Coinciding with Juno season, Canadian Idol hit the Trans Canada Highway once again on a coast-to-coast search for idol hopefuls who think they have what it takes to be the next Canadian idol. While on the road between major Canadian cities, Sass Jordan sat this one out and let the men on the panel judge the nominees in the major categories of the 2008 Juno Awards.
Artist of the Year:
-Avril Lavigne
-Céline Dion
-Feist
-Michael Buble
-Pascale Picard
Jake Gold: Feist! She deserves it. She totally is the artist of the year.
Zack Werner: Ooh! Jake is posing to be the alt-cool guy. Well, Feist doesn’t do much for me. People deemed her “cool.” I’m not sure why. I wouldn’t know Pascale Picard if she ran me over with a truck. The amount of work done to introduce her to an Anglophone Canadian audience is zero as far as I can tell. This category is about international impact and the only person here who continues to grow is Bublé. He is on a major upswing, while Avril is taking a step back artistically and profile wise. Then Céline is Céline, she doesn’t need a hand from us. Bublé. I’d give it up to him.
Farley Flex: You know, I think Céline will take it.
Album of the Year
-Avril Lavigne, The best damn thing
-Celine Dion, D’Elles
-Celine Dion, Taking Chances
-Feist, The Reminder
-Michael Buble, Call Me Irresponsible
Jake Gold: Feist! The album is amazing. She is a great, true artist. Few of them around.
Zack Werner: I don’t think Céline has any real impact on this market as a cultural force anymore. I don’t think she really means much here. Feist’s record means a lot because of the Grammy nods and we probably just want to kiss Grammy’s ass and give her the award no matter what. Again I go for Bublé.
Farley Flex: I would actually like Bublé to win too, but I’ve got to go with Céline. Céline represents the broadest stroke of the brush.
Group of the Year:
-Arcade Fire
-Blue Rodeo
-Hedley
-Finger Eleven
-Kain
Jake Gold: Should go to Finger Eleven, but might go to Arcade Fire.
Zack Werner: I think Finger Eleven’s record was a big step towards mainstream, but I don’t think that many people would know Finger Eleven if they ran down the street on fire. I think it should be Hedley hands down. They won’t win, but I think they should.
Farley Flex: I’d like Hedley to win, but I think Finger Eleven will take it.
Single of the year:
-Avril Lavigne, “Girlfriend”
-Feist, “1234”
-Finger Eleven, “Paralyzer”
-Jully Black, “Seven Day Fool”
-Michael Buble, “Everything”
Jake Gold: “1234” Feist!
Zack Werner: I honestly couldn’t care less about that “1234” song. It goes good with a cup of coffee and a cigarette, but big deal! Jully can really sing and I’m glad she is doing her thing.
Farley Flex: If this were only about the music I like, Jully Black, but I’d have to give it to Feist.
New Artist of the Year
-Belly
-Jeremy Fisher
-Jill Barber
-Justin Nozuka
-Serena Ryder
-Suzie McNeil
Jake Gold: They are all very deserving and they all worked really hard. I have a feeling it’s going to be between Jeremy Fisher and Justin Nozuka.
Zack Werner: There is a nod to political correctness here and I think it’s purely ridiculous. Such crapola! I like a lot of these people. Nozuka is great. Serena is really interesting. Jeremy’s got a Dylan-esque/Paul Simon vibe to him. Jill Barber is your standard folksy East Coast 101. Nozuka is the most interesting one here, but none of these people have the commercial success to get the easy Juno nod. Someone should have blown the doors off internationally coming right out of the box. If I know the way people are going to vote, I’d say Nozuka is going to win.
Farley Flex: I’d give it to Belly.
New Group of the Year
-Dragonette
-Faber Drive
-illScarlet
-State of Shock
-Wintersleep
Jake Gold: This category represents which new artist had a great year. It should go to a band that is on their way to having a long career. It should be between illScarlet and Wintersleep.
Zack Werner: I think Wintersleep are really great songwriters and a really cool band, but people don’t know who they are. Dragonette is following in the footsteps in what seems to be the latest Canadian trend on how to escape Canada and find success. I like Dragonette’s record it’s really kitchy-cool. Faber Drive does nothing to move their genre of music forward, besides having reasonably good haircuts. illScarlet? They bore the sh– out of me! State of Shock? Whatever. I’ll go with Dragonette. We used to say, “You went away to succeed; we hate you!” Now we say, “You went away to succeed; we love you!”
Farley Flex: I’ll go with Wintersleep.
2008 Juno Recap:
Jake Gold: I think Feist will be the over all winner this year.
Zack Werner: I don’t think this year is as cool as a couple years ago when you had Billy Talent, Bublé, Three Days Grace and Simple Plan all coming to the party at the same time, creating international success at the same time. And something I don’t get is why I haven’t been asked to host the Junos!
Farley Flex: (Laughs) Oh! Zack is his own biggest fan. We’re looking at a guy who walks around with a 12×12 mirror in his back pocket. What else can we expect from a guy like that?
But this year is hot. It’s just going to get hotter and hotter.
