Mercury Music Prize 2008 tittle-tattle aggregator

This really is a Radio 2 list.

Adele: industry's most talked up new artist last Christmas so this is pretty much a contractual obligation

If ever a "token folk" was going to win it, then this would be the year. But, yeah, fat chance. I'm predicting Elbow.

I'm still saying Radiohead, just because they'll feel they have to.

The Mitchell Brothers were the biggest selling act on The Beats, which is like being the ILM poster who makes the most money from music writing.

the nicest guy in the wrestling industry

Who is the ILM poster who makes the most money from music writing? I'm guessing Jordan S.

As usual with these things the real talents are overlooked; it's always Buggins' turn time for the rubbish that's been around for years.

British Sea Power - Such an Average Band - Why did they get nominated?

apparently: Ironic - Stay with me ?

his name is spelt ironik. i think his song is sweet! if negligible.

estelle or marling ftw but god, the fact that you people care so much is almost as embarrassing as the shortlist itself

lex = the nicest guy in the wrestling industry

I wonder if Portishead's previous win worked against them but they at least deserved a nomination. Best reviewed British album of 2008, surely?

Also - Neon Neon?!?

No more a Radio 2 list than any other year - that's always been the Mercury's schtick. What serious contenders, apart from the Bug, would have made it less so?

ironik - core blimey - is this rad with teenage kids in da charts and all that ting

So, who are Portico Quartet band? Them and Neon Neon are the only acts not to be mentioned upthread...

djmartian FYI: http://www.last.fm/user/bbcradio1

The Elbow album - 1985-style soft rock SHIT
Last Shadow Puppets - 1983-style WEA indie vanity project SHIT
Robert Plant - 1974-style soft rock SHIT
Laura Marling - 1974-style Brit School singer songwriter SHIT
Adele - 1985-style Brit School soul passion & honesty SHIT
Neon Neon - SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHITTY McSHIT FROM SHITCHESTER SHITSHIRE
Portico Quartet - RFH busking cod-jazz SHIT

Is Burial set to be the British DJ Shadow with this nomination

Girlslowd, Katenasj, the rockin' feeling, gonks go beep?

Burial won't turn up ergo won't win.

Who is the ILM poster who makes the most money from music writing? I'm guessing Jordan S.

-- MPx4A, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:57 (4 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

-- Dorianlynskey, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 12:00 (1 minute ago) Bookmark Link

Is the formula of the pattern of nominees now so predictable that it can be broken down utterly into X, Y, Z, etc?

I normally avoid the mainstream because the music is so shockingly bad - 30 minutes of radio 1 confirms my worst fears

Portico Quartet were recommended to me by Amazon months ago; I should have remembered tghem as tyhe exact same thing happened last year with Basquiat Strings. Oh well, I'll be able to get it for abut £7 in three weeks.

Is the formula of the pattern of nominees now so predictable that it can be broken down utterly into X, Y, Z, etc?

YES

Welllll.... there are 8 albums on this list that I really, really like. What's a boy to do?

Are you OK, DJ? Clambering out of the diving-bell you look like you've aged a decade. What the hell's down there?

I suppose it's all we can expect with 95-year-old hipster Simon Frith still in charge.

Yeah, I think it can be broken down like that. I guessed 9 out of 12 this year, which doesn't say much for the panel's wild unpredictability.

Is Frith that much older than you, Marcello?

- Just got offed, - i don't listen to mainstream radio !

No more a Radio 2 list than any other year - that's always been the Mercury's schtick. What serious contenders, apart from the Bug, would have made it less so?

tinchy stryder! ny! wiley!

Frith is much older !

Old enough to be my dad, in actual fact.

You look shaken, DJ. Perhaps a camomile tea and then we can talk about it?

NEON NEON IS THE BEST ALBUM THERE. EVERYONE ELSE SHUT UP.

He actually is 95

Adele 19 - Young female British 'sou' hope
British Sea Power Do You Like Rock Music? - Maturing indie band now writing 6+ minute songs
Burial Untrue - Token edgy urban nomination
Elbow The Seldom Seen Kid - Mature Britrock stalwarts
Estelle Shine - Token unedgy urban nomination
Laura Marling Alas I Cannot Swim - British non-soul femme debut
Neon Neon Stainless Style - Indie rockers do 'serious' electro/dance
Portico Quartet Knee-Deep In The North Sea - Token jazzers
Rachel Unthank & The Winterset The Bairns - Token folkers
Radiohead In Rainbows - Hoary old rock lords, potential "it's about time' winners
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Raising Sand - Aged icon makes acclaimed comeback (Collaboration Division)
The Last Shadow Puppets The Age Of The Understatement

Aren't you old enough to be Louis' dad, Marcello? And possibly mine too?

Precisely (xxp).

I can't possibly comment.

Neon Neon should be shot at dawn - boring old timeserving Taff chasing the long-fled ambulance.

