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Awards Top Stories
Mercury Prize nominations announced
By CMU Editorial | Published on Wednesday 21 July 2010
As I’m sure every single one of you already knows, the Mercury Prize shortlist was announced in London yesterday to the usual round of whoops and sighs from music journalists, fans and commentators.
As always, there was a certain degree of eclecticism to the list of supposed albums of the year. The urban box was ticked with Dizzee Rascal, even if he’s more pop than anything else these days, bagging him his second Mercury nod having won the prize with his debut album in 2003. The largely unknown jazz act box was ticked with the Kit Downes Trio, a largely unknown jazz act. And the old guy box was ticked via Paul Weller, nominated for his tenth solo album.
Given that folk is in vogue at the moment, ensuring indie folky nonsense was well represented on this year’s list, this made room for some rock in the list. Which was good news for Biffy Clyro. Wild Beasts were also shortlisted. We like Wild Beasts.
On the whole it was an uncontroversial list that missed out some obviously great albums from the last year, but still had some room for mild, if not outlandish, experimentation. And that’s probably the best you’re ever going to get from the Mercurys.
Here’s the full shortlist:
Biffy Clyro – Only Revolutions
Corinne Bailey Rae – The Sea
Dizzee Rascal – Tongue N Cheek
Foals – Total Life Forever
I Am Kloot – Sky At Night
Kit Downes Trio – Golden
Laura Marling – I Speak Because I Can
Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More
Paul Weller – Wake Up the Nation
The xx – xx
Villagers – Becoming a Jackal
Wild Beasts – Two Dancers
Getting in with his Mercurys reaction before anyone else had a chance, the chair of the Awards’ judging committee Simon Frith told reporters yesterday: “This year’s Mercury list includes musicians from all stages of their careers and from contrasting parts of the British Isles. It features music that is urban and rural, light and dark, joyful and profound. The records have wit, an abundance of musical energy and their own distinct voices. There is music here to make you laugh, cry, dance and sing”.
Having counted up and realised that no less than seven of the shortlisted albums were released by independent labels, the boss of the Association Of Independent Music, Alison Wenham, told CMU: “This year’s list once again proves the indie sector is the home of great music”.
Having counted up and realised three of the shortlisted albums were released by them, EMI Music UK’s President Andria Vidler told CMU: “Corinne Bailey Rae, Laura Marling and I Am Kloot have all released remarkable albums in 2010. These Mercury honours are a clear and well deserved recognition of their talent and creativity. Everyone at EMI is very proud to work with these wonderful artists”.
Having counted up and realised they distributed the Kit Downes album, Proper Distribution’s Commercial Director Drew Hill told CMU: “We’re delighted that Kit has made the Mercury Prize shortlist. Kit is the kind of artist who deserves wider recognition and this nomination will draw attention to an amazing British talent at the height of his powers. This is our fourth Mercury nomination in the last five years and we’re extremely proud to represent artists of this calibre”.
After the shortlist had been announced, Yannis Philippakis of nominated band Foals claimed that, while he and his bandmates were at the Mercury press launch yesterday, they didn’t find out they were shortlisted until the last minute, having been told by their people they should attend the event because an unrelated interview had been arranged for after it.
Philippakis told the NME: “We’re really shocked. We didn’t know about it until five minutes before the announcement. We were tricked by the people who work for us into thinking we were here for some other reason. We were in Spain and we had two days off, but they told us to fly back to do some press. We were kind of angry, so now it’s made the trip worthwhile”.
Asked what he’d do with the twenty grand prize if his band were to win it, the Foals man joked: “I’d get a nose job and upgrade my girlfriend”.
Also speaking to the NME, Oliver Sim of The xx also expressed surprise at being nominated, tell the music mag: “It’s absolutely insane considering all the other artists [nominated], like Paul Weller. It’s really mindblowing”.
He added that should the band win the overall prize former bandmate Baria Quereshi, who appeared on the album but quit the band last November, should also be part of any celebrations. He added: “She has a place here, definitely. She’s part of the album”.
But enough of all that. Who, you want to know, should you be putting your money on this year? Well, William Hill originally put The xx and Dizzee Rascal forward as joint favourites to win, with odds of 4/1. However, within two hours the bookies had put The xx in front with 5/1, tying Dizzee Rascal and Wild Beasts in second place with 5/2.
The winner will be announced at a big bash on 7 Sep hosted by Jools Holland, which will be broadcast live on BBC2.
