British Publication fRoots Announces the Critics Poll Albums of 2012

The editor of fRoots, Ian Anderson, announced this morning the nominees in the 27th annual fRoots Critics Poll for Albums Of The Year. This reputable poll was created in 1986, when the first winner was Paul Simon’s Graceland. Since then, fRoots magazine has polled experts in the UK and abroad to decide the Album Of The Year in folk, roots & world music. Over 300 writers, broadcasters and music activists worldwide are invited to vote.

This year’s winners will be disclosed exclusively by BBC Radio 3 in a special edition of World On 3 broadcast from 11:00 pm on Friday, December 7th, hosted by Lopa Kothari. Full in-depth details, also including the Best Packaged Album winner, will appear on the fRoots website from December 8th, and in the Jan/Feb 2013 double issue of fRoots published in mid-December.

“This is a particularly fine shortlist including both a Mercury nominee and a Top 20 album, not something which non-mainstream music can often celebrate,” says Ian Anderson. “It reflects a buoyant year during which CD releases in this field have actually been on the increase, and the biggest voting turn out by our panel for five years indicates strong enthusiasm. There are notable trends though: not so long ago the fRoots poll would be dominated and always won by world music albums – particularly West African – with just a few UK folk releases slipping into the top 10. But now the situation has completely reversed as UK, particularly English, folk enjoys a golden age and strong focus at a time when, unfortunately, world music artist touring and album releases have been badly hit by the economic situation.”

New Album Of 2012: Nominees

Bellowhead – Broadside (Navigator)
Fay Hield & The Hurricane Party – Orfeo (Topic)
Lau – Race The Loser (Reveal)
Sam Lee – Ground Of Its Own (Nest Collective)
Mokoomba – Rising Tide (Igloo)
Jim Moray – Skulk (NIAG)
Ondatrópica – Ondatrópica (Soundway)
Karine Polwart – Traces (Hegri)
Emily Portman – Hatchling (Furrow)
Staff Benda Bilili – Bouger Le Monde (Crammed)

More at frootsmag.com/content/critpoll/