Tags: Animal Collective, Bob Dylan, Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear, Kings Of Leon, The Low Anthem, Tinariwen, Uncut
Finally, after much consideration, Uncut have announced that Tinariwen have won this years coveted Uncut Music Award.
Tinariwen’s fourth album, Imidiwan: Companions, won over some very stiff competition, from Kings of Leon, Bob Dylan, Wilco, Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear and The Low Anthem to be crowned the most inspirational and rewarding album of 2009.
Now in its second year, the Uncut Music Award has already gained a reputation as the most credible award in music. The artists’ nationality, age and sales figures are completely irrelevant as a judging panel of industry figures come together to decide on the winner.
Tinariwen were unanimously chosen, by a distinguished judging panel of eleven key industry figures who included musicians Billy Bragg, Rachel Unthank and Robin Pecknold of last year’s UMA winners, Fleet Foxes, broadcasters Mark Radcliff, Bob Harris, Danny Kelly and Christian O’Connell and, ex-EMI chief executive and chair of the BPI Tony Wadsworth, Stiff Records founder Dave Robinson and Mark Cooper, BBC Head Of Music Entertainment.
Tinariwen are a band of Tuareg musicians from the Sahara Desert region of northern Mali, whose mix of electric blues and Middle Eastern & African traditional drumming, has created a unique sound of their very own. Formed in 1979, they rose to prominence in the 1980s as the musical voice of a new political and social conscience in the southern Sahara. In the early 2000s, Tinariwen started to gain a following outside Africa, first in the world music community and then on the wider rock scene, through frequent tours and appearances at major festivals in Europe and the USA.
Ibrahim Ag Alhabib of Tinariwen, said of winning the Uncut Music Award: ‘This makes us really really happy, all of us and I’m glad that this important magazine should recognise our music. It gives us the strength to carry on working and spreading the message about the peace of our desert home, and I’m glad that our music can cross the frontiers and talk to people around the world. Thanks very very much.’
Uncut’s Editor Allan Jones says of Tinariwen – Imidiwan: Companions: ‘With so much great music to chose from, the judges’ task this year was extremely difficult, but in the end, the panel was unanimous in voting for Imidiwan.
It’s a fantastically exciting record, full of great, powerful music, passionately and brilliantly played. It had everything the judges were looking for in a potential winner.”
Artist Billy Bragg says: ‘I think this band will be hugely influential. In the next couple of years we’ll be hearing young bands lifting the tensions and the rhythms of Tinariwen. You find yourself reaching back to the blues to explain what they do, it’s like they’ve turned the whole bloody thing upside down. I really do think they are an Uncut band.’
BBC’s Creative Head of Music Entertainment Mark Cooper says: ‘I love the fact that this is a world music record that saves world music from the liberals. That’s really cool, I think a rock audience can like it, it’s not precious or worthy. It’s real.’
Artist Rachel Unthank says: ‘Tinariwen were the only group that united the panel. Their hypnotic rhythms must have cast a spell over us all as we were all captivated. Beautiful, powerful and brooding music. Hurray!’
Broadcaster Bob Harris says: ‘If we’re talking about what’s the most amazing, creative, forward-looking, political record we’re discussing, then this album is very, very special. There’s a lot of words here, that don’t completely or properly translate into English. There’s so much to discover, to know about this record, but you find yourself asking, ‘How much do I want to know, or how much do I just want to be entranced by it?’
Stiff Records Founder Dave Robinson says: ‘Tinariwen – Imidiwan: Companions Timeless organic and a truly unique album with a great sound.’
The full shortlist in alphabetical order, was:
Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion (Domino)
Bob Dylan – Together Through Life (Columbia)
Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca (Domino)
Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest (Warp)
Kings of Leon – Only By The Night (Columbia)
The Low Anthem – Oh My God Charlie Darwin (Bella Union)
Tinariwen – Imidiwan: Companions (Independiente)
Wilco – Wilco (Nonesuch)
New York’s much-loved electronica duo Shy Child have announced details of their return next year and the release of a brand new album. ‘Liquid Love’ will be available on 1st March 2010 via Wall of Sound. 
In a display of generosity, Enter Shikari offers to the world a free download of the previously unreleased ‘radio mix’ of album track ‘Wall‘. Originally remixed by ‘Common Dreads‘ producer Andy Gray specifically for radio promo use, the track was deemed too different and of interest to fans to remain locked away, but too similar to the original to have the cheek to charge cold hard cash for. So, instead, it’s being offered out as a free download for anyone that wants to take it. The track can be found here: 
PLACEBO WIN BEST ALTERNATIVE ACT AT MTV EMAs
The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas has revealed that he is planning a “Pink Floyd laser light show” for his forthcoming debut UK gigs next month.
Fast ascending rock outfit YOU ME AT SIX have confirmed details of their biggest headline tour to date which concludes with a show at London’s Brixton Academy. Tickets for the tour – set for March 2010 – will be made available through an innovative 48 hour presale scheme that will reward longstanding fans for their loyalty.
Ranked #1 in Kerrang Magazine’s “100 Gigs That Shook The World” and voted as “Nirvana’s #1 Greatest Moment” by fans in an NME poll, Nirvana’s historic August 30, 1992 headlining appearance at the UK’s Reading Festival is one of the most bootlegged concerts in the annals of rock’n’roll. Now, fans will have an opportunity to own a pristine copy of that entire performance – with colour-corrected video from the original film with audio sourced from the original multi-track masters. Nirvana Live At Reading will be issued in a limited edition DVD+CD Deluxe Edition as well as DVD-only, CD-only configurations on November 2, 2009, followed by a 2 LP version on November 16, 2009.
Los Angeles based 5 piece Iglu & Hartly return with a brand new single ‘Dedication’ on November 23rd 2009. Last year the band embarked on a full assault of the UK, with 2 sold out tours (which saw the band play 130 gigs in 150 days across 17 countries), and a top 5 hit single ‘In This City’, which has sold over 150k copies in the UK alone. The single scored them A-list plays on Radio One, Capital and Radio 2; receiving over 8000 plays on UK radio to date, as well as a shirtless performance on the Jonathan Ross show. The band headlined two NME Brats dates, and were listed in the NME’s ‘25 Bands making America cool again’ feature.
FranKo’s UK tour with Elliot Minor begins today, catch the boys live at one of the following dates –
MUSE
