| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| starmekitten |
Posted - 09/07/2005 : 03:41:01
The Prize
The mercury prize exists solely to champion UK music by promoting the 12 albums of the year by British or Irish artists. All genres of music are eligible and all albums are treated equally.
The Shortlist
Antony and the Johnsons - I Am a Bird Now
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Coldplay - X&Y
The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike
Hard-Fi - Stars of CCTV
KT Tunstall - Eye to the Telescope
Kaiser Chiefs - Employment
The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers
Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger
M.I.A. - Arular
Polar Bear - Held on the Tips of Fingers
Seth Lakeman - Kitty Jay
The Winner
Antony and the Johnsons - I am a bird now.
---
I've been listening to XFM this morning and all the stupid indie scenesters are whining that it should have been the kaiser chiefs or hard fi (*cough*). I presonally am very glad it wasn't either of them, although the kaiser chiefs were tipped to win it's bubblegum through and through. I would have been a bit annoyed had coldplay won. I'm sure they'e very nice people but it's hardly innovative or exciting music. Ditto maximo park, as much as I love mr maximo it's just more indie schmindie. Not that there's anything wrong with that mind! I like the Antony and the Johnsons album a lot. Too much maybe, been listening to it now for nearly a week solid (thanks cheeseman, again). Another common complaint on the radio being that he isn't British because he left Britain aged 10 and is based in NY. Stupid indie scenesters, I've turned the radio off and put the album on...
again...
Thoughts? |
| 32 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Surfer Rosa |
Posted - 09/10/2005 : 04:32:45
quote:
Originally posted by starmekitten
*sharp intake of breath*
 I like my coffee like I like my men. In a plastic cup.
Sorry Kitten - it's his voice.
Fire made it good. |
| therewererumours |
Posted - 09/09/2005 : 21:36:13
I'm not going to listen to the Go! Team any more since they were nominated and now everybody knows about them. Just kidding, I think M.I.A. should have won since she rocked the most without guitars. Who were the guys again who sounded like Can with the sax players and the really cool drummer? I've totally forgotten.
On the thirty-first floor your gold-plated door
Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain |
| Kirk |
Posted - 09/09/2005 : 17:32:50
yeah, that's him, her, whatever... |
| VoVat |
Posted - 09/09/2005 : 13:18:34
quote:
Is he the guy who sings that "I'm a boy, not yet a girl. Today I am a child" stuff
No, I think that's Britney Spears.
I was all out of luck, like a duck that died. I was all out of juice, like a moose denied. |
| Kirk |
Posted - 09/09/2005 : 06:31:35
Is it true that the Go! Team remix "Thunder, Lightning, Strike"?
The version I have is annoying.
|
| fbc |
Posted - 09/09/2005 : 05:01:41
You know what? I think I will. Nothing else to do today except bring the post office to a stand still.
I've only heard that one song i badly quoted, and that was on Radio 1.
They bigged it up so much, which always puts me off. Radio 1 isn't allowed to have an opinion.
I listened hard, and the lyrics kind of cracked a smile, but the music itself I liked.
I'm sure he's a worthy winner. I'll let you know what I think.
|
| starmekitten |
Posted - 09/09/2005 : 04:52:22
fbc I would recommend trying to cop a listen to 'Hope There's Someone', I think you can stream it from the link I posted above or I know a few places have the video (nme for one "teary ballad" my fucking eye). I'm sure it's not everyones cup of tea. I know I'm possibly too hung up on this album right now. For me I figure it's because there's a little bit of fucking heart in the record. I've read in a few places now that people feel uncomfortable listening to it because it is open and honest emotion. There's something eerie about the way he backs himself up vocally. As beautiful as the lyrics are to 'Hope There's Someone' the first few times I heard it the piano-wail-end made me squirm something chronic. To me it was like a genuine frustrated sigh. It's rare to get this I think in a lot of music thats around at the moment, because like zub said, it's cool to be disaffected. For Today I am a Boy was the first track I heard on the radio and I was prety moved by it and didn't know why. I'm not a boy who wants to be a girl, and don't think I would be considering gender realignment any time in my lifetime so how can this be relatable to? But I did relate, just to the feelings of longing and frustration. He lays it bare. I like that.
Thats just me though, heh.
