Let's Have Another Mercury Music Prize Predict0r Thread

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Everyone hates the Mercury Music Prize and rightly so. This week the NME have done a bit of a feature on the glorious genius that is Patrick Wolf, which is a glimmer of sunshine in their little universe of uselessness, but they've crammed in the words "Mercury Music Prize" into the article and this is a WORRY, not least because the album isn't out for a fortnight yet.

Do we think Mr Wolf is in with a shot and will his impeccable excellence be tarnished in a noveau-electro-folk-BJONKERS-ness kinda way if he is? Or are Girls Aloud a cert? Who should make the list, who will make the list, what do you think of the award in general etc etc etc? I know this has been discussed quite a lot before, but not this year, maybe.

(I don't know exactly when the nominees are announced so this is probably very premature and poorly-timed but it could be an excuse to combine the twin ILM obsessions of predictions and lists, so hurrah!)

― Alex in Rotherham (Alex in Doncaster), Thursday, 3 July 2003 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

can't we just ignore it completely? it really is totally irrelevant. i will however indulge you just to predict that Dizzee Rascal WON'T get nominated but Audio Bullys WILL.

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 3 July 2003 14:00 (twenty-two years ago)

what is the latest release date for entries? If it's still open for a month or so, my guess is that the dizzee album will be in there, and that this will be the one the ilm massive votes for

sorry, thats really obvious i know, but i'm havinbg trouble thinking of any recent british albums that are obvious candidates.

― Robin Goad (rgoad), Thursday, 3 July 2003 14:01 (twenty-two years ago)

ah! we were typing these messages at the same time i think....

― Robin Goad (rgoad), Thursday, 3 July 2003 14:02 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm gonna guess that it'll be somebody really lame (and young) who will be opening for somebody else really lame (only old) on an upcoming North American tour, which will undersell upon which either the old or young lame-o will tell whoever "America just doesn't have the attention for good music anymore."

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 3 July 2003 14:03 (twenty-two years ago)

i will be preparing my mega list - soon, as in this weekend.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 3 July 2003 14:09 (twenty-two years ago)

anything released from the first week of August 2002 to the last week of July 2003.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 3 July 2003 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)

I just hope Girls Aloud are nominated. It's time that pop acts got treated with the same credibility that rock acts get. It's clearly the best UK album out in the past year.
It will also be a two fingered salute to those who argue that TV created bands are wrong.
Wouldn't it be fantastic if this year the Mercury Music Prize just this once had NO guitar bands!

― Bill Z, Thursday, 3 July 2003 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)

It's clearly the best UK album out in the past year.

clear as mud

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 3 July 2003 14:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Girls Aloud are a better rock band than anyone else in Britain, anyway! (Well, they do have a song with an acoustic guitar that kind of sounds like Oasis... isn't that ENOUGH?).

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 3 July 2003 14:17 (twenty-two years ago)

everyone'll shoot me down for this, but I reckon 'Hometime' by Alison Moyet should be in there.
Great songs, groundbreaking production. And that voice.

― russ t, Thursday, 3 July 2003 14:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Hellooooooooooooooo The Thrills. And probably the Darkness too, for fun.

Fallacy is also fairly likely, I'd've thought.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Thursday, 3 July 2003 14:24 (twenty-two years ago)

A reminder the award is open to UK & Republic of Ireland artists. Patrick was born in County Cork - according to his website.

Strange that he was referred in more than one mag last year as being from Paris, then it was assumed he was French ! to clarify he was living in Paris !

They went to play in Paris, and on this
day, he met a spirit medium telling Patrick to rename himself after a wolf and
the transformation from boy to Wolf was complete.

bio section:
http://www.patrickwolf.com

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 3 July 2003 14:25 (twenty-two years ago)

British Sea Power and the Super Furries too. They won't win though.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Thursday, 3 July 2003 14:26 (twenty-two years ago)

just for the record:

http://www.mercurymusicprize.com/
22 July
Announcement of the 12 Albums of the Year

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 3 July 2003 15:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Betcha Simian get a nomination.

― Jacob (Jacob), Thursday, 3 July 2003 15:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Simian... hmm. Outsiders, but possible as the token "how?" nominee. Though even there it'll probably be edged out by the Kills.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Thursday, 3 July 2003 17:31 (twenty-two years ago)

dizzee rascal will def get a nomination seeing as he made the bbc shortlist of top 10 breakthrough acts this year

― ssean, Thursday, 3 July 2003 17:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Kills ... what a joke band they were ! disposable limited-indie-rock-by-numbers ! The Kills will not get shortlisted !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 3 July 2003 17:36 (twenty-two years ago)

I will defend the Kills' first EP as being very, very good indeed. But the album got very boring very quickly.

