THE JOPI AWARDS for 2009

Its that time of year when reviews of the one just gone are all the rage. Here we proudly present the Jopi Awards for 2009. As regular readers to this blog would expect, these are split between those commending the brilliant and those damning the terrible. We'll start with the positive...



SONG OF THE YEAR: Robbie Williams - Bodies

This was without doubt, the biggest moment i had this year with popular music. There are certain records that make you sit up and listen, or confuse you, or all of the above and this was one of them. Bodies is a superb song, a million miles from the mass produced R&B tedium with varying rhythms, distinct sections of the song, choirs, God botherer baiting lyrics, electronic bleeps and sweeping strings all within three minutes flat. Follow up single "You Know Me" found Williams back on more regular territory to keep the Radio 2 followers happy, but Bodies was the standout track from the Reality Killed The Video Star album.

Worthwhile mentions: Just Jack for Embers and The Day I Died.



SINGLE OF THE YEAR: Starsailor - Tell Me Its Not Over

Single of the Year is awarded to a brilliant song which came bundled with other wonderments on a variety of formats. Starsailor's criminally ignored anthem was backed up on the CD single with "In Their World", a terrific garage rock stomp which most bands would love to have as a lead single, let alone a B-side. The 7" featured the fine Ronnie Wood collaboration "All The Plans" and as part of my £3 bundle, i also received a download of a very acomplished acoustic version of the lead track. My only criticism would be that i'd prefer the four tracks on one CD single for £3, but that wouldn't get Starsailor three sales for the price of one now, would it?

Worthwhile mention: Florence and the Machine for producing a substantial series of CD singles from the "Lungs" album.



ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Phoenix are finally getting some recognition for their whimsical and distinctly European pop. Wolfgang deservedly gained them a lot of exposure both in the UK and the USA and in the true tradition of Sebastien Tellier and Daft Punk before them, tracks from the album are being snapped up for use on advertising. The album itself is a joyful experience from the opening of Lisztomania (perhaps its most immediate track) through to Armistice, it has the feel of a complete work rather than a collection of singles. In a year when there was so much hype over so little substance, this was head and shoulders above the opposition.

Worthwhile mention: Chris Moyles' Parody Album was very good, although perhaps the production overshadowed the passion that was felt in the originals made for radio.



RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR: Studio Brussel (Belgium)

Whilst i love Radio 1 for Chris Moyles, Scott Mills and Rob da Bank; Kiss 101 for Kisstory; Radio Bristol for Steve Yabsley and Radio 4 for their comedy output, the one radio station that has consisitently woken me up by playing something brilliant and unexpected is Belgium's Vlaamse wonder - Studio Brussel. Their playlist is a diverse mix of alternative, indie, electronica, rock and everything else in between, oh and Simple Minds. The presentation is snappy, the station imaging is clean and crisp and the music is superb. And that is before we get anywhere near the weekend evenings "Switch" strand which combines new, underground and classic electronic music into several exciting hours of programming.

As an added bonus, the station also put huge efforts into producing compilation CDs related to their programming for the relatively small Flemish market, just in case you get withdrawl from when away from Belgium or an internet connection.

Luister (Listen) Live at: http://www.stubru.be/



MUSIC RADIO SHOW OF THE YEAR: Alex Metric on Radio 1

Although Alex Metric's shows aren't a regular fixture on Radio 1, they are superbly compiled collections of the more mainstream parts of current electronica. Metric himself is a knowledgeable presenter, who clearly loves his subject matter without getting slurry and random enough to not be able to pronounce artist and song names properly (as Pete Tong often does). Whilst other specialist DJs have a far bigger following, Alex Metric's playlist bring his show head and shoulders above anything else on British radio.

Worthwhile mentions: Rob da Bank's Radio 1 show continues to be a superb listen, even if it is scheduled appallingly. Andy Howard's Morning Glory on BBC Radio Bristol and Somerset suffers similarly. As a one off show, Studio Brussel's The Greatest Switch was a phenomenal eight hours of programming.