Aren't you old enough to be Lex's dad, Nick?

neon neon suck. it involves someone out of the super furry animals, how could it not suck.

actually even giving more than 15mins of thought to this is dispiriting and pointless enough. basically if you have any clue at all you'll be too busy listening to 'high price' by ciara ("MY BODY LOOK SOFTER THAN A MCDONALD'S HAMBURGER BUN!") and 'need u bad' by jazmine sullivan on loop to have time to give a shit. i am off to do just that, have fun stewing in your own tedium kidz xxx

xp nick is like 40 or something so yes

Ljagger was born in 1987 - so yes

Maturing indie band now writing 6+ minute songs

I don't see myself buying anything by this band, somehow

Ah, it's Zeus the crazy SFA fan, so crazy he defended the last album to the death even though it was patently shit. Can Gruff Rhys do no wrong? Apparently not. Haven't heard Neon Neon but I doubt it's all that.

Last Shadow Puppets are Token Wildcard.

Hahah, Lex is about three years younger than me!

That Jazmine Sullivan track ROCKS - best thing Missy's been involved in for years!

full press release:

An important year for musical creativity and diversity is highlighted
by the 12 Albums of
the Year shortlisted for the 2008 Nationwide Mercury Prize, announced
on Tuesday 22 July.

"This turns out to be a remarkably rich year for British music," says
Simon Frith, Chair of Judges. "What is most striking is the continued
resilience and flexibility of the album as a way of organising
music-making. It remains an unrivalled source of musical invention and
imagination, a way of linking songs, exploring themes and developing
sounds that is endlessly thrilling, surprising and worth celebration.”

The 2008 Albums of the Year are:
Adele 19
British Sea Power Do You Like Rock Music?
Burial Untrue
Elbow The Seldom Seen Kid
Estelle Shine
Laura Marling Alas I Cannot Swim
Neon Neon Stainless Style
Portico Quartet Knee-Deep In The North Sea
Rachel Unthank & The Winterset The Bairns
Radiohead In Rainbows
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Raising Sand
The Last Shadow Puppets The Age Of The Understatement

The Nationwide Mercury Prize celebrates the year in music. The
shortlist, chosen from an entry of over 240 albums by UK artists, was
announced by Lauren Lauren at Covent Garden’s The Hospital Club, the
club for the creative industries.

The winner of this year’s Nationwide Mercury Prize will be announced
live on BBC Two on Tuesday 9 September 2008 as part of the BBC’s
coverage of the Awards Show. A second programme on BBC Two will be
broadcast on Friday 12 September. The programmes will be presented by
Lauren Laverne, with the Awards Show itself hosted by Jools Holland.

Notes to Editors:
The Nationwide Mercury Prize is open to albums from all music genres.
The Prize focuses on the music on the album – it does not take into
account album sales, media exposure or live performances. Each year the

shortlist celebrates a range of styles and genres of UK music.

Nationwide’s sponsorship of both the Prize and of
www.nationwidemercurys.com/recommends
highlights their support of UK music.

For further information:
National press: Steve Philips/Tony Linkin, Coalition PR: 020 8987 0123
Regional press: Ursula Lumb, Pomona: 01422 846 900
National radio & TV: Michelle O’Connor, Bird Girl: 07958 592944
Regional radio & TV: Liam Walsh, Ask Me PR: 07976 258577
Online: Leslie Gilotti, Charm Factory: 020 7485 0404
Nationwide Mercury Prize: Michael Hamilton: 020 8964 9964

www.nationwidemercurys.com 22 July 2008

Nationwide Mercury Prize
2008 Albums of the Year

ELBOW ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’
‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ is Elbow’s fourth album since the band formed in
Bury in 1991. Recorded at the band’s own studio in Salford and produced

by Elbow’s Craig Potter, it was released in March 2008 on Fiction
Records. The album includes the track ‘The Fix’ which features Richard
Hawley.

‘An epic rock record – triumphant, heartbreaking, unerringly melodic
and life-affirming’
The Judging Panel

BURIAL ‘Untrue’
‘Untrue’, released in November 2007 on Kode9’s Hyperdub label, is the
second album from South London artist Burial and follows his eponymous
debut in May 2006. Burial is a pioneering dubstep maestro who prefers
to remain anonymous...

‘Untrue’ is a subtle, original metropolitan soundscape – restless,
alarming and alluring’
The Judging Panel

RACHEL UNTHANK & THE WINTERSET ‘The Bairns’
Sisters Rachel and Becky Unthank grew up in the North-East of England
and were born into a family tradition of sea and border songs. They
formed their band in 2004, releasing a debut album ‘The Cruel Sister’ a

year later. ‘The Bairns’ is their second album and includes the group’s

own compositions as well as arrangements of traditional songs.

