that is not a bad shortlist there... a million times more interesting than last year...

"Who deserves to win the Choice Music Prize?"

UnaRocks might have a good insight on the winner - she's one of the judges!

I was listening to the announcement on Tom Dunne last night & he was whining on, lamenting the fact that Future Kings of Spain had not been nominated, claiming the album was "pure genius"... I suppose, if Delorentos can make it... anyhow, my vote's with Cathy Davey - I really didn't think that album would be up to much - the lead single off it (Ruben?) is a total rip off Elvis "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame".. so much so, I'll be surprised if there's not a court case! Also I don't usually like female cutesy-wootsey style vocals, but here, for the most part, they work nicely with some pretty decent tunes. My 2nd place goes to Roisin Murphy. Again, I was surprised by this album as the one before it was god-awful.

"My 2nd place goes to Roisin Murphy. Again, I was surprised by this album as the one before it was god-awful." - I thought Ruby Blue was pretty cool. I guess it was more one for Matthew Herbert fans than Murphy fans, in a way.

Herbie Hancock fans too!! Ah, Una.. no chance of a hint on yr winner? I'll be down Paddy Powers later.. the odds at the minute are;

Delorentos 'In Love With Detail' 2 - 1

David Geraghty 'Kill Your Darlings' 7 - 1

Kila 'Gambler's Ballet' 16 - 1

Cathy Davey 'Tales of Silversleeve' 7 - 2

Stanley Super 800 'Louder & Clearer' 12 - 1

Adrian Crowley 'Long Distance Swimmer' 16 - 1

Roisin Murphy 'Overpowered' 4 - 1

Super Extra bonus party 'Super Extra Bonus Party' 14 - 1

Dry County 'Unexpected Falls' 20 - 1

The Flaws 'Achieving Vagueness' 5 - 1

i think adrian crowley is a good outside bet... i'dve had delorentos and cathy davey as favourites alright but quite a few of the judges (una included) are fans of the crowley album... 3rd or 4th favourite suits him better... his odds will come in... mark my words...

Nervousystem was a great album. It was certainly better than what The Flaws, Delorentos, Dave Geraghty and Dry County had to offer, but then again there has to be a representation of numerous genres and not just rock so I can understand why it might have missed out.

How else can you possibly explain Kila (nobody should ever try trad rap!) and *pukes in mouth* Super Extra Bonus Party?

And no Paddy Casey? Ireland's most famous singing sheep?

Or Westlife? Where else could you see a spectacular such as the amazing singing half men/ half chair?

Or Damien Dempsey.. the only Irish born northside Dubliner with a semi-jamacian accent?

Any regular reader of her blog should have an inkling about which album she's likely to initally be pushing for.

True, but she is only "one" of the judegs...not all....

i would say super extra bonus party at 14-1 is tasty

delorentos would be the other bet

Id like Cathy Davey to win it...
Or maybe Adrian Crowley (BUT HE WONT)

I wouldn't bet on deloretoss even if the race was fixed.

Thats funny. When she performed that on the Late Late or Tubridy or whatever it was, my dad said it was a total rip off of an Elvis song too! But I just took that as ramblings of a senile old man... You may have a point!

I tell ya - if Elvis' publishers get wind of the song, she'll have the cacks sued off her... the song is a complete rip-off. I reckon a bet on her ending up in court by the end of the year is safer than on on her winning this award.. though I hope she does, not only for the music, but to go towards the legal fees!!!

Here, have a listen to a sample of the Elvis track here...

http://www.mp3.com/albums/370839/summary.html

It's around the 30th song on the list.. let me know what you think (& let yr dad know he's not as demented as you thought!!)

Actually, there's a better clip here - it's the section towards the end of the clip....

http://mog.com/music/Elvis_Presley/King/%2528marie%2527s_The_Name%2529_His_Latest_Flame

A friend of mine is also one of the judges! It's a small world.

