B-Net Awards

Jessie started this, so I'll chuck in my two cents and all. Voting runs for another few days, until 13 May.

Best video: To be honest, I didn't watch them all, because the music is going to play a big part on what I think is the best video, and I don't really do Tha Feelstyle nor Savage. The Mint Chicks one was OK, but in the showdown between SJD and the Fanatics, my vote had to go with the Fanatics. I like seeing Sean in his little blue car, but I like the mix up of the Fanatics better. And Models is a great song.

Best Live Act: This was hard. I saw Jakob, Trinity Roots and the Mint Chicks in 2004 and have not seen either Kora or Shapeshifter, although I know they're both great. How do you set the greatness of Jakob against the greatness of Trinity Roots? I think Jakob will get this nod, to reflect the accumulation of times I have seen them; they have been outstanding every time.

Most Promising: I have only seen two of these acts and liked but one of them. I guess that means Emerald Green gets it - since she's mighty nice, then that's all to the good.

Best Downbeat: I love love love the Trinity Roots album, Home, Land and Sea. Thank God its not up against the Fat Freddy's Drop one.

Best Hiphop: Easy - P-Money's Magic City.

Best Electronica: I really have been meaning to give the Agent Alvin and Pitch Black Cd's a good listening to, but that hasn't happened. So, almost be default, it is Rhian Sheehan: Music for Nature Documentaries - it is a lovely album, however.

Best Pop Release: Some might kill me for this, but I found the Pluto CD to be somewhat less than it could have been, too average in many of the songs. I haven’t heard the Betchadupa CD and Fly My Pretties hasn’t grabbed me. So, it was a showdown between Pine’s Akira Sunrise and SJD’s Southern Lights, a showdown that was too close to call, so I flipped a coin. Akira Sunrise got the nod.

Best Rock Release: Another hard choice. The only one I could scratch was Deja Voodoo’s effort. The second cut took out The Fanatics and the Mint Chicks, but it wasn’t easy – a nice reflection of the strength of NZ music. So, it came down to Batrider’s They Said You're Hideous v The Shocking Pinks’ Mathematical Warfare. Tough, as Batrider had my favourite live track of 2004 but I think across the whole CD, Mathematical Warfare was stronger.

Best Compilation: I didn’t even know that Pacific Heights was a compilation. Looking at the tracklisting, I am still not convinced. Str8 from the Streets – never heard of it. Pick of the Litter wouldn’t really make it, as I’m not that into punk, although I have just bought this. There really is no contest: Loop Select 006: Kono CD.

Best DVD: Sorry Blink, but there’s no contest here. Flying Nun Second Season is my history.

Best Unreleased Song: I had to cheat a little here, as I could only download the first minute. The Operation Rolling Thunder track was just gathering momentum at that point. I might have voted on faith and gone with “Hitchcock” from the Phoenix Foundation, but my vote was for the Checks “Mercedes Children”. After all, I did have a dream in which they performed three songs for me, so it was the least I could do.

Best Song: My first impulse was to go for SJD’s “Superman You’re Crying” but “Dead” by the Fanatics made me pause. I went with my first choice.

Best Album: This raised a familiar conflict – a three way shoot-out between SJD: Southern Lights, TrinityRoots Home, Land and Sea and The Shocking Pinks Mathematical Warfare. I went with Mathematical Warfare.

Most Outstanding Musician: Now here’s a really hard set of choices to make. Paul McLaney, Sean Donnelly, Mu, Barnaby Weir or Rhian Sheehan. I have albums from all of them and will buy simply on the basis of the involvement of any one of these guys. It resolves itself into Rhian Sheehan v Mu, and I think I go with Mu on this one. Actually, no, I’ve changed my mind – he gets best producer and Rhian is most outstanding musician.

Best Producer: Mu. I don’t actually know the others well enough to vote for them.

Best Cover Art: No vote.

Best Male Vocalist: Paul McLaney is great. Shayne Carter is great. Dallas Tamaira is great. SJD has potential to be great. Since this is my one chance to vote for Shayne, lets do it.

Best Female Vocalist. I’m not convinced Anika Moa did enough in 2004 for my vote. I love love love Sarah Chadwick’s fractured vocals, especially live. Nothing more need be said.

Best Male Fox: I am not well equipped to judge this category, but I’m thinking I’ve seen better looking fellows than any of these guys. Both David Kilgour and Graeme Downes are foxier than our man Shayne, for example. So, I think I’ll not vote.

Best Female Fox: I can’t remember what Jessie’s “without question” fox even looks like, which suggests that Sjionel didn’t make the same impression on me, although when the Coolies played, I danced in a stupidly happy state as soon as the drums kicked in and had no time for anything else. Kirsten Morelle does nothing for me, and while I adore Ruth Carr, if we’re going for straight foxyness, it has to be Sarah Chadwick.