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Biffy Clyro, I Am Kloot, Paul Weller. It's the 2010 Mercury Music Prize.

Started by actwithoutwords, July 20, 2010, 03:39:25 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Serge

Quote from: Bennygaylord on July 30, 2010, 12:36:20 AM
The XX's album is amazing. If it's overplayed, it ain't the band's fault.

But it is the band's fault for making it so bland and uninteresting in the first place.

DJ One Record

Quote from: Serge on July 30, 2010, 10:38:04 AM
But it is the band's fault for making it so bland and uninteresting in the first place.

It is quite skeletal as far as albums go. "Bland and uninteresting" is a little unfair, as I think the rather stark and restrained arrangements are what actually stand out in the current pop climate, but I can see how it doesn't really hold up to repeat listens. The songs are a bit too minimal and not immersive enough.

If nothing else I think they're at least a promising band (hence why they'd be worthy of a Mercury in my eyes), but they'll definitely need to push things further on their next release.

Johnny Yesno

Quote from: DJ One Record on July 21, 2010, 06:51:11 PM
I think The xx based their latest music video on your very experience:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PElhV8z7I60

That track reminds me of the worst excesses of Trans Am's ironic 80s phase in 2002. For example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxIL6dNnQf4&feature=related

Serge

Quote from: DJ One Record on July 30, 2010, 10:57:56 AM"Bland and uninteresting" is a little unfair

Well, I should qualify that as 'bland and uninteresting to me', though I'm plainly in the minority, as it was our best selling record last year by a mile, and is still shifting in bucketloads.

Subtle Mocking

That must mean I'm in the minority too. I've tried to like it, I really really have. But it's just so...empty.


Phil_A

Hmm. The xx tracks I've heard have been okay, but I don't think I could listen to a whole album of that. That whole affected ennui thing they have going on is going to get old quickly, I suspect. "Do you expect us to, like, actually move around on stage while we're performing? Whatever."

Serge

If you want to see a band that makes The XX look like dynamic Iggy Pop-style stage rampagers, you should see These New Puritans live. While I still think that 'Hidden' is likely to make my Top Ten albums of the year, onstage, they lack pretty much every attribute that would make a live act interesting. It doesn't help that their lead singer seems to be one of the most pathologically shy people I've ever seen.

vrailaine

These New Puritans have that really attractive keyboard girl to make up for any live shortcomings though. Just stare at her for the hour.

non capisco

Quote from: Serge on July 31, 2010, 12:30:32 PM
If you want to see a band that makes The XX look like dynamic Iggy Pop-style stage rampagers, you should see These New Puritans live. While I still think that 'Hidden' is likely to make my Top Ten albums of the year, onstage, they lack pretty much every attribute that would make a live act interesting. It doesn't help that their lead singer seems to be one of the most pathologically shy people I've ever seen.

I've seen These New Puritans twice, both times supporting British Sea Power who whatever you think of their music are never boring live. I'm all for louche ennui but These New Puritans looked like they'd rather be anywhere else in the world than on stage, like surly uncommunicative teenagers on a work experience placement.

The xx do move around a bit, the male singer moves around like Tony LeMesmer. I kept expecting him to go 'sssshhhhhh!' and attempt to saw the other main one in half.

alan nagsworth

S'just another excuse for us all to moan about the state of the indie scene today really, innit. No one talks about the award more than a week after the winner has been announced. We're just staying one step ahead of the curve by bemoaning it before it even happens.

The XX are really playing to that "I'm the soulless life of the party" vibe which seems to represent the Pitchfork/AmericanApparel/HipsterRunoff Snark Generation. The black clothing, the deadpan delivery (particularly Oliver Sim's) and the skeletal nature of their songs really sum up 2010's Apathy Sound.

DJ One Record



Icehaven

No surprise there at all, there's been a cold logic to every Mercury winner for years (admittedly except last year). Given the expense labels have to go to to get an act on the shortlist in the first place, a nomination alone is becoming a standard for established acts who need a credibility boost, who never win, and for newer bands who are doing OK but are anticipating a particular kind of career trajectory, who usually win (the mention of British Sea Power above is appropriate as I've been following them for years, and there was much gnashing of teeth when they weren't nominated for their debut, and much celebration when they were for DYLRM a few years ago. Not that we ever expected them to win, Elbow were obviously a shoo-in) The perfect Mercury winner is the one (or maybe one of 2 or 3) on the list most likely to turn the critical and cult appeal they already have into the commercial success which has for the most part eluded them. To do this they have to have a definite mainstream appeal as well as being credible and critically acclaimed (perfect eg Elbow, hence the shoo-in), which will serve them well when winning brings them to the attention of 30-60 year olds who are keen to try and keep up with music, and still actually pay for it (and buy actual albums) who use the Mercury as a guideline as to what the hell to listen to as they don't have the time or inclination to follow that many bands or listen to much new stuff these days. You know what they say, if you only buy 2 albums this year, at least one of them will probably win the Mercury.

Serge

I was really hoping Weller would win, not because I like his album, but simply because it would pissed so many people off. My boss attended the awards and has been twittering away about it. Actually, it would have been nice for Wild Beasts to have won, as they could probably have done with the publicity more than The XX, and for making what I consider a better album.

falafel

My thoughts exactly, Serge. Wild Beasts could have done with that. 20k isn't much though is it?

Subtle Mocking

The xx will probably spend that 20k on henna and eyeliner and distressed ballet pumps.

Serge

Quote from: falafel on September 08, 2010, 12:24:18 AM
My thoughts exactly, Serge. Wild Beasts could have done with that. 20k isn't much though is it?

Well, it'd get me out of a whole heap a' debt, so I wouldn't sniff at it. Though now you mention it, it's been twenty grand ever since the awards began nearly 20 years ago - have they never heard of inflation?

El Unicornio, mang

20 grand is barely enough to pay off a student loan, and divided up between 4-5 people, it's peanuts. Also, they've made some awful decisions over the years (M People and Roni Size over Blur/Pulp and Radiohead, really?)

DJ One Record

Quote from: El Unicornio, mang on September 08, 2010, 01:20:41 AM
Also, they've made some awful decisions over the years (M People and Roni Size over Blur/Pulp and Radiohead, really?)

Not to mention, of course, last year's winner Speech Debelle.

Reading up on her recently, it seems not only did she ditch her label Big Dada for not being able to market and distribute her album to the extent of other Mercury winners (only 10,000 copies sold), but she even got booed off stage at a Take That SingStar launch event compered by - yep, you guessed it - James Corden:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIqHE-_qORU

(the 'fun' starts at 2:35)

chand

Quote from: El Unicornio, mang on September 08, 2010, 01:20:41 AMAlso, they've made some awful decisions over the years (M People and Roni Size over Blur/Pulp and Radiohead, really?)

Who cares though? Blur, Pulp and Radiohead were already successful, and weren't exactly destroyed by not winning the prize. At least when Roni Size or Talvin Singh won it it helped put their music to a wider audience, even if both of them had a limited mainstream shelf-life. We don't really need another award for Radiohead, do we?

Subtle Mocking

Kid A didn't even get nominated and it's easily one of the best records of the decade. I think Badly Drawn Boy won that year.

purlieu

It's the only Radiohead album since OK Computer not to be nominated, though.


purlieu

Yes, probably.  I meant "it's the only album not to be nominated since OK Computer came out", but it got confusing.
It didn't help that I originally put Kid A, either.