Really enjoying watching the European Athletics Championships. I love seeing people trying their very best.<\/p>"},{"id":"https:\/\/danielsavage.uk\/propaganda\/mercury-prize-1992","url":"https:\/\/danielsavage.uk\/propaganda\/mercury-prize-1992","date_published":"2026-08-06T00:00:00+00:00","title":"The Mercury Prize Determination, 1992 \ud83c\udfb5","content_html":"
COMMITTEE ON ARTISTIC AFFAIRS<\/strong> Subject<\/strong>: The Mercury Prize of 1992 As much as I love new music, it's always good to check back and see what you might have missed before. When the Mercury Prize shortlist for 2026 was announced I thought it would be good to listen back to past years and give the nominees another chance. First up, it's 1992.<\/p>\n Albums are listed alphabetically, not in order of preference.<\/p>\n I saw that he was a fellow Manc who had been in Magazine and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, so I thought I had an idea of what this was going to sound like. I was very wrong. This is a jazz noir, slam poet, bossa nova, groove mirage. It feels like he's lifted songs from various film soundtracks (there's an imagined Bond theme in here) and jumbled them all together. I'm really glad I listened. Not sure I quite got it in one listen, but it deserves a few more.<\/p>\n The jazz entry. There will be more of these in the years to come, and it's one of the areas I know least about. Mseleku was South African, living in exile in London, and this was a great entry: smooth but vibrant, with fantastic production.<\/p>\n This just felt very 90s. The drums are very Madchester, the guitars distorted and powerful. The lyrics are fine. It's well-crafted guitar pop for the baggy jeans generation, but it felt very samey and by the end I was glad it was over.<\/p>\n Not for me, thanks. This is the most dated of the albums.<\/p>\n The classical entry. Again, no idea what to expect. I don't think having it in my headphones while I work is giving it the space it requires, and I'm no classical expert, so I'm setting it aside rather than judging it properly. It was great to work to. Listening to this live with an orchestra in proper surroundings would be ideal.<\/p>\n I expected more. Maybe it was more revolutionary when it came out, but it does seem to drag a lot. I actually saw them play this album live in full and it felt a lot better. I think you need to be out dancing with people to get the full experience.<\/p>\n This was a great record. Poppy, dance-y, but always interesting. It was bright and light. Only Love Can Break Your Heart is the well known track, but there were others that I really liked. Even the longer songs held my attention, unlike in Screamadelica.<\/p>\n I'm from the same town as Mick Hucknall, but there will be no hometown loyalty here. This was the biggest album in the UK of both 1991 and 1992, and remains one of the biggest sellers in British chart history. It was a smash, but other than a couple of bangers the rest is pretty bland.<\/p>\n Another big hitter. I really enjoyed this album. It kept most of my attention throughout and there are some classic tracks on it.<\/p>\n This was the only album Young Disciples ever made. A shame, as this was another great album. Cool, slick. A mix of jazz, funk, soul and hip hop.<\/p>\n Overall, it was a great inaugural year for the Mercury Prize. A real variety of sounds and genres, and other than Jah Wobble (sorry) they've all dated quite well.<\/p>\n On the question of Achtung Baby: it is plainly the strongest set of songs on the shortlist. Can you really say any of the other albums had songs like One<\/em>, Mysterious Ways<\/em> and Even Better Than The Real Thing<\/em>? But the Committee removes U2 from consideration on the grounds of size. They were already too big a band to be handed the prize, and did not need the money or the exposure. <\/p>\n That leaves Saint Etienne<\/strong>. I can see why Screamadelica <\/em>won, but Foxbase Alpha<\/em> held my attention where the winner didn't, and it has aged just as well. The determination of 1992 is amended in its favour.<\/p>"},{"id":"https:\/\/danielsavage.uk\/propaganda\/gig-diary","url":"https:\/\/danielsavage.uk\/propaganda\/gig-diary","date_published":"2026-08-02T00:00:00+00:00","content_html":" Every gig I've been to since 2003 is now on the record. 312 of them, from Stereophonics that year through to Alabama Shakes in Memphis this April. Where setlist.fm has the setlist, you can click through and see exactly what was played.<\/p>\n If you head to the Department of Culture<\/a> I've also added year filters across all the cultural filings, so you can see year by year what I've been watching, reading and listening to.<\/p>\n Websites are so fun!<\/p>"},{"id":"https:\/\/danielsavage.uk\/propaganda\/listening-report-july-2026","url":"https:\/\/danielsavage.uk\/propaganda\/listening-report-july-2026","date_published":"2026-07-31T00:00:00+00:00","title":"Listening report \u2014 July 2026","content_html":" 168 artists \u00b7 170 albums \u00b7 488 tracks \u00b7 499 plays<\/p>\n New Mercury Prize shortlist announced today<\/a>. I try to listen to all the albums before the winner is announced in October, but I'm tempted to go right back to the beginning and listen to the shortlist for each year! Who knows if I'll have the time or motivation but it would make a nice series for the Department of Culture<\/a> to delve into. <\/p>\n
\nSub-Committee on the Adjudication of Musical Awards<\/em><\/p>\n
\nPurpose<\/strong>: To establish whether the prize of 1992 was correctly awarded.
\nDetermination<\/strong>: Amended<\/p>\n
\n^<\/code> denotes the Mercury winner. *<\/code> denotes the Committee's.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nBarry Adamson, Soul Murder<\/h3>\n
Bheki Mseleku, Celebration<\/h3>\n
The Jesus and Mary Chain, Honey's Dead<\/h3>\n
Jah Wobble's Invaders of the Heart, Rising Above Bedlam<\/h3>\n
John Tavener and Steven Isserlis, The Protecting Veil<\/h3>\n
^ Primal Scream, Screamadelica<\/h3>\n
* Saint Etienne, Foxbase Alpha<\/h3>\n
Simply Red, Stars<\/h3>\n
U2, Achtung Baby<\/h3>\n
Young Disciples, Road to Freedom<\/h3>\n
Judgement<\/h3>\n
Listening \u2014 July 2026<\/h2>\n
Most played artists<\/h3>\n
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Most played albums<\/h3>\n
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