Q Awards Nominations

Well, the Q Awards shortlists are out and voting has started on their website. It boils down thus:

Best New Act
Fleet Foxes
Glasvegas
The Ting Tings
The Last Shadow Puppets
Vampire Weekend

For me, this one had Vampire Weekend in third place, The Last Shadow Puppets in second, and The Ting Tings in first. See, I know that LSP are far more credible, and their work is pretty damn genius and beautiful. But The Ting Tings are so damn catchy. Wouldn't lose sleep if LSP won though. The muso part of my brain tells me they should. It's my inner 10 year old voting Ting Tings.

Best Track
Spiralling - Keane
Mercy - Duffy
Violet Hill - Coldplay
I Kissed A Girl - Katy Perry
That's Not My Name - The Ting Tings

Process of elimination this one, for me. Not heard the Keane track, and doubt it's that exciting. Coldplay's Violet Hill doesn't really do a lot for me. Katy Perry should be shot and I have no idea how she ended up on this list. So that leaves Duffy and The Ting Tings, both of which I bought as singles, both of which have been played to death so I'm slightly bored of them but loved originally, therefore I had to use another factor for determining the winner in my book. So The Ting Tings won because Duffy looks like one of the leprechauns off Live & Kicking.

Breakthrough Artist
Duffy
Adele
Santogold
Bon Iver
Gabriella Cilmi

To be honest, I didn't jump up and down excitedly at this list. I like all of the candidates but it's just 'like'. Gabriella Cilmi has an air about her that's somehow unnerving for one so young (a bit like a 15 year old hooker who's already an old pro). Bon Iver... it's ok. Adele has an amazing voice, and has brough out some great tracks, but does look like she was created by Jim Henson. Duffy's presence, talented as she is and much as I love the retro kitsch of her music, is starting to annoy. Santogold is innovative and probably should win. And I probably should give Duffy another chance, so one of those two would be fine by me. Who would I like to have seen in this list? I've never been clear on what constitutes 'Breakthrough'... I like Little Jackie. It's all very pop though. Has there been no good new indie or rock bands coming through?

Best Video
Ready To The Floor - Hot Chip
Violet Hill - Coldplay
That's Not My Name - The Ting Tings
A-Punk - Vampire Weekend
Happiness - Goldfrapp

I struggle with music videos as I don't watch music television. I have my favourites (Mansun's Taxloss, OK Go's Here It Comes Again, Prodigy's Smack My Bitch Up, MCR's I'm Not Okay, Pascal Obispo's Fan) but most of them I find to be boring. It's like album covers. You have ones you notice, ones that are classics, ones that appeal to you as more than a promo shot, but the majority are just there. Anyway, on this one I'm going for Hot Chip... simply because I like watching them as they don't look like they make the music they make (if that makes sense).

Best Album
Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends - Coldplay
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
The Age Of The Understatement - The Last Shadow Puppets
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!! - Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds

To cut a long story short, I haven't heard Fleet Foxes, or any of Nick Cave's new stuff. I consider Coldplay to be musical wallpaper, pleasant enough in the background, and despite a fondness for the title track, I'm not that enthused. Vampire Weekend have grown on me considerably, but I think fair's fair and Last Shadow Puppets have to have this one.

Best Live Act
Kaiser Chiefs
Kings Of Leon
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds
The Verve
Rage Against The Machine

I have watched live footage of all of these, but not seen any of them live that I can recall. So I'm basing this on BBC2 and Channel 4's portrayal of things. Kings Of Leon would be my favourite, with RATM a close second. If we were talking The Verve a few years back, then maybe, but there's no point giving them the award anyway as they'll have split up again by the time we get to the actual event (until one of them runs up their overdraft again and then it'll be new album time).

Best Act In The World Today
Coldplay
Oasis
Muse
Metallica
Kings Of Leon

Now, I'm not sure any one of these is what I would choose, but hey. Given that Metallica have sucked ass for quite some time now, I think it's a shame that they and Oasis only seem to feature due to past glories rather than any current signs of brilliance. Kings Of Leon and Muse however have been consistently good so I pick them, maybe with Muse edging slightly ahead because I rediscovered Showbiz the other day (yes, that would be past glory, but they've managed to maintain it, in my defence).

I remember when these sort of awards ceremonies were packed with bands and artists I liked... now, I just feel mildly indifferent. I would say I'm getting old and out of touch, but a lot of the bands nominated have members who could still be my dad, so that line doesn't work. I want something more exciting than middle aged white guys whining behind their guitars (I should take comfort in the Breakthrough nominees then, so maybe that's something).

Looking ahead, anyone got any tips for next year? What should be on this list in 12 months time?