January 10th, 2007
Choice Music Prize 2007 - the shortlist
Remember all that cloak-and-dagger-not-talking-about Irish albums (here and here) pre-Christmas? Finally, all is revealed - along with John Caddell (Phantom FM), Stuart Clark (Hot Press), Alison Curtis (Today FM), Neil Dunphy (Sunday Tribune), Rick O’Shea (2FM), Nick Kelly (Irish Independent/Billboard), Mike Knightson (Live 95 Limerick), Padraic Killeen (The Irish Examiner), Eamon Sweeney (Foggy Notions), Tanya Sweeney (The Star) and Jonny Tiernan (Alternative Ulster), I’m one of the judges for 2007 The Choice Music Prize. It’s only the second year of the prize, organised by Jim Carroll and Dave Reid, which was won last year by Julie Feeney for her wonderful 13 Songs album. Coincidentally, her album is released in the UK this week, thanks to a worldwide deal with SonyBMG, which Feeney bagged largely due to winning the Choice Prize.
So without further ado, here’s the shortlist of 10 albums in contention for the 2007 prize: (Artist names link to their myspace pages, where you can hear some tracks)
Director - We Thrive On Big Cities (Atlantic)
The Divine Comedy - Victory for The Comic Muse (Parlophone)
Duke Special - Songs from the Forest (V2)
The Immediate - In Towers and Clouds (Fantastic Plastic)
David Kitt - Not Fade Away (Dublin Discs)
Messiah J & The Expert - Now This I have to Hear (Inaudible)
Fionn Regan - The End of History (Heffa)
Republic of Loose - Aaagh (Loaded Dice)
Si Schroeder - Coping Mechanisms (Trust Me I’m A Thief)
Snow Patrol - Eyes Open (Fiction)
Pending availability, as many of the ten acts as possible will play the Choice Prize gig on Wednesday, February 28th at Vicar Street. Tickets go on sale on Monday, January 22nd, priced €25. On the night, the 12 judges will be locked in a room to battle it out and decide who gets the €10,000 prize. Can’t wait!
January 10th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
Director? totally over-rated and boring as hell. Brill to see Messiah J and the expert there. My cash is on Fionn Regan or The Immediate.
January 11th, 2007 at 12:10 am
Thats excellent Sinead, looking forward to seeing who the winner is!
6 of the 10 featured in my top Irish poll, so its delightfully accurate.
January 11th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
Divine Comedy. Hands down. Btw is that the Choice logo? They ought to be ashamed, that is one of the worst logoes I’ve EVER seen…
January 11th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
I don’t get Snow Patrol being installed at the hot favourites by the bookies. The judging panel is there for all to see and the majority of them are not going to think that Eyes Open “best summed up the year in Irish music and is deserving of wider recognition and more time in the spotlight” (from the website). I’d be delighted if David Kitt, Messiah J & the Expert or Si Schroeder won (extra extra delighted in Si’s case).
January 11th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
I don’t get the Snow Patrol thing either. Hope they don’t win, because that’s not the best album on the list, end of. I really like what I’ve heard of Fionn Regan’s album on the radio. David Kitt’s is really good, better than his last couple, and I’ve always been a Divine Comedy fan but I don’t think the judges will go for Neil.
January 12th, 2007 at 10:01 am
Fionn will win it easy. Agree about the logo, very ‘community centre’ in early 80’s vibe about it. Maybe it comes free with word!
Any idea who’s turning up at the gig? Saw director play the young scientists competition on tv, those kids in their school uniforms seemed really into it!
February 18th, 2007 at 10:59 am
Morg, apologies, your comment must have slipped throught the net. 8 of the 10 shortlisted acts are playing - Fionn Regan and Snow Patrol are away touring on the 28th.