Top 47 British Acts of 2006
Last year, we had the Hottest 47 British acts of 2005 which was voted by for prominent British music bloggers. Girls Aloud won. This year, it’s the top 47 artists again, with a similar panel deliberating over the results…
The awards were voted for by Myself, Sean from Said the Gramophone, James from Headphone Sex, Tom from Indie-Mp3, Simon from No Rock and Roll Fun, Tim, of the Contrast Podcast, Chris of the Swish Blog, and Eddie of Another Form of relief. All music bloggers live in the UK and they write about a variety of music. They’ve kindly ranked their top 10 British artists of the year. I’ve collated the results.
And the winners are:
40. Tap Tap. [mp3 - Way to go boy]
Sean: Finally a genuine UK take on the yelp rock that’s saturated North America of late. And double bonus: it’s great. Lanzafame is an album of spirit and bleat, discobeat drums as guitars ring and wrangle.
40. Radiohead: Tim: They have to be on the list … it’s obligatory.
40. Movern Callar. Mike: A late entry for the charming Scottish folkist. 2007 written all over her. Catch Jane playing at SXSW next year.
40. Lucky Soul
40. Fujiya and Miyagi
40. Forward Russia
40. Blood Red Shoes
40. Absentee
35. It Hugs Back
35. Chris Corsano. Sean: The gob-smacking American drummer has become a resident of Edinburgh. Free-jazz percussion that left my mind doing full orbits on itself.
35. Alasdair Roberts. Tim: Talent and touching folk music … what more do you need?
35 Bertel Haugen
35. The Charlatans. Simon: Especially so in a year when the Inspirals and Northside (Northside!) have returned as cyphers of their former selves
25.The Fakrays.
25. Uncle John and Whitelock. Sean: UJ and W RIP. After storming Mono’s “Get Off My Pavement” festival, second only to Herman Dune on a bill that included Arab Strap, The 1990s and a Delgados solo-project, it’s been announced that these death-blues merchants are calling it quits. They were one of the most exciting bands in Scotland - despite a lackluste LP - and I look forward to one more blow to the head as they play their final gig at the end of December.
25. Pocketbooks
25. Manhatten Love Suicide
25. Erol Alkan
25. Dirty Pretty Things. Simon: The boy kicks back, a lot fucking harder. It’s clear where the heartof the Libertines was.
25. Bromheads Jacket
25. Art Brut. Eddie: Fears about a sophomore slump seem to be wrong thanks to an EP of great new songs and new versions of the old ones. The best live band in the country
25 McFly
25 Isobel Campbell
24. Emmy The Great. Mike: Emmy blew me away at Truck, and I’ve loved every songs of her, folk songs that make me pretty happy.
21. Jeremy Warmsley
21. Four Tet / Kieran Hebdon Tim: The Exchange Sessions are heavily played in my headphones.
21. 4 or 5 Magicians. Eddie: Britain’s very own Pavement - pitch perfect anthems for middle class slackers.
16. The Maccabees
16. Luke Haines. Simon: One day - probably not until he’s dead, sadly - he’ll be given the “greatest British songwriter” praise he deserves
16. Belle and Sebastian
16. Arctic Monkeys
16. Slow Club. Mike: The best folk band in Sheffield this year. The nicest people, the sweetest pop songs.
15. Sleeping States.[mp3 - A trip to nyc]
Sean: A late arrival to this list, ‘breaking’ on the internet only at the close of November. He’s already in the middle of a label bidding war and it’s easy to see why: sleepy urban folk with just the right dose of beats and harmony. Belongs in a bag with Jens Lekman, Grizzly Bear,and Beirut’s Zach Condon. A voice to stop sunsets.
9. Victor Scott [mp3 - Gotta Go].
Mike British born, Canadian raised, my artist of the year. A near perfect album of funky sonic delights. More of a collection of songs that a story you can follow all the way through the album.
9. The Pendulums. Sean: This scampering Glasgow gang have gone tragically unrecognised, plowing a crooked furrow between freak-folk, childrens’ music and Scottish sing-along. In songs about gnomes, witches and brand new Commodore 64s, The Pendulums make a sound that’s at once kindly, daft and breathless. Their debut, Moon Mountain, was self-released this year and it’s the absolute opposite of the hipster-folk that crowds most New York lofts.
9. The Long Blondes. Simon: The sort of band you like to think you’d be hanging out with, although you’d probably be too in awe to approach them.
9. PJ Harvey. Tim: She never gets any worse for me.”
9. Hot Chip
7. Kate Nash. Eddie: One of the finest songwriters the UK currently has to offer. Will be huge in 2007
6. Lily Allen. Tim: Yes .. I know .. but ‘Nan you’re a window shopper’ is a work of genius. Sean: “LDN” was enough to make me sew a little Lily Allen patch to my heart. There’s something so lovely, sassy and British to the lilt of her voice; a chip-stain, crisp-crackle, horn-honking and willow-tree pop.
