Yesterday Villagers were nominated for the much coveted Mercury Music Award. This is the second time they have been put on the much lauded shortlist. Irish Indepedent Music Critic John Meagher has been giving us here on Newstalk Breakfast his view on all the music news, gigs and releases this week
Villagers Mercury Nomination
Irish band Villagers have been nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize for their second album, Awayland. Electronic duo Disclosure are favourites to win, but don't bet against David Bowie who surprised us all with a first album in 10 years at the start of the year.
Full list of nominated artists:
:: Arctic Monkeys - AM
:: David Bowie - The Next Day
:: Foals - Holy Fire
:: Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle
:: Disclosure - Settle
:: James Blake - Overgrown
:: Jake Bugg - Jake Bugg
:: Rudimental - Home
:: Laura Mvula - Sing To The Moon
:: Jon Hopkins - Immunity
:: Savages - Silence Yourself
:: Villagers - Awayland
Leonard Cohen’s Aviva gigs
Leonard Cohen's extraordinary show in the O2 last night - three-and-a-half hours long, almost no filler, and easily the match of his celebrated comeback concerts at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in 2008. The veteran plays the same concert again tonight and tickets are available.
ALBUMS OF THE WEEK
Janelle Monae’s Electric Lady
anelle Monae's audacious second offering The Electric Lady. The 27-year-old from Kansas City has delivered one of the best album of the year in this sprawling, genre-hopping opus. Think Ziggy Stardust-era Bowie meets Prince. The latter guest on the album.
MGMT’s third album
Also, MGMT return with a third, self-titled album. They were responsible for two of the biggest hits of 2008 - Kids and Time to Pretend - but have done their level best to destroy their fanbase since with highly experimental, non-commercial music. This album may not be a return to former anthemic glories, but it is a much better, more focused offering than their messy second.
GIG OF THE WEEK
Roger Waters at the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday night. The Pink Floyd man is bringing his spectacular show for late 1970s album, The Wall, to Dublin. Like many, I have a love-hate relationship with his old band - and dislike this particular album. But the stage show - which has been updated for contemporary times - helped usher in the sort of monster productions U2 are famed for.
TIP OF THE WEEK
Tickets for the Danish pop sensation Oh Land go on sale today, priced €16. Nanna Fabricus - to use her real name - is an ex-ballerina, but certainly knows her way around a catchy tune. She plays the intimate environs of The Button Factory, Temple Bar, on December 8. She releases her third album - and potential breakthrough - Wishbone in the coming weeks.
