Ok, the dust has settled, and as ever there’s lots of controversy about who didn’t make the list. Personally I felt that This is how we Fly and  Crayonsmith deserved a shout, as we’re big fans of what they do! Also, Sean Millar, ReDiviDeR, Hidden Highways and others could well have been in there.

I’d also argue that there’s not really a lot of point having stadium bands like My Bloody Valentine on the list. I know it’s about the best album and not promoting new music, but are they even Irish? Their own rules say that:

“Bands are eligible to be nominated if the majority of the band members were born in Ireland (ie Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland) and/or hold an Irish passport”

Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but as far as I know, two of the four members of MBV are Irish, which isn’t a majority!

Ok, ok, rant over. So, from the bands that are on the list, I’d like to see Girls Names, And So I Watch you from Afar or The Villagers win it! I guess the Villagers don’t really need the exposure at this stage, so maybe one of the other two. Best of luck to ’em all (does that even mean anything?).

And So I Watch You From Afar – All Hail Bright Futures (Sargent House)

Bell X1 – Chop Chop (Belly Up Records)

Girls Names – The New Life (Tough Love)

Kodaline – In A Perfect World (Sony Music)

Little Green Cars – Absolute Zero (Universal Music)

Mano Le Tough – Changing Days (Permanent Vacation)

My Bloody Valentine – m b v (MBV Records)

O Emperor – Vitreous (Big Skin)

Lisa O’Neill – Same Cloth or Not (Song Seeds Records)

Villagers – {Awayland} (Domino)