The Welsh Music Prize

I know I haven't blogged much lately because of WORK and stuff but I found this much more interesting than the Mercury Music Prize, mainly because Adele isn't in the shortlist I guess! The excellent JOY FORMIDABLE and Y NIWL are on it, as well as the very very good Gruff Rhys and the Manics I suppose - not sure if that band hanging around makes me feel old or young again.

This is one reason why the Joy Formidable are excellent:



and one why Y Niwl, etc ...



To quote the press release I received:

We’re excited to announce the shortlist for the first ever Welsh Music Prize. The shortlist, in alphabetical order, is as follows:

Al Lewis - In The Wake [Al Lewis Music]
Colorama - Box [See Monkey Do Monkey Records]
Funeral For A Friend - Welcome Home Armageddon [Distiller Records]
Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo [Turnstile Music]
Lleuwen - Tan [Gwymon]
Manic Street Preachers - Postcards from a Young Man [Columbia]
Stagga - The Warm Air Room [Rag and Bone]
Sweet Baboo - I’m a Dancer/Songs About Sleepin’ [Shape Records]
The Blackout - Hope [Cooking Vinyl]
The Gentle Good - Tethered for the Storm [Gwymon]
The Joy Formidable - Big Roar [Atlantic]
Y Niwl - Y Niwl [Aderyn Papur]

As daunting as the task of choosing a shortlist was, a panel of 10 expert judges will now face the unenviable task of choosing just one winner from that list to be announced on Friday 21 October 2011 during SWN Festival 2011 in Cardiff.

Huw Stephens, Radio 1 presenter and co-organiser of Welsh Music Prize said: “We are very pleased to launch the Welsh Music Prize with twelve strong albums from Welsh artists. The shortlist is but a reflection on the quality music made in Wales and released internationally. We hope the Prize brings these collections of work to a new audience, and we are looking forward to announcing an overall winner on October 21st.”

http://welshmusicprize.com
http://swnfest.com

Or if you like:

Ni yn falch iawn i gyhoeddi y rhestre fer ar gyfer Gwbor Gerddoriaeth Gymreig, y tro cyntaf i'r gwobrau ddigwydd. Dyma'r rhestr fer, yn nhrefn y wyddor:

Al Lewis - In The Wake [Al Lewis Music]
Colorama - Box [See Monkey Do Monkey Records]
Funeral For A Friend - Welcome Home Armageddon [Distiller Records]
Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo [Turnstile Music]
Lleuwen - Tan [Gwymon]
Manic Street Preachers - Postcards from a Young Man [Columbia]
Stagga - The Warm Air Room [Rag and Bone]
Sweet Baboo - I’m a Dancer/Songs About Sleepin’ [Shape Records]
The Blackout - Hope [Cooking Vinyl]
The Gentle Good - Tethered for the Storm [Gwymon]
The Joy Formidable - Big Roar [Atlantic]
Y Niwl - Y Niwl [Aderyn Papur]

Roedd cyraedd y rhestr yma yn anodd gan fod gymaint o albyms gwerth chweil wedi dod o Gymru yn y 12 mis diwethaf, ond nawr bydd 10 beirniad yn gorfod dewis un ennillydd o;r rhestr yma, i'w gyhoeddi ar ddydd gwener Hydref 21 2011 yn ystod Gwyl Swn 2011 yng Nghaerdydd.

Dweudodd Huw Stephens: Rydym yn falch iawn o lawnsio Gwobr Gerddoriaeth Gymreig gyda deuddeg albym cryf ar y rhestr fer. Mae'r rhestr yn adlewyrchiad o'r gerddoriaeth o safon uchel sydd yn cael eu greu yng Nghymru ac yn cael eu glywed o amgylch y byd. Rydym yn gobeithio bydd y Wobr yn dod a'r gerddoriaeth i gynulleidfa newydd, ac rydym yn edrych mlaen i ewni enillydd ar Hydref 21.

http://welshmusicprize.com
http://swnfest.com