Melbourne four-piece The Drones took top honours at last night’s 2009 Air Awards, after netting Independent Artist of the Year and Best Independent Album for their fifth studio album “Havilah”. Sydney’s Philadelphia Grand Jury picked up Best Independent Single Or EP for their rambunctious Star City jam “Going To The Casino” while Bertie Blackman was named 2009’s Breakthrough Independent Artist. Check out the full list of nominees and winners (in bold) below.
Best Independent Single Or EP
Architecture In Helsinki – That Beep
Art Vs. Science – Art Vs. Science (EP)
Bertie Blackman – Heart
Philadelphia Grand Jury – Going To The Casino
SIA – Buttons
Best Independent Country Album
Adam Brand – Hell of A Ride
James Blundell – Portrait Of A Man
Kirsty Lee Akers – Better Days
Tania Kernaghan – Livin’ The Dream
Best Independent Blues and Roots Album
C.W. Stoneking – Jungle Blues
Ash Grunwald – Fish Out Of Water
The Waifs – Live From The Union Of Soul
Bonjah – Until Dawn
Carus Thompson – Creature Of Habit
Best Independent Dance/Electronica Album
Deepchild – Departure
Art Vs. Science – Art Vs. Science
Mountains In the Sky – Electron Suite
Qua – Q & A
Infusion – All Night Sunlight
Best Independent Jazz Album
Greg Coffin Trio – It’s Neither Either Or. It’s Both And.
Julien Wilson and Stephen Magnusson – Kaleidoscopic
Sam Anning, Allan Browne and Mark Hannaford – Homage
The Mark Ginsburg Band – Generations
The World According To James – Lingua Franca
Best Independent Hard Rock or Punk Album
Closure In Moscow – First Temple
I Killed The Prom Queen – Sleepless Nights & City Lights
Mammal – The Majority
The Amity Affliction – Severed Ties
The Nation Blue – Rising Waters
Best Independent Hip Hop/Urban Album
Astronomy Class – Pursuit Of Happiness
Funkoars – The Hangover
Gully Platoon – The Great Divide
Hermitude – Threads
Pez – A Mind Of My Own
Breakthrough Independent Artist Of The Year Presented by Coopers 62 Pilsner
Art Vs. Science
Bertie Blackman
John Steel Singers
Oh Mercy
Sia
Jagermeister Best Independent Album
Bertie Blackman – Secrets And Lies
C.W. Stoneking – Jungle Blues
Dappled Cities – Zounds
Decoder Ring – They Blind The Stars, And The Wild Team
The Drones – Havilah
Independent Artist Of The Year
Bertie Blackman
C.W. Stoneking
Dappled Cities
Sia
The Drones
