Ah, another year, another Choice Music Prize shortlist….and another chance for fans of Irish alternative music to go bleedin’ mental that their favourite band wasn’t on the list. Last year, it was the inclusion of Dublin pop act The Script that got everyone’s underwear in a twist – and with good reason; this year, it’s the inclusion of Laura Izibor and Bellx1, and the ‘non inclusion’ of bands such as BATS and Patrick Kelleher that’s got people blogging and tweeting about the nominations.
Here’s the full list:
And So I Watch You From Afar “And So I Watch You From Afar” (Smalltown America)
Bell X1 “Blue Lights On The Runway” (BellyUp)
Codes “Trees Dream in Algebra” (EMI)
Adrian Crowley “Season of the Sparks” (Chemikal Underground)
Dark Room Notes “We Love You Dark Matter” (Gonzo)
The Duckworth Lewis Method “The Duckworth Lewis Method” (1969/Divine Comedy Records)
Julie Feeney “Pages” (Mittens)
Valerie Francis “Slow Dynamo” (VF)
Laura Izibor “Let The Truth Be Told” (Atlantic)
The Swell Season “Strict Joy” (Plateau)
The fighting/discussion is going on here on the On The Record blog right now, so do weigh in with your two cent if you’re so inclined. The more of us that engage in the debate, the more fun and interesting this becomes.
Going by the judges (below), I’d wager that it will be a ‘mainstream-ish’ band that will win, perhaps The Swell Season or The Duckworth Lewis Method. But it would be fantastic to see Valerie Francis or Adrian Crowley, or ASIWYFA take home the prize, in my opinion – but they do have some competition.
One good thing that of course comes of being nominated is that it brings a band more attention from the media and music fans, so the lesser well-known bands on this list must be doubly excited to be included.
And although music is about music, it’s also about opinions, and in Ireland we have plenty of those. So let’s get arguing….
Judges:
Martin Burns (News of the World)
Josh Clarke (i105-i107, Galway)
Roisin Dwyer (Hot Press)
Tony Fenton (Today FM)
Cathal Funge (Phantom 105.2, Dublin)
Padraic Halpin (Ragged Words)
Sophie Gorman (Irish Independent)
John McMahon (2fm)
Rob O’Connor (Beat 102-103, Waterford)
Eva Staic (Spin 1038, Dublin)
Chris Wasser (Evening Herald)
Aoife Woodlock (Other Voices)
The awards ceremony will take place on 3 March 2010.
Sweet Oblivion 
I think I’m up for Adrian Crowley
It’s gone mental over there now. David Kitt waded in haha.
Haha, the arguments about the Choice are always far more entertaining than the award itself! As the name of the award indicates – and as you say yerself, Aoife – it does all boil down to subjective opinions at the end of the day. I still think it’s nothing short of criminal that none of Hunter-Gatherer/Holy Roman Army/Patrick Kelleher got the nod.
Speaking on behalf/in defence of Pádraic on the judging panel, I can assure you these three would all have been in his own personal top 10. The shortlist as it stands is a bit safe, conservative, bland, boring IMO. I dunno, maybe the Choice’s scope is too broad – I mean, technically speaking U2 were in the running this year.
Having said all of that, Crowley or ASIWYFA for the win. And long may the hilarious bickering continue! Never mind the nominees – Paddy Power should be giving us odds on Kittser Vs. Carroll!
There should be a cagefight with Kittser vs Carroll, but they’d only be allowed use porridge and baked beans to make their point 😉
Agree that it is all subjective alright…and people are losing the rag a bit over who’s on/not on it. That’s fair enough, of course, but I think there’s a big disparity between what the Choice prize provides and what people want it to provide…
People seem to imagine it’s the anti-Meteors, but it isn’t really.
Also, I wonder if the judges did listen to most of or all of the albums released last year? Perhaps the scope is too broad, as you say.
My other half suggested last night that the judges should be told a year in advance, and get a copy of each new Irish album as the year went on. That would be very fair!