MercuryZ

Hey readers,

The Mercury Prize shortlist is out tomorrow so FTCZ feels obligated to weigh in with our not very good predictions. We were way off when we backed Laura Marling last year (who would have thought the long shot would fail???), and we’re confident we’ll get it just as wrong again this year.

Anywayz, here’s 12 FTCZ preferences for the shortlist.

1.Florence And The Machine – Lungs

This is one of the few that we’ll probably get right. The only way she won’t get the nomination is if the selectors find the extra sentence here and there that she inserts into the album songs as annoying as I find it.

Chance of making the list: Very high




2.Late Of The Pier

The most FTCZ apprived band on the list. WE back these guys to win. Still haven’t seen them live unfortunately. It’s Buckfast’s fault.

Chance of making the list: pretty good. We'll be gutted if they don't. Not that the mercury prize is all that good to begin with :P



3.Friendly Fires

My Brova loves em. So Do I, This is a rarity you should know. They have no chance of being nominated really since they’re a lot like LOTP. Too bad.

Chance of making the list: Not very good. Late of the Pier's fault.




4. Micachu

A New love of FTCZ. We wrote a load about her below so we really hope she gets it. 200+ plays on my last fm this week says all that needs to be said.

Chance of making the list: reasonable. Hopefully the hype will squeeze em through.



5. The Horrors

The first album was more along the lines of FTCZ. The new one is a bit serious, but good all the same.

Chance of making the list: They're a cert for the shortlist.




6. Emmy The Great

Hope she gets nominated. Still a little scarred about some interview she had did a while back.

Chance of making the list: Not a chance.




7. Dananananakroyd

We mentioned these guys a while back before they released very much. We’re still listening to Pink Sabbath as much as ever which is a good sign.

Chance of making the list: Lol. no.




8. Metronomy
Not very alt to like Metronomy any more. But they do have the best video out of everyone here.

Chance of making the list: They've got a good chance. If Klaxons can win, they can.



9.Sky Larkin

We’ve not mentioned them on this blog (and we’ve defo not mentioned them on our fads/hot girls/fashion dabbling disgrace of a blog). We’ve really grown to love them though. Very fond of their Queens Of The Stone Age cover.

Chance of making the list: pretty terrible.



10.Rolo Tomassi

Very loud band and a very hot singer. We highly approve.

Chance of making the list: No way. Maybe if the selectors wanna show how diverse they are.



11. Bat For Lashes

We were a little disappointed when she didn’t win it the last time.

Chance of making the list: A sure thing.



12. The Bug

The super duper outsider. Don’t even expect this album to be considered. We’d be over the moon if they did.

Chance of making the list: The Bug will NOT eb on the list.




Of course the unpopular ones we mentioned will definitely be replaced by La Roux/Little Boots/Glasvegas (who we like) and a few others that aren't coming to mind.

There should also be a token hip-hop album by someone like Wiley or Tinchy Styder, and a jazz album that isn’t in tune with the rest of the list. I don’t really care for jazz so I’d rather they give music genres, that are alien to you and I, a miss.

Here's hoping we get at least one right. The list comes out tomorrow.

In teh mags - Double Edition

Salut internet peeps,

We're playing catch up here at FTCZ due to our out and out negligence of the blog as a result of being all over the place/being ill (quote - i had a nice gawk earlier - Big B is teh funnyZ)/having assignments coming out the you-know-where (and the lack of will to do them).

So now we'll simply have to cram the reviews of the last 2 issues of NME into one post :P "But Sonic C, why must you always review NME? Can't you give Q or Spin or Hot Press for once?" Sorry reader, but here: have free entry to your local roflbrothel on us :D While you're being lolled senseless, keep in mind that we have

Anywayz onto NME 2 weeks ago...









Before we get to what is clearly the talking point, let me just say how awesome any article looking into Soulwax's other aliases is. But of course the mag was better than that: Crystal Castles interview!


Having being accidentally ounched in the face by Alice Glass and with Big B being kicked in the face by her at Electric Picnic, and with me having felt her up a little bit by accident, we have a very strong connection with Alice.


But no way would I have imagined she'd tell the stories she does in this interview. People are murdered (one have their head smashed in with a hammer), there's fights with satanists using crowbars and condoms full of junky you-know-what. It is easily one of the best interviews I've read in the mag in the 4 years i've been doing it. Crystal Castles are simply badass in every way.








As for this weeks issue: talk about letdown central :( The Cribs are a'ight as long as they don't have 3 pages written about them. That's a bit much for our stomachs. And an A-Z of AC/DC is a waste of ink. Promoting an AC/DC album in 2008 = epic fail.

There were slight consolations though. Dananananakroyd got a full page story about how awesome they are and Gang Gang Dance didn't get mangles in the reviews section. All in all, it made for excellent 'waiting on the bus before it actually leaves' reading material. Since the Last Shadow Puppets seem to be next weeks big dealio, FTCZ will likely spend it's time reading proper books as opposed to NME next time we travel.

Dananananananana....royd (aka Dananananakroyd)

Hey peeps,

We here at FTCZ heartZ bands with names that make the speaker feel stupid. Be it Get Cape.Wear Cape. Fly, Does It Offend You Yeah, Be Your Own Pet, !!! or Duffy, bands with silly names are super important nowadays.

Unfortunately, with the exception of BYOP, FTZ (lol) doesn't think any of those bands are worth obsessing over. So you can imagine how many self-praising high fives and 'go team FTCZ' were thrown around in a smug manner when we found Glasgow band Dananananakroyd.

Firstly, before you readers embarrass yourselves, thats 4 x Na.

Secondly, the band is way awesome with the exception of them not scheduling any Irish gigs for the near future (which is mad - Ireland is such an alt place to play after all. It's a brill place for Brit bands to play abroad without really going very far).

Anywayz, they're ace out (new '09 slang so get used to it). And be sure to check out their blog (Dananananakroyd.blogspot.com) to see them meeting Dan Akroyd accomplice/hero of in every sense of the word, Bill Murray.