mercury music prize: 2007

My alternative Mercury Shortlist;

1. 65daysofstatic – The Destruction Of Small Ideas
2. Patrick Wolf – The Magic Position
3. Acoustic Ladyland – Skinny Grin
4. Electrelane – No Shouts No Calls
5. The Tuss – Rushup Edge
6. The Clientele – God Save The Clientele
7. Two Lone Swordsmen – Wrong Meeting II
8. Jarvis Cocker – Jarvis
9. The Good The Bad & The Queen – TGTB&TQ
10. Simian Mobile Disco – Attack Decay Sustain Release
11. Working For A Nuclear Free City – WFANFC
12. Ray Quinn – Ray Quinn

The year's Simon Frith soundbites:

via
http://music.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2128401,00.html

"This year's Nationwide Mercury Prize shortlist celebrates a remarkable range of artists who use their albums to tell stories, shape moods, explore emotions and lift the spirits," said Simon Frith, Chair of Judges. "The list marks the emergence of a wealth of eclectic talent making music with great energy, excitement and personality."

I am glad Jonathan King is not on the list.

I have got the Young Knives album (they are appartently from where I'm from) but I don't think it deserves an award.

I also have Candie Payne.

WTF re Maps.

Bored me to tears that album, i was seriously looking forward to it, only to end up eating a great big slice of Disappointment Cake.
Only Klaxons on that list interests me (not heard NYPC yet .. )

no, there was no uncritical arselick for NYPC's album. a hedge-y 7/10.

I liked "Here Comes The Rumour Mill" by Young Knives but the album was rubbish.

Which means on that list Klaxons are my favourite! Blimey. HOWEVER I haven't heard Dizzee or NYPC albums yet, and I will probably like them better. At least I hope I will.

NYPC have about as much right to be there as The Noisettes.

I saw the Noisettes on Sunday! It was free, though. They aren't very good.

OH MY GOD DELETE BRITAIN

OH MY GOD

If the AMs win again (they won't, but if they do) I will...ooh, I don't know what I'll do.

Southall's list is awesome! Need to get hold of Wolf/Electrelane ASAP...oh, and I'd stick ESP in there instead of Simian Mobile Disco :P

SMD's album is the best by a British act i've heard this year.

Like I say, I only have one of their remixes to go on, and it's the worst remix I've ever heard. Perhaps I ought to give their songs proper a listen...

hang on, should i really be paying attention to the electric soft parade? i always assumed them to be tedious sub-embrace chancers.

charlie are you actually considering revisiting a band you'd rightly dismissed as rubbish on LOUIS' recommendation?!

a fine point, sir. i wouldn't dismiss SMD in its favour! but i'd never heard a single soul saying nice things about ESP ever*, so it was a bit of a shock.

*qualify: since 1998 and i didn't like them then

they released their first record in 2002 *eyes roll*

lex, WAI 2 AD HOMINEM, a recommendation is a recommendation, no matter who gives it. You give the impression of stereotyping my music taste into limited and one-dimensional cliches.

ESP's second album is brilliant, take it from me, and the one released this year isn't far behind.

oh shit, then i might even be confusing them with another band entirely! brighton teens (as was), brothers even?

yeah, they were brighton teens, and moreover brothers, but they didn't release a note until 2002.

the fionn regan album is great - miles better than the token folk nominees of the past several years.

rubbish list, though - soundly! i think amy will win, yessir.

Why are Simian Mobile disco on your list Southall? You totally panned them on stylus. (rightly by my reckoning!) Electrelane! That was a kick ass album. The view wtf?!

Klaxons album was my favorite this year but I predict Amy Winehouse.

Simian Mobile Disco are on my list for the same reason as Ray Quinn is.

I will be putting together an elite panel of judges and awarding an alternative prize on the same day, btw. Who wants in?

i would, but you specify 'elite' and i've (almost) never had a review published in my life

yr in

but i'm out of the country without internet for a week :-/

and i can't just say "I vote WFANFC" or "I vote 65DOS" because I haven't heard half those records yet

Just run an ILX poll. Your list is great by the way.

that jaime t dude sounds like g love

widget player for the mercury prize 2007
http://www.7digital.com/mercury-music-prize

"We've created a cool widget to use on your Myspace, blog or other site. The widget updates automatically with the latest tracks. To get the widget, just follow the instructions below."

Amy Winehouse probly too M-People to win,

wtf?

WTF WHERE ARE smd ?

no Editors either?

I will be putting together an elite panel of judges and awarding an alternative prize on the same day, btw. Who wants in?

Yes, please, I'd like to add my gossamer opinion.

i heard the klaxons in top shop. fucking abject.

well unweapon

Enrique just parrots Lex's opinions AGAIN.

If you love Plan B so much why don't you marry it?

someone's just made a very good point - what about lily allen? i'm sure it fits in with this year's catchment area...

it's complete shit?

Scott Walker counts as American right?

as an American, yes.

it's complete shit?

i'll never understand the lily hate. it's one of the best pop albums of the last decade!

compared to kate nash, yes. compared to albums which are actually good, no.

though lily is v good on the dizzee album!

i dunno, seems just a token sales-boost/cred-boost exchange - how many gal MCs would've made that track so much better?

tho i enjoyed her performance of 'Gangsters' with Terry 'Utterly Thrilled To Be Here In My Nice Suit Wait Why Are My Feet Stuck Firm To The Floor?' Hall on repeat of Glasto coverage

Parlophone Seals Bat For Lashes Deal
http://tinyurl.com/32c5bp

EMI and Capitol labels will carry forthcoming Bat For Lashes' forthcoming releases internationally, while Astralwerks will issue the artist's critically-acclaimed debut "Fur and Gold" in the U.S. on July 31.

'it's complete shit' is the worst explanation for why an album isn't in MMP noms list ever. same time next year!

bat for lashes ftw!

look at the evidence:

1. female (not had one since polly)
2. asian (not had one since talvin)
3. posh (not had one since...um)
4. suddenly well positioned to exploit resulting publicity (international potential recognised by industry)
5. arty but accessible thanks to the (misleading but powerful) Bjork/Bush factor
6. that's it

she looks a lot like lily allen in her video