It was like the general election, presidential election and X Factorfinal rolled into one. But Elbow for Band of the Year – what were you thinking? JIM CARROLLhas the last word on The Ticket Awards
YOU, THE READERS, have spoken and we, the critics, have listened to what you had to say. We may not like what you have said and you may not like what we’re going to say but, tough, we’re going to have the last word. You knew that was going to happen, right?
It was always going to be an interesting experiment to tap readers for your views on the year in music and film. While we were never going to give you carte blanche with your choices (the over-use of "street teams" by acts to big themselves up in online polls like this put paid to that notion) the shortlists were wide enough to cater for the populist and obscurist amongst you. And you took advantage of our generosity to turn out to vote in your droves. It was like the general election, presidential election and X Factorfinal rolled into one, though without the wipeout of the Green Party, the Frontlinetweets and Damien Rice.
It's probably no surprise to you – or us – that Adele took the gongs for Best Album and Best Track, easily out-polling the competition in the process. Both 21and Someone Like Youwere ubiquitous in 2011 for the right reasons. Here was evidence that the public will happily respond to a quality artist at the top of her game producing songs with depth, resonance and staying power by going out and buying the bloody album. There's a lesson in there for acts and labels alike.
It's also reassuring to see Ticketreaders agree with the writing classes on PJ Harvey, whose Let England Shakealbum has been topping most critics' end-of-year polls in the last few weeks.
The Ticketreaders deemed her to be Best Solo Act, narrowly beating Bon Iver in the process. Things might have been different had Justin Vernon not bothered with that awful soft-rock homage to Dan Fogelberg on the new album.
But Ticketreaders are not infallible. I mean, what the hell were you lot thinking about when you gave one of our gongs to Elbow for Best Band? Elbow!
A band blander than your office party. A band who are the musical equivalent of a pair of socks from Marks & Spencer. A band specialising in washed-out whimsy and beer-soaked sentimentality.
Sadly, though, they’re the people’s choice, trouncing everyone else in the process. Bah.
It was also interesting to see that you firmly gave the thumbs down to King Creosote Jon Hopkins's Diamond Mine.It was an album highly thought of by our critics (though not this one, it must be said), but finished last of the 10 in the final countdown. People 1, critics 0 on that one and make no mistake about it.
Readers did redeem themselves when they gave the award for Best Breakthrough Act to Tieranniesaur, Annie Tierney’s band who put everyone on the good foot with that amazing debut album for Popical Island and a slew of great shows. It seems that it’s not just critics who are wowed by Tieranniesaur’s classy blend of ESG meets Tom Tom Club funk.
Other categories where readers and critics were in broad agreement included Irish act (Lisa Hannigan), roots album (Tom Waits's return to form on Bad As Me), jazz (Keith Jarrett's latest majestic improv turn for Rio) and trad (Gillian Welch's The Harrow and the Harvest).
Oddly enough, there was only one runaway winner, one category where there was absolutely no question about who you, the readers, wanted to see topping the poll.
That was the Eejit of the Year category, where Amanda Brunker’s short but memorable performance at the Oxegen music festival was deemed to be head and shoulders ahead of Louis Walsh, Bono and Justin Bieber.
It seems that The Ticketreaders believe that Ms Brunker should stick to the writing and leave the aul' singing and prancing to someone else. We'll see if she takes the award no one wants to win next year after she plays the Electric Picnic.
Remember where you read it first.
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It was close, but in the end Black Swantook the back seat (literally) and best film went to Drive- which always looked like a candidate for cult immortality, writes DONALD CLARKE
IT WAS A CLOSE-run thing for best film. But, as the checkered flag beckoned, Nicolas Winding Refn's offbeat Drivejust managed to pull ahead of Darren Aronofsky's delightfully overheated Black Swan. The appearance of these two odd films at the top of the poll – and the strong showing for Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spyand We Need to Talk About Kevina few places behind – confirms that, in otherwise grim times, good news buzzed about the cinema this year.
Each of these pictures did very respectable business in commercial cinemas. None featured giant robots or comic pirates. All invited a degree of concentration. Indeed, one individual in the US tried to sue the makers of Drive for failing to include enough explosions and car chases.
The wise readers of The Ticketproved that they don't mind their getaway movies indulging in a bit of existential angst. Turbo-charged with 1980s anti-style and tuned-up to 1970s sub-verité rhythms (enough motoring metaphors?), Drive always looked like a candidate for cult immortality.
Given the cerebral nature of the electorate, it was, perhaps, a little surprising that The Tree of Lifefinished so far behind the leading pack. Both that Terrence Malick film and Lars Von Trier's Melancholia– so similar in theme – seem to have annoyed as many people as they delighted.
