Choice Music Prize ~ Mick Flannery – White Lies

Mick Flannery - White Lies

Over the coming days, in the lead up to the Choice Music Prize shindig in Vicar Street on the 4th of March, I’m going to be giving my opinion on the albums nominated for this award. They will be in alphabetical order by surname to avoid any nonsense.

So Mick Flannery’s White Lies is where I’ll start.

In the mid nineties to late nineties there was some excellent singer/songwriter type artist coming to there fore, and I loved it. I tried to be one. David Gray kicked it all off for me, he got the ball rolling. Then came ‘The Frames Era’. People all of a sudden fell in love with Glen Hansard and he’s brand of soppy pop. I loved this. I had, and still have, the utmost respect for these guys, but unfortunately, this genre has overstayed its welcome.

Mick Flannery is a fabulous songwriter, White Lies is an excellent example of an album of pure song writing class from start to finish. His voice is the perfect lonely, loveless voice of an idealist singer/songwriter. His lyrics are beautifully articulated and create wondrous images of broken hearts and, ultimately, hope.

Mick though is about 5 years too late. Singer/songwriters have had their time in the spotlight, their 15 minutes of fame. People like David Gray and Glen Hansard have proven that this genre has gone as far as it can. There is nothing new being created. Yes it’s all lovely and nice and all that crap but it’s just old. It’s run its course.

If you’re still into this type of music then you will love this album. It is a great album, I cannot find fault with what it’s supposed to be, only that what it’s supposed to be has flaws. It’s time to forget singer/songwriters, thank them for a lovely time and some great songs. We’ll keep one or two of you afloat just for those moments to fill the gaps when we feel like shit, but other than that it’s to move on and start making new music. It’s time to be creative, time to experiment and time to use your intelligence.

A worthy contender for Album of the Year, but it’s not. It’s somewhere in the middle.

The best from the album, Wait Here

Tomorrow: Fight Like Apes – Fight Like Apes and the Mystery of the Golden Medallion.

~ by clemsound on February 21, 2009.