Augmenters of a Vascular Price,

Once again, the great and the good of the music industry gathered to discover who has won the prestigious Bellyaches Music Award. This year’s ceremony was held at the Bervie Chipper and presented by Eldred Bowman.

The nominees mumbled indifferently at their tables as the albums were listed.

Diamond Mine by King Creosote & Jon Hopkins: As First Watch flows into John Taylor’s Month Away, Anderson and Hopkins have already set the World Record for Wistfulness. The recording from the chip shop featuring the reply to a request for a receipt; ‘It’s just a written one.’ is particularly quaint and it illustrates the making-do that can is symptomatic of most of our lives, whilst ‘I’d rather be me’ in reference to John Taylor’s trip to sea is humbling. The minimalistic keys towards the end of Bubble are a simple delight.

Cadenza by Dutch Uncles: Those Dutch Uncles are always building. Cadenza is what I consider prog-rock, the constant beats and changing time signatures indicate a progression and a march into the future. The magic is in its assembly, to hear the album is to want to help build and move forward too.

Man Alive by Everything Everything: Man Alive demands similar admiration to Cadenza, the use of guitars, keys and percussion, to execute very complicated rhythms is very special. Suffragette Suffragette and Photoshop Handsome are smart singles. Nasa is on Your Side is perhaps the gem of the album, it perhaps represents the essence of the album.

Losing Sleep by Edwyn Collins: Losing Sleep is a perfect slice of pop. Edwyn Collins has written some great lyrics and the range of collaborations is a treat. The album has pace but also poignancy, it’s an aural feast.

Boots Met My Face by Admiral Fallow: Boots Met My Face is charming. Delicate arrangements of flute, clarinet, double bass and all the other gubbins percolate through such honest and heartfelt lyrics. Admiral Fallow have an ear for a lyrical rhyme; they indulge and invite identification from their audience.

One Thousand Pictures by Pete & The Pirates: One Thousand Pictures features the best opening lyric of the year; ‘Something you fear has just come to town’. The album is littered with catchy lines and bouncy tunes. One Thousand Pictures is consistently fun and difficult to ignore.

Write About Love by Belle & Sebastian: Belle & Sebastian returned with Write About Love, they’re known for lovely orchestral indie pop but on Write About Love, they’ve embossed their influences more blatantly over each track and as a result, the album has a real classic feel.

Ornaments From the Silver Arcade by Young Knives: It’s only after attending a Young Knives concert that it becomes apparent, from the hits they omit, how many great pop songs they’ve written. I Love My Name is a punchy and catchy opening, it’s a theme continued throughout. ‘Call off the rest of the years, I’ve nothing to say, so I’ll say nothing here’ makes a great chorus is Vision in Rags.

Bubblegum by Clinic: Bubblegum marks a slight change for Clinic, it envelopes its listener is a warm, wondrous, wooziness. The album is endearing in its laidback electronic wistfulness.

Everything’s Getting Older by Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat: Aidan Moffat evokes such sorrow and pity for the characters he sings from by the marvellous detail he incorporates into his lyrics. Bill Wells helps to create a beautiful soundscape in which the mournful reflection is set.

The Impossible Song & Other Songs by Roddy Woomble: Roddy Woomble is one of Scotland’s finest lyricists and best voices. The Impossible Song & Other Songs is perhaps a celebration of an older way of life, but the morals and ethics of songs like ‘Work Like You Can’ are as relevant today as they ever have been.

Rolling Blackouts by The Go! Team: The Go! Team are famed for making a right racket but on Rolling Blackouts, they’ve re-wired slightly and created some lovely pop songs. Rolling Blackouts is an album that has committed the sunshine of the day and the neon lights of the night to record.

The others deposited their wrappers in the bin and taunted the seagulls as Tom from Pete & The Pirates collected the prize from special guest, Montrose FC manager, Ray Farningham.