Mercury Prize 2018

[dentalplan]

So it gets announced tomorrow. Comes around quick.

Anyone care to discuss what British albums since last July should be nominated? And what we think will be nominated?

 

Feel like Shame are a lock for a nomination, and rightly so. So too are Jorja Smith and, if eligible, Superorganism. Then some popular records like Wolf Alice and Arctic Monkeys. Maybe Liam Gallagher just so he shows up and says something about someone.

[kingcrawler]

Expecting Let's Eat Grandma and Tom Misch to get nominations, maybe Jon Hopkins and Hookworms too. 

[jump]

I expect Shame to the ones everyone goes but they should have won and instead it goes to Mastersystem or Ghostpoet maybe? I'm always shit at guessing the Mercury Prize.

[dentalplan]

19 minutes ago, jump said:

I expect Shame to the ones everyone goes but they should have won and instead it goes to Mastersystem or Ghostpoet maybe? I'm always shit at guessing the Mercury Prize.

I haven't listened to either of those albums but I think you're right about Shame. There's always one that seems like a clear favourite among publications that gets overtaken in the odds at like 5pm before the ceremony and loses. That'll probs be Shame.

1 hour ago, kingcrawler said:

Expecting Let's Eat Grandma and Tom Misch to get nominations, maybe Jon Hopkins and Hookworms too. 

Would be pretty cool to see Let's Eat Grandma get a nomination at least. My favourites that I can think of over the period would probably be them, The Horrors and Boy Azooga. I think the latter has a decent chance of getting nominated too actually but can't see The Horrors getting in despite the strong reviews of the last album.

 

Edited July 25, 2018 by dentalplan

[dentalplan]

Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino
Everything Everything - A Fever Dream
Everything Is Recorded - Everything Is Recorded
Florence + The Machine - High As Hope
Jorja Smith - Lost & Found
King Krule - The Ooz
Lily Allen - No Shame
Nadine Shah - Holiday Destination
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Who Built The Moon?
Novelist - Novelist Guy
Sons of Kemet - Your Queen Is A Lizard
Wolf Alice - Visions of a Life

 

That's atrocious.

I've listened to all but one and my favourite one would be Florence, but she doesn't need Mercury Prize. Hope Nads Shah wins it. Imagine the collective national embarrassment if Noel Gallagher walks up and picks up the award? Jesus.

[sjseabass]

Yeah Shah should definitely take it home for me. Horrendously bland overall, but then when you look at the panel this year - Marcus Mumford, Jamie Cullum, Ella Eyre, Clara Amfo, etc - not surprising. NG on there is a joke.

Do you think a band like Enter Shikari even bother entering? The Spark was varied and wonderful and so far removed from how I imagine a lot of people perceive them.

[jump]

The Mercury is a shit award anyway, I've never looked at the winners/nominations and thought this is the cutting edge of British music which is how it's presented to be. 

[dentalplan]

41 minutes ago, theevilfridge said:

Yeah Shah should definitely take it home for me. Horrendously bland overall, but then when you look at the panel this year - Marcus Mumford, Jamie Cullum, Ella Eyre, Clara Amfo, etc - not surprising. NG on there is a joke.

Do you think a band like Enter Shikari even bother entering? The Spark was varied and wonderful and so far removed from how I imagine a lot of people perceive them.

If they're on a major label, I would guess they are put forward whether they know about it or not, right?

Would fear about the lesser known likes on smaller labels bothering entering in future. Will anyone even want their album to win an award that Ed Sheeran's latest was nominated for?

[sjseabass]

11 minutes ago, dentalplan said:

If they're on a major label, I would guess they are put forward whether they know about it or not, right?

Would fear about the lesser known likes on smaller labels bothering entering in future. Will anyone even want their album to win an award that Ed Sheeran's latest was nominated for?

They have their own label, so I imagine it’s up to them. And I guess they probably rightly assume that their post-hardcore tag and stuff like Rabble Rouser (which isn’t even that heavy by their standards) would scare off Cullum and the like. I think it’s a shame (although this is all supposition of course - maybe they did try!).

I think it is definitely running that risk - it’s not like Let’s Eat Grandma, Shame and the others people thought were shoo-ins are particularly out-there, just good albums from new artists that deserve the exposure, being overlooked for massive acts who ultimately couldn’t care less. It’s really not that far away from the sort of acts nominated by (and winning - Stormzy) the Brits nowadays.

Edited July 26, 2018 by theevilfridge

[fatyeti24]

I'll be honest - the only one out of that lot I've listened to is Sons of Kemet.  That's not to say I haven't heard some of the other stuff - I've heard far too fucking much of Noely G in passing, for example - but it's not stuff I'd choose.

That said, given that jazz is having a bit of a moment, you have to wonder for the token jazz album - if not now then when?

Edited July 29, 2018 by fatyeti24

[Andre91]

Any number of Holy Roar bands should have got a nomination (mostly Rolo Tomassi).  

[Gucci Piggy]

Why would Enter Shikari nominate themselves for an award when someone would have to actually like the album for it to stand a chance?

[Andre91]

On 8/1/2018 at 7:54 PM, Gucci Piggy said:

Why would Enter Shikari nominate themselves for an award when someone would have to actually like the album for it to stand a chance?

It was their second highest charting album (#5). It’s a great album for what it’s worth. 

[Mouseboy11]

Kind of surprised by Wolf Alice's win to be honest, can't say I remember much about their album.

[The Nal]

1 hour ago, Mouseboy11 said:

Kind of surprised by Wolf Alice's win to be honest, can't say I remember much about their album.

They suck

[FloorFiller]

Yawn.

[jump]

I actually find Wolf Alice live a lot better than on record. When I listen to one of their recorded songs they are so slow and very middle of the road, where as live they have abit more gusto.

Regardless still a shit winner.