5. Jarvis Cocker Tim: I’ve missed him since ‘his and hers’ and I think he might just be back. On the list mostly for ‘cunts are still ruling the world’.
4. Pipettes. Simon: Of course it’s all slightly arch - that’s what pop music does
3. Klaxons [mp3 - Atlantis to interzone]
2. Los Campesinos [mp3 You! Me! Dancing!]
Sean: Who are these people?! And how can I get them to write the new British national anthem?! Like some breathless mash-up of Ballboy, The Delgados and the Go Team!, “You! Me! Dancing!” is enough to make these Cardiff kids one of my brightest hopes for 2007. Eddie: Simplest the most fun band I’ve heard in years
1. Sky Larkin [mp3 - Somersault (notes!)]
Eddie: So much talent, such a unique sound.
Mike: The most exciting unsigned band in the UK, one of many unsigned bands making the list. Sky Larkin are separated from the others by the frequently overwhelming, dark, upbeat, frantic and utterly charming songs they’ve shared with us. They are on a par with absolutely no-one. Not because their music is obscure and unplaceable, but because every track will angrily shake off any comparisson you try to stick on it.
Sky Larkin had this to say on receiving the award:
“We’ve always been grateful for the warmth we’ve received from the internet- as i’ve been finishing my studies in london we’ve had to spend long periods of time hundreds of miles apart, so we’ve used the net to keep in contact with each other as well as to make contact with the outside world. Its opened up many experiences for us and we haven’t released anything ‘officially’ yet so to be voted the band of the year is pretty overwhelming, so thanks!”
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Winners and Runners-Up, Sky Larkin and Los Campesinos play a 5 date tour together in Nottingham, Birmingham, Glasgow, Machester and London in the first five days of March. Go see the LOSKY CAMPELARKINOS! NME also report L.Camp are to release “We Throw Parties/Don’t tell me to do the math(s) on Wichita Records early next year.
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My own top ten, my top ten British tracks, and my podcast will be available tomorrow!
20 Overlooked Artists
Amit - techstep jungle gets remolded and updated
Anaal Nathrakh - brutal precision metal
Bat for Lashes - the female brit vocal artist of the year
Burial - created a landmark dubstep album
Nathan Fake - ulrich schnauss electro inspired sonics
Boxcutter - bouncy uplifting hybrid electronic sounds
Clark - high profile warp electronic music
Neil Cowley Trio - the best british jazz music of 2006
Cursor Miner - electro synth driven sonics
Fortdax - stunning sampled electronic music
Greg Haines - avant electronic composition
iliketrains - dramatic vocals and emotional guitar music
Jesu - probably the best contemporary british rock band in terms od dynamics
Scritti Politti - a melodic comeback
Alex Smoke - moody atmospheric electro-house
Andy Stott - techno techno techno
Ryan Teague - modern composition
Tunng - melodic modern folk music
Various Production - brilliant hybrid electronic music
The Workhouse - atmospheric epic rock
i agree with Bat for Lashes and Burial, but not enough for them to get in my top 10
Fantastic list, and great to see so many of my choices make the cut. LC! and Sky Larkin certainly deserve their positions, although how high both are took me a little by surprise.
I have tickets for their London show together in March too. Yay!
Nice list Mike. Victor would have been on my list if I thought I could have picked him!
Well, that’s a bit of a surprise, if not an unwelcome one - I’m really looking forward to see how being something like a signed band treats Sky Larkin (and Los Campesinos!, for that matter)
Warmsley only at 21, though? For shame, panel!
wow last year we were at 31 (i think) and now we’ve got up to number 8! thank you, stuff like this is a real compliment.
realy good list actually. i don’t like most of the bands in the top ten though. but the ones i do like i REALLY like.
i hope you enjoy our releases in 2007.
J x
Yes, great list.
Was surprised to see 4 or 5 magicians, i saw them play once and they covered a guided by voices tune,was good !!
It’s been a good year for music !!
Here’s some stuff i’ve been listening to this year
http://www.myspace.com/thewombatsuk
http://www.myspace.com/shakyhands
http://www.myspace.com/landoftalkmtl
http://www.myspace.com/popularworkshop
http://www.myspace.com/handsonheads
http://www.myspace.com/umemusic
http://www.myspace.com/distophia
http://www.myspace.com/willstratton
http://www.myspace.com/untitledmusicalproject
http://www.myspace.com/ponihoax
http://www.myspace.com/figurinesdk
http://www.myspace.com/heartlessbastards
http://www.myspace.com/thelongwinters
http://www.myspace.com/thenewshapes
http://www.myspace.com/wearethelittleones
http://www.myspace.com/thegreshamflyers
http://www.myspace.com/meneguar
http://www.myspace.com/singasongfighter
http://www.myspace.com/ficklepublic
http://www.myspace.com/bornruffians
http://www.myspace.com/themarzipanman
http://www.myspace.com/gothicarchies
http://www.myspace.com/malajube
http://www.myspace.com/thevirginsnyc
To name but a few
Happy Christmas
r
xx
Yes, great list.
