EXCLUSIVE: WAM Announces 2015 Song Of The Year Nominees

A who's who of West Australian music's finest will converge on Fremantle venue the B-Shed this March for the 25th annual WAM Song Of The Year Awards, the nominations for which have been unveiled this morning and are led by the likes of KUČKA, Mister & Sunbird and Rag 'N' Bone.

KUČKA scored herself five nominations, three of which fall in the Electronic category (Lower Spectrum and Gravy Murphy round out the bracket), while Mister & Sunbird and Rag 'N' Bone, as well as Ruby Boots, Trisk, Kimberley Carlson, Charlotte Viney, Grace Barbe, Coin Banks and The Disappointed all stand out as fellow multiple nominees.

The winner of this year's Grand Prize (selected from the overall pool of category winners) will net themselves a package comprising $3000 cash, recording time at Sydney's renowned Albert Studios, the chance at a publishing deal with Perfect Pitch Publishing, two days' worth of recording at Sonic Lolly, mastering courtesy of King Willy Sound's William Bowden, an online music course worth $1640 from BerkleeOnline, a 500-CD pressing from DiskBank, a RØDE Microphones package and the opportunity to perform at this year's State Of The Art Festival, plus a plum position on this year's WAM Festival bill. Nice.

"Whether acts sell out venues or never leave their bedrooms, songs were judged equally by independent industry leaders and peers, and the nominees highlight the breadth of quality artistic output from WA artists in 2014," WAM chief executive Mike Harris said in a statement.

"WAM's Song Of The Year couldn't happen without the support of its sponsors, so a heavy rocking thank-you to the event's presenting partner RAC, Grand Prize sponsor Alberts, major partners APRA|AMCOS and City Of Fremantle, plus the category and studio sponsors who helped provide the backline to amplify WA talent.

"I look forward to my first SOTY Awards and WAM doing its bit to recognise and reward local songwriting."

This year's event will also see the introduction of a reformatted Awards Party, taking the ceremony from its usual place on a Thursday to Saturday, 21 March, this year, with Barbe and fellow nominees Methyl Ethel lined up to provide some live entertainment on the evening, with some help from DJs Lilt and John Safari. The ceremony will be hosted by a mystery MC alongside special guest entertainers, so if you're interested in being a part of the yearly spectacle you can secure tickets via Moshtix for $20+bf if you're a WAM member ($25+bf non-members).

2015 WAM song of the year nominees

blues/roots

Sponsored by Clancy's Fremantle; Studio sponsor: Shanghai Twang
Morgan Bain - Hold On
Mister & Sunbird - 7 Years Bad Luck
Jordan McRobbie - A World To See
Katie J White - Gypsie
Matt Gresham - Whiskey

country

Sponsored by Country Music Club Of Boyup Brook; Studio sponsor: Rada Studios
Ruby Boots - Wrap Me In A Fever
Codee-Lee - Ain't Got Time For That
Davey Craddock & The Spectacles - Better Alone
Jason Norris/The Stirling Rangers - If I Should Be Gone In The Morning
Ruby Boots - Ruby Blue

electronic

Sponsored by Perfect Pitch Publishing; Studio sponsor: Fremantle Records
KUČKA - Unconditional
Lower Spectrum - Khlever
KUČKA - Honey
Gravy Murphy - Mumps
KUČKA - Divinity

experimental

Sponsored by Newport Hotel; Studio sponsor: Soundbaker
Intenso Band - Earthquake
Tobacco Rat - Caged Plant
Parnell March - New Science
KUČKA - Recovery
Joysten Myburgh - Treant/First Place

folk

Sponsored by The Mustang Bar; Studio sponsor: Sonic Lolly
Winter's Mile - Tell My Lover
Rachel Gorman - To Have & To Hold
Curtis McEntee - I Was Made For Loving You
Mister & Sunbird - Baby Must Be Blind
The Justin Walshe Folk Machine - Willshire

heavy/metal

Sponsored by Diskbank; Studio sponsor: Sovereign Studios
Chaos Divine - Soldiers
Ragdoll - Here Today
Let's Kill Uncle - Memento
Beyond Never - One Thousand Years
All This Filth - Programmed To Suffer

jazz

Sponsored by The Ellington Jazz Club & Perth Jazz Society; Studio sponsor: Poons Head
Trisk - Charon
Mace Francis Orchestra - Corio Landscape
Lofty Heights - Ja Boyia
Luke Minness - The Wright Influence
Trisk - Commodity

outstanding indigenous

Sponsored by Nannup Music Festival; Studio sponsor: Blackbird Studios
The Merindas - Ready To Love
Byron Pickett - Beautiful Memories
Kimberley Carlson - Waiting
Yolande Yarran - Little Old Quairading Town
Kimberley Carlson - Coming Home

outstanding regional

Sponsored by Hertz; Studio sponsor: Underground Studios
Katie J White - Gypsie
Codee-Lee - Ain't Got Time For That
Harry Jakamarra - The Captain Goes Down
Shenfield - Vagabond
Junior Bowles - World I Owe

pop

Sponsored by 96FM; Studio sponsor: Debaser Studios
Methyl Ethel - Rogues
Felicity Groom - Better Days
The Revelationship - Rocket Boy
KUČKA - Unconditional
The Autumn Isles - Waking Dreams

punk/hardcore

Sponsored by SAE Institute; Studio sponsor: Sumo Sound
Rag 'N' Bone - Wood & Wire
The Caballeros - Another Day
The Decline - Cool Kids Can't Die
Scalphunter - There Will Be Change
The Bob Gordons - Too Drunk

rock

Sponsored by City Of Fremantle; Studio sponsor: The Wasteland
Tired Lion - I Don't Think You Like Me
The Disappointed - I Disagree With Myself
Husband - Caught
Rag 'N' Bone - Wood & Wire
The Disappointed - Weird Peace

schools 14 & under

Sponsored by Concept Music; Studio sponsor: Electric City Studios
Charlotte Viney - Hurricane
Ruth Burke - Hiding
Claudia Tero - I'm Afraid
Identify - Just Don't Say It
Charlotte Viney - Only Thing I Need

schools 15-17

Sponsored by RAC; Studio sponsor: Gibsonic
Mike Waller - Seasons
Sydnee Carter - Life Raft
Stella Kelly - Skin
Evanda & Luchii - This Is Life
Teischa - Trick Of The Light

urban/hip hop

Sponsored by APRA AMCOS; Studio sponsor: Tone City
Coin Banks - Someone
Sid Pattni - Go Back Home feat. Meg Mac
Coin Banks - Highs & Lows
Sarah Pellicano - Playing With Fire (feat. Roc Walla)
Marksman Lloyd - You Won't Be The One (feat. Whisky Winter)

world

Sponsored by Fairbridge Festival; Studio sponsor: Crank Studios
Grace Barbe - Fatige
Tara Tiba - A Persian Dream
Alon Shimon Shai-Kaspi - Megilat Hefker (No Man's Scroll)
Ensemble Formidable - Swing Swang Swung
Grace Barbe - Zis Nou De