It's that time of year again where it seems as if every other day there's another album of the year list being announced. Well kids, here's the list you've all forgotten about, it's the return of the BAMS. For those of you who don't already know, the Scottish BAMS Award was a wee idea I devised last year to poll all of the bloggers and music sites that I could find, to find the 'definitive' album of the year. Last year I had around 30 entrants take part, this year I have nearly doubled that total with almost 60 entrants submitting their lists. Here's a roll call of all of the different sites that took part in this years vote...Timothy London, Jock N Roll, The Daily Dose, Resound Scotland, The Steinberg Principle, Dauphin, Hercules Moments, Argos Barks, The Web Is Not A Cold Dead Place, The Tidal Wave Indifference, Ed Rock, Off the Beaten Tracks, Found In Sound, Elba Sessions, Kowalskiy, Have Fun At Dinner, Ayetunes, Edinburgh Man, 17 Seconds, Scots Whay Hae, Open Till Midnight, Products of a Gaseous Brain, The Spill, Last Years Girl, Is This Music, JockRock, Dear Scotland, Manic Pop Thrills, Favourite Son, Peenko, Jim Gellatly, My Portis Wasp says, Never Make Friends, Detour, Jenny Soep, Net Sounds Unsigned, Listen Before You Buy, Song By Toad, The Daily Growl, Earz Mag, Glasgow Podcart, Rokbun, The Pop Cop, Pin Up Nights, Traffic Cone Music, Radar and Blueback Hotrod.
A fine array of sites if ever I saw one, almost as impressive as the list of albums below. In 2009, things went right down to the wire with the Phantom Band pipping Animal Collective at the last. This year we had a clear winner, which I am sure will surprise few. The Scottish Bloggers and Music Sites album of the year is none other than The National with High Violet. A deserved winner I am sure you'll agree.
Having pestered the bands PR and management, I managed to get word to the band that they had been voted as this years BAMS. They're men of few words, but here's what they had to say
"That's great news. Thanks for the support!"
Next year I think I'll get a trophy made up, that way the winner will be forced to talk to me... They will talk to me, right?!? Anyway, as I am sure you'd prefer it if I stopped talking, here's the Top 30 albums in full
1. The National - High Violet
2. Admiral Fallow - Boots Met My Face
3. Meursault - All Creatures Will Make Merry
4. Frightened Rabbit - The Winter of Mixed Drinks
5. Kid Canaveral - Shouting at Wildlife
6. The Phantom Band - The Wants
7. The Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
8. The Last Battle - Heart of the Land, Soul of the Sea
9. Broken Records - Let Me Come Home
10. Bronto Skylift - The White Crow
11. Beach House - Teen Dream
12. The Fire & I - Stampede Finale
13. Sufjan Stevens - Age Of Adz
14. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
15. Best Coast - Crazy For You
16. Mitchell Museum - The Peters Port Memorial Service
17. Teenage Fanclub - Shadows
18. The Scottish Enlightenment - St Thomas
19. Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me
20. Jonsi - go do
21. RM Hubbert - First & Last
22. Errors - Come Down With Me
23. Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can
24. Sleigh Bells - Treats
25. The Boy Who Trapped The Sun - Fireplace
26. Micah P Hinson and the Pioneer Saboteurs
27. Bruce Springsteen - The Promise
28. How To Swim - Retina (Or More Fun Than A Vat Of Love)
29. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
30. Silver Columns - Yes and Dance
2. Admiral Fallow - Boots Met My Face
3. Meursault - All Creatures Will Make Merry
4. Frightened Rabbit - The Winter of Mixed Drinks
5. Kid Canaveral - Shouting at Wildlife
6. The Phantom Band - The Wants
7. The Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
8. The Last Battle - Heart of the Land, Soul of the Sea
9. Broken Records - Let Me Come Home
10. Bronto Skylift - The White Crow
11. Beach House - Teen Dream
12. The Fire & I - Stampede Finale
13. Sufjan Stevens - Age Of Adz
14. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
15. Best Coast - Crazy For You
16. Mitchell Museum - The Peters Port Memorial Service
17. Teenage Fanclub - Shadows
18. The Scottish Enlightenment - St Thomas
19. Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me
20. Jonsi - go do
21. RM Hubbert - First & Last
22. Errors - Come Down With Me
23. Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can
24. Sleigh Bells - Treats
25. The Boy Who Trapped The Sun - Fireplace
26. Micah P Hinson and the Pioneer Saboteurs
27. Bruce Springsteen - The Promise
28. How To Swim - Retina (Or More Fun Than A Vat Of Love)
29. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
30. Silver Columns - Yes and Dance
Ian from the Have Fun At Dinner blog has taken the time to knock up this week Spotify playlist featuring the majority of the albums on this list. So if you're looking for a cracking wee soundtrack to your day, then look no further.
Lastly, I would just like to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone who took part in this years poll. Special thanks go out to Struan Teague for designing that sexy looking BAMS logo at the top of the page. He was kind enough to do that for us all for nowt, I am sure you'll agree that he's done us proud. Check out his website for more of his amazing work.
Absolutely stunned that Inspector Tapehead didn't make it on the list. Also, no Sparrow And The Workshop?? Quite surprised at how conventional the list is. Good to see Bronto at number 10. The White Crow was one of the few things I heard this year that I thought was truly out of left field, but completely accessible.
ReplyDeleteYou mean a SCOTTISH music site didn't vote Susan Boyle number one? FOR FUCK'S SAKE!!!
ReplyDeleteStill, good to see some of the other albums I voted for in there ;-)
I didn't vote but it's a very interesting list.
ReplyDeleteThe National's album is great while their live gig at the 02 Academy in Glasgow last month was stunning.
Both Eels' releases this year "End Times" and "Tomorrow Morning" are in my top five albums for the year, along with Neil Young's "Le Noise" and his fellow Canadian, the relatively unknown Cam Penner's "Trouble and Mercy" CD is outstanding.
Now heading to Spotify.
Thanks for the fun.
I remember the first time I went to a show. All I knew was that this music made me feel different from all others. Someone finally understood me. This is what music is about.
ReplyDelete