naan, Radio Radio, The Besnard Lakes and Two Hours Traffic are making things happen. Find out what.

ClarityOne Earbuds presents a panel discussion, moderated by the Polaris Music Prize's own Steve Jordan and featuring a line up of Montreal-based jurors who will each showcase an album released the during first half of the year that will likely make their Polaris Music Prize ballots - with musical samples to help make the point.

Arthur Fafard, Owner
Blackbyrd Myoozik, Edmonton

What’s your record store best known for (or: what’s unique about it)?

Blackbyrd is best known for its wide and eclectic selection of cutting edge sounds, new and old. For the past 18 years, Blackbyrd has always had a great selection of vinyl too, and currently boasts a wide array of records covering every style and genre.

We love all of our sponsors – because all of our sponsors love music.

We love Rdio because when we said to them, "Let's stream some Short List albums in full right from our site," they said: "We can do that."

Starting at 12am ET this coming Tuesday the 23rd, and for the next few Tuesdays and Thursdays, we will stream a selected Short List record right here for 24 hours for your opining and listening enjoyment.