North folk singers miss out on prize

Sep 10 2008 by Paul James, The Journal

NORTH folk stars Rachel Unthank and the Winterset last night missed out on the country’s most prestigious musical honour – but the band’s nomination alone has thrust them into the national spotlight.

Elbow were named the 2008 Nationwide Mercury Prize winners, ahead of the 11 other albums deemed by organisers to be the best from the past year.

And while the Bury band’s fourth record will now take the headlines, and win them £20,000, the Newcastle-based ‘Winterset’ are now firmly in the public eye.

The band is made up of sisters Rachel and Becky Unthank, along with Niopha Keegan and Belinda O’Hooley, who have been together since 2004.

Fiddle player Niopha then replaced departing viola player Jackie Oates during the recording of their 2007 album The Bairns, which earned them the nomination for last night’s ceremony.

The Bairns has been described as “a bewitching, dream-like, down-to-earth masterpiece”; “gorgeous” and “a classic in its own lifetime”.

And even without last night’s prize, the band have already amassed an impressive awards cabinet.

In 2005 their debut album, Cruel Sisters was voted Best Folk Album by Mojo magazine; they were crowned Artists of the Year at The Journal’s inaugural Culture Awards in 2006 and in 2008 they notched up four nominations at the BBC Folk Awards, for Best Group, Live Act, Album and the Horizon award, the last of which they won.

They performed Blue Bleezing Blind Drunk at last night’s ceremony, which was shown live on BB2.

Rachel Unthank and the Winterset were last night also up against albums by Radiohead, Estelle, Last Shadow Puppets and Adele.

Also up for the gong were Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, and Neon Neon, the alter ego of Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys.

The prize champions UK music and is open to all genres of music.

It attracted around 240 entries this year, more than ever before, said organisers. The panel’s decision is based solely on the music rather than sales. Previous winners include Klaxons, Arctic Monkeys, Antony and the Johnsons and Dizzee Rascal.

The television programme was hosted by Sunderland singer-turned presenter Lauren Laverne, who said The Bairns was “a beautiful record” as she introduced the different albums.

Announcing the winner at the ceremony, at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, Jools Holland said: “Congratulations to all 12 artists for their fabulous albums. Our panel of judges have been debating right up until the last minute.

“The decision is purely based on the music featured on the albums.

“There are 12 superb albums but only one can be the overall winner this evening.”

Rachel Unthank & The Winterset are now on their way to America and Canada. They will then be returning to the UK for a handful of gigs next month, before heading on to Germany and Holland in November.