Loud Women has announced this year’s Her’Cury Award shortlist and runner’s up ahead of Loud Women Fest on 14 September, and as an alternative to the Mercury Music Prize. The winner will be announced later in September.
This is the third Her’cury and it whittles down a longlist of almost 100 albums from UK-based self-identified female and non-binary artists as released in the 12 months to July 2019. With inclusivity to the fore, any album meeting the criteria – regardless of format, distribution, or size of release – is eligible for entry.
Her’cury Music Award 2019 shortlist
This year’s shortlist of twelve includes albums .and artists we love at Reckless Yes including: Big Joanie, Brix & the Extricated, Desperate Journalist, Dream Nails, Nenah Cherry, Grace Petrie, Little Simz, Muncie Girls, Petrol Girls, Queen Zee, She Makes War, and Trash Kit.
Among the list of runners-up we’re pleased to see our own Fightmilk and Chorusgirl get a mention too for their November 2018 releases (Chorusgirl released second album Shimmer and Spin, Fightmilk released debut Not With That Attitude).
The bands are not the first of the Reckless Yes alumni to get a nod from this award with LIINES’ debut Stop-Start shortlisted in 2018 (more from LIINES here), and Pet Crow’s debut A Simple Guide To Small and Medium Pond Life making the shortlist in 2017 (you can get this album here).
Read details of all the albums shortlisted on the Loud Women site here.
Chorusgirl – Shimmer and Spin
Shimmer and Spin is the second album from Chorusgirl, the band built around songwriter Silvi Wersing and wraps lost-in-an-inner-world lyrics in surf-tinged and spiralling melodies. Although now rocking a changed live line-up the album was recorded with and features two tracks by Suggested Friends and Athabasca musician Faith Taylor too.
“Their occasionally poppy, optimistic sound acts as an effective juxtaposition to the undercurrent of darker lyrical themes, too. Chorusgirl have shown a predilection for melodies that gnaw away at your subconscious.” Loud & Quiet, 8/10
“Shimmer And Spin may come from a difficult place in the life of Chorusgirl, yet it explores the darkness and finds the beauty within it, as it threatens to fall into the depth of despair, it finds a glimmer of hope. It shimmers and spins and shines more than we could possibly have hoped it would.” For The Rabbits
You can get Shimmer and Spin on black vinyl, CD or digital download here and on all the usual platforms too (Spotify etc). Chorusgirl play for Get In Her Ears at The Finsbury, London on 13 September, and as part of If Not Now, When? on 14 September, as well as with Cloth at the CCA in Glasgow on 15 November. Find out more about the band here.
Fightmilk – Not With That Attitude
Not With That Attitude is the debut album from Fightmilk. Highly praised by the likes of Steve Lamacq this is a pop-punk wonder of break-up songs and an ideal soundtrack to trying to adult despite the ennui inherent in modern life. In the last couple of weeks the band has hit a streaming milestone for single How You Move On and announced Healey (previously of Wolf Girl) will be joining as their new bassist.
“This is a debut album to compare with other recent premieres by the likes of Fresh or maybe Diet Cig, though at times it feels so fully-formed and self-realised it’s like they’ve skipped the pissing about involved in finding a sound during the early days of a band and skipped to just being fucking brilliant right away.” Drowned In Sound 9/10
“Not With That Attitude sits comfortably between Bleached’s Welcome the Worms and Martha’s Courting Strong because songs that mirror lived experience, that carry emotional truths with a dash of sharp wit, wrapped in pleasing melodies – that’s still one of the best things pop can do.” Echoes and Dust
You can get Not With That Attitude on bubblegum pink vinyl, CD or digital download here and on all the usual platforms too (Spotify etc). Fightmilk infiltrate the Last Night From Glasgow showcase on 3 November. Find out more about the band here.
You can find our full roster of artists here, and if you’re thinking of submitting music to us then please check our demo submission page first.
