2021 Mercury Prize thread

Yeah, that’s never really seemed to be a consideration for the judging panel past few years. Good Guardian-y support and Radio 1 crossover, young black artist on her first album, very lyrical - sort of feels like a perfect storm. I’m not a fan of the record really but I’d be surprised if she’s not a favourite.

That would include the Loraine James album and the last two Sault albums (but not Black Is). Any of them would be worthy winners (but it will probably be something rubbish instead).

All of the good bands will be named in the Neptune Prize chat anyway.

And then the winner will be someone none of us voted for but is instead voted for by a swarm of puppet accounts/daytrippers :wink:

#girlbandwererobbed

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Yeah, should have said that I wasn’t saying it would, or even should, in a way tbf. Just my hopes that they’ll go a little less obvious. Wouldn’t be at all surprised if she’s favourite either, in a way that might be what holds her back from winning (although I think Kiwanuka was favourite last year and won)

Not great at remembering dates (or nationalities tbh!) but I think stuff I’ve liked that would be eligible:

Sault - 9
Jane Weaver
Kelly Lee Owens
Craven Faults

Sault seem like a really good bet to me but I’m not really on the wavelength of what gets nominated so maybe not.

Kind of shocked if Black Is didn’t get nominated last year in that case

I suspect it wasn’t entered. Not only is there the intentional anonymity that has been a consistent part of their existence but they also have had Michael Kiwanuka feature on that record and he was the early favourite here - I wouldn’t be surprised if there was consideration not to split the judges’ votes there. Plenty of opportunities for Sault to be put forward for one at the rate they release!

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It was released in late June so only a couple of weeks before the 2020 deadline. To be fair it picked up traction over the summer I think and might have been a bit easier to miss at the start. Having said that the Mercury shortlist has been an embarrassing car crash for years now so I’m not defending them.

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Oh yeah I forgot you have to pay to enter!

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A jazz album (won’t win)
A bland folky album (won’t win)
A big selling pop record (won’t win)
A landfill indie guitar record (won’t win)
A grime/rap album (might win)
An ‘intelligent’ indie guitar record (might win)
A couple of Later with Jools style tasteful coffee table soul records (might win)

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Excellent. I get the feeling I’d know a lot more of the nominated artists if I watched Jools and listened to 6 music.

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was very weird that they got snubbed last time as i’d have considered them a likely winner. they might make up for it this time.

given that there’s always a token jazz album that never wins, it seems like a missed opportunity not to reward a jazz band that have broken through in the way they have

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shit you’re right, it did get nominated! i was convinced it didn’t, for some reason.

would have been a more interesting winner than Wolf Alice though.

It should definitely have won that year.

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i might be mixing it up with The Comet is Coming’s last album not getting nominated, but i see their debut did so fair enough

Your Queen is a Reptile was a genuinely great album on a shortlist that was spectacularly weak even by recent Mercury standards. There was a quite a lot of buzz towards the end suggesting that it might win but they went safe with Wolf Alice.

I don’t think Black to the Future is as good personally (too many slightly underwhelming vocal tracks in my view) but I’d be happy to see it shortlisted. In a way it’s more Mercury friendly because of the extra vocal tracks.

Can’t help thinking that if Your Queen didn’t win against the other records they shortlisted in 2018 then a jazz record will never win though.

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If Promises is nominated, hopefully you’re wrong.

Last two shortlists were pretty good I thought (omitting FKA Twigs apart), the 2018 one was pretty bad mind you…

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Anna B Savage definitely deserves a nomination.
I’d also throw in Jane Weaver and I seem to be the only person who really likes Gruff Rhys latest.

Give it BIMM ‘til t’ end of year.

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