As you know we have been shortlisted for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize. Starting today our nominated record, Sound Kapital, will be live streaming courtesy of Rdio. The stream will be live for 24 hours starting at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, September 13. Also if you're feeling inspired, tweet your review of this album — in haiku form — with the hashtag #haikureview for your chance to win a free vinyl copy of Sound Kapital.

Dear all,

You are something magical.

It came as welcome and heartwarming news for us to make the Polaris shortlist for Sound Kapital. We are beyond honoured by this. And we are proud and deeply touched. Nothing could mean more to us. I very truly cried when I heard this news. For all of those who supported us and voted for us, we thank you deeply.

Big love
from Handsome Furs

Of course everything is bittersweet these days but I thank Polaris for the nod in nominating us for their prize. 

All forms of love and support is truly meaningful currently. So thank you fans and judges. I mean it: it means a lot.

x,

Alexei

I cannot begin to give words or reason or clarity to this very personal and private situation which has been made public. Instead I can only express the immensity of my gratitude for the love and support and curiosity and collaboration and fortitude of spirit that you shared with us and helped us be committed to. My world is forever larger and grander and wholly changed because of the experiences created by and given to the Handsome Furs. I trust that those amongst you who loved us, I'm sure, were able to see the largeness of my heart in this. Trust that it will continue on. And that I will always be deeply thankful. I will honour every precious memory of what we had together. Thank you, truly and widely, from the very reaches of my heart.

With a heavy heart the time has come to let all of you know that Handsome Furs are no more.

The most important thing that needs to be said right now is how extremely grateful we are to all the fans all over the world that showered us with love and support over the years. Thank you for everything! It's been an incredible 6 years and we owe it all to you.

xoxo

HF

The band have had an urgent health issue come up, and will be unable to make the overseas trip in April. Alexei and Dan do not take having to cancel performances lightly, and if there were any way to make the trip, they would. Thanks very much for your understanding during this difficult time.

Created by our friend Brandon Jourdan, Global Uprisings is an independent news site and video series dedicated to showing responses to the economic crisis from around the world. Here’s their latest video:

The Battle of Oakland from brandon jourdan on Vimeo.

Jerusalem in my Heart is a visual instillation and electronic performance created by musical frontman Radwan Ghazi Moumneh and filmmaker Malena Szlam. If you’re in Montreal, Jerusalem in My Heart will be performed on March 2nd and 3rd at the Mai Gallery. Check out a clip of the performance below from Montreal’s Festival de Nouveau Cinema.

It comes with great sadness that we have to cancel our upcoming appearance at the Frostbite Festival in Whitehorse, Yukon. We’ve had an urgent health issue come up and will not be able to make the trip. Thanks very much for your understanding during this difficult time.

A few months ago we posted about our friends in the Burmese band Side Effect, and how they needed help raising funds to record a record. Many of you donated to their cause and we thank you so much for your generosity. Unfortunately due to US sanctions with Myanmar the account the band created with Indigogo.com was frozen and all funds that were donated were returned. You can read all about this in several articles posted around the web including The Wall Street Journal, The Telegraph, and The Myanmar Times.

Side Effect still needs your help! To get more information on how you can recommit your funds email Side.Effect.Indie@gmail.com

Check out more about Side Effect on their Facebook page.

Oh man: I love how divided the attention to the Jersey Shore coverage has been. Part of me wants to let the true Handsome Furs fans know that we actually have no control of how MTV uses our material, part of me wanted to explain that we did Sirius radio the same day Jersey Shore did and coincidentally took that silly photo, and the other part of me wants to let everyone enjoy their guilty pleasures – which frequently include questionable television choices. xo, Alexei