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
― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:09 (fifteen years ago) link
Aren't you old enough to be Louis' dad, Marcello? And possibly mine too?
― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:10 (fifteen years ago) link
Precisely (xxp).
I can't possibly comment.
Neon Neon should be shot at dawn - boring old timeserving Taff chasing the long-fled ambulance.
― Dingbod Kesterson, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:10 (fifteen years ago) link
Aren't you old enough to be Lex's dad, Nick?
― ledge, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:11 (fifteen years ago) link
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
― lex pretend, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:11 (fifteen years ago) link
Ljagger was born in 1987 - so yes
― djmartian, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:11 (fifteen years ago) link
Maturing indie band now writing 6+ minute songs
I don't see myself buying anything by this band, somehow
― Tom D., Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:11 (fifteen years ago) link
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.
― Just got offed, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:11 (fifteen years ago) link
Last Shadow Puppets are Token Wildcard.
― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:12 (fifteen years ago) link
Hahah, Lex is about three years younger than me!
That Jazmine Sullivan track ROCKS - best thing Missy's been involved in for years!
― Dingbod Kesterson, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:12 (fifteen years ago) link
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
― CharlieNo4, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:13 (fifteen years ago) link
"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.
― Dorianlynskey, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:14 (fifteen years ago) link
Louis: yes. Just saw Neon Neon live, and were great with a festival set. Even Har Mar Superstar was good!
― zeus, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:14 (fifteen years ago) link
Last Shadow Puppets are, in reality, the Lotus Eaters (ask your dad).
I need to Babelfish that Frith quote...
― Dingbod Kesterson, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:14 (fifteen years ago) link
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.
― mike t-diva, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:17 (fifteen years ago) link
i.e. nowhere near as good as The Blessing or Polar Bear or Empirical, then?
― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:19 (fifteen years ago) link
i know right (though also search her guest spot on trina's banging 'i got a bottle' - "i'm so stanky stanky rich my damn DAWG drive a benz" lolz). am really hyped for jazmine's album, 'in love with another man' and 'lions, tigers and bears' are astonishing too.
Yeah, but Tinchy or Wiley would just be dismissed as the token grime entrant (admits ignorance of NY - who he/they?)
have them both! and estelle, and the bug. no tokens then. ny is a wonderful grime/r&b/reggae singer whose split endz vol 2 mixtape is v special indeed, search 'what i see', 'no one ever cared', 'real or fake', 'better than that' and 'fire' in partic. she's got this really awesome stillness and clarity to her voice.
― lex pretend, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:19 (fifteen years ago) link
i thought the whole LSP concept just came out of AMs covering 'Diamonds Are Forever' live
― blueski, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:19 (fifteen years ago) link
I would like Burial to win for the TV acceptance moment alone.
― Matt DC, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:20 (fifteen years ago) link
Burial shouldn't win, as it'd give ginger kids the false hope that they can achieve something in life.
― The stickman from the hilarious "xkcd" comics, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:21 (fifteen years ago) link
"I'd like to thank everyone who bought 3 Of A Kind's 'Babycakes, a record I produced but never told anyone this until now."
― blueski, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:21 (fifteen years ago) link
It's official - Babelfish can't make Simon Frith interesting.
― Dingbod Kesterson, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:21 (fifteen years ago) link
Actually, yes, how they'd work out giving the award to someone who refuses to adopt any public persona whatsoever is the only thing that could make me interested in this.
― Matt DC, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:22 (fifteen years ago) link
Banksy to collect on behalf
― blueski, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:23 (fifteen years ago) link
And then, at the end, Ronnie Corbett stands up and sheepishly admits "it's me."
― Dingbod Kesterson, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:23 (fifteen years ago) link
- CharlieNo4, - where did you find this Mercury Prize press release?
― djmartian, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:25 (fifteen years ago) link
Christ, Neon Neon are TERRIBLE! I had no idea. Worst album on the list?
― mike t-diva, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:28 (fifteen years ago) link
It's like the Radcliffe and Maconie playlist from hell, this list.
― Dingbod Kesterson, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:29 (fifteen years ago) link
i suspect i can find at least one song i like on all of these albums - altho for Adele it may have to be the Rosko remix of 'Cold Shoulder'
― blueski, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:34 (fifteen years ago) link
Candie Payne really must be kicking herself these days.
― Dingbod Kesterson, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:35 (fifteen years ago) link
"Adele it may have to be the Rosko remix of 'Cold Shoulder'" << this is great.
― Raw Patrick, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:38 (fifteen years ago) link
They'd "work it out" by giving it to someone else, Matt - standard cowardly award show practice innit.
Martian, C04l1t10n sent me that release.
― CharlieNo4, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:40 (fifteen years ago) link
Say Hi to Tony P3rrin for me.
― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:41 (fifteen years ago) link
Ooh, that Jazmine Sullivan *is* great. Very effective reworking of this riddim: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF_Bkk1P1rY
― mike t-diva, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:41 (fifteen years ago) link
Weird - on checking, turns out I only picked six. Plant & Krauss now seems blindingly obvious, but British Sea Power? British fecking Sea Power? Ahead of Portishead? Really?
Unthank ftw - though why no-one can see that Burial offers The Daily Mail an angle ("REVEALED: the face of the cowardly recluse who shamelessly profits from soundtracking ASBO-land") from which to cover this...
― William Bloody Swygart, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:43 (fifteen years ago) link
shamelessly profits = made a couple of hundred after persuading his mates to download it as FLAC on Bleep website
― blueski, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:46 (fifteen years ago) link
Hamfatter for next year's gong 'm calling it
― blueski, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:47 (fifteen years ago) link
British Sea Power - is an undeserving selection - however there have been far worse selections in previous years, the horrors of: Turin Brakes, The Thrills, The View, Snore Patrol, Hard-Fi and Jamie T.
― djmartian, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:50 (fifteen years ago) link
I think they were called Snow Patrol, not Snore Patrol
― The stickman from the hilarious "xkcd" comics, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:52 (fifteen years ago) link
i always call them Snore Patrol
― djmartian, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:54 (fifteen years ago) link
Why?
― The stickman from the hilarious "xkcd" comics, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:54 (fifteen years ago) link
Video clips for all twelve nominees: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7519158.stm
― mike t-diva, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:55 (fifteen years ago) link
Early odds from Hills:
The Last Shadow Puppets 5/1 Radiohead 5/1 R Plant / A Krauss 6/1 Elbow 6/1 Burial 6/1 Laura Marling 8/1 Estelle 8/1 British Sea Power 8/1 Adele 8/1 Rachel Unthank & The Winterset 10/1 Portico Quartet 10/1 Neon Neon 10/1
― William Bloody Swygart, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:57 (fifteen years ago) link
Last Shadow Puppets? That's shit surely?
― Tom D., Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:58 (fifteen years ago) link
Those odds = "we don't have a fucking clue who's going to win".
― Matt DC, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 11:59 (fifteen years ago) link
Thinking about it though my money would be on Estelle.
― Matt DC, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 12:00 (fifteen years ago) link
Wee, cowrin', timorous bookmaking going on there
― Tom D., Tuesday, 22 July 2008 12:00 (fifteen years ago) link
Why's that, Matt?
― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 12:01 (fifteen years ago) link
hee i wonder if estelle and adele will have to be kept apart backstage again!
― lex pretend, Tuesday, 22 July 2008 12:01 (fifteen years ago) link