Mercury Shortlist 2006

[Paul Hotflush]

right, well that's that sorted then. nothing to see here, lets all give up and go home....

Name me one uk urban album eligible for this year's award that you seriously think isn't below the admittedly turgid level of most Mercury nominees.

It really is that bad.

 

[blunt]

I can't for the life of me think how Hot Chip, of all the bands on this list, could draw anybody's ire. I can understand it might not be your thing, but to describe it as shit strikes me as being the height of churlishness. I'm genuinely curious to know what's to hate...

If you hadn't guessed, I like it. It's rare to find such an unashamedly pop record that sounds that fresh, and I think that's a serious achievment in itself. They should win.

But of course they won't. My money's on The Editors taking the crown - I always think they sound like the bastard child of U2 and Joy Division, a coupling that is bound to make the judges cream their pants.

(and, for the record, it's a coupling that makes me want to be a bit sick in my mouth)

 

[blunt]

[...]Indie in Britain in 2006 is basically serving the same function as cheesy Metal did in the States in 1986. It's what all the meatheads and bores listen to.

Now that I'll give you

 

[Raw Patrick]

This is what they could pick from, for those playing at home:

Abigail Hopkins
Adem
Akala
Alex Smoke
Amusement Parks on Fire
And did those feet
Andrew McCormack
Angie Palmer
Archie Bronson Outfit
Arctic Monkeys*
Barbar Luck
Barry Adamson
Belle and Sebastian
Beth Orton
Blackbud
Bliss
Boards of Canada
Boo Hewerdine
Boy Kill Boy
Caged Baby
Camera Obscura
Cara Dillon
Charlie Beresford
Chicken Legs Weaver
Chris Wood
Claire Sproule
Clayhill
Clearlake
C-Mone
Coldcut
Corrine Bailey Ray*
Cosmic Rough Riders
David Ford
David Gilmour
David Gray
Dawn of the Replicants
Declan O’Rourke
Decoration
Depeche Mode
Dirty Pretty Things
duw a wyr
Ed Harcourt
Editors*
eighteen18
Elbow
Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint
Endrick Bothers
Field Music
Fink
Flook
Forward Russia
Four Day Hombre
Franc O’Shea
Franz Ferdinand
Future Funk Squad
Genesis Elijah
Girls Aloud
Gledhill
Goldfrapp*
Gomez
Graham Coxon
Gravenhurst
Guillemots*
Helene
Heligoland
Hey Negrita
Hope of the States
Hot Chip*
Humanzi
Infadels
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
James Hunter
James Roberts
Jamie Cullum
Jane Taylor
Janis Haves
Jim Moray
Jim Noir
Jo Mango
Joanna Macgregor & Andy Sheppard
Jody Wildgoose
John Tamms
Johnny Dickinson
Jon Boden
Julia Biel
Julie Feeney*
Karine Polwart
Kate Bush
Kate Westbrook
Kathryn Tickell & Corina Hewat
Keane
Keisha White
Killa Kela
King Creosote
Kristy McGee
Ladyfuzz
Lee Rogers
Lethal Bizzle
Leya
Liane Carroll
Lily Allen*
Lost Prophets
Lou Rhodes
Marc Carroll
Marsha Swanson
Martyn Joseph
Matthew Herbert
Medicine Hat
Merz
Miracle Mile
Mogwai
Mohair
Morning Runner
Morrissey
Muse*
My Awesome Compilation
My Latest Novel
Mystery Jets
Nate James
Nerina Pallot*
Netsayi
Nine Horses
Niraj Chag
Omar
Oriole
Paolo Nutini
Paparazzi Whore
Paul McCartney
Paul Weller
Pet Shop Boys
Placebo
Plan B*
Primal Scream
Psapp
Public Symphony
Quinn
R.O.C.
Ralfe Band
Ray Davies
Razorlight
Reem Kelani
Richard Ashcroft
Richard Hawley
Richard Thompson
Rick Oliver
Robbie Williams
Roddy Frame
Rolling Stones
Rory McLeod
Saint Jude's infirmary
Sandi Thom
Scott Matthews
Scritti Politti
Shack
Shelley Poole
Shibuya Crossings
Show of Hands
Shri
Snow Patrol
Softhearted Scientists
Sol Seppy
Sophie Solomon
Spiers & Boden
Stephanie Kirkham
Steve Tilson
Stig
Stoney
Supergrass
Susy Thomas
Swap
Sway
Sweet Billy Pilgrim
Tarik O’Regan
Ted Barnes
Teddy Thompson
Tennant & Lowe
Terri Walker
The Automatic*
The Basement
The Beauty Room
The Charlatans
The Crimea
The Delays
The Divine Comedy
The Eighteenth Day of May
The Feeling
The Futureheads
The Hazey Janes
The Kooks
The Longcut
The Loose Cannons
The Mitchell Brothers
The Neil Cowley trio
The Pipettes
The R.G. Morrison
The Rakes
The Research
The Rifles
The Storys
The Streets
The Upper Room
The Webb sisters
The Zutons
Thom Yorke
Tim van Eyken
Tony Kofi
Towers of London
Trio Gitano
Tunng*
Two Giraffes
Urban Myth Club
Van Morrison
Various*
Vashti Bunyan
White Rose Movement
Wills and the Willing
Zero 7
Zoë Rahman

