Announced tonight at a special event broadcast live from Ding Dong in Melbourne, the winners of the 2010 J Awards are: Australian Album of the Year : Tame Impala InnerSpeaker
Tame Impala’s InnerSpeaker is a totally assured and expertly executed debut album. Recorded and produced by frontman Kevin Parker it catapults you into a blissed-out cosmic realm of warm, fuzzy psychedelia.
The album has garnered international acclaim since its release in May; from the media, from the blogosphere and from the thousands of concert-goers who’ve seen Tame Impala’s impressive live show. It’s an adventurous and kaleidoscopic affair from start to finish and is 2010’s Australian Album of the Year.
Richard Kingsmill (triple j Music Director): “Ever since hearing their first demos, we’ve been big fans of this band and their vision. This debut album is wonderfully crafted – it has plenty of layers but as a whole it paints a really strong picture. The album has a nod to the past, but it is also bursting with fresh ideas. Tame Impala have a strong spirit of creative adventure which we expect them to maintain over their music-making years to come.”
Unearthed Artist of the Year – Boy & Bear
Sydney’s Boy & Bear won our triplejunearthed.com competition to play at the Homebake festival in late 2009 and haven’t stopped since. 2010 saw them win fans at home and abroad touring with Laura Marling, Mumford and Sons, Angus & Julia Stone and Hungry Kids of Hungary. They sold out shows in New York, London and across Australia on their first headline tour and have the honour of being the youngest band featured on He Will Have His Way – the recent tribute to Tim & Neil Finn. Their debut EP Emperor Antarctica turns out pastoral folk that’s tender, tuneful and piled high with heavenly harmonies. In a thrilling and competitive field Boy & Bear are our triple j Unearthed Artist of 2010.
Dom Alessio (Home & Hosed): “I remember trying to see Boy & Bear play at Homebake last year. We’d picked them from triple junearthed.com to open the festival and the tent was so full I couldn’t get in. It was obvious these guys were something special. Since then they have toured their unique songs, burgeoning with melody and harmony, around the world. Boy & Bear are a great representation of what Unearthed can do for a band.”
Australian Music Video of the Year – Mairi Cameron and Stephen Lance (Directors) – Washington ‘Sunday Best’
Tipping their hats to Jean Luc Goddard’s french new wave masterpiece Bande A Part, directors Mairi Cameron and Stephen Lance have created a gorgeous all-singing all-dancing spectacular for Megan Washington’s ‘Sunday Best’. Part musical, part comedy and all crime, this 60’s French New Wave inspired flick has everything – creativity, originality and technical excellence. Even with so many stunning visual representations of Australian music this year ‘Sunday Best’ really stood out as Australian Music Video of the Year.
Meagan Loader (Program Director): “This clip has everything – incredible choreography, bold art direction and a great sense of humour. It’s quirky, sassy, hugely entertaining and embodies all the things we love about Washington.”
Since their inception six years ago, the J Awards have become one of the most respected in the industry. Selected on quality, and on the distinctive sounds and images that have defined that year in music, the awards are recognised by both industry and the general public as a stamp of excellence. Unearthing, supporting and developing Australian artists is a key contribution triple j makes to local arts and culture.
FULL LIST OF NOMINEES
The 2010 J Award Nominees are:??Australian Album of the Year Birds of Tokyo Birds Of Tokyo Bliss N Eso Running On Air Cloud Control Bliss Release?Sia We Are Born?Tame Impala InnerSpeaker ?Washington I Believe You Liar?Angus & Julia Stone Down The Way?Parkway Drive Deep Blue?M-Phazes Good Gracious?Bag Raiders Bag Raiders
Unearthed Artist of the Year The Jezabels Big Scary Gypsy & The Cat Boy & Bear Stonefield
Australian Video of the Year Lucinda Schreiber and Beatrice Pegard (Directors) – Midnight Juggernauts ‘Lara vs The Savage Pack’?SPOD (Director) – Richard In Your Mind ‘Candelabra’ ?John Hillcoat (Director) – Grinderman ‘Heathen Child’ ?Mairi Cameron and Stephen Lance (Directors) – Washington ‘Sunday Best’ Sam Kristofski (Director) – Parades ‘Loserspeak In A New Tongue’