Also - this is the year the Mercuries prove their relevance because The Delgados WILL SHOW ALL YOU FUXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXORS BIGSTYLE when they ROMP it chiz.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Thursday, 3 July 2003 19:44 (twenty-two years ago)

news copy: Swygart loves Hate !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 3 July 2003 19:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Dizzee Rascal will be nominated, but won't win. The Thrills will be there as well, Girls Aloud is an interesting call. Was "Spice" nominated back in the 90s? I have a weird feeling its going to be "A Rush of Blood To The Head".

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 4 July 2003 08:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I predict it as something like:

Dizzee
Audio Bullys
Sugababes or Girls Aloud
A jazz album
A classical album
Athlete
Fallacy
Radiohead or Coldplay
Martina Topley Bird (if her album's out in time) or David Holmes and The Free Association
The Thrills
The Darkness
The Delgados

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 4 July 2003 09:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Spice was nominated in 1997, Everything Changes by Take That was also, in 94 I think. I don't see any reason why tha Girlz shouldn't make the list unless Sugababes or someone nudge them off as alternative Token Pop Nomination. The GA album is better than any of these others.

― Alex in Rotherham (Alex in Doncaster), Friday, 4 July 2003 09:52 (twenty-two years ago)

yeh, i like Groove Armada too (sorry)

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 4 July 2003 10:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Agreed re Hate, BSP and Holmer's new thing (since it's fab).

Also:

oh.

Just realised the majority of my favourite records of the last 12 months aren't from the UK.

Anyway, Hate will be pipped at the post by something involving more loud guitars. Won't be anything dancey/r'n'b cos they never do two in a row, if memory serves.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Friday, 4 July 2003 10:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Fallacy = incredibly unlikely.
Girls Aloud = not even nominated, let alone winners.
Dizzee = nominated, but not winning
Audio Bullys a pretty strong contender to win (even tho they're completely shit - or perhaps BECAUSE they're completely shit), but I reckon it'll be some guitar band (remember, rock's big again and Ms Dynamite won last year...) Whether it counts for anything is another question entirely...

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Friday, 4 July 2003 10:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Sugababes
Radiohead
possibly Moloko
Athlete
possibly Coldplay

― russ t, Friday, 4 July 2003 10:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Are Ladytron eligible? Have never quite grasped if the entire band have to be from UK/Ireland, or just 50%/the majority of them.

― Alex in Rotherham (Alex in Doncaster), Friday, 4 July 2003 11:02 (twenty-two years ago)

goood question Alex !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 4 July 2003 11:04 (twenty-two years ago)

one of Ladytron is Bulgarian - another spanner in the works!

Goldfrapp will surely in there - i was a bit surprised when 'Felt Mountain' didnt win actually.

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 4 July 2003 11:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Shit! Ladytron and Goldfrapp! How the fuck did I forget both of them? Goldfrapp are well in with a shot, sez I.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Friday, 4 July 2003 11:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Maybe if the remaining three-quarters of Ladytron are from these isles they'll still be in with a shot, although I'm not sure if Mr Wu actually is. Obviously it'd be really great if Ladytron won, except if they did they'd be DOOMED (to have the words "Mercury Music Prize winners -" prefixed to their name forever and ever). So probably best not.

― Alex in Rotherham (Alex in Doncaster), Friday, 4 July 2003 11:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Last night, I did a mega sweep of eligible possibles: August 2002 - end of July 2003 albums, using my album archive details on my website/ weblog, Amazon.co.uk and some end year of polls for 2002.

These are my predictions/ suggestions:

12 predictions what the panel will select:

Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head (Parlophone)
Dizzee Rascal - Boy In Da Corner (XL) July 21st
Four Tet - Rounds (Domino)
Beth Gibbons and Rustin' Man - Out of Season (Go Beat)
Paddy McAloon - I Trawl The Megahertz (EMI-Liberty)
My Computer - Vulnerabilia (13 Amp)
Panjabi MC - The Album (Instant Karma)
Radiohead - Hail to the Thief (Parlophone)
Shy FX & T-Power - Set It Off (Fffr)
Slovo - Nommo (RuffLife Records)
One token classical: TBA
One token Jazz/ Folk: Dave Milligan Trio - Late Show (Caber)

12 possibles that the panel could well select:

Asian Dub Foundation - Enemy of the Enemy (Virgin)
Audio Bullys - Ego War (Source)
Blur - Think Tank (Food) [I thought it was aimless and wishy washy garabage only one track caught my attention on the Xfm full album playback, but it’s the type of thing MMP panel will say is arty as it combines Northern African sounds]
The Delgados - Hate (Mantra)
Peter Gabriel - Up (Real World)
Goldfrapp - Black Cherry (Mute)
Ladytron - Light and Magic (Telstar)
Massive Attack - 100th Window (Virgin)
Mint Royale - Dancehall Places (Faith & Hope)
Gerard Presencer - Chasing Reality (Act)
Saint Etienne - Finisterre (Mantra)
Underworld - A Hundred Days Off (V2)

DJ Martian's Outsiders
25 albums that deserve attention but will probably be overlooked, [or maybe not even entered into the competition in the first place] - if any make it to the official Mercury Music Prize Shortlist - I will be pleasantly surprised.

1. Aereogramme - Sleep and Release (Chemikal Underground)
2. Axis of Perdition - The Ichneumon Method (Rage of Achilles)
3. Bad Company - Shot Down on Safari (Bad Company Recordings)
4. Black Box Recorder - Passionoia (One Little Indian)
5. Circulation - Colours 2 (Circulation) July 7th
6. Deadly Avenger - Deep Red (illicit)
7. Digitonal - 23 Things Fall Apart (Toytronic)
8. The Durutti Column - Someone Else's Party (Fulfil/ Universal)
9. Matt Elliott - The Mess We Made (Domino)
10. Robin Guthrie - Imperial (Bella Union)
11. Juryman - Escape To Where (Crammed Discs)
12. J-Walk - A Night on the Rocks (East West)
13. King of Woolworths - L'Illustration Musicale (Mantra)
14. Meanwhile, Back In Communist Russia - My Elixir:My Poison (Truck)
15. Medicine8 - Iron Stylings (Regal Records)
16. No-Man - Together We're Stranger (K-Scope/Snapper)
17. Pest - Necessary Measures (Ninja Tune)
18. Porcupine Tree - In Absentia (Lava)
19. Ed Rush & Optical - The Original Doctor Shade (Virus)
20. 16B - How to Live 100 Years (Hooj Choons)
21. Swag - No Such Thing (Version)
22. Swayzak - Dirty Dancing (Studio K7)
23. David Sylvian - Blemish (Samadhisound)
24. Void - Posthuman (Nocturnal Art Productions)
25. Patrick Wolf - Lycanthropy (Faith and Industry) July 21st

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 4 July 2003 11:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Just realised one we all missed - The Libertines. Certain to keep BSP out of the equation if nothing else.

And The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, as a token nod to 'rocking out', like.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 4 July 2003 12:03 (twenty-two years ago)

If St Etienne or BBR made the list, how ace would that be? I think tha Et and Luke Haines would both be considered "too 1993" for the panel but I'd be very pleasantly surprised to be proved wrong here.

― Alex in Rotherham (Alex in Doncaster), Friday, 4 July 2003 12:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Considering how much I nominally hate the Mercury Music Prize I seem to be getting unduly enthused about it here. To reiterate: I dislike the Mercury Music Prize but I love the theoretical and unlikely potential-nominee lists of myself and others.

― Alex in Rotherham (Alex in Doncaster), Friday, 4 July 2003 12:07 (twenty-two years ago)

As "rock music" is the big media thing compared to dance music - what struck me was the lack of strong rock album candidates from British/ Irish artists, [discounting the various retro types].

I dislike Coldplay for instance but they are so well liked by certain critics that they will get the nod, artists such as Aereogramme and Porcupine Tree are likely to be ignored.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 4 July 2003 12:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Some to consider which I don't think have been mentioned yet:

Annie Lennox - a strong contender I'd have thought.
Daniel Bedingfield - original was possibly too early but has been re-released this year, does that count?
Big Brovaz.

Eventual winner: Coldplay or Radiohead.
"Real" winner in terms of uplift in sales: The Thrills & BSP.
Not a chance: Girls Aloud or Sugababes.

― reclusive hero (reclusive hero), Friday, 4 July 2003 12:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I reckon the Sugababes will definitely be nominated... and could even win it.

They went down a storm at Glastonbury, and they seem to have crossed over from the marginal pop market to the wider older audience with great ease.

They could win it, I think.

― russ t, Friday, 4 July 2003 13:06 (twenty-two years ago)

*gasP* Big frickin' Brovaz! God I've got a brain like a sieve.

Martian, you really rate Pest and Deadly Avenger? Both pretty 6/10 debuts, surely...

Now how's about Hint or Amon Tobin? Then I'd be listening.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Friday, 4 July 2003 14:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Amon Tobin was born in Brazil !