How would True Grithave fared if we had not dropped it from the final 10 at the last minute? Very well indeed, one must assume. Joel and Ethan Coen ran away with the consolation prize for Best Director. Von Trier, runner-up in that race, managed less than a third as many votes. Hailee Steinfeld, young star of the Coens' picture, came second to Natalie Portman (always a certain winner) in the poll for Best Actress.
Once again, proof is offered that discerning viewers will sit quietly for a good film even if it moves at a stubbornly unhurried pace. We would not, however, expect a revival of the western any time soon. Hollywood has, over the last few decades, placed that bet at least once too often.
The competition for best comedy and best feature animation was somewhat deadened by the fact that 2011 proved to be a very disappointing year in those areas.
Of course Bridesmaidswon the comedy section. It's properly funny and it seems to have had particular appeal for Irish viewers. The film performed relatively poorly outside the US but, busting the trend to a spectacular degree, passed out Harry Potterand the Deathly Hallows Part 2to become the biggest film of the year in the Republic of Ireland. We have yet to find another sovereign nation where Bridesmaidsachieved that result. Even in its home territories, the picture failed to crack the top 10. Now granted a prestigious TicketAward, the producers had better send the betrothed to Ireland for the honeymoon.
Tangled, a delightful slice of old-school Disney, deservedly won Best Animation. But the victory is somewhat tainted. Rangolooked lovely, but was too pleased with itself. Arthur Christmaswas featherweight. Studio Ghibli's Arriettywas superb, but nobody saw the blasted thing. What the hell were Pixar up to with the largely frightful Cars 2? The most consistent studio of the century is now officially on probation. Sort it out, Lasseter
You hardly need to be told that The Guardromped home with the gong for Best Irish Film. The people behind Sensationwill be happy to hear that their film managed second place, but will shiver at the news that the Brendan Gleeson comedy polled over nine times as many votes as the clever midlands sex drama. For once, an Irish film actually secured a spot in the mainstream. Lessons should be learned.
Everyone liked Senna. The halfwits who failed to put it on the long list for the best documentary Oscar should note its comfortable victory in the relevant category.
Gleeson is our favourite Irish actor. Fair enough.
With Submarine,that nice boy Richard Ayoade directed the most admired debut. Good for him.
We must, however, register our concern at the results in the worst picture category. Green Lanternwas dire, but it wasn't nearly as awful as Swinging With the Finkels.
“As what?” you say.
It seems that only critics and the film-makers’ family get to see the really, really atrocious films. It’s a hard life.
What you thought
Ah I love these “your end of year list is different to my end of year list and therefore completely wrong” debates – Thomas
Band-not-on-lists-most-likely-to-get-loony-commentators-backs-up-because-they-are-not-on-any-lists-regardless-of-releasing-anything-this-year-or-not: 1. Radiohead 1. U2 – James D
My gig of the year? Animal Collective at ATP. Pulp were also wicked at Elec Picnic. – Halandor
Love a good list, always a good way to find new music – Robert Mitchum
What, no 100 mornings in best Irish film? for shame sir…also, still cant quite understand the appeal of T rue Grit(yes, i know its not nominated), it struck me as being nothing more than one of those dull American dramas that was only praised because it was a Coen brothers flim – Al
Seriously though . . . we need to talk about Michael Noonan – Kevin
Next year . . . Ryan Gosling and Natalie Portman in Roman Holiday. . . or, Romeo and Juliet– Gigi
and please do find the time to vote. Men died to achieve democracy, you know. Men died! – SmmS
The Ticket Awards 2011
Best solo act:PJ Harvey
Album of the year:Adele, 21
Track of the year: Adele, Someone like you
Gig of the year: Two Door Cinema Club, Olympia Theatre, Dublin, March
Band of the year:Elbow
Best Irish Act:Lisa Hannigan
Best Breakthrough Act:Tierraniesaur
Video of the year:Beastie Boys, Make some noise
Best traditional album:Gillian Welch, The Harrow and the Harvest
Best classical album:Shostakovich: Quartet No 10; Weinberg: Piano quintet Elizaveta Kopelman (piano) Kopelman quartet
Best jazz album: Keith Jarrett, Rio
Best roots album:Tom Waits, Bad as me
Best Film: Drive
Best Actress:Natalie Portman
Best Actor:Ryan Gosling
Worst Film: Green Lantern
Best Irish performance: Brendan Gleeson
Best Irish film : The Guard
Best comedy: Bridesmaids
Best direction: Joel and Ethan Coen, True Grit
Most promising debut feature: Submarine, Richard Ayoade
Best documentary: Senna
Best animation: Tangled
Most welcome reissue: Days of Heaven
Best game: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Eejit of the year: Amanda Brunker
