2012 Juno Winners: Feist, Dan Mangan, Sheepdogs are Multiple Winners

 

Feist continued to win awards as well as critical acclaim, taking home three honors at this weekend's 2012 Juno Awards. Other musicians to take home multiple awards were singer-songwriter Dan Mangan and rock band The Sheepdogs, both winning two Junos. (You can see a Junos backstage interview with Feist here.)

The Junos are Canada's equivalent of the Grammys, and are put on by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

Feist won the awards for Artist, Adult Alternative Album (for "Metals"), and Music DVD of the year.  This year's Juno Awards were held in Ottawa Saturday and Sunday nights; some awards were handed out the first night at a gala dinner, with a televised awards ceremony (hosted by William Shatner) distributing the rest on Sunday. (You'll find the complete list of Juno Award winners here.)

In some of the other major categories:

• The Arkells won for Best Group
• Dan Mangan received New Artist and Alternative Album honors (for "Oh Fortune")
• The Sheepdogs took honors for New Group and Rock Album for "Learn & Burn"
• The Wailin' Jennys won the Roots and Traditional album for "Bright Morning Stars"
• Malajube took home the Francophone Album award for "La Caverne"
• Hedley's "Storms" won for Pop Album
• Terri Clark snagged the honor for Country Album for "Roots and Wings"

A number of categories featured nominees with little in common except that they're Canadian; in the Artist of the Year competition Feist beat out rapper Drake, standards crooner Michael Bublé, rock band City and Colour, and house/electronic music producer Deadmau5. And although there were plenty of strong Canadian albums released, especially in rock, the Album of the Year competition featured nominees Avril Lavigne, Drake, Justin Bieber, Nickelback, and Michael Bublé. (Even stranger, the winner was Bublé, for his album of Christmas songs.)

Free Music Downloads & Streaming: Live Sets by The Wailin' Jennys, Adele, & More

It's no secret that I like female singer-songwriters and female-fronted bands, so I was happy to find live sets by a number of artists I admire. The downside is that only a couple run more than a half hour.

* The Wailin' Jennys - one-hour concert at McDougall United Church in Edmonton, Alberta, from CBC Radio 2 (listen online or download podcast). (The Wailin' Jennys have a new album, "Bright Morning Stars," coming out on Feb. 8th)

* Adele - the young British singer performs for Philadelphia's World Cafe, 31-minute set (listen online)

* Stars (featuring singer Amy Millan) - 10-minute live set in NPR offices, Washington (watch above, listen online, or download podcast)

* Joan Osborne - live set at WNYC's studios, New York - (listen online or download podcast). Osborne talked about her career and performed a few songs from her latest work, the song cycle "Love and Hate," which she played for the "American Songbook" series at Lincoln Center's Allen Room on Feb. 4th.

The Wailin' Jennys Craft Beautiful Harmonies in Weehawken

Heather Masse, Nicky Mehta, and Ruth Moody of the Wailin' Jennys




The free annual summer music festival in Weehawken, New Jersey wrapped up for the year not with a bang, but with the lovely harmonies of the Wailin' Jennys. The acclaimed female trio played their brand of folk/pop/traditional tunes with the Manhattan skyline in the background, and showed why they have developed a loyal following in their native Canada and in the U.S., despite a few personnel changes.

The Wailin' Jennys have been together for over six years, with Ruth Moody being one of the original members. The latest addition is Heather Masse, an American now living in Brooklyn. (Moody and the third member, Nicky Mehta, are from Winnipeg, Manitoba.)

The band performed mostly their own compositions, but also did some worthy covers, including "Deeper Well" by Emmylou Harris and fellow Canadian Neil Young's "Old Man." You can hear some of their songs at the Wailin' Jennys MySpace page.

This is at least the second season of the free concerts in Weehawken at Lincoln Harbor, part of the Hudson River Performing Arts Center series. Kudos to Bruce Sherman and all the members of the HRPAC team and the Township of Weekhawken for continuing to put on these great shows in a gorgeous location.