Deadly Avenger is Britain's answer to DJ Shadow - superb !

not heard the full Hint album !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 4 July 2003 14:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Amon Tobin was born in Brazil!

Well, that's true enough, but he's as English as they come. How do the Mercury kids define it? Is it like national football team selection or more like, where have you spent most of your life, sort of thing? Just curious.

If Deadly Avenger is the Brit Shadow I'm a fucking fish. That album's clinical, derivative, a half-dead test-tube baby, basically. Yes, a couple of killer tracks on there, but to compare him to Shadow...man, that's just plain *rude* to Mr Davis.

Definitely listen to the Hint album, it's mighty fine.

How's about The Hidden Cameras for Mercurys 2004?

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Friday, 4 July 2003 18:23 (twenty-two years ago)

They're from Canada...

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 4 July 2003 18:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh. I'm not very good at this am I?

Although...are there two Hidden Cameras? I'm talking about the Ecce Homo, "A Miracle" ones...

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Friday, 4 July 2003 18:39 (twenty-two years ago)

i think blur have a decent chance of being nominated. of the ones mentioned so far, i'd say the ones with a very strong chance are: the thrills, four tet, ladytron, audio bullys, beth gibbons and rustin' man, girls aloud. i have a feeling one of coldplay and radiohead will be left off the list (neither of them will win it).

ones mentioned i really don't think will make it:

delgados, goldfrapp, underworld(i think the mercury has made a bit more of an effort since 99 not to just nominate the same people over and over), super furries.

the libertines could well be nominated, they'd be "britain's new-rock-revolution representative".

"Well, that's true enough, but he's as English as they come. How do the Mercury kids define it? Is it like national football team selection or more like, where have you spent most of your life, sort of thing? Just curious."

bjork has been nominated before, so i don't think you have to be 100% british born-and-bred to be nominated (on that note - could manitoba be nominated?)

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 4 July 2003 21:14 (twenty-two years ago)

*consults rocklist.net*

actually, bjork hasn't been nominated before, i'm talking nonsense.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 4 July 2003 21:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Broadcast or Richard X for Mercury 2004, anyone? Or maybe I should just stop it now.

― Alex in Rotherham (Alex in Doncaster), Saturday, 5 July 2003 06:41 (twenty-two years ago)

wot no Montgolfiers?

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Saturday, 5 July 2003 08:52 (twenty-two years ago)

and no Jet?

― Chris Radford (Chris Radford), Saturday, 5 July 2003 09:16 (twenty-two years ago)

no chance of Broadcast ever getting nominated for anything ever sadly

― stevem (blueski), Saturday, 5 July 2003 11:25 (twenty-two years ago)

dammit

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Sunday, 6 July 2003 10:29 (twenty-two years ago)

jet are australian

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Sunday, 6 July 2003 13:19 (twenty-two years ago)

and we're so, so sorry

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Sunday, 6 July 2003 22:23 (twenty-two years ago)

the factor you're forgetting is that you have to pay to be entered in the Mercury Music Prize, ie little indepentdent labels are less likely to win cos they can't be arsed to pay the entry fee.

― jellybean (jellybean), Sunday, 6 July 2003 22:48 (twenty-two years ago)

my hunch says Radiohead win, politics etc etc etc. I don't even want Audio Bullys to win and I quite like the album.

― Ronan (Ronan), Sunday, 6 July 2003 23:10 (twenty-two years ago)

any more predictions? or personal choices? before we all moan about the announced shortlist due next Tuesday.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 18 July 2003 15:50 (twenty-two years ago)

lisa mafia will be nominated. i've changed my mind about SFA - getting good reviews, so it has a chance.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Saturday, 19 July 2003 19:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Have Mis-teeq got a chance of being nominated? They could edge out GA and Sugababes. The weekened broadsheets did features and stuff on them when "Eye Candy" came out so surely that must put them in with a chance.

― Nick H, Saturday, 19 July 2003 19:55 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

I think Dizzee will get nominaed and win. Oh wait - that was last year. At least I was right.

― barry, Saturday, 21 August 2004 07:47 (twenty-one years ago)

three years pass...

List's published tomorrow; let's have your predictions.

― Scik Mouthy, Monday, 21 July 2008 15:01 (seventeen years ago)

see new thread

― djmartian, Monday, 21 July 2008 15:02 (seventeen years ago)

Patrick Wolf will never get seen again?

― Mark G, Monday, 21 July 2008 15:02 (seventeen years ago)

Ah balls.

― Scik Mouthy, Monday, 21 July 2008 15:04 (seventeen years ago)

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