I don't think Band of Horses deserves it. Don't get me wrong, I love the band and think they're songs are beautiful.
But as you said, it's pretty straight ahead stuff.

how about TV on the fuckin Radio? That record was pretty damn innovative

tvotr won the shortlist a few years back.

spank rock and hot chip both deserve it.

shit, you cocky fuck. questioning tom waits' adventurosity? pshaw.

Band Of Horses!!! YEAH!!!

tom waits should win. he's the most adventurous musician on this list, period.

I think the question is not who is most adventurous, but who was most adventurous in 2006. Clearly the Knife was more adventurous than Tom Waits last year.

TVOTR couldn't win because it was released on a major. The long list is always better than the short one.

REgina Spektor was on a major too.

"Any album released in the US in 2006 was eligible for nomination, so long as it had not been certified gold for domestic sales of 500,000 units."

If you're gonna give the shortlist prize to Band of Horses you need to go back to 2001 and award it to My Morning Jacket for At Dawn. At least it was original back then.

As that list shows, 2006 was a dismal year for rock. The Village Voice's top two albums of the year were Bob Dylan's Modern Times and TV on the Radio's return to Cookie Mountain. Bob Dylan is probably the best lyrist of all time, in comparison to Mr. Zimmerman's illustrious past, Modern Times was a mediocre album, it certainly didn't deserve such wide praise. On the other hand, TV on the Radio, there second release was really good, and was the only stand out album the year had to offer. As far as Band of Horses there freshman album put me to sleep; Girl talk,this is a band that is made up of one guy who mixes clips of pre-made songs on his Itunes and plays it for the masses; Regina Spektor, High Fidelity is just an annoying song, enough said. There were so many more innovative albums in 2004 and 2005. Fortunatly, with the Arcade Fire, the National, Bjork, the White Stripes, Voxtrot, Architecture in Helsinki, Of Montreal, LCD Soundsytem, all releasing albums this year, 2007 will be a great year for rock.

Since The Knife is not on that list give that sh*t to Hot Chip please.

How the hell is the Knife more adventurous than Tom Waits? They're just synth pop with unnusual vocals. Waits released three discs worth of material and it's all fantastic. It's the sound of an artist who could rest easily on his laurels after a lengthy career of innovation and surprises that is continuing to challenge himself. I think Orphans was largely taken for granted when year end lists came around and it's great to see it get some recognition. In 5 years, nobody will give a shit about the Knife. Waits has been relevant for more than 30 years and Oprhans is a valuable addition to his legacy.

Bonnie Prince Billy deserves some attention in 2006. The Letting Go was easily one of the best of the year, and of his career. But I didn't see it on a single best of 2006 list. Anywhere. Maybe everyone's too busy trying to find the new Clap Your Hands or something so they fill up their top tens with shit like the Annuals. It's good to see someone give the prince some much-deserved credit.

Scott Walker deserves to be on this list more than anyone else. The Drift is without a doubt the most creative and adventurous album of 2006. This 63 year old guy was punching raw meat on one of the tracks - I'd love to see the same adventurousness from Bands of Horses... Long Live Scott!

I second the Scott Walker emotion...

team Girl Talk.

M WARD
THE HOLD STEADY
DR. DOG
GHOSTFACE KILLAH
THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE QUEEN
THE KOOKS
MAN MAN
MY MORNING JACKET
PETER BJORN AND JOHN
RATATAT
THE THERMALS

WHAT?????????????????????????????????

M WARD
THE HOLD STEADY
DR. DOG
GHOSTFACE KILLAH
THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE QUEEN
THE KOOKS
MAN MAN
MY MORNING JACKET
PETER BJORN AND JOHN
RATATAT
THE THERMALS

WHAT?????????????????????????????????

I second the Bonnie Prince Billy vote. The guy from the Killers said the award went to the most "adventerous" album. However, I dont think that one word sums up the overall purpose of the award. Will Oldham put out an amazing album with The Letting Go last year. It is an album that takes several lessons to 'click'. It is a shame that few gave it enough time to saturate. I admit that I may be biased; Oldham is my favorite artist by far. Even I did not love his latest until 10 or so listens. To me this says: STAYING POWER!!!

I have to also agree on the BPB album. One of the most surprising live performers too.

Cat Power wins Shortlist Music Prize, A.P.

LOS ANGELES - Mercurial singer-songwriter Cat Power has become the first woman to win the Shortlist Music Prize, beating out finalists that included Tom Waits and Regina Spektor.

The Shortlist, now in its sixth year, honors acts who have made sterling albums but have not hit the mainstream. Its jury of nine included journalists and musicians, including KT Tunstall and rockers Franz Ferdinand.

"Cat Power's album quickly got under my skin," Tunstall said of Power's critically acclaimed "The Greatest."

"She has one of the most beguiling voices around. `The Greatest' is an immediate classic that will never age."

Besides Waits and Spektor, the other finalists were Band of Horses, Beirut, Bonnie Prince Billy, Girl Talk, Hot Chip, Joanna Newsom and Spank Rock.

Power, whose real name is Chan Marshall, is a past finalist for the Shortlist. She received perhaps the most acclaim of her career for "The Greatest," which featured her singing with the backing of Memphis blues vets. The album also marked a new chapter in her personal life; she quit drinking and abusing drugs, and her stage performance, which was sometimes marred by tantrums on stage, flourished.

Previous winners include Sigur Ros, N.E.R.D., Damien Rice, TV on the Radio and Sufjan Stevens, who was on this year's jury panel.

Shortlist has teamed up with iTunes and is featuring for the next week an exclusive track from Power that is not on "The Greatest."

[yawn]

another made up award