Weaver's UK Music - Mercury Award 98

The 1997/8 Merc

The Mercury Music Prize, first awarded in 1992, is given to the "best contemporary album made by a British act", as selected by a panel of ten judges. Sometimes referred to as the musical equivalent of the Booker prize, the award has only twice been won by an outsider: M People ousting 9 wonderful records in 1994, and last year's triumph for jungle (sorry, sorry, drum and base) over quality. This year, the list expands to 12 tracks, and for the first time doesn't feature a classical album. Folk music does appear, for the third straight year, but there are few left-field nominations. Notable for their absence are Oasis, responsible for the most disappointing album of last year.

The timetable: To be nominated for this year's awards, records must have been released between 1 June 1997 and 27 July 1998; records entered for last year's award are ineligable for this. Entries are made by record companies during May and June. The shortlist was announced July 28, with the prize to be awarded on September 12.

The history: First established in 1992, as a contest for British and Irish acts; the Irish were disbarred following the 1994 running. The shortlist was of 10 acts until this year.

Previous winners

1992 Primal Scream: Screamadelica
1993 Suede: Suede
1994 M People: Elegant Slumming
1995 Portishead: Glorybox
1996 Pulp: Different Class
1997 Roni Size & Reprazent: Heros

The Nominees

Massive Attack:
Mezzanine The second nomination for the Bristol trip-hop group, after "Blue Lines" in the debut contest. Never easily accessible, and not always repaying the effort needed. Personally, I rank them on the outside: bookmakers William Hill make them 5/1 second favourites.
To my shame, I know very little about this act. Not even if it's a group or a soloist. So I have to reserve judgement. WH: 9/1 Gomez:
Bring It On
Propellerheads:
Decksanddrumsandrockandroll The debut set for this two-piece, who have moved from causing a stir on the dance scene to a good level of crossover success. They're probably best known for their single "History Repeating", with Shirley Bassey on vocals. WH: 12/1
You either love them or hate them. The winners of this contest two years ago - beating Oasis and the Manics, amongst others - released their new album in April to muted critical disdain, and poor sales. But the legions of "true" fans accept this as different from their last album, and value it all the same. Pulp become the first act to be nominated three times, after "His & Hers" finished second in 1994. A good outside bet at 12/1. Pulp:
This Is Hardcore
4 Hero:
2 Pages Again, this isn't a band about which I know much; this time, though, I'm in good company. 4 Hero are a double-act from London, fusing jazz, jungle and anything else passing. They just creep into the awards by being released on July 13. William Hill has them at 16/1.
Like I said for the Brit awards six months ago, this is a great big pile of manure. Overblown, overrated and grossly, grossly overplayed. 2/1 favourites with the bookies. Verve:
Urban Hymns
Eliza Carthy
Red Rice The daughter of Norma Waterson (runner up two years ago) released a double album that had this prize stamped all over it. One album is fairly straight covers of folk tunes; the other is wonderfully eclectic and experimental. There's a roots revival set to shock the metropolitan media in the next year or so, and this could be the out-rider for it. 16/1
The closest we get to a classical nomination is this religious-oriented work of which I know little. 16/1 John Surman
Proverbs / Songs
Robbie Williams
Life Thru A Lens Former Take Thatter in Merc Nomination Shock. Well, with Gary's proven songwriting talents, it's no real surprise - what? it's Robbie?! Oh. Well, given the amount of music he's shifted, and the number of times "Angels" has been played, they had to nominate him. Won't win, even from 6/1.
The triumph of political correctness over artistic values, I fear. 9/1 Asian Dub Foundation
Rafi's Revenge
Catatonia
International Velvet It's great when you're Welsh. The province's first nominees have a second album that explores the tensions of modern living through metaphor: the Mafia, bad driving, the X-Files. Good, if you like some woman shrieking her head off. 6/1
The acceptable face of Asian music owe more to Norman Cook, for remixing "Brimful of Asha" than anything. That broke the five-year log jam in their career, and allowed this patchy album to come to the fore. It'll make the final running, but won't win. 10/1 Cornershop
When I Was Born For The Seventh Time

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Previous winners
1992	Primal Scream: Screamadelica
1993	Suede: Suede
1994	M People: Elegant Slumming
1995	Portishead: Glorybox
1996	Pulp: Different Class
1997	Roni Size & Reprazent: Heros

The Nominees
Massive Attack: Mezzanine	The second nomination for the Bristol trip-hop group, after "Blue Lines" in the debut contest. Never easily accessible, and not always repaying the effort needed. Personally, I rank them on the outside: bookmakers William Hill make them 5/1 second favourites.
To my shame, I know very little about this act. Not even if it's a group or a soloist. So I have to reserve judgement. WH: 9/1	Gomez: Bring It On
Propellerheads: Decksanddrumsandrockandroll	The debut set for this two-piece, who have moved from causing a stir on the dance scene to a good level of crossover success. They're probably best known for their single "History Repeating", with Shirley Bassey on vocals. WH: 12/1
You either love them or hate them. The winners of this contest two years ago - beating Oasis and the Manics, amongst others - released their new album in April to muted critical disdain, and poor sales. But the legions of "true" fans accept this as different from their last album, and value it all the same. Pulp become the first act to be nominated three times, after "His & Hers" finished second in 1994. A good outside bet at 12/1.	Pulp: This Is Hardcore
4 Hero: 2 Pages	Again, this isn't a band about which I know much; this time, though, I'm in good company. 4 Hero are a double-act from London, fusing jazz, jungle and anything else passing. They just creep into the awards by being released on July 13. William Hill has them at 16/1.
Like I said for the Brit awards six months ago, this is a great big pile of manure. Overblown, overrated and grossly, grossly overplayed. 2/1 favourites with the bookies.	Verve: Urban Hymns
Eliza Carthy Red Rice	The daughter of Norma Waterson (runner up two years ago) released a double album that had this prize stamped all over it. One album is fairly straight covers of folk tunes; the other is wonderfully eclectic and experimental. There's a roots revival set to shock the metropolitan media in the next year or so, and this could be the out-rider for it. 16/1
The closest we get to a classical nomination is this religious-oriented work of which I know little. 16/1	John Surman Proverbs / Songs
Robbie Williams Life Thru A Lens	Former Take Thatter in Merc Nomination Shock. Well, with Gary's proven songwriting talents, it's no real surprise - what? it's Robbie?! Oh. Well, given the amount of music he's shifted, and the number of times "Angels" has been played, they had to nominate him. Won't win, even from 6/1.
The triumph of political correctness over artistic values, I fear. 9/1	Asian Dub Foundation Rafi's Revenge
Catatonia International Velvet	It's great when you're Welsh. The province's first nominees have a second album that explores the tensions of modern living through metaphor: the Mafia, bad driving, the X-Files. Good, if you like some woman shrieking her head off. 6/1
The acceptable face of Asian music owe more to Norman Cook, for remixing "Brimful of Asha" than anything. That broke the five-year log jam in their career, and allowed this patchy album to come to the fore. It'll make the final running, but won't win. 10/1	Cornershop When I Was Born For The Seventh Time

This page updated July 28, 1998

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