A kung fu fighter in a disco

Ha I forgot Kala was eligible. I really don't care v much about the Mercury in any way though and I don't think I want to see MIA win it, as good as Kala is. I'm not even sure I want Estelle to win it, I think it'd be more beneficial to Laura Marling.

Really excellent British albums which didn't make it - Tinchy Stryder's Star In The Hood and The Bug's London Zoo. Ny, Durrty Goodz and Wiley also released terrific mixtapes in the time period (Split Endz Vol 2, Axiom and Grime Wave respectively).

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Yes. They are crap, as usual.

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They are apparently both Jazz AND classical, allowing the committee to tick off two token boxes in one go

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chezghost.livejournal.com

I downloaded 'In Rainbows' WITHOUT PAYING but never listened. Life's too short innit? I got the impression they're off the boil anyway.

Want to hear Marling, Neon Neon (friend of mine who I trust rates it but I hated the two songs I heard), Unthank (but doubt I will like this, unless it sounds like Cortney Tidwell?) and Last Shadow Puppets but doubt i will like that much.

Curse Of Joolz: kinda enjoyed Plant & Kraus on TV but not really enough to bother with this

fair representation of British music in 2008? probably not but maybe as fair as a 12 nominee list can be generally. NOT a good list tho. slightly worse than last year's.

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freakytigger.livejournal.com

Wouldn't rly like to sit though any of these except maybe the Estelle. What's Laura Marling like, Lex?

I think this is probably a fairer representation of British music than a list of the 12 best British records would be.

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Fvck I forgot Roisin Murphy was eligible. Also I really like the new Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. album.

Also wtf is Neon Neon doing in there, srly? I like the album, it's entertaining but wtf.

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I'd agree on the Laura Marling point. Radiohead is probably my favourite of these, although only just ahead of her, and they clearly don't need any help. Have they given it to a folky album before?

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The Neon Neon album is a really mixed bag, I'm quite surprised it got nominated. I Lust U is the best track I think, Belfast is quite good as well, but there are some very dodgy ones too.

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Also it is better than last years by dint of not involving The View. I had forgotten that.

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She's mostly poppy folk. Ghosts & Cross Your Fingers (which I think are the two singles) are probably the poppiest and most accessible. My Manic & I and Crawled Out of the Sea are a bit more quirky and interesting. She's infinitely preferable to most of the rest of the wave of young Brit female singer-songwriters who have had way more attention.

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Girl + acoustic guitar + really good lyrics (sort of...very observant without being detached from the action w/flashes of poetry, in that bluestocking 17-year-old way). I like that she doesn't try to be CLEVER or INTERESTING or even AUTHENTIC at any point, she does that thing where half the time she could be singing to herself in that trying-to-figure-out-what's-going-on way, but she's too forceful and direct to be part of the handwringing, timorous indie crew. tbh I would never have checked it out if I wasn't friends with her cousin but I'm very glad I did.

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ALSO: I would like to see more "extreme" selections, please. There has been, for instance, lots of Brit Metal released this year and the God Fires Man (who are idk punk I suppose) album is v. good. If they wanted to be a bit more mainstream-ish then Gallows have received considerable critical acclaim, are a reasonably good laugh at least and would probably fulfil the 'ooh we're so edgy' quotient better than Neon Neon. Equally, there's a healthy amount of experimental electronica happening. Meanwhile nice though the Plant/Krauss album is, it's a bit dadpop innit. If they're going to pretend to be edgy and eschew the mainstream and just be "all about the music" then ...y'know, come on, this is the Times TV guideselection. Except they might well have put Fvck Buttons in.

There are so many things wrong with the Mercury it's hard to think where to start really but this list is even more Radio 2 than usual.

Edit: Not God Fires Man, they're from New York. I mean You Slvt! who are from Nottingham and I quite like.

Edited Date: 2008-07-22 11:54 am (UTC)

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I don't think I'd really call her quirky at all, if anything it's her total lack of bullshit which appeals - it really is so simple and direct.

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nunya-b.livejournal.com

Róisín Murphy actually deserved the sales boost from a Mercury nom/win, too. Though I guess with Hot Chip absent as well we can just blame the incompetents at EMI for submitting the entry fees on time or something…

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I forgot Roisin was eligible on about three levels! First I forgot her album was released in the timeframe, then I thought she was Irish (for some reason? I've known she's from Sheffield for like 13 years). Which wouldn't have mattered anyway. Actually she's a really glaring omission, it's a critically acclaimed album whose 'type' isn't really represented on the shortlist (I assume Estelle's token 'urban' presence and Tinchy's streetness make him completely ineligible), so...wtf.

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She is a very blatant oversight. Possibly post-Winehouse win last year they are having an 'ooh no must be MOAR INDIE' phase though, so despite a lack of success disco-pop is out of the question, no matter how innovative and awesome. :(

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But then Neon Neon. No, it's just indefensible. Poor Roisin. :(

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