It could have been better (Anna Calvi should have won!) but it also could have been a lot worse (Adele) so it's OK.

There were some cracking albums on the list - but I don't think a single one of them ploughed the emotional depths of Let England Shake - lyrically and musically, it's miles ahead of the pack. One of those albums where, each time you play it, you hear something new, some instrument, some little nuance, that ignites your love of the song all over again.

 

I must admit, I've never been a fan of Polly, but Let England Shake is a career defining album. And one that, really, everybody should own.

To be fair with 'favourites' the judges are picking the album of 12 they think is best. It's natural for the favourite to be one which is very highly regarded and loved by many, so it should never really come as a surprise when they pick that album. I wouldn't say it's bottling it at all, the Mercury Prize is supposed to be about giving the award to the best album of the last 12 months. It's only natural that quite often the one that wins is the one that people expect to win.

A very worthy winner!! The first since the Mercury's inception 20 years ago (the start of her career also!) to win for a second time. I also thought that because she'd won it before that it was unlikely they'd give it to her, but in the end they had to give her credit for what is a very good and interesting album. Many congrats to Polly. :D

 

If you want to know who won the Popjustice Music Prize look away now:

Higher by The Saturdays

. :lol:

I'm glad that after the disappointing nominations they actually crowned a worthy winner. Easily the best record included.

Well done PJ! It was predictable but deserved as well. I have no problem with predictable winners if they're worth it.

Well, I have to say a fair winner. Well done to her.

 

re: Speech Debelle in 09, any believe it was a rig that year considering the amount of big names? Also what is she doing now....stacking shelves in Tesco or on a street corner? :D

To be fair, part of the interest towards Mercury Prize comes from those unexpected winners. They are WTF moments that keep people hooked on the whole thing (Gomez, Talvin Singh, Ms. Dynamite, Speech Debelle)

 

It'd be just boring if the favourite (and usually the best one) won every year.

 

It's just a show which needs ratings and media attention to keep going so it shouldn't be taken very seriously in the end.

The problem with any award like this is that, historically, if they make an error, it comes back to bite them.

 

There's the obvious Debelle incident a few years back.... but don't forget...... Amy Winehouse's Back To Black was shunned in favour of, ahem, The Klaxons, some years ago..... so if, say, Anna Calvi had won, 5 years from now, when people will still be buying and listening to PJ Harvey's masterpiece, people will be sneering at the winner of the 2011 award.

 

The errors they made this year were the 'try to please everyone' nominations... to have any Best of 2010 list minus HURTS, Wild Beasts or Massive Attack, well.... daft, really.

The problem is (or was) that each judge has one vote, so when Klaxons won it was split between three, Klaxons, Bat for Lashes and Amy Winehouse. Albums as good as Back To Black and Fur And Gold understandably split the vote between the judges that preferred the female singer/songwriter album which left the indie band winning by one vote. I can see why Klaxons won because the way the result is decided is flawed, but I still don't get why it was Klaxons in the first place.

 

I don't know if that's the method they still use but I think a points based way is better, each judge picks their favourite 3/5 albums from the list awarding points 3-1 or 5-1 with the album with the most points winning, as it's likely to be the one that's pleased most judges even if it's not necessarily their favourite.

 

Last night I came up with a list of my favourite British albums from the period, it contained one that was nominated, and I wouldn't rank it in my top 10.

 

Belle And Sebastian 'Write About Love'

Bombay Bicycle Club 'Flaws'

Elbow 'Build a Rocket Boys!'

Friendly Fires 'Pala'

Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie XX 'We're New Here'

The Go! Team 'Rolling Blackouts'

The Horrors 'Skying'

The Joy Formidable 'The Big Roar'

Mark Ronson & The Business International 'Record Collection'

The Vaccines 'What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?'

Wild Beasts 'Smother'

Wu Lyf 'Go Tell Fire To The Mountain'

Just been reminded that The Phantom Band were overlooked again. Did the panel think that by nominating King Creosote they couldn't nominate another decent Scottish act?

Oh...and why on earth weren't Mogwai in there? Same reason?

Sorry, double post, itchy finger....

Edited September 7, 201113 yr by richie

Oh...and why on earth weren't Mogwai in there? Same reason?

 

Dunno but they have better albums than Hardcore imo.

Last night I came up with a list of my favourite British albums from the period, it contained one that was nominated, and I wouldn't rank it in my top 10.

 

Bombay Bicycle Club 'Flaws'

Friendly Fires 'Pala'

Mark Ronson & The Business International 'Record Collection'

The Vaccines 'What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?'

 

have to be honest, these were 4 major disappointments for me over the past 12 months.....

'Pala' was a huge disappointment for me too. I was anticipating it so much after their excellent debut but when it finally arrived it all just seemed a bit limp.

Agreed.... Beautiful artwork, though...

I can't disagree that Pala isn't as good as their debut was, but I still think it's a cracking album. The Vaccines and Mark Ronson albums are two fantastic surprises for me, especially Mark Ronson's. I didn't have any interest in it at all and didn't even hear the first two singles, it wasn't until I heard the third somewhat belatedly that I downloaded it and I think it's a really good album.

 

Meanwhile, the head of CULTURE at Channel 4 has labelled PJ Harvey as an obscure album no one likes. The mind boggles.

Well, I have to say a fair winner. Well done to her.

 

re: Speech Debelle in 09, any believe it was a rig that year considering the amount of big names? Also what is she doing now....stacking shelves in Tesco or on a street corner? :D

Having her song murdered/re-worked by Dionne Bromfield and Tinchy Stryder :heehee:

I can't disagree that Pala isn't as good as their debut was, but I still think it's a cracking album. The Vaccines and Mark Ronson albums are two fantastic surprises for me, especially Mark Ronson's. I didn't have any interest in it at all and didn't even hear the first two singles, it wasn't until I heard the third somewhat belatedly that I downloaded it and I think it's a really good album.

Meanwhile, the head of CULTURE at Channel 4 has labelled PJ Harvey as an obscure album no one likes. The mind boggles.

That explains why Channel 4 is nothing like the channel it used to be.