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Nationwide Mercury Prize Albums of the Year revealed

Article written by Ged M - Jul 22, 2008

The 12 Albums of the Year shortlisted for the 2008 Nationwide Mercury Prize have been announced today, Tuesday 22 July. The shortlist, chosen from an entry of over 240 albums by UK artists, was announced by Lauren Laverne at Covent Garden’s The Hospital Club, the club for the creative industries.

The 2008 Albums of the Year are:

Adele: 19
British Sea Power: Do You Like Rock Music?
Burial: Untrue
Elbow: The Seldom Seen Kid
Estelle: Shine
Laura Marling: Alas I Cannot Swim
Neon Neon: Stainless Style
Portico Quartet: Knee-Deep In The North Sea
Rachel Unthank & The Winterset: The Bairns
Radiohead: In Rainbows
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss: Raising Sand
The Last Shadow Puppets: The Age Of The Understatement

"This turns out to be a remarkably rich year for British music," says Simon Frith, Chair of Judges. "What is most striking is the continued resilience and flexibility of the album as a way of organising music-making. It remains an unrivalled source of musical invention and imagination, a way of linking songs, exploring themes and developing sounds that is endlessly thrilling, surprising and worth celebration.”

The winner of this year’s Nationwide Mercury Prize will be announced live on BBC Two on Tuesday 9 September 2008 as part of the BBC’s coverage of the Awards Show. A second programme on BBC Two will be broadcast on Friday 12 September. The programmes will be presented by Lauren Laverne, with the Awards Show itself hosted by Jools Holland.

Here's what the judging panel said about each album:

Adele: “Heartfelt songs from an engaging new voice – vulnerable, powerful and distinctive”

British Sea Power: “Who wouldn’t like rock music when it is as joyfully eccentric, noisy and exciting as this?”

Burial: “Untrue is a subtle, original metropolitan soundscape – restless, alarming and alluring”

Elbow: “An epic rock record – triumphant, heartbreaking, unerringly melodic and life-affirming”

Estelle: “The amazing Estelle stamps her vivid personality on a refreshing variety of musical moods – radiant, contemporary soul music”

Laura Marling: “Beautifully composed and emotionally compelling tales of fear and romance”

Neon Neon: “Chrome-plated electro-rock – a thrilling musical ride”

Portico Quartet: “Exuberant, hypnotic acoustic music – an unusual new jazz sound”

Rachel Unthank & The Winterset: “Contemporary folk music at its most magical and mysterious – enchanting and uplifting”

Radiohead: “Music that is adventurous, challenging and hugely enjoyable. A gripping new chapter in the remarkable Radiohead story”

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss: “An intimate set of timeless songs and a totally seductive celebration of the art of the vocal duet”

The Last Shadow Puppets: “Dramatic vignettes of modern love – superbly crafted and brilliantly arranged”

Links:
http://www.nationwidemercurys.com