 

[jaxxalude]

I hope Richard gets the award because it's the Kiss Ov Death to most artists.

"Alreet Richard have this and now shut the fuck up, you twat"...Well that's what I'd say...

Well, let's see.

1992 - Primal Scream
1993 - Suede
1994 - M-People
1995 - Portishead
1996 - Pulp
1997 - Roni Size/Reprazent
1998 - Gomez
1999 - Talvin Singh
2000 - Badly Drawn Boy
2001 - PJ Harvey
2002 - Ms. Dynamite
2003 - Dizzee Rascal
2004 - Franz Ferdinand
2005 - Antony & The Jonhnsons

The ones in bold are the real clear-cut ones. Anyone care to join this side debate, please?

 

[Paul Hotflush]

At least they didn't pick Razorlight!

 

[Gabba Flamenco Crossover]

Well, let's see.

1992 - Primal Scream
1993 - Suede
1994 - M-People
1995 - Portishead
1996 - Pulp
1997 - Roni Size/Reprazent
1998 - Gomez
1999 - Talvin Singh
2000 - Badly Drawn Boy
2001 - PJ Harvey
2002 - Ms. Dynamite
2003 - Dizzee Rascal
2004 - Franz Ferdinand
2005 - Antony & The Jonhnsons

The ones in bold are the real clear-cut ones. Anyone care to join this side debate, please?

Neither badly drawn boy or or Roni Size have done anything major since they won. And it's arguable that pulp's best work was behind them by 1996, although a lot of people rate This Is Hardcore.

For a lot of people , winning the mercury might be too much too soon in terms of mass market recognition - I'm thinking roni size obviously, but also portishead & dizzee. All might have benefitted from that kind of attention more had it been lavished on thier 3rd or 4th record, not thier 1st.

 

[Logan Sama]

The Mercury Prize fucked up people being able to appreciate Showtime, which is actually a fucking good record, minus the last couple of singles off it.

 

[gek-opel]

Yeah I agree "Showtime" is not as bad as you first think, its a bit saggy in the middle but its got some great tracks on it, and is really nicely produced (and Dizzee has a lot of decent vocal hooks too)... but did the Mercury Music prize really create that false sense of a sophomore slump? I think its fairly common when someone's first album is as broadly praised/hyped as "Boy in da Corner" for there to be a slight sense of disappointment, even when its a little off beam...

Here's what the bookies reckon...

Arctic Monkeys - Whatever people say I am thats what Im not 5/2
Guillemots - Through the Windowpane 6/1
Richard Hawley - Coles Corner 6/1
Sway - This is My Demo 7/1
Thom Yorke - The Eraser 7/1
Editors - The Back Room 10/1
Muse - Black Holes and Revelations 10/1
Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan - Ballad of the Broken Seas 14/1
Scritti Politti - White Bread Black Beer 14/1
Hot Chip - The Warning 16/1
Lou Rhodes - Beloved One 16/1
Zoe Rahman - Melting Pot 16/1


But I actually think Hot Chip have a better chance the 16/1...!

 

[stelfox]

This is what they could pick from, for those playing at home:

Abigail Hopkins
Adem
Akala
Alex Smoke
Amusement Parks on Fire
And did those feet
Andrew McCormack
Angie Palmer
Archie Bronson Outfit
Arctic Monkeys*
Barbar Luck
Barry Adamson
Belle and Sebastian
Beth Orton
Blackbud
Bliss
Boards of Canada
Boo Hewerdine
Boy Kill Boy
Caged Baby
Camera Obscura
Cara Dillon
Charlie Beresford
Chicken Legs Weaver
Chris Wood
Claire Sproule
Clayhill
Clearlake
C-Mone
Coldcut
Corrine Bailey Ray*
Cosmic Rough Riders
David Ford
David Gilmour
David Gray
Dawn of the Replicants
Declan O’Rourke
Decoration
Depeche Mode
Dirty Pretty Things
duw a wyr
Ed Harcourt
Editors*
eighteen18
Elbow
Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint
Endrick Bothers
Field Music
Fink
Flook
Forward Russia
Four Day Hombre
Franc O’Shea
Franz Ferdinand
Future Funk Squad
Genesis Elijah
Girls Aloud
Gledhill
Goldfrapp*
Gomez
Graham Coxon
Gravenhurst
Guillemots*
Helene
Heligoland
Hey Negrita
Hope of the States
Hot Chip*
Humanzi
Infadels
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
James Hunter
James Roberts
Jamie Cullum
Jane Taylor
Janis Haves
Jim Moray
Jim Noir
Jo Mango
Joanna Macgregor & Andy Sheppard
Jody Wildgoose
John Tamms
Johnny Dickinson
Jon Boden
Julia Biel
Julie Feeney*
Karine Polwart
Kate Bush
Kate Westbrook
Kathryn Tickell & Corina Hewat
Keane
Keisha White
Killa Kela
King Creosote
Kristy McGee
Ladyfuzz
Lee Rogers
Lethal Bizzle
Leya
Liane Carroll
Lily Allen*
Lost Prophets
Lou Rhodes
Marc Carroll
Marsha Swanson
Martyn Joseph
Matthew Herbert
Medicine Hat
Merz
Miracle Mile
Mogwai
Mohair
Morning Runner
Morrissey
Muse*
My Awesome Compilation
My Latest Novel
Mystery Jets
Nate James
Nerina Pallot*
Netsayi
Nine Horses
Niraj Chag
Omar
Oriole
Paolo Nutini
Paparazzi Whore
Paul McCartney
Paul Weller
Pet Shop Boys
Placebo
Plan B*
Primal Scream
Psapp
Public Symphony
Quinn
R.O.C.
Ralfe Band
Ray Davies
Razorlight
Reem Kelani
Richard Ashcroft
Richard Hawley
Richard Thompson
Rick Oliver
Robbie Williams
Roddy Frame
Rolling Stones
Rory McLeod
Saint Jude's infirmary
Sandi Thom
Scott Matthews
Scritti Politti
Shack
Shelley Poole
Shibuya Crossings
Show of Hands
Shri
Snow Patrol
Softhearted Scientists
Sol Seppy
Sophie Solomon
Spiers & Boden
Stephanie Kirkham
Steve Tilson
Stig
Stoney
Supergrass
Susy Thomas
Swap
Sway
Sweet Billy Pilgrim
Tarik O’Regan
Ted Barnes
Teddy Thompson
Tennant & Lowe
Terri Walker
The Automatic*
The Basement
The Beauty Room
The Charlatans
The Crimea
The Delays
The Divine Comedy
The Eighteenth Day of May
The Feeling
The Futureheads
The Hazey Janes
The Kooks
The Longcut
The Loose Cannons
The Mitchell Brothers
The Neil Cowley trio
The Pipettes
The R.G. Morrison
The Rakes
The Research
The Rifles
The Storys
The Streets
The Upper Room
The Webb sisters
The Zutons
Thom Yorke
Tim van Eyken
Tony Kofi
Towers of London
Trio Gitano
Tunng*
Two Giraffes
Urban Myth Club
Van Morrison
Various*
Vashti Bunyan
White Rose Movement
Wills and the Willing
Zero 7
Zoë Rahman

well, i personally think the shack album should definitely be on the list, in that case. it's a bloody good record and they're certainly due some recognition.

 

[swears]

.....I can't for the life of me think how Hot Chip, of all the bands on this list, could draw anybody's ire.

Look, it's the fact that they're so normal, so geeky so easy to relate to that pisses me off. If we're going to have a group that combines the future-looking sounds of 90's rave with a pop sensibility then I at least expect a vocalist who can actually fucking sing! That dweeb mumbles his way through the songs like the runtish offspring of James "reference freak" Murphy and whatever the boring fuck from the Beta Band is called.
We desparately need someone that can belt their way through a tune the way Robin S did in "Show me Love". Fuck some drip that is gagging to shag the fit girl in the office, give us someone who has it all and is still pineing for a higher purpose. I want longing, I want sex appeal, I want a group that isn't "Down with Prince" I want someone on a fucking par with the midget genius.

Tunes are so easy to make...you gotta show me love.....