Anyway, the problem with these awards (as with the Mercury Music Prize in the UK) is that, by trying to be as eclectic as possible, you end up having a few albums in there that are not actually all that good. Thus, two brilliant rock albums released last year- FKOS's 'nervousystem' and God Is An Astronaut's 'Far From Refuge' are sacrificed to make room for a pop or trad album.
The absence of these two albums from the list is quite perverse when you look at what actually made the list......what the execrable Super Extra Bonus Party are doing there I will never know. Was Nialler9 holding the judges to ransom? In all honesty is Kila's album worthy of inclusion. Trad music is vile and Kila are the worst exponents. Also it's a complete waste having Roisin Murphy there. Does she need the exposure or, indeed, the money? She's been based in the UK for the last 20 years. Wouldn't it have been better to nominate a younger up and coming Irish female artist (based in Ireland) who could do with the money and attention? Isn't that the point of the award-to promote the indigenous Irish music scene? Jenny Lindfors instantly springs to mind.

I had no desire to buy any of the other albums in 2007 but what I have heard from them they are quite good but hardly essential. Cathy Davey's twee, child-like 'cutesy-wootsey' vocal style is an acquired taste but the there is no denying she is a very talented artist, Delorentos are decent but seem a bit contrived, Geraghty is a tad dull, I have only heard one track from Crowley-it was ok...my choices would be Dry County and the Flaws-the former have a freshness and are trying to do something different The Flaws, despite their terrible name, are just a great, unpretentious band and have a great vocalist.

Winner will be: Adrian Crowley

a good list, i didn't really rate future kings of spain.

as songwriting goes my favourites would be cathy davey, adrian crowley and delorentos.

as "sound" or "interesting-ness" (if you get me) i'd go for dry county, Kila, or Super Extra Bonus Party.

all very talented acts with good albums, its good to see it.
I'll have to purchase one or two, haven't really heard Roisin Murphy.

i'd say it'll go to Davey or Crowley.

Gar

Dry County for me.

I'd be happy with any of that list winning, though Kila being included seems like the equivalent of the token jazz act on the Mercury list. Shame that neither Mumblin' Deaf Ro, Jenny Lindfors nor Nina Hynes made the shortlist, but that's proof of how strong 2007 was for music in Ireland. Glad that Roisin's there and shouty male singer-songers aren't.

As for betting on the winner; a mug's game - being favourite or outsider means nothing, as last year's result showed...

...then you'd only be a mug if you voted for the favourite... vote for the outsider and you've made an intelligent choice...

...says your reasoning...

My reasoning says: vote for whoever you want - just keep your money for buying sweets.

when i said 'vote' i of course meant 'put your money on'... your reasoning was flawed... you obviously have a scatter shot approach to having a bet?

:wink emoticon: :tongue in cheek emoticon: etc... etc...

We won't fall out over it *Paisley-McGuinness smiley emoticon*

*Paisley-McGuinness smiley emoticon*

I'd have to go with Cathy Davey as the most likely winner. I do like that Dry County album though, but I can't see it winning. Its only when you see lists like this that you realise how much is going on in Irish music at the moment. Though I'd never really thought of Roisin Murphy as being 'Irish' in that sense (I know she's from Wicklow etc - but having been in Moloko just makes her seem more international - if that makes any sense?)

Oh dear, to call Reuben a rip-off of this is spurious and just plain silly. The tempo and piano are admittedly similar to 'His latest flame', but the verses and chorus are nothing alike. But i'm sure Elvis wouldn't be too upset if he was alive as he didn't write it. If every song which was similar to another resulted in a court case then courts would be flooded.

Anyhoo i would like to see Ms. Davey win. Also does anybody think Juno Falls' 'Weightless' deserved a nomination?

Definitely - only listened to it once or twice, but it's a very likable album. Wouldn't be a winner though, I don't think

Looks like Cathy Davey is the people's choice at the moment on the poll...

This thread now locked. Over here you need to step for discussion of the Choice Music Prize now that it has been awarded.