Mercury Nominations

[Sipperana]

So, the Mercury noms are...

Adele - 21

Anna Calvi - Anna Calvi

Elbow - Build A Rocket Boys!

Everything Everything - Man Alive

Ghostpoet - Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam

Gwilym Simcock - Good Days At Schloss Elmau

James Blake - James Blake

Katy B - On A Mission

King Creosote & Jon Hopkins - Diamond Mine

Metronomy - The English Riviera

PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

Tinie Tempah - Disc-Overy

Who do you think will win? - I have a horrible suspicion it will be PJ Harvey, the way the critics fawned over LES, which I still think is a weak album by her standards.

Who should win? - Of the albums I know, probably Everything Everything, though I think Anna Calvi, Ghostpoet and King Creosote could also float my boat if I heard them

[shoebox]

Well, I've only heard the KC and PJ albums, and I like/love them both. So, in my opinion, one of those should win.

I don't have even the slightest bit of interest in any of the others.

I'll be amazed if Adele doesn't win.

[Infinite Jest]

I find Elbow and James Blake boring. The Metronmy album isn't bad. I like EE a lot (though they're probably better live), but I'd go for LES. Need to have a listen to Katie B and Adele, seeing as they're getting good reviews from places like Time Out.

[wackojackohighcliffe]

Please King Creosote.

But it won't be.

[GeordieMartin]

King Creosote/Jon Hopkins is a great album and i hope it wins.

However, PJ Harvey will win it and is a great album.

[GeordieMartin]

King Creosote/Jon Hopkins is a great album and i hope it wins.

However, PJ Harvey will win it and is a great album.

[Thowky]

I really don't like James Blake at all and can't quite understand the fuss about him, I also wasn't impressed by Elbow's last album even though I normally like them.

Personally I'm hoping for either Anna Calvi or PJ Harvey to win though suspect it will be someone else. King Creosote didn't really impress me that much when I saw them live but I just gave a few songs from Diamond Mine a quick listen now and think I might have to give him another chance.

[geofelgie]

What a terrible shortlist....from that I'd have to go for Anna Calvi.....but where are...

Patrick wolf, Vaccines, Noah and the Whale, British Sea Power, Yuck, Admiral Fallow, Bell X1, British Sea Power, Guillemots, Frank Turner, Graffiti 6, Steve Mason....even OMD's latest album is better than anything on that list (it's remarkably good and they stole the show at Latitude)

[Yokel Again]

Really poor list this year i thought.

[baroquepop]

So basically, nobody from the EOTR roster. I really thought Wild Beasts could have made this list. :-(

I have a few of those CDs but really don't love any of them.

[perfectpassion]

I am very biased towards Metronomy, which is one of my top 3 lps this year so far. Also love Diamond Mine, not seen them live, but maybe its one of those albums that doesn't translate that well to live format?

Anyway the list is always very formulaic (right spelling Ben?) One folky, at least one poppy, one indie, one jazzy, one dance, etc etc, and one nobody has heard of. No surprise either that no EoTR bands on it, well not this years anyway. EoTR is always too cool, ahead of its time (Metronomy 2006). Next years list will prob have someone like Dry The River on it.

I have listenend to some tracks off the Ghostpoet lp and its not a surprise that its on there as its very 'cool'. Not only that if you listen to "Survive it", it 'feat' the lovely vocals of Fabiana Palladino, who I heard sing when she was 7!! I think I will say this is the one to watch as the unexpected winner!

AND Where are the Leisure Soc, Wild Beasts?

I'm sure that it may be good for some bands, but it does seem to be a double-edged sword. Awards huh, what is the point?

Edited July 21, 2011 by perfectpassion

[shoebox]

I was reading up on the Mercurys and it appears that the artists have got to pay to be considered and then hand out 150-odd copies of their album to the voters. It's no wonder than this prize is only ever really contested by firmly established artists. I suspect a lot of slightly more under the radar artists don't have the opportunity to even be judged.

Mind you, it's a pretty beefy bit of publicity, should you get the nod. A big gamble though.

[Sipperana]

What a terrible shortlist....from that I'd have to go for Anna Calvi.....but where are...

Patrick wolf, Vaccines, Noah and the Whale, British Sea Power, Yuck, Admiral Fallow, Bell X1, British Sea Power, Guillemots, Frank Turner, Graffiti 6, Steve Mason....even OMD's latest album is better than anything on that list (it's remarkably good and they stole the show at Latitude)

[perfectpassion]

Shoebox...Adele??? Did you know that Dan Wilson the lead singer of Semisonic (I loved that band) wrote her hit "Someone Like You"

[shoebox]

Shoebox...Adele??? Did you know that Dan Wilson the lead singer of Semisonic (I loved that band) wrote her hit "Someone Like You"

[Sipperana]

I'm with you on Adele there. So many people raved about her Brits performance but I thought she sounded off-key, and the song was a complete dirge. She won't be troubling my CD collection.

I didn't mind Semisonic at the time, bought one of their albums. But in truth Secret Smile was their only memorable song.

[riverlodge]

i hope it will be for man alive, the english riviera or let england shake.

i would be quite okay with it being anna calvi or diamond mine.

i fear it will be given to tinie tempah, katy b or adele.

[perfectpassion]

Huh? What about her? I reckon she'll win. I don't think I've heard one of her songs all the way through. I know my kids like her. And I hated Semisonic, so I'm not feeling particularly inclined to check her out based on that nugget of trivia.

Ben, from Ben & Jason (an old fave of mine) wrote Martine McCutcheon's "Perfect Moment". That's some more trivia for you!

[Better Late...]

I'm with you on Adele there. So many people raved about her Brits performance but I thought she sounded off-key, and the song was a complete dirge.

[Sipperana]

We all have A voice. Some of us choose not to inflict it on the listening public though.