John Fraser

I want to introduce a very special guest this evening....Mr. John Fraser from 106.1 The Goat. While I don't have a column name and logo for him yet, I will work on it soon. In the meantime, you can enjoy his first guest article here on MPQ (McQuidProQuo - yeah, it was time for a cool acronym....thanks to John for that too).

You can catch John Fraser on air at The Goat in Lloydminster (106.1)
www.borderrock.com

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Sun.
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2 Fails, 2 Wins, 1 meh and a MEGAFAIL

Yes folks the 2009 Juno Awards are out.

Earlier this week the award nominees were announced for the 2009 Juno awards which recgonize the "best" (best being defined as people we've heard of before who put out music this year) in Canadian music. Don't get me wrong personally I LOVE Canadian music some of my favourite bands and artists consist of Sloan, The Trews, Sam Roberts, Matthew Good, The Tragically Hip and so on and so forth, but I was mostly disapointed when reading through some key categories for this year's awards show. So I've orgainized a few of the categories under my own not so unique headers and I think its time we all shared our thoughts and innermost feelings (on the Junos at least)

FAILS

Single of the year

Celine Dion
Taking Chances

Divine Brown
Lay It On The Line

Kardinal Offishall
Dangerous

Michael Buble
Lost

Nickelback
Gotta Be Somebody

Alright so this one is always kind of a difficult category to judge and naturally I'm a little biased here for all things rock, but all these songs range from awful to mediocre. Celine Dion is still around? I thought we deported her to vegas years ago. Either way we've got 2 balads, 2 craptastic pop songs, and one of Nickelbacks worst releases ever (contrary to popular belief I DO like Nickelback I just don't like "Gotta Be Somebody" or "Something In Your Mouth)

My pick...I have to choose one don't I...geez lets just go with Kardinal Offishall I haven't heard the tune...ever but I just can't bring myself to pick Gotta Be Somebody

Album of the year

Hedley
Famous Last Words

Nickelback
Dark Horse

Simple Plan
Simple Plan

Sylvain Cossette
70's Volume 2

The Lost Fingers
Lost in the 80's

Yikes...Hedley should probably never ever ever be featured in the "best" of anything unless we're talking "what band is best received among 14 year old girls." I was going to say this might be the worst nomination ever in this category then I saw...Simple Plan...yep...we're off to a flying start on this one. Nickelback looks like the best of the bunch again from this one and Dark Horse is crippled by a couple poor songs but still not entirley awful and thats where the problem lies, a potential album of the year that I can best describe as "not total crap" Again being a rock fan I don't know the other bands in this category but where the hell is Matthew Good's "Hospital Music", Sam Roberts and "Love At The End Of The World", Matt Mays and El Torpedo "Terminal Romance", THE FREAKING TREWS AND NO TIME FOR LATER...GAHHHH my brain hurts, lets move onto some of the "wins" before I have a seizure.

WINS

International Album of the Year

AC/DC
Black Ice

Coldplay
Viva La Vida

Guns N Roses
Chinese Democracy

Jack Johnson
Sleep Through The Static

Metallica
Death Magnetic

There we go...finally a category that top to bottom is full of solid stuff, but I'm just going to stop and make an observaion, I would consider 4/5 of those discs rock albums, why is it we neglect to regonize our locally grown rockers while giving all the acolades to international rock bands, oh well this category should just be re-titled "5 discs you should probably own"
My pick, Death Magnetic, but Coldplay will probably take it home.

Rock Album of the Year

Matt Mays & El Torpedo
Terminal Romance

Protest The Hero
Fortress

Sam Roberts
Love At The End Of The World

Sloan
Parallel Play

The Trews
No Time For Later

Phew...here I was thinking we were in line for another Jethro Tull beats Metallica for "hard rock album of the year" moment I'm surprised Kalan Porter wasn't nominated for this category, speaking of him I think he served me my double double the other day...

My pick, The Trews, No Time For Later

MEH

Group of the year

Great Big Sea
Nickelback
Simple Plan
The Trews
Tokyo Police Club

Well...this one I'm kinda lukewarm about I mean you have the obligitory nod to the veteran group (Great Big Sea) two bands that should probably win (The Trews, Nickelback) one band I haven't heard enough about to judge them (Tokyo Police club) and...Simple Plan...Simple Freaking Plan all I can explain that one with is whoever has the final say on who gets the nods for nominations was one short for the category this year and raided his 12 year old daughter's cd player and penciled in the first Canadian band he/she saw. My picks, Nickelback will win, The Trews SHOULD win. This brings us to my final mind boggling moment, ladies and gentlemen your 2009 juno's MEGAFAIL

MEGAFAIL

Songwriter of the year

Alanis Morisette
Dallas Green
Gordie Sampson
Hedley
Nathan Ferraro

honestly Hedley, you have no business being in the same category as great songwriters like Dallas Green and Alanis Morissette. Lets take a quick look at some Hedley lyrics...

And I do wanna love you

If you see me running back

And I do wanna try

Because if falling for you girl is crazy

Then I'm going out of my mind

So hold back your tears this time

Wait I think I heard another band pull out something like that...oh yeah it was my buddy's band in high school, he was trying to impress a girl, we were 16 and couldn't write a decent lyric if you paid us. Apparently your great songwriting skills could finally get you that girl Hedley and for that I'm proud of you, now please, go write some deeper music. Admittedly the only nominated disc I've heard in its entirety is Dallas Green's Bring Me Your Love. My pick? Should be Dallas might be Alanis both I'm fine with.

You can find a complete list of ALL the nominees for every category at http://www.junoawards.ca/nominees-2009/en/categories.html


comments? john@borderrock.com