The Graduate

*Insert intro from Simon & Garfunkel's 'Mrs. Robinson'*

I had every intention of writing about this the week it actually happened, but as luck would have it, certain family members took their sweet time in sending me the photos from the day.

All in all it was an interesting day for both myself and one of the administrators at the ceremony who collapsed right as I was about to walk onto the stage. 

 

Now, my mother and aunt were sitting approximately 10 feet above all the action and couldn't see this moment unfolding. Needless to say they thought it was me who had collapsed and my mother's instincts kicked in and she ran down the stairs, meanwhile Mrs. Admin had been dragged (literally) over to a chair and the graduation proceedings continued. In her haste and high heels on the stairs, my mother actually missed me actually graduate entirely. Well done Mum!

I can honestly say that it still hasn't sunk in that I have my degree - despite the fact that there's quite a fancy looking piece of paper sitting in my room somewhere. While I realise that there are so many positives about finishing my BA, but at the moment I'm really only thinking that I can no longer go into JRUL with an air of false importance one gets when they are a student. 

For everyone that made any sort of impact - positive and even negative - thank you, your words, actions, and non-actions have helped me get this far without too many screw-ups.

19/52, & 20/52

The Mercury Prize is an award which many people, including myself have a few reservations about. On the one had some truly amazing albums have been recognized in a way that they perhaps otherwise wouldn't be. Yet on the other, past winners and nominees have emerged from the race and disappeared into relative obscurity. As for last year's winners The xx - we have still yet to see what has come of them since the award ceremony last September. While I usually keep my opinions to myself, this year I've decided to share a little snippet of a few of my favorites from this year's nominees:

There is a good reason I follow the masses when it comes to James Blake's cover of 'Limit to Your Love'. While yes it is a cover of Feist's amazing recording, it is something special in its own right. With a stripped-down piano intro as opposed to tambourines, Blake evokes just as much emotion as Feist's distinct vocal does. In all, Blake has made it his own and this track certainly pushed him into the limelight this year.

19/52

James Blake - Limit to Your Love 

Nominee #2 that I am backing in this year's competition is Everything Everything's album Man Alive. Everything Everything have been a band whose music floated about the Fuse Fm offices quite a lot when I was bigging up the music dept. Released in 2009, 'MY KZ, UR BF' climbed our playlists that year and we all wet ourselves in anticipation for the album. Ok, maybe not, but I was pretty excited when it was released.

20/52

Everything Everything - Qwerty Finger

Even if James Blake and Everything Everything are not your thing, there are 10 other albums that comprise the nominees, including the likes of Metronomy, Adele, and PJ Harvey.

What do you think about the Mercury Prize? Who are you supporting in this year's competition?