FACTUAL RADIO SHOW OF THE YEAR: M1 - Modernist Marvel (John Hegley, BBC Radio 4)

John Hegley is an underappreciated gem of Great Britain and this half hour of whimsical stories, poetry and folk songs on the construction and birth of the M1 was the most beautiful chunk of broadcasting i heard this year. The show was remiscent of Sir John Betjeman's Metroland, combining the beauty of the theory with the grime of the reality although doing so in such a way which made the two seem almost interchangeable. Radio 4 excel in producing these one-off half hour long programmes which often make the listener wish they were much longer or part of a series.



SPORT RADIO SHOW OF THE YEAR: Danny Baker (BBC Five Live)

As somebody without a strong interest in football, Danny Baker's Pirate show with Izzy Clarke on Saturday mornings shouldn't appeal to me, but his strong presentation style and scattergun approach to topics are compelling listening. It possibly has something to do with the fact that the show doesn't revolve around football in a purist sense, but heads metaphorically off into the alleyways around the grounds, searching for the small stories that make the experience. In the later part of the year, the show notably spread to other sports (including several brilliant segments on Crazy Golf) which only served to spread its appeal even further.

Worthwhile mention: Fighting Talk follows Danny Baker's show on Saturday mornings and is also brilliant.



COMEDY RADIO SHOW OF THE YEAR: Bigipedia (Radio 4)

In the true spirit of brilliant radio comedies such as The Sunday Format (which transferred to TV as Broken News), Bigipedia mercilessly mocks Wikipedia and internet forums. Hearing the scrawlings of the internet transferred to a radio presentation shouldn't be funny at all, but the skilled team behind Bigipedia have made it hilariously funny.

Worthwhile mentions: Radio 4's Hut 33 continues to be entertaining, as was fantasy sitcom Elvenquest. Jack Dee is proving to be a worthy chairman on the newly invigourated I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue.



BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR: Steve Yabsley (BBC Radio Bristol / Somerset)

I've written many paragraphs on Steve Yabsley over the past year, but his show is so consistently entertaining that it is always a pleasure to listen to. With a skeleton staff at the Bristol studio, Yabbo manages to produce a well refined and highly creative product with more ideas going into each show than most local radio stations manage in a year. Producing over 200 shows a year clearly hasn't dented the inventive streak involved in the programme and it remains consistently brilliant.

Worthwhile mention: Mark "Chappers" Chapman, who bowed out of Radio 1 after many years of grumpy Mancunian service, and being a consistently entertaining voice of reason on the station. He will be much missed compared to the depressingly airheaded mixture of self-obsessed morons who seem to be taking over Radio 1. By my reckoning the last Chappers and Dave show aired in July 2009.



LIVE ACT OF THE YEAR: Phoenix

For many of the same reasons as why Phoenix's album was the best of the year, their live show is similarly brilliant. Their music stands up superbly live, with the band clearly loving their job and performing a tight yet joyous set with loads of energy, particularly in the rhythm section.

In terms of the set list, they play a mixture of their new album and the best known songs from their previous albums, basically something for anybody who has ever enjoyed the band's music.

Clearly the moody French stereotype doesn't apply here.



MUSIC RETAILER OF THE YEAR: Acorn Music, Yeovil

There are so few record shops in the vicinity of me now that this category isn't particularly heavily contested. Acorn in Yeovil remain the best pick of the bunch, striving to continue to provide a wide variety of music whilst diversifying a little in order to pay the bills (such as into sheet music).

Worthwhile mentions: Sound Knowledge, Marlborough is rammed full of competitively priced stock and the staff are (as would be expected) knowledgeable. Gatefield Sounds, Whitstable also remains busy whenever i have visited and has the feel of a proper old-school independent record shop.



HOPE FOR 2010...

I've heard lots of hype about these "Sound of 2010" lists, but i can't say that any of the music fills me with enthusiasm. Especially not weak rehashings of Blondie, eh Marina and the Diamonds? So my hope for the year ahead is that the Euro weakens against the pound, so that i can afford to go over to Belgium and stock up on Studio Brussel CDs that i haven't been able to buy this year. Or to Germany and buy a heap of albums that i've been waiting to get, but can't bring myself to spend getting on for £20 on by mail order.