The fourth annual Polaris Music Prize -- a $20,000, critic-voted award celebrating the best Canadian album of the past year -- will be doled out in a few weeks at an invite-only gala on Sept. 21.

Ten albums made the shortlist and every nominated act will be performing at Toronto's Masonic Temple -- Elliott Brood, F---ed Up, Great Lake Swimmers, Hey Rosetta!, K'naan, Malajube, Metric, Joel Plaskett, Chad VanGaalen and previous winner Patrick Watson – while an 11-member jury from across Canada deliberates in a secret room upstairs. The gala will be broadcast live on Sirius Satellite Radio (channel 86), CBC Radio 3 (whose host Grant Lawrence will be emceeing the event) and on MuchMusic.com (which will also air a one-hour TV special about the event on Sept. 26). The winner will join the illustrious ranks of Final Fantasy (2006), Patrick Watson (2007) and Caribou (2008).

But there's no reason to leave all that deliberating to the grand jury. Spinner is now streaming all ten nominated albums on a special-edition of our CD Listening Party.

Click here to listen and make up your own mind on the year's best Canadian album.

Polaris Prize Shortlist:

Elliott Brood, 'Mountain Meadows'
Fucked Up, 'The Chemistry of Common Life'
Great Lake Swimmers, 'Lost Channels'
Hey Rosetta!, 'Into Your Lungs (and Around Your Heart and Through Your Blood)'
K'naan, 'Troubadour'
Malajube, 'Labyrinthes'
Metric, 'Fantasies'
Joel Plaskett, 'Three'
Chad VanGaalen, 'Soft Airplane'
Patrick Watson, 'Wooden Arms'