Was surprised to see 4 or 5 magicians, i saw them play once and they covered a guided by voices tune,was good !!
It’s been a good year for music !!
Here’s some stuff i’ve been listening to this year
http://www.myspace.com/thewombatsuk
http://www.myspace.com/shakyhands
http://www.myspace.com/landoftalkmtl
http://www.myspace.com/popularworkshop
http://www.myspace.com/handsonheads
http://www.myspace.com/umemusic
http://www.myspace.com/distophia
http://www.myspace.com/willstratton
http://www.myspace.com/untitledmusicalproject
http://www.myspace.com/ponihoax
http://www.myspace.com/figurinesdk
http://www.myspace.com/heartlessbastards
http://www.myspace.com/thelongwinters
http://www.myspace.com/thenewshapes
http://www.myspace.com/wearethelittleones
http://www.myspace.com/thegreshamflyers
http://www.myspace.com/meneguar
http://www.myspace.com/singasongfighter
http://www.myspace.com/ficklepublic
http://www.myspace.com/bornruffians
http://www.myspace.com/themarzipanman
http://www.myspace.com/gothicarchies
http://www.myspace.com/malajube
http://www.myspace.com/thevirginsnyc
To name but a few
Happy Christmas
r
xx
hey I’m doing a British Music Week (my second) it’ll be mostly rootsy stuff but I may steal a few of your selections, alright?
Haha im drunk but I think I’m reading the screen right! Thanks guys - we really don’t expect or deserve this praise at this stage. But the fact you put us way ahead of Blood Red Shoes gives me a perfect opportunity to mock our illustrious friend Steve Ansell, so thankyou. Stick by us, we’ll be #1 next year.
I go to a lot of gigs, mostly British folk music but some other stuff, check out my blogspot http://www.valaddiction.blogspot.com
UK Nominations for 2006:
1. FOLK SINGER OF THE YEAR
The artist making the most impact during the past year either through
performance, albums or a special event.
Nominations
1. Martha Tilston
2. Eliza Carthy
3. Chris While
2. BEST DUO
The award is for the duo making the most impact during the past year
either through performance, albums or special event.
Nominations
1. Show of Hands
2. Mundy - Turner
3. Bob Fox and Billy Mitchell
3. BEST GROUP
The award is for the group (incorporating Dance Bands following the huge
success of last year’s specific category) making the most impact during
the past year either through performance, albums or special event.
Nominations
1. Martha Tilston and the Woods
2. Seth Lakeman Band
3. Colvin Quarmby
4. BEST ALBUM
The most significant folk/roots album released in the last 12 months.
Nominations
1. Of Milkmaids and Architects - Martha Tilston
2. New Tricks - Hoover The Dog
3. A Short Walk to the Red Lion - ColvinQuarmby
5. BEST ORIGINAL SONG
The best non-traditional song of the past 12 months. This song can be a
new song, or if it is more than one year old, to qualify needs to have
had a significant performance or interpretation in 2006.
Nominations
1. Artificial - Martha Tilston
2. Roots - Show of Hands
3. All Souls Night - McDermotts 2 Hours
6. TRADITIONAL TRACK OF THE YEAR
The best performance of any traditional song or tune on CD released
during the past 12 months. This is a category designed to recognise the
work of people recording traditional material. It is to be a new
recording of a traditional song, from any tradition.
Nominations
1. Falmouth Packet/Haul Away Joe - Show of Hands
2. The Proud Tailor - Tim Van Eyken
3. Cruel William - Rachel Unthank and the Winterset
7. HORIZON AWARD
Best new artist or artists on the scene during 2006. Any relatively new
act who have made a significant increase in their popularity or made a
special impression during 2006.
Nominations
1. Seth Lakeman
2. Rachel Unthank and the Winterset
3. Tim Van Eyken
8. MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
This person can be part of a band, a solo artist or session musician who
can be considered to be the significant instrumentalist of 2006.
Nominations
1. Cormac Byrne
2. Dave Swarbrick
3. Nick Scott
9. BEST LIVE ACT
Any artist(s) or band making a significant impression during 2006
through live performances in folk clubs, festivals or concerts.
Nominations
1. Last Night’s Fun
2. ColvinQuarmby
3. Bellowhead
10. FAVOURITE FOLK TRACK OF ALL TIME
Nominations
1. Vincent Black Lightning - Richard Thompson
Sky Larkin deserve their position. Go out and see them to believe it!
The Stranglers.
McFly? Fuck off