Here are the ten for the Choice Prize this year. Delighted to see ASIWYFA get a nod as well as Julie Feeney and Valerie Francis in particular. It’s a pity there was no room for David Kitt’s The Nightsaver. I figured albums from BATS, The Holy Roman Army, Twinkranes and Patrick Kelleher were maybe a little too out there to all get on the list. I don’t get the appeal of Duckworth Lewis Method myself but sure there ya go. After being a judge last year (list below), all I can say is good luck and enjoy. Nine of these albums (with the exception of Laura Izibor) featured in the top 30 Nialler9 Irish album poll.
Spotify playlist of 8 of the 10 albums here.
- And So I Watch You From Afar – And So I Watch You From Afar
- Bell X1 – Blue Lights on the Runway
- CODES – TreesDreamInAlgebra
- Adrian Crowley – Season of the Sparks
- Dark Room Notes – We Love You Dark Matter
- Duckworth Lewis Method – Duckworth Lewis Method
- Julie Feeney – Pages
- Valerie Francis – Slow Dynamo
- Laura Izibor – Let the Truth Be Told
- The Swell Season – Strict Joy
The judges for this year are:
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)
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
great to see ASIWYFA for sure (and also DLM who i love) but no nordie representation on the judging panel is a shame!!
Duckworth Lewis Method gets my vote!
totally agree with you – think Kittser should have been in there, definitely one of my albums of the year. Loved Patrick Kelleher but same as you, thought it would be too left of centre to get on the list. Ditto also on Duckworth Lewis Method, and can’t understand Bellx1 for that particular album.
Some very worthy contenders for the winning spot-would love Valerie to get it
Wahey – c’mon CODES!!! 🙂
Really surprised not to see The Nightsaver on there, would of thought it a shoe in.
Why do people take Kittser for granted!!?? :0
Its between Ms. Francis and Mr. Crowley for me. Stunning pieces of work. Twinkranes should be on there, but I didn’t expect it to be.
Good list, would like to see a bit more youth in there but maybe it’s just the year that was in it – Martin Burns is a nordie no?
Janey
id give it to crowley or asiwyfa or dark room notes.the rest are just meh albums.
actually asiwyfa should win it. their album is the only one on that list that has made any real change or impact on the industry. an alt maths rock instrumental album thats instantly addictive 🙂
Rigsy @ 1 – Martin Burns is a “nordie”
Best part of the Choice is the bets.
Just put 20 fats ones on Duckworth Lewis Method.
For those on Spotify, I made a playlist of 8 of the 10 albums available – http://open.spotify.com/user/nialler9/playlist/0j1zQa2A2LOOXnMTLCQ8yR
No DRN or Julie Feeney
Pretty disappointed not to see The Nightsaver or Night Horses on there. wtf?
Disappointed with this. As A-Train said, I would have expected Kittser and SEBP to be in with a shout of winning it, let alone be nominated, ditto for Patrick Kelleher,..shame.
I really want ASIWYFA to win it, although Valerie Fr nd Duckworth are major contenders..
Gobsmacked at some of the ommisions though, I would easily have put money on sebp to win.
Also, am I the only one who finds Codes a tad boring?? Was really dissapointed with BellX1’s last album too, their older stuff is better, musically and especially lyrically.
Good to see Dark Room Notes getting recognition but I’m surprised that Hunter-Gatherer or Patrick Kelleher didn’t get a mention.
Yeah great to see ASIWYFA on the list, but agree with Rigsy on the lack of NI representation on the panel.
would like to have seen Patrick Kelleher on there too
PS ASIWYFA FTW!
Duckworth Lewis Method gets my vote. I haven’t a clue about cricket so most of the in-jokes are lost on me but the songs are oh-so-catchy and humorous to boot.
That Duckworth Lewis Method is actually a fantastic pop album.
There is nothing in that list bar ASIYFA that would excite me in any way, for the most part its the same heads belting out the same sound,thought last year was at least a little more diverse, pitty about Kitts omission.