Mercury Music Prize: The FG Alternative Prize 2011

Words: Saam Das

We don't particularly have anything against the Mercury Music Prize but we thought we'd like to offer our own alternative Mercury 2011 winner. With the actual winner PJ Harvey also in our shortlist, we could well have ended up with the same result. Instead, it came down to the third albums from The Horrors and Wild Beasts. Three is a magic number?

Comment: A Brief Analysis Of The Mercury Music Prize 2011

Words: Simon Opie

You'll have heard by now that PJ Harvey has won the 2011 Mercury Music Prize, with 'Let England Shake'. The Mercury has a long and somewhat controversial history since it was first won in 1992 by Primal Scream – from U2, Simply Red and others - for 'Screamadelica' (and yes the Scream were young and emerging back then).

Mercury Music Prize: The FG Alternative 2011 Shortlist

Words: Saam Das

The actual Mercury Music Prize 2011 winner will be announced tomorrow. Do enough people still care? We're not so sure. 2009 winner Speech Debelle, for example, has already been long forgotten. We're even less confident that anyone is interested about our own little version of the Mercury - taking our top twelve reviewed albums of July 2010-July 2011 and then choosing our winner (by panel vote) at the end of this week.

Mercury Music Prize 2009

For my first trick as Faded Glamour, I will unsuccessfully predict nominees for this year's Mercury Music Prize. In fact, I'll actually offer the artists that I would nominate. As with Another Form Of Relief, funfunfun and many other esteemed blogs, I was asked by BBC Music to put forward my thoughts on this year's potential nominees.

The albums I'll be rewarding are generally consistent, vibrant and inventive. Often, they are all three. The Mercury Music Prize appears to operate in a similar fashion, although I'm not sure where M People fit into their criteria exactly. Consequently, I would hardly be surprised to discover that none of the artists that I am suggesting are not in the final shortlist of nominees. With that said, let's get on.


Fight Like Apes - Fight Like Apes and the Mystery of the Golden Medallion
They may have lost out to Jape in the Choice Music Prize, the Irish version of the Mercury Music Prize but that's not going to stop me from nominating Fight Like Apes' exhilirating debut record. A dynamic expression of synth-punkery.

Dan Black - Un
Released just last week, it is unlikely that Dan Black's debut solo effort will be recognised by the Mercury judges. For me however, 'Un' melds electro, hip hop and pop effortlessly producing a gloriously forward-thinking album. Less all night disco party and more serene sunset beach picnic.

Thomas Tantrum - Thomas Tantrum
Attractive frontwoman? Check. Spiky infectious pop tunes? Check. Thousands of album sales? Alas, not so. Thomas Tantrum have the ingredients for massive success and a nomination for the Mercury Music Prize could push them towards bigger things. 'Thomas Tantrum' may be whimsical but it is also full of thrilling youthful vitality.

Grammatics - Grammatics
The fact that Grammatics are being talked about as genuine contenders for this year's Mercury Music Prize is both pleasing and surprising. While I would not disagee that Grammatics' eponymous debut album is top heavy, it is also an epic operatic pop odyssey that deserves its praise.


Here's hoping at least one of the artists I have suggested will make the list. Then again, wouldn't it be amazing if one of these actually won it? I wouldn't put a bet on it though. Well, until the nominations are announced tomorrow (July 21st) anyway.

Mercury Music Prize 2007

Okay, before I get onto the meat and potatoes, if you could spare 30 seconds to vote for my blog in the BT Digital Music Awards that would be amazing. Obviously this is a lame popularity contest but last year, I was voted 23rd best music blog in the UK which was mega nice. You should be able to vote by clicking the fancy button below. Thanks!


So I was considering keeping schtum and retaining my 100% record at predicting the Mercury Music Prize winners (see this entry for evidence of my psychic powers [link) but no, I will stick my neck out ever so slightly and plump for Bat For Lashes. Admittedly, as my choice of Arctic Monkeys were last year, Natasha Khan's outfit are strongly tipped by the bookies to win. I'm a big fan anyway, ever since hearing a demo track of hers on a Drowned In Sound podcast many moons ago. In fact, I featured that very song on Keep Hope Inside podcast number deux (still downloadable here [link]).

I actually think Amy Winehouse would have won but for all her current drink(/drug?) related problems. Although the judges seem to court controversy at times, remember the whole Antony and The Johnsons = not British debate? The Go! Team obviously should have won anyway. So she still has a good chance and 'Rehab' remains one of the finest pop singles for some time and here's a nice little cover of it by those crazy popsters Girls Aloud from a BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge session. If only the new Girls Aloud single was this good!

Girls Aloud - Rehab [Yousendit d/l link]//[Sendspace]

Another act I think is in with a strong chance of winning is a fella who's been mentioned here a couple of times but not for a looooooooooong time. It's quite weird to think it's been about two years since I saw a very grubby looking Jamie T sitting on a stool, bass guitar in hand. He's pretty much just as grubby now but he has written some excellent tracks and even though the album has some filler, he would be well deserving of the prize. Here's some live tracks (apologies for the quality, I had to rip them myself) that illustrate his versatility and ear for a good song.

Jamie T - Calm Down Dearest (Live At BBC Electric Proms) [Yousendit]//[Sendspace]
Jamie T - Ike & Tina (Live At BBC Electric Proms) [Yousendit]//[Sendspace

So, who do you lot reckon will win? Surely not t'Monkeys or Dizzee again? Klaxons for heading a new NME fabricated movement?