A.B. Original, Stella Donnelly, Jen Cloher, Client Liaison win J Awards
A.B. Original, Stella Donnelly, Jen Cloher and Client Liaison celebrate a strong 2017 with wins at the 13th J Awards.
A.B. Original’s in-your-face full-length debut Reclaim Australia continued its recent swag of wins with the Australian Album of the Year.
It had strong competition, vying against Alex Lahey’s I Love You Like A Brother, Ali Barter’s A Suitable Girl, Gang of Youths’ Go Farther In Lightness, Gordi’s Reservoir, Meg Mac’s Low Blows, Methyl Ethel’s Everything Is Forgotten, The Smith Street Band’s More Scared Of You Than You Are Of Me, Thundamentals’ Everyone We Know and Vera Blue’s Perennial.
But in the end, Reclaim Australia’s double barrel aim of educating and agitating seemed to capture best the soundtrack of Australia 2017.
Nick Findlay, triple j Music Director, comments: “Every year we are lucky enough to experience a swathe of incredible Australian records.
“But the last 12 months, in particular, has seen some of the finest local releases in years.
“Despite this, it’s hard to look past the raw, confronting and empowering energy that Briggs and Trials have mastered on Reclaim Australia; its impact has been long-standing, incredibly significant and long overdue.”
Jen Cloher won Double J Artist of the Year because her influence spanned further than being a singer-songwriter whose fourth self-titled album won critical acclaim for its comments on Australia and its creative identity.
Her role as mentor and champion of the DIY ethic was heightened by her I Manage My Music workshops and the way Milk! Records unearthed the likes of Fraser A Gorman, The Finks, Jade Imagine and East Brunswick All Girls Choir.
Fellow nominee in the category: Dan Sultan, Kardajala Kirridarra, Lance Ferguson and Paul Kelly.
Perth singer-songwriter Stella Donnelly was named Unearthed Artist of the Year, after a tremendous rise in 2017.
It began with the release of debut track ’Mechanical Bull’, a blistering showcase at BIGSOUND, and interest from overseas booking agencies and media after sold-out shows on a UK tour this month.
Her ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ track about sexual assault again struck the right chord with the right timing.
Donnelly responded to her win: “Far out! I’m so honoured to win this award.
“Thank you so much @triple_j_unearthed and @triple_j for supporting my music.”
Nominated in the category were Alex The Astronaut, Baker Boy, Confidence Man and Ruby Fields, all of whom also struck hard in the past 12 months.
Client Liaison’s ‘A Foreign Affair {Ft. Tina Arena}’ won Australian Music Video of the Year.
Released mid-year from their Diplomatic Immunity album (Dot Dash / Remote Control Records), director Tim White explained its concept at the time, “Long before automated check-in and liquids in zip-lock bags there was a time when the journey mattered more than the destination.
“This video is an ode to those glory years of aviation; when the airport was alive with mystique and prestige. ‘
“A Foreign Affair’ is an aeronautical love story exploring the elegant complexities of transit; the feeling of anonymity in the business class lounge and sense of community of the in-flight experience.’”
In the shortlist for the category, co-presented by Rage, were:
A.B. Original ‘Report To The Mist’ (Directors: Josh Davis & Heath Kerr)
Kirin J Callinan ‘Big Enough {Ft. Alex Cameron, Molly Lewis & Jimmy Barnes (Director: Danny Cohen)
Methyl Ethel ‘Ubu’ (Director: PAXI)
Jack River ‘Fool’s Gold’ (Director: Matt Sav)