 

[boomnoise]

This is what they could pick from, for those playing at home:

Alex Smoke
Girls Aloud
Kate Bush
Keisha White
Lethal Bizzle
Merz
Plan B*
Sway
The Streets
Tunng*
Various*
Vashti Bunyan

FWIW the above would have been my 12 with me backing Plan B for the gong.

 

[swears]

Plan B is saying some really uh... relevant stuff, but I don't find his music very interesting.
Better than most shite out there I 'spose.

 

[jaxxalude]

Neither badly drawn boy or or Roni Size have done anything major since they won. And it's arguable that pulp's best work was behind them by 1996, although a lot of people rate This Is Hardcore.

For a lot of people , winning the mercury might be too much too soon in terms of mass market recognition - I'm thinking roni size obviously, but also portishead & dizzee. All might have benefitted from that kind of attention more had it been lavished on thier 3rd or 4th record, not thier 1st.

Well, Roni Size may not have the mainstream acclaim he once had, but he kept his undergound cred (and, more importantly, fans) more or less intact through the years, and he still has quite a steady profile (and job offers) as a DJ. Not to mention V Recordings has been unleashing some of the biggest underground drum 'n' bass anthems of past few years, going so far as to release the biggest record the scene had for so long, with that "LK (Carolina Carol Bella)" tune (it even reached the Top 20, if you remember). So to say the Mercury was Roni's kiss of death is pushing the envelope a bit.
As for BDB, I still did that soundtrack to that really dodgy Hugh Grant film. I reckon it mustn't have been his best selling album, but it did spawn his most recognizable song to the Average Joe (and the one which still has some play on the radio): "Silent Sigh". The kiss of death happened with the next two albums not having an impact on anyone nor anywhere.
As for Pulp, the real kiss of death was that Scott Walker-produced album, which didn't get any commercial success and had a heavily mixed reception on the music press.
And it's definitely arguable that Pulp's best work was behind them by 1996. Personally, I think they only really came into their own from His 'n' Hers onward.

 

[Don Rosco]

Well, Roni Size may not have the mainstream acclaim he once had, but he kept his undergound cred (and, more importantly, fans) more or less intact through the years, and he still has quite a steady profile (and job offers) as a DJ. Not to mention V Recordings has been unleashing some of the biggest underground drum 'n' bass anthems of past few years, going so far as to release the biggest record the scene had for so long, with that "LK (Carolina Carol Bella)" tune (it even reached the Top 20, if you remember). So to say the Mercury was Roni's kiss of death is pushing the envelope a bit.

Musically, it was all over for him from that point on, and I think he has little or nothing to do with V, other than releasing on it.

 

[tox]

Would definately be interesting to have had the Alex Smoke album on the nominations list. Some seeeerious dance music, just to mix things up a bit.

Regardless of the quality of music I'm think Hot Chip might be worth putting a few quid on. The thing is that they have the credibility but not the wide-spread success, perfect for the award. Having said that, Franz are a bit of an anomaly as winners in that respect there...

 

[blunt]

Tunes are so easy to make...you gotta show me love...

No fair. I guess I never was much of a poker player: "Show Me Love" is pretty much a full house.

But I think you're being unfair about the guy's voice. It's masked by the production, to be sure, but it's that multi-layered, expansive sound that is one of the things I like most about the album.

I guess now would not be a good time to mention that I like the King Biscuit Time LP too

And anyway, since when did being able sing be a prerequisite for being a great pop star? Save us from the likes of Charlotte Church and her fatuous "Girls Aloud can't even sing" school of pop criticism...

On a different note: I'm surprised Aerial isn't on the shortlist - would've thought it was right up their alley...

 

[swears]

And anyway, since when did being able sing be a prerequisite for being a great pop star? Save us from the likes of Charlotte Church and her fatuous "Girls Aloud can't even sing" school of pop criticism...

Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of the classic non-vocalists I like Mark E Smith, Johnny Lydon, etc, but it just seems like everybody's going down that route now. There's nothing subversive about it anymore. Everytime I go to some electro or "alternative" club night there's a shitty band with a laptop and a frontman just barking a load of bollocks.
Like the band in Nathan Barley "The Bikes", with their "Terrorists are Gay" song.
Momus is cool though, if I had to pick out a "weedy" singer.

 

[Raw Patrick]

That Nathan Barley song was about 100x better than the stuff it parodied. I often go about singing "space invaders, gay Darth Vaders."

 

[gumdrops]

actually, i think my favourite british album of the past year has been AFX's chosen lords. that should definitely have been in there.