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ventaSo, Arctic Monkeys, eh ? Huh. No surprises. Not the one I'd have chosen.
Incidentally, does anyone know a reputable source for what criteria the Mercury judges use ? The Mercury prize's own site doesn't really offer any clues. I always have it in mind that it ought to go to someone vaguely innovative and underdoggy. The underdog idea is clearly wrong (or the likes of Coldplay and Muse wouldn't even make the shortlists). The innovation theme may be completely adrift too - certainly I wouldn't call the Artic Monkeys groundbreaking in any department other than sales and marketing.
I'm biased, because I saw the Chilly Gibbons play a really lacklustre set at T, and of course live performances aren't what the judges are commenting on. I'm not knocking their album - it does what it does quite well, from the few times I've heard it - I'm just not sure that I think it was a hot contender for the UK album of the year. It's like awarding a Michelin star to a place which does really good bacon sarnies.
I bought the Mercury-shortlisted Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan album at the weekend. It might be a bit country for some people's tastes, but it has interesting Nick Cave overtones (and doesn't sound anything like Belle and Sebastian, for people who recognise the name Isobel Campbell). If you fancy taking a chance on an interesting acoustic album, get out and buy it - it's but eight quid in Virgin at the moment.
On the way home from rapper practice this evening I had "The LockUp" (the Radio 1 punk rock show) on in the car. I like a lot of the music they play but find it a bit same-y; I quite enjoy a 20 minute or so dose on the way home but rarely bother tracking it down. This evening revealed a reaonably good crop, though.
I was quite taken by a song called Red Flag, by Billy Talent. In true useless-DJ style, the Radio 1 guy didn't actually tell me who it was, I had to remember some lyrics and google. I've not yet managed to get the music player on Billy Talent's website to behave properly, either, but youtube will supply a video of it. It's not great audio quality and has bizarre yelling hordes of kids on it, but is still a fine tune.
I heard a song which appeared to be Rancid-by-numbers, and later transpired to be a Tim Armstrong (Rancid's singer) side-project. Radio 1 said that I should "check out epitaph.com", as said solo album will be downloadable track-by-track (for free!) there. I can't get the website to load properly. Scrabbling about in the bits that will load, I think the band-name nearest what the muttering-DJ-person said for Armstrong's other band is The Aggrolites (and I can't get anything useful out of their page on epitaph.com).
Incidentally, does anyone know a reputable source for what criteria the Mercury judges use ? The Mercury prize's own site doesn't really offer any clues. I always have it in mind that it ought to go to someone vaguely innovative and underdoggy. The underdog idea is clearly wrong (or the likes of Coldplay and Muse wouldn't even make the shortlists). The innovation theme may be completely adrift too - certainly I wouldn't call the Artic Monkeys groundbreaking in any department other than sales and marketing.
I'm biased, because I saw the Chilly Gibbons play a really lacklustre set at T, and of course live performances aren't what the judges are commenting on. I'm not knocking their album - it does what it does quite well, from the few times I've heard it - I'm just not sure that I think it was a hot contender for the UK album of the year. It's like awarding a Michelin star to a place which does really good bacon sarnies.
I bought the Mercury-shortlisted Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan album at the weekend. It might be a bit country for some people's tastes, but it has interesting Nick Cave overtones (and doesn't sound anything like Belle and Sebastian, for people who recognise the name Isobel Campbell). If you fancy taking a chance on an interesting acoustic album, get out and buy it - it's but eight quid in Virgin at the moment.
On the way home from rapper practice this evening I had "The LockUp" (the Radio 1 punk rock show) on in the car. I like a lot of the music they play but find it a bit same-y; I quite enjoy a 20 minute or so dose on the way home but rarely bother tracking it down. This evening revealed a reaonably good crop, though.
I was quite taken by a song called Red Flag, by Billy Talent. In true useless-DJ style, the Radio 1 guy didn't actually tell me who it was, I had to remember some lyrics and google. I've not yet managed to get the music player on Billy Talent's website to behave properly, either, but youtube will supply a video of it. It's not great audio quality and has bizarre yelling hordes of kids on it, but is still a fine tune.
I heard a song which appeared to be Rancid-by-numbers, and later transpired to be a Tim Armstrong (Rancid's singer) side-project. Radio 1 said that I should "check out epitaph.com", as said solo album will be downloadable track-by-track (for free!) there. I can't get the website to load properly. Scrabbling about in the bits that will load, I think the band-name nearest what the muttering-DJ-person said for Armstrong's other band is The Aggrolites (and I can't get anything useful out of their page on epitaph.com).
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no subject
Date: 2006-09-06 08:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-07 07:43 am (UTC)The first album track can be downloaded from here:
http://www.epitaph.com/artists/artist/233
no subject
Date: 2006-09-06 09:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-06 09:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-07 07:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-07 10:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-07 10:06 pm (UTC)Do you have any idea what the jazz pianist lady sounds like ?
no subject
Date: 2006-09-06 09:23 am (UTC)Mercury judges shock by delivering award to hot favourites
(I've been enjoying Ballad of The Broken Seas too; also Scritti Politti's nominated White Bread Black Beer. Both going fairly cheap at the mo and infinitely more interesting than the actual winnah.)
no subject
Date: 2006-09-07 10:06 pm (UTC)I did see that headline, though, and liked it.
no subject
Date: 2006-09-08 09:17 pm (UTC)