September 26, 2008 16:54

Uncut launches new music award

NME's sister title is judging the best music from the past year

NME's sister title Uncut has announced details of a new award that aims to find the most inspiring and richly rewarding album of the last 12 months.

The winning album will be chosen from a ten-strong panel of judges that includes New Order's Peter Hook, former Orange Juice man Edwyn Collins and broadcaster Mark Radcliffe.

A longlist of 25 albums released between September 1, 2007 and August 31, 2008 will initially battle it out for the prize.

From these, the panel will choose a shortlist of eight albums - one of which will win the inaugural Uncut Music Award. The prize will be presented in early November.

The full list of nominated albums is:

Kevin Ayers - 'The Unfairground'
James Blackshaw - 'Litany Of Echoes'
Bon Iver - 'For Emma, Forever Ago'
Isobel Campbell And Mark Lanegan - 'Sunday At Devil Dirt'
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - 'Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!'
Drive-By Truckers - 'Brighter Than Creation’s Dark'
Elbow - 'The Seldom Seen Kid'
The Felice Brothers - 'The Felice Brothers'
Fleet Foxes - 'Fleet Foxes'
PJ Harvey - 'White Chalk'
The Hold Steady - 'Stay Positive'
Howlin' Rain - 'Magnificent Fiend'
Joan As Police Woman - 'To Survive'
Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks - 'Real Emotional Trash'
Robert Plant And Alison Krauss - 'Raising Sand'
Portishead - 'Third'
The Raconteurs - 'Consolers Of The Lonely'

Go to Uncut.co.uk for more information.