Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
LOCALS ACTS HAVE EYES ON PRIZE
For those of you who dabble, the Northern Irish Music Prize can be very helpful. If you follow local music on a part time basis and perhaps have only a casual interest in the scene – a neat list of albums a bunch of industry folk have deemed the ‘best’ of the year can be handy. A great starting point, at the very least. Prizes like this get their fair share of stick, but they certainly shine a light on a bunch of acts many of you may not hear a peep about otherwise.
So here we are then, a guide to the twelve nominations for the Northern Irish album of the year for 2017. If you care – and music ain’t a competition so it’s okay if you don’t – the winner (selected by the same panel who put together the nominations) is announced at a ceremony on Friday November 11th. Three of the nominees will perform – Joshua Burnside, Robocobra Quartet and Arborist. The event’s second half will then feature a ‘Legend’ award presented to Vivian Campbell and a full live set from Last in Line.
– HOME BURIAL
The beauty and scope of this record is something to behold. In a world where
The National and John Grant do such great business, it’s baffling Mark Mccambridge, from Ballymena, isn’t revered the world over.
LISTEN TO – ‘A Man of My Age’ is just sublime. The lyrics, the musicianship and the production are just about perfect.
CHANCES? - It’s my own personal favourite – as you may have gathered. I’m surely not alone…..
– FOREVERLAND
By far the most established act on the list, Neil Hannon has been releasing records as The Divine Comedy for almost
30 years – and ‘Foreverland’ is his tenth. It’s unfashionably optimistic – fun, sentimental and occasionally daft. It’s also the finest Divine Comedy album in over a decade.
LISTEN TO – ‘Napoleon Complex’ is the fanfare opening, an overture of sorts, sounding huge. CHANCES? - If it wasn’t a Divine Comedy record, ‘Foreverland’ would be hot favourite. But the bigger acts don’t tend to win this type of award. – INVADERBAND
Adam Leonard, a Manc, has been in
Derry long enough that the maiden city claims him as their own. The album is a short, sharp collection of indie jangles and faintly bonkers lyrics. It’s also hugely entertaining and undeniably fun.
LISTEN TO – ‘Ship of Nothing’ – the opening track – sets you up nicely for a half hour rollercoaster of novel ideas and ridiculously catchy choruses.
CHANCES? - An outsider, certainly – but this is arguably the most unique album on the list, so you never know.
FLEAS & DIAMONDS
Chris Mcconaghy – another talent from
Derry City – is something of a journeyman, having collaborated with a number of notable musicians. His second record as a solo artiste is easily his best work, a proper album, perfectly pitched.
LISTEN TO – ‘’Everything Reminds Me Of You’ is the instant standout – lyrically bittersweet, musically on point.
CHANCES? - Gentle and sweet – this one has appeal for just about everyone.
– ARVO PARTY
– QUANTITATIVE EASING
Apparently Girls Names don’t go dark enough, so long time member Phil Quinn has a goth-electro side project
–
An album of blissful, left field electronica from Herb Magee, the former bass player with rock titans Lafaro was…quite the curveball.
LISTEN TO – It sort of needs to be listened in full, but “Grube” is the most up front and conventional piece of music. It’s also pretty bangin’.
CHANCES? - Probably quite low – this is relatively niche stuff after all – but it’s great that such an interesting record has been given this platform. called Gross Net. ‘Quantitative Easing’ is gloomy and industrial, devoid of any light.
LISTEN TO – ‘Citadel Ghosts’ sets the scene – a smoky five minutes of paranoia to get you going. It’s a pop song compared to some of what follows.
CHANCES? - It’s an incredible record, all things considered. Brave and uncompromising – like very little else. Perhaps a bit much for a prize like this, however.
ALL OCCASIONS
– EPHRATA
Partially written while travelling through Colombia, yet influenced by traditional
Irish – and Eastern European folk music
– Joshua has turned a colourful mess of ideas into something succinct and unique.
LISTEN TO – ‘Hologram’, the gloriously ramshackle campfire duet with Alana Henderson.
CHANCES? - Another wonderful album with broad appeal. Surely a favourite.
– MUSIC FOR
It’s a daft understatement to brand them
‘unique’, given they’re mashing up jazz, punk and the spoken word. Insightful lyrics and a cacophony of brass shouldn’t be such fun. LISTEN TO – ‘I wondered why, instead of calling me a critic, you called me critic’ is the first line we hear. For some reason, that opening moment has been stuck in my head almost a year.
CHANCES? - It’s the type of mad sounding record that wins this type of thing, almost for badness.
– RECKLESS HEART
Another tender voyage across the sea of heartache, made even more poignant by the fact that just as he was finishing the record, Bap was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Listen and grieve.
LISTEN TO – ‘I Should Have Said’ is the voice of immense regret and words unspoken.
CHANCES? - The premature loss of Bap Kennedy and this emotional swansong may impact on some discerning judges. DREAMING – AWAKE BUT ALWAYS
Deeply talented electronic composer makes a record about her Lurgan grandmother, Joyce Peel, and the heartbreaking advance of Alzheimer’s. Hannah responds with love and art.
LISTEN TO – ‘Tenderly’, a compassionate vision of the human spirit in the worst of times.
CHANCES? - Not this year. Hannah’s talent is still emerging. Her follow-up record, ‘Mary Casio’ is a strong contender for 2018!
– THIS IS NOWHERE
Just like that, Stevie Scullion zipped off to Chicago to record album number three alongside the legendary Steve
Albini. That said – those quirky little folk songs barely needed touched up.
LISTEN TO – ‘Ill Be Alright’ starts like a dinky little march, ends up oddly rousing and quietly anthemic. CHANCES? - If not this year, that’s okay. The follow up is out already – and it’s even better.
– WATERCOURSE
One of the most prolific bands in the country – this is their sixth album since forming in 2010. It’s also their most cohesive, the thirty minutes flying by in a haze of sparkly guitars and dreamy indie-pop.
LISTEN TO – ‘Into Nowhere’ is – like everything they do – blindingly simple. Hypnotic riff, woozy vocals, plenty of shuffle. You’re hooked.
CHANCES? - Everyone loves Sea Pinks – it’s surely impossible not to enjoy what they do. Not convinced enough will mark it as their favourite of the lot.