I like my coffee like I like my men. In a plastic cup. |
| fbc |
Posted - 09/09/2005 : 03:46:15
quote:
Originally posted by Surfer Rosa
Antony and the Johnsons inflicts great pain on me.
Is he the guy who sings that "I'm a boy, not yet a girl. Today I am a child" stuff*
* i thought 'nonsense' was a bit too harsh.
I should really go check out his album before I Judge. Again.
And is it mandatory that any and every Coldplay record be nominated?
quote:
"The Mercury Music Prize is one of the most important music awards"
 i love everything that makes me laugh. even this award.
I do think it's a great thing an up and coming artist from any genre can find recognition and a little of the spotlight through the MMP. Some bands and artists actually do deserve our money while others have more than enough. |
| starmekitten |
Posted - 09/09/2005 : 02:10:56
*sharp intake of breath*
I like my coffee like I like my men. In a plastic cup. |
| Surfer Rosa |
Posted - 09/09/2005 : 02:10:21
Haha, bad pain - like a dull ache
Fire made it good. |
| Cheeseman1000 |
Posted - 09/09/2005 : 01:54:00
Good pain or bad pain? I'm never quite sure with you.
It's good pain for me, emotional trauma.
And nope, wouldn't know a Magic Number if it hit me in the face.
How's that for a slice of fried gold? |
| Surfer Rosa |
Posted - 09/09/2005 : 01:04:34
Antony and the Johnsons inflicts great pain on me.
Fire made it good. |
| Homers_pet_monkey |
Posted - 09/08/2005 : 15:21:41
I'd have noticed Angelae, she's beeeeeautiful.
 I'd walk her everyday, into a shady place
|
| starmekitten |
Posted - 09/08/2005 : 15:13:55
quote:
Originally posted by Cheeseman1000
I saw a Magic Number!
No, wait, I didn't, but I'm told I may have.
How's that for a slice of fried gold?
Do you think you would have *honestly* noticed if you had?
I like my coffee like I like my men. In a plastic cup. |
| Homers_pet_monkey |
Posted - 09/08/2005 : 15:11:10
I think I saw the lead singer of Feeder at a water park in Cyprus last week. Nothing to be excited about though I guess.
I'd walk her everyday, into a shady place
|
| Cheeseman1000 |
Posted - 09/08/2005 : 15:04:42
I saw a Magic Number!
No, wait, I didn't, but I'm told I may have.
How's that for a slice of fried gold? |
| Homers_pet_monkey |
Posted - 09/08/2005 : 15:00:54
The Go! Team should have won it hands down.
At least it wasn't The Magic Numbers though. They are soooo overrated.
I'd walk her everyday, into a shady place
|
| Stevio10 |
Posted - 09/07/2005 : 20:33:21
is that how you spell vain? Haha Christ on a bike!!!! |
| Stevio10 |
Posted - 09/07/2005 : 20:31:12
I prdict a riot! The whole thing stinks!! Kaiser chiefs whining over antony & co because theyre not "british" and coldplay whining because the crazy frog beat them to number 1! It's all shite! Im glad someone had the balls to bypass these boho indie replica fuckers and give the award to someone with a bit of originality and also some balls. I am a bird now is perhaps one of the most introspective, aware albums ive heard. And you know what, fistful of love is one of my favourite songs ever. And just because the nature of the sexuality of the artist/album comes into question makes it even better. For every 40 of your Kaiser Chiefs, Maximo Parks, Franz Ferdinands et al, there is probably not even 1 antony and the jonsons. Well done, please do not let it go in vain. |
| Cheeseman1000 |
Posted - 09/07/2005 : 13:54:02
quote:
Originally posted by offerw
Yep, I'd also say I am a bird now is quite a good record. Anthony's first album isn't too bad as well. The cover of the first album even stranger.
I hated what Anthony did with Perfect Day on the Lou Reed compilation album last year. The song he does with Reed on I am a bird now is damn fine though, my favorite on the album.
wilhelm
We've gone on holiday by mistake.
I find it very difficult to pick a favourite on 'I Am A Bird Now'. While I think its certainly worth the prize, I'm not convinced that every track is a classic on it: they're certainly not bad tracks by any stretch of the imagination mind (all better than Kaiser Chiefs, for example, and I really don't mind those), but some are finer than others.
