FOUR STIRLING BANDS MAKE ALBUM AWARD LONGLIST
Stirling band Constant Follower are one of four local bands or solo artists to make the longlist.
The longlist for this year’s Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Awards has been announced, with four albums with a local connection making the cut.
Amongst the longlisted albums are ‘Neither Is, Nor Ever Was’ by Constant Follower, ‘Unlearning’ by Walt Disco, ‘Lazybody’ by Annie Booth and ‘Milestone’ by Duncan Lyall.
This year’s top 20 have been whittled down from a record breaking 369 submissions by 100 impartial music industry nominators.
BAND REACTION
Annie Booth, who cut her teeth on the Tolbooth’s song writing workshops, has been nominated for her album ‘Lazybody’.
Annie said:
“I was very surprised and honoured to be included in the SAY Award longlist - I've followed the awards for a long time. There were so many Scottish albums I enjoyed last year so it meant a lot that folk out there connected with ‘Lazybody’.
“The album was a real labour of love, brought to life by an amazing group of musicians and collaborators who truly gave their all.”
Stirling based band Constant Follower, who received Scene Stirling funding to create a series of unique music videos, have been nominated for their debut album ‘Neither Is, Nor Ever Was.’
Lead singer and songwriter Stephen McAll said:
“It’s utterly humbling to have our album recognised by The SAY Award nominators and included on this year’s longlist. I’m delighted, but I’m even happier that the efforts of all of the people who worked with me on the album are being recognised.
“For me, the magic in music is in collaboration, and this would have been a very different album without all the people who played on it, helped me record it, created the artwork and films, and of course the co-production of Kramer, whose genius... well, I haven’t the words to describe.
“I’m thinking back to when I was writing these songs, my baby daughter asleep through the wall and me trying to sing quietly to not to wake her – never then would I have imagined the songs would have connected with people as they have, to the extent the album is being recognised for the SAY Award longlist. It’s a very humbling thing, but okay to feel just a little proud too, I think.”
Duncan Lyall, who grew up in Dunblane and whose track ‘Tale of the Tolbooth’ featured in Stirling’s City of Culture collective poem video (below), is nominated for his album ‘Milestone’.
Duncan said:
“I am a huge fan and supporter of The SAY Award. It’s fantastic to have an inclusive, cross-genre, Scottish music award that creates a level playing field for all musicians, whether signed to a major label or recording in their bedrooms. ‘Milestone’ has been a labour of love and, as an independent artist, to be included in this year’s SAY longlist is an honour and a dream come true.”
Walt Disco, whose lead singer hails from Balfron, have been nonimated for their album ‘Unlearning’.
James Potter said:
“To be included in this year's longlist is an amazing feeling, especially to see our album in the company of so many stellar Scottish releases we've been enjoying this year.”
STIRLING DEBUT FOR AWARDS
Their nominations are all the more meaningful as this year’s SAY awards will take place in Stirling for the first time.
Each longlisted album is now in the running for the coveted SAY Award title and £20,000 first prize, with the winner to be announced at The SAY Award 2022 Ceremony taking place at Stirling’s Albert Halls on Thursday 20 October.
Convener of Stirling Council’s Community Planning and Regeneration Committee, Councillor Gerry McGarvey said: “Congratulations to all the amazing artists from across Scotland that have made the longlist for this prestigious musical award.
“To reach this stage in the competition is an achievement in itself and it’s fantastic to have so many Stirling-based artists, and artists that have their roots in The Tolbooth’s Music Development workshops, in the final 20, demonstrating the area’s dynamic and diverse music scene.
“To celebrate the longlist announcement, we have created a special interactive exhibition in The Tolbooth where people can sample the best of Scottish music in 2022.
“In just over a month one of these incredible records will be recognised as Scottish Album of the Year in the Albert Halls Stirling, and today’s milestone signals the countdown is on to an exciting and inspiring night.”
FULL LIST OF NOMINEES
In alphabetical order, The SAY Award Longlist for 2022 is as follows:
· AiiTee – ‘Better Days’
· Andrew Wasylyk – ‘Balgay Hill: Morning In Magnolia’
· Annie Booth – ‘Lazybody’
· Bemz – ‘M4’
· C Duncan – ‘Alluvium’
· Callum Easter – ‘System’
· Constant Follower – ‘Neither Is, Nor Ever Was’
· Declan Welsh and the Decadent West – ‘It’s Been A Year’
· Duncan Lyall – ‘Milestone’
· Fergus McCreadie – ‘Forest Floor’
· Hamish Hawk – ‘Heavy Elevator’
· Hen Hoose – ‘Equaliser’
· Kathryn Joseph – ‘For You Who Are The Wronged’
· Kobi Onyame – ‘Don’t Drink The Poison’
· The Ninth Wave – ‘Heavy Like a Headache’
· Niteworks – ‘A’Ghrian’
· Proc Fiskal – ‘Siren Spine Sysex’
· Rebecca Vasmant – ‘With Love, From Glasgow’
· Seonaid Aitken Ensemble – ‘Chasing Sakura’
· Walt Disco – ‘Unlearning’
VOTING
The longlist will be whittled down to a final 10 albums to make up this year’s shortlist, one of which will be chosen by music fans in a 72-hour online public vote.
From 3 – 5 October, members of the public will have the chance to ensure their favourite album makes the shortlist by voting at www.sayaward.com; with the remaining 9 albums chosen by the judging panel.
The overall winner will take away not only the coveted Scottish Album of the Year title, but also a £20,000 prize.
The nine runners-up also take away £1,000 each as well as a bespoke award created by a local Stirling artist commissioned by The SAY Award.
Tickets for this year’s ceremony are available here.