The 6th Australian Music Prize (The Amp) continues to reward excellence in home grown talent with the
announcement of the shortlist. Nine standout artists have been chosen by a judging panel of media,
artists and retail staff to vie for the title.
In the running for the $30,000 prize money courtesy of principal partner PPCA, the following shortlisted
artists have produced albums of such high quality they deserve national and international recognition.
The shortlist for the 6th Australian Music Prize is: CLOUD CONTROL, THE HOLIDAYS, DAN KELLY,
SALLY SELTMANN, GARETH LIDDIARD, PIKELET, EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING, TAME
IMPALA and RICHARD IN YOUR MIND.
The Amp Director Scott B. Murphy congratulated all artists deemed worthy of this esteemed recognition. At the Shortlist Announcement at the Sydney Opera House today, Murphy said:
“The judges had a tough time choosing these 9 titles from the 200 or so entries received in 2010 – it was a
great year for Australian music as anyone can tell from the strength of our 6th shortlist.”
The Amp this year welcomed principal sponsor, quality Australian beer brand Coopers. In addition, the
long term partnerships with Red Bull and PPCA continues to go from strength to strength and exist to
discover, promote and reward Australian music of excellence. The CEO of PPCA, Dan Rosen said:
“On behalf of everyone at PPCA I would like to offer our congratulations to all of the short-listed artists. The
quality of albums released by Australian artists in 2010 was exceptional, so for these nine acts to be chosen
by a panel of their peers and industry experts is an absolute credit to them. PPCA would like to wish all of
the artists the best of luck for the final and is proud to once again be the major prize sponsor of The Amp.”
With renewed and new partnerships in 2010, The Amp is able to bring contemporary Australian music to a
wider audience. Capitalizing on extensive media partnerships with principal partners Channel [V], cross
media partner Street Press Australia and media partners Nova, The Music Network and Rolling Stone, the
music of these impressive nine acts permeates throughout the nation.
Coopers TV have also come on board to take an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at The Amp process
from submission through to the final event. They have uploaded a series of exclusive episodes available
for viewing at www.cooperstv.com.au.
The Amp congratulates winners of the Red Bull Award for Best Debut Release, The Holidays, who not only
took out the prize of $15,000 worth of flights and accommodation to record in the Red Bull Studio in LA,
but also find themselves on the shortlist for the major award.
The 6th Australian Music Prize winner will be announced on March 3rd.
CLOUD CONTROL
The bewitching and balmy debut release, “Bliss Release” from Blue
Mountain natives Cloud Control has received a raft of praise from
critics across the board.
Recorded with Liam Judson of Belles Will Ring during stolen
evenings and afternoons in living rooms and bedrooms in the hills,
‘Bliss Release” has lived up to its name.
The album debuted in the Top 20 of the ARIA charts, garnered
international attention from tastemaker media in the UK and USA
prompting releases in those territories.
Cloud Control have created a unique, comprehensive and
downright beautiful body of work that really is a “bliss release”. The
6th Australian Music Prize is proud to name the album on the
Shortlist.
THE HOLIDAYS
Having already picked up the Red Bull Award for the Best Debut
Release, The Holidays have also made the Shortlist for the 6th Amp
Award. “Post Paradise” is a more complex musical offering from
this Sydney four-piece, layering lush instrumentation over mellow
breezy melodies, with pop-laden hooks.
Self-produced by the band and mixed with the helping hand of
premier mixer Tony Espie (Avalanches, Midnight Juggernauts, Cut
Copy), “Post Paradise” has the ears of the international music
community abuzz.
With $15,000 worth of flights and accommodation to record in the
Red Bull studio in Los Angeles under their belts, thanks to winning
the Red Bull Award, The Holidays set their sights on the USA and UK
for SXSW and a slew of tour dates. It really will be more than just a
holiday!
DAN KELLY
A prodigal son of the Australian music landscape, Dan Kelly and his
ukulele have produced an album crafted of sardonic lyrical
prowess with his third album “Dan Kelly’s Dream”.
His three albums have been praised by critics and fans alike, he’s
been nominated for six ARIAs. Dan has toured the country and the
globe extensively as guitarist and collaborator with the great Paul
Kelly for the last decade.
Songs about love, airplanes, politics, food, sex and the apocalypse
all somehow fit into this rich tapestry. “Dan Kelly’s Dream” joins the
shortlist for The Amp.
SALLY SELTMANN
Shedding her previous incarnation as New Buffalo, Sally Seltmann
emerged with a stand out album, “Heart That’s Pounding” plying
her trademark sweet voice and amazing songwriting skills.
She managed to create an uplifting, timeless pop album full of
confidence, meticulous melodies and joy. After having a baby in
2008, the inspiration for such an honest, heartfelt and accessible
album came to fruition.
Described as a career defining work by The Sunday Age, “Heart
That’s Pounding” puts Sally Seltmann firmly in the running for the
$30,000 in Australian Music Prize money.
GARETH LIDDIARD
No stranger to the Amp, Gareth Liddiard has been the recipient of
the major prize as frontman of his swaggering rock band The
Drones. Now his solo effort “Strange Tourist” has impressed the
judges to make the shortlist for the 6th Australian Music Prize.
Recorded in an isolated mansion thirty minutes outside Yass, in
country New South Wales, “Strange Tourist” captures Liddiard at his
most naked, and his most explosive. Armed only with an acoustic
guitar, he makes surreal stories of tightrope walkers, down and
outers, suicidal Japanese salarymen and suburban radicals come
alive like no one else could.
PIKELET
Pikelet’s heady and swirling second album “Stem” has seen her
tour with the likes of Sufjan Stevens and Goldfrapp. Evelyn Morris,
the woman behind the wide-eyed moniker, will take you on such a
cosmic journey through Stem, that music critics have described her
as an astronaut.
The 6th Australian Music Prize is pleased to announce “Stem” as
part of its shortlisted nine artists. It’s an album that keeps you
guessing, working off a woven ambience and mystical sound, but
also centered around the good ol’ fashioned songwriting that
keeps Pikelet in the forefront of Australian songstresses.
EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING
Recorded in a mere six hours, Eddy Current Suppression Ring’s
“Rush To Relax” captures the band’s stripped back punk-rock and
harnesses the tension and exhilaration of their live performances.
Known for their low-fi approach the album that rare record, asking
nothing up front, but yielding more and more rewards with each
passing listen.
The Melbourne group won The Amp award for their second album
“Primary Colours”. “Rush To Relax” has received a similar stretch of
critical acclaim and is welcomed into The 6th Australian Music
Prize’s Shortlist.
TAME IMPALA
Since Tame Impala’s 2008 self-titled EP they have been turning
heads and bending minds with their psychadelic, blissed out
melodies. Their debut long-player “InnerSpeaker” has already
received a host of accolades, including a nomination for Best
Album in the 2010 ARIA Awards and taking out triple j’s 2010
JAward.
Recorded and produced by the band’s frontman Kevin Parker,
“InnerSpeaker” carries you through a journery of harmonized fields
and boundless beauty that has earned it a spot on the shortlist for
The Amp.
RICHARD IN YOUR MIND
Full of inventiveness and spark, Richard In Your Mind’s anticipated
second album “My Volcano” has been named in the shortlist for
The 6th Australian Music Prize.
Mixing up lush psychedelics with odd tribal beats and lo-fi party
jams, the album takes in every genre under the sun, and spits it out
as a dreamy and chaotic fourty-five minute journey. Never a band
to fall into the norms of songwriting, Richard In Your Mind and their
oddities are something to look out for, with The Amp giving them
their hearty stamp of approval.