I'd pick out Fistful Of Love (the one with Lou Reed) and Hope There's Someone as my favourites on the record, they're sublime. For Today I Am A Boy, also fantastic.
How's that for a slice of fried gold? |
| zub_the_goat |
Posted - 09/07/2005 : 13:21:08
quote:
Originally posted by 50 Pence
Bloc party should have won, or hard-fi cause i champion local bands.
Blats
heh, you just chose the too bands i dislike the most, there just doesnt seem to be anything to them apart from talking about how dissafected they are, im glad anthony and the johnsons won, even if hes not really a british musician, the NME guy was a twit though talking about how NME readers wouldnt be intersted in reading about him, theyd obviously read another article about nirvana or pete doherty or whatever other band they are currently building up/knocking down |
| 50 Pence |
Posted - 09/07/2005 : 12:44:05
Bloc party should have won, or hard-fi cause i champion local bands.
Blats |
| offerw |
Posted - 09/07/2005 : 11:07:09
Yep, I'd also say I am a bird now is quite a good record. Anthony's first album isn't too bad as well. The cover of the first album even stranger.
I hated what Anthony did with Perfect Day on the Lou Reed compilation album last year. The song he does with Reed on I am a bird now is damn fine though, my favorite on the album.
wilhelm
We've gone on holiday by mistake. |
| kathryn |
Posted - 09/07/2005 : 10:45:59
Does this have anything to do with Freddie Mercury?
Sometimes, no matter how shitty things get, you have to just do a little dance. - Frank
|
| starmekitten |
Posted - 09/07/2005 : 10:45:03
I've only heard half of those albums (bloc party, maximo park, coldplay, magic numbers, antony and the johnsons and kaiser chiefs) I think I'm just glad it wasn't someone who is in this stylistic-new-alt-bubble like the kaiser chiefs (that would have sucked) because it's boring. Fun in it's own way but boring as far as new music goes because I don't feel like I'm hearing anything I haven't heard so many times already.
I've been looking up the photo (above) on the album cover. I think it's a very pretty photo. |
| VoVat |
Posted - 09/07/2005 : 10:37:47
I haven't heard any of those albums. I'm culturally illiterate, I guess. At least when it comes to modern British music.
I was all out of luck, like a duck that died. I was all out of juice, like a moose denied. |
| Llamadance |
Posted - 09/07/2005 : 05:36:47
quote:
Originally posted by kathryn
quote:
Originally posted by Llamadance
Whoooooaaaaaaaaa no I'm not 
Everyday I love you more and more, Steve!
Sometimes, no matter how shitty things get, you have to just do a little dance. - Frank
If this carries on, I pred....ach, I can't do it. :D
I've heard good things about The Go! Team, but I've only heard them briefly on Later...where they didn't really grab me. Possibly Jools Holland's slime reduced their impact.
No power in the 'verse can stop me
|
| Cheeseman1000 |
Posted - 09/07/2005 : 05:13:34
Out of all those I've heard, I'd pick the Go! Team as my favourite, but I'm happy enough with Anthony winning.
How's that for a slice of fried gold? |
| kathryn |
Posted - 09/07/2005 : 04:29:39
quote:
Originally posted by Llamadance
Whoooooaaaaaaaaa no I'm not
Everyday I love you more and more, Steve!
Sometimes, no matter how shitty things get, you have to just do a little dance. - Frank
|
| Llamadance |
Posted - 09/07/2005 : 04:27:40
Whoooooaaaaaaaaa no I'm not
No power in the 'verse can stop me
|
| starmekitten |
Posted - 09/07/2005 : 04:07:13
There's a nice interview with him here with some tracks to listen to if you're interested. It's a terribly sweet interview and general bio and I have much enjoyed reading it this morning. It's quite long though.
Erm, I had thought you were the kaiser chiefs biggest fan-na-na-na-na |
| Llamadance |
Posted - 09/07/2005 : 03:55:14
It may surprise you, but I'm glad the Kaiser Chiefs didn't win. I don't own any of these albums and haven't heard any of them all the way through, but the only albums I'd consider buying from what I have heard are KT Tunstall's, The Magic Numbers or maybe Maximo Park. Not heard anything by the winners yet, although I'll probably be sick of them within a few weeks.
hmm, so nothing particularly constructive to add really. [/postwhore]
No power in the 'verse can stop me
|
