onsdag 30 Nov 2011, 13:32
What with the Grammy nominations due to be released in a few hours, I thought it customary to get my two cents in before the announcement in an effort to get my word out on a few of the finer examples of new music to come our way over the past year, rather than get into the typically blog-centric spirit of things with lengthy Top 50 charts and such. Alas, there will be no live telecast or glamorous awards ceremony at the end of the year in which these awards will be bestowed upon their oblivious recipients, but I've always had a thing about the pat-on-the-back pageantry since I was a young boy who used to stay up late and watch the Oscars live early on the last Monday morning of February, and until I marry wealthy enough to make such things a reality, the web will have to do for such inconsequential piffle. But enough already, may I present to you the nominees for the Vessalis Music Awards 2011:
—–
Album Of The Year
TBA
Solo Female Album Of The Year
Anna Calvi by Anna Calvi
Biophilia by Björk
Conatus by Zola Jesus
Metals by Feist
On A Mission by Katy B
Solo Male Album Of The Year
Bon Iver, Bon Iver by Bon Iver
Looping State Of Mind by The Field
Replica by Oneohtrix Point Never
Take Care by Drake
Thursday by The Weeknd
Group Album Of The Year
Cat's Eyes by Cat's Eyes
Eye Contact by Gang Gang Dance
Oneirology by CunninLynguists
The Most Incredible Thing by Pet Shop Boys (or Tennant/Lowe… as some fans have rather facetiously claimed)
Voyage by The Sound Of Arrows
Debut Album Of The Year
Cat's Eyes by Cat's Eyes
House Of Balloons by The Weeknd
Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam by Ghostpoet
Voyage by The Sound Of Arrows
Within And Without by Washed Out
Single Of The Year
Lights On by Katy B featuring Ms. Dynamite
Still Life by The Horrors
The Heron And The Fox by Little Scream
Traktor by Wretch 32 featuring L
Video Games by Lana Del Rey
Video Of The Year
Big Bad Wolf by Duck Sauce - Director: Keith Schofield
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKMoVAObbhE
M.A.G.I.C. by The Sound Of Arrows - Director: Oskar Gullstrand and Andreas Öhman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE2hEaMpKQI
Song Of Los by Apparat - Director: Saman Keshavarz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDyk8ouEfSQ
Survive It by Ghostpoet - Director: UNKNOWN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usksH8B07do
We Found Love by Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris - Director: Melina Matsoukas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg00YEETFzg
Live Act Of The Year
Anna Calvi - Bush Hall, London, 27th April
Beth Ditto - Lovebox Festival, London, 17th June
Björk - Manchester International Festival, Manchester, 10th July
Katy B - Lovebox Festival, London, 16th June
The Naked And Famous - Wireless Festival, London, 3rd July
Alternative Album Of The Year
Biophilia by Björk
Cat's Eyes by Cat's Eyes
Go Tell Fire To The Mountain by WU LYF
Hearts by I Break Horses
The Year Of Hibernation by Youth Lagoon
Dance Album Of The Year
Blue Songs by Hercules And Love Affair
Knee Deep by WhoMadeWho
Looping State Of Mind by The Field
Monkeytown by Modeselektor
Watch Me Dance by Toddla T
Electronic Album Of The Year
Era Extraña by Neon Indian
Eye Contact by Gang Gang Dance
Replica by Oneohtrix Point Never
The Devil's Walk by Apparat
Within And Without by Washed Out
Folk Album Of The Year
Bon Iver, Bon Iver by Bon Iver
Boots Met My Face by Admiral Fallow
Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes
Metals by Feist
No Color by The Dodos
Hip Hop/Rap Album Of The Year
I'm Gay (I'm Happy) by Lil B
Oneirology by CunninLynguists
Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam by Ghostpoet
Take Care by Drake
Watch The Throne by The Throne (Kanye West, Jay-Z… They did say that The Throne was what the name of their work as a duo was, didn't they!?!)
Pop Album Of The Year
Adulthood by CocknBullKid
Cinderella's Eyes by Nicola Roberts
Make A Scene by Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Making Mirrors by Gotye
Voyage by The Sound Of Arrows
R&B Album Of The Year
1977 by Terius Nash (or The-Dream… I mean honestly)
House Of Balloons by The Weeknd
On A Mission by Katy B
Ritual Union by Little Dragon
Thursday by The Weeknd
Rock Album Of The Year
Anna Calvi by Anna Calvi
David Comes To Life by Fucked Up
Skying by The Horrors
Sound Kapital by Handsome Furs
The King Of Limbs by Radiohead
Producer Of The Year
BT
Doc McKinney and Illangelo
Justin Vernon
Kno
Richard X
"Where Have You Been All My Life?" Award
Anna Calvi
Balam Acab
Lana Del Rey
The Weeknd
Youth Lagoon
Collaboration Of The Year
Ego by Burial + Four Tet + Thom Yorke
Like Smoke by Amy Winehouse featuring Nas
My Cloud by Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx
Raindrops by Basement Jaxx Vs. Metropole Orkest
The score for The Book Of Mormon by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone
Best Bit In A Song Of The Year
Stevie Wonder's harmonica solo - Doing It Wrong by Drake
The best chorus in a pop song this year - Beat Of My Drum by Nicola Roberts
The drillcore breakdown finale - Crystalline by Björk
The most heartbreaking lyric/bassline combo of the year - Holocene by Bon Iver
The "You Wan' A Key-Change? I'll Give Your Four!!" finale - Love On Top by Beyoncé
"Get On With It Already!" Award
Burial
Villain Of The Year
Jessie J
Hero Of The Year
Foo Fighters
—–
And there you have it; R&B superstar-in-waiting The Weeknd leads the haul with six nominations (not including the production nomination for both of his albums for Doc McKinney and Illangelo), with multiple nods also going to baroque troubadour Anna Calvi, pioneering alt-electro goddess Björk, Kanye West's new best friend Bon Iver, misunderstood cuddly lothario Drake, R&B/dance upstart Katy B, swoonsome pop duo The Sounds Of Arrows, gothic retro-pop outfit Cat's Eyes and hip hop music's very own Eeyore Ghostpoet.
Winners, as well as a breakdown of the awards already announced, will be announced before the year is out. Until then… xxxo.