A big congratulations to Irish band Lankum who have been announced as the winner of the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Album of the Year 2019 for their album The Livelong Day.
In his review of The Livelong Day, which you can read here, David Weir concluded:
Writhing with the terror of our times one moment, then rising with indescribable heart and hunger the next; this is traditional song stretched and submerged. Radie recently claimed, “it’s the kind of album we’ve been trying to make for years, we haven’t compromised” and you can hear that as a listener. Of all the artists working within the rather loose confines of alternative folk…The Livelong Day surely puts Lankum at the forefront. Direct and otherworldly, undoubtedly, it’s going to take more time to absorb, but right now to these ears, it sounds timeless.
He clearly wasn’t wrong…
The judging panel, made up of Irish music media professionals, had to deliberate over a shortlist featuring ten albums, two of which were also on Rough Trade. The shortlist was:
Daithi – L.O.S.S. (Strange Brew)
Mick Flannery – Mick Flannery (Rosaleen Records)
Fontaines D.C. – Dogrel (Partisan Records)
Girl Band – The Talkies (Rough Trade Records)
Jafaris – Stride (DFL)
Junior Brother – Pull The Right Rope (Strange Brew)
Lankum – The Livelong Day (Rough Trade Records)
Soak – Grim Town (Rough Trade Records)
Maija Sofia – Bath Time (Trapped Animal Records)
Sorcha Richardson – First Prize Bravery (Faction Records)
AND THE WINNER OF THE #RTECHOICEPRIZE ALBUM OF THE YEAR IS @LankumDublin!! Huge congratulations to them and to every one of the nominees, the judges had one hell of a tough job in front of them judging by what we saw & heard tonight ❤️ @RTE2 @rte @RTE2fm pic.twitter.com/dsoJpNdqZM
— RTÉ Choice Music (@choiceprize) March 5, 2020
Lankum received a cheque for €10,000, a prize which has been provided by the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) and the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) – as well as a specially- commissioned award.
According to the Choice Music website, RTÉ2 will broadcast a one-hour TV highlights programme of the RTÉ Choice Music Prize featuring performances from the acts and interviews by Bláthnaid Treacy on Sunday, March 15th at 11.15 pm.
We’ll leave you with this:
Upcoming UK and Ireland dates include The Cork Opera House on March 17th and London’s The Barbican on April 15th.
Full dates can be found here: http://lankumdublin.com/gigs