‘Contemporary folk music at its most magical and mysterious –
enchanting and uplifting’
The Judging Panel

RADIOHEAD ‘In Rainbows’
‘In Rainbows’ is the seventh studio album by the Oxford-based
five-piece. The number one album was originally released as a download
in October 2007 and later as a CD through XL Recordings.
It was produced by Nigel Godrich and features the singles ‘Jigsaw
Falling Into Place’ and ‘Nude’.

‘Music that is adventurous, challenging and hugely enjoyable. A
gripping new chapter in the remarkable Radiohead story’ The Judging
Panel

ESTELLE ‘Shine’
‘Shine’ is 28-year-old Londoner Estelle Swaray’s second album and was
recorded with John Legend as executive producer. ‘Shine’ also features

contributions from artists such as Kanye West and Wyclef Jean. The
album includes the single ‘American Boy’, which was a hit on both sides

of the Atlantic.

‘The amazing Estelle stamps her vivid personality on a refreshing
variety of musical moods – radiant, contemporary soul music’ The
Judging Panel

BRITISH SEA POWER ‘Do You Like Rock Music?’
British Sea Power is a four-piece band comprising brothers Yan and
Hamilton Wilkinson, along with Matthew Wood and Martin Noble. Formed in

2000 in Cumbria, the band are now based in Brighton. Their third album
for Rough Trade, ‘Do You Like Rock Music? features the singles ‘No
Lucifer’ and ‘Waving Flags’.

‘Who wouldn’t like rock music when it is as joyfully eccentric, noisy
and exciting as this?’
The Judging Panel

NEON NEON ‘Stainless Style’
Neon Neon features Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals and producer
Boom Bip. Guests on the album include Welsh singer Cate Le Bon.
‘Stainless Style’, released in March 2008 on Lex Records, is a
conceptual album based around the controversial life of automobile
mogul John DeLorean.

‘Chrome-plated electro-rock – a thrilling musical ride’ The Judging
Panel

LAURA MARLING ‘Alas I Cannot Swim’
Reading’s Laura Marling, 18, released her debut album ‘Alas I Cannot
Swim’ on Virgin Records in February 2008. She learned to play guitar at

an early age and her talents have led to recent collaborations with The

Rakes and tours with Rufus Wainwright and Devendra Banhart.

‘Beautiful composed and emotionally compelling tales of fear and
romance’ The Judging Panel

PORTICO QUARTET ‘Knee-Deep In The North Sea’
Formed in 2005, the four-piece group, all in their early 20s, were
discovered after regularly busking outside the National Theatre in
London and signed to The Vortex label in 2007. Portico Quartet make
unique use of the hang, a recently-invented Swiss percussion instrument

which underpins the album’s double bass and saxophone-driven melodies.

‘Exuberant, hypnotic acoustic music – an unusual new jazz sound’ The
Judging Panel

ROBERT PLANT & ALISON KRAUSS ‘Raising Sand’
Released in October 2007, ‘Raising Sand’ is a collaboration between Led

Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant and multi Grammy Award-winning country
singer Alison Krauss. The album – instigated by Plant – has gone
platinum in the UK.

‘An intimate set of timeless songs and a totally seductive celebration
of the art of the vocal duet’
The Judging Panel

ADELE ‘19’
‘19’ is the debut album from 19-year-old Londoner Adele Adkins. The
album, on XL Recordings, went to number one on its release in January
2008 and has since gone platinum in the UK. ‘19’ features the hit
singles ‘Hometown Glory’, ‘Chasing Pavements’ and ‘Cold Shoulder’.

‘Heartfelt songs from an engaging new voice – vulnerable, powerful and
distinctive’ The Judging Panel

THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS ‘The Age Of The Understatement’
Alex Turner from Sheffield’s Arctic Monkeys and Miles Kane from
Wirral-based band The Rascals, both aged 22, have collaborated to form
The Last Shadow Puppets. ‘The Age Of The Understatement’ was produced
by James Ford, who also worked on the Arctic Monkeys last album. This
album, released by Domino, reached number one on its release in April
2008.

‘Dramatic vignettes of modern love – superbly crafted and brilliantly
arranged’ The Judging Panel

"tinchy stryder! ny! wiley!"

Yeah, but Tinchy or Wiley would just be dismissed as the token grime entrant (admits ignorance of NY - who he/they?) without changing the fundamental nature of the list. It's hard to imagine a genuinely surprising, out-there list unless each panelist were allowed one fuck-you-I-like-this nomination without having to get everyone else to agree. The winner would still be a consensus choice but at least the list would be worth talking about.

Louis:
yes. Just saw Neon Neon live, and were great with a festival set. Even Har Mar Superstar was good!

Last Shadow Puppets are, in reality, the Lotus Eaters (ask your dad).

I need to Babelfish that Frith quote...

OK, so Portico Quartet are sorta Late Junction-friendly ambient softness, whose USP is some sort of pat-pending marimba thingy. Pretty and relaxing. Would expect to hear it tootling softly in a contemporary ceramics gallery.