THE JOPI AWARDS FOR 2011

And unlike some lesser awards shows, these are given for and therefore named after the year in which the work was done rather than the year we're six weeks in to.

SONG OF THE YEAR: All The Young - Welcome Home
Despite what Radio 1's playlisters would have you believe whilst playlisting yet another American college band, Great British Rock and Roll isn't dead. This swirling, rousing six minute epic takes what could be an run of the mill indie song and builds a gorgeously glamourous celebration of the people of the Midlands - their hopes, dreams, aspirations and most importantly their reality. With their album of the same title due for release in April 2012, this could be a massive year for the band.
Also of worthwhile mention... was Swede Mason's Masterchef Synaesthesia, which could easily have won this category. Most novelty records get tiresome very quickly, but i can still quite happily listen to this six months later. The use of the music to work around and built up the edits and clips available is absolute genius.

SINGLE OF THE YEAR: Ed Sheeran - You Need Me, I Don't Need You
Despite the fact it takes the detective skills of Sherlock Holmes to find a copy, this CD single is excellent. The radio version is by far the best song from Sheeran's + album, demonstrating that the lad can let rip with his emotions when needs be and the collection of versions and mixes takes it in all sorts of different directions. The live version is beautifully raw, showcasing the talent that has propelled Sheeran into the limelight. Wretch 32 and Devlin guest on an alterative take of the original which works well. The two remixes both take a dubstep-tinged tint on the track, but neither feel as though they reach their logical conclusion.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Kitsune Maison 9
Yes i know it came out in April 2010, but regular readers of this should know i'm almost permanently a year behind with albums. 2011 to me was a dismal year for artist albums, possibly in proportion to my lack of trips to continental Europe, but regardless of that there were very few artists who grabbed my attention sufficiently that i'd want to buy an album. This was the best of those i did buy on CD, almost without doubt the best of the excellent Kitsune compilations to date. The bar is set ridiculously high by the sumptuous opener "Belong" by Washed Out, the perfect anthem to a late summer afternoon with really inventive production. Other highlights are the divine "Stop and Stare" by Fenech Soler and offerings from Yuksek, Penguin Prison and a marvellous remix by Twelves of Two Door Cinema Club.

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR: Studio Brussel (Belgium)
Despite the fact that the station is getting a little heavyhanded with their daytime power playlist of songs which will appear at least every three hours, StuBru is still the most reliable offering out there.

MUSIC RADIO SHOW OF THE YEAR: Kissy Sell Out (BBC Radio 1)
A year or so back, Radio 1 rehashed their Friday night dance line up to include a show called "Annie Mac's Mash Up" which was heavily promoted with a theme of "there are no rules, we mash the music up". In reality, the show was terrible and played a narrower window of music than most other specialist shows. Kissy Sell Out's two hours of Thursday night lunacy are the complete opposite. The guy has the talent to be able to mix practically anything together and make it work like they were made for each other. Kissy's Duracell-bunny like enthusiasm is very infectious and utterly marvellous.

FACTUAL RADIO SHOW OF THE YEAR: The Museum of Curiosity (BBC Radio 4)
I'm not sure it should be in the factual category, but The Museum of Curiosity is a fine place to learn about a topic that you otherwise probably wouldn't know of. The premise is that three guests each week contribute an exhibit to the museum and wax lyrical about their donation. This being an entirely abstract museum means that anything at all can go in there from people to concepts to items, there are no rules. Normally this sort of thing would just sound like a badly organised shambles, but with the expertise of QI creator John Lloyd at the helm the show glides along beautifully.

COMEDY RADIO SHOW OF THE YEAR: It's Your Round (BBC Radio 4)
This poorly scheduled panel game gives Angus Deayton the opportunity to remind us just how good he is at presenting this genre. The premise is delightfully simple - panel guests each bring along a game to play on air and it works marvellously well. Even the rounds that don't work attract acerbic criticism from Deayton which makes for good entertainment.

BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR: Steve Yabsley (BBC Radio Bristol / Somerset)
I've judged this category this year on the basis of whom i miss the most when they're not on air. Perhaps the measure of a good broadcaster should be how irritated you are when they're on holiday. I don't know if its the choice of stand-in, but i cannot abide Yabbo's absence. Steve's well developed format of listener contribution, zany topics and entertaining sidekicks sits well with the offbeat interviews on each show and is a relief from the station's morning diet of angry people phoning in to complain about things and the desperate hand-wringing tone of
isn't this awful? going on. The thankfully shelved BBC cutbacks to local radio would have seen shows like this taken away in favour of the worthy but often depressing local interest stories, which would have resulted in stations like Radio Bristol being all misery and no play. The cuts would have also seen the end of the similarly delightful afternoon show with Elise Rayner.

LIVE ACT OF THE YEAR: Digitalism
Without doubt the most stark assault my senses have been subjected to all year, the sounds and lights of the Digitalism epic spectacle gives a good kicking to the theory that all we want to see these days are indentikit solo artists.

MUSIC RETAILER OF THE YEAR: Acorn Music, Yeovil
Given that my visits to record shops during 2011 were probably in single figures and i flatly refuse to recognise the GAMES, ELECTRONICS, PHONES, DVD and occasional CD retailer HMV as a music retailer any longer, i probably found a visit to Acorn the most rewarding this year. They've now diversified in to providing sheet music, whilst still retaining their core business and one can only hope this provides them with enough success to remain in business in these massively difficult times. As an aside, i've already been to three record shops in 2012 which would have won the category...

HOPE FOR 2012...
Two main hopes - firstly that All The Young's album will be as awesome as it deserves to be and that Swede Mason will come up with another barnstormer. Others mainly revolve around the extermination of the career of Pixie Lott...