Savages: Hyundai Mercury Prize nomination

An announcement today of the shortlist for this year's Hyundai Mercury Music Prize, and while most of the attention goes to the inclusion of David Bowie's final album Blackstar, it was the inclusion of the album Adore Life by Savages that got our ears up.

They're a London based four piece, which no doubt gets them their place in the Mercury prize's UK and Ireland focused shortlist, but it's the presence of singer Jehnny Beth - or Camille Berthomier as her family knew her - that particularly interests us.

She was or course previously the singer with much-loved French indie duo John and Jehn who released two albums before becoming involved in Savages. John and Jehn founded the Pop Noire label, which has also released material by Lescop, whose video for La Foret was directed by Jehn.

Johnny Hostile, the other half of the duo, produced both Adore Life and their debut album Silence yourself . That collection was released to massive acclaim in 2013, reaching the top 20 of the UK album charts. Like Adore Life, it was shorlisted for the Mercury Prize.

Last year the Mercury Prize was won by Benjamin Clementine, a London-born artist who lives in France. This year hopefully it will be won by a band featuring a French songer who lives in London.

La Route du Rock: Live streaming

Another major music festival in France under way this weekend, with La Route du Rock at St Malo.

It's the 25th time the event's been held, and even if Bjork isn't playing this year, there's still plenty on offer.

The Thurston Moore Band, Rone, Ratatat and Forever Pavot play today, as do Algiers, Wand, Girl Band and Fuzz.

 The Saturday sees Foals, The Soft Moon, Daniel Avery as well as Hinds, Spectres and Flavien Berger.

Sunday has Jungle, Ride and Father John Misty, while Savages, Viet Cong and  Dan Deacon are among the others.

In short, a very tasteful selection of established names and fascinating discoveries.

If you can't be there, there's a live stream of some of the performers available thanks to the good people at Arte.

Savages: Husband

Great to see a new video by the band Savages, for the track Husband.

The London-based band is led by French singer Jehnny Beth (Camille Berthomier), one of the founders of the Pop Noire label.

To these ears there are elements of late 70s post punk, but also something of PJ Harvey's early work in the song.

Both these ingredients are very good things indeed to have in a song.

The song features on their album Silence Yourself, which has been nominated for this year's Mercury Prize, a UK award for the best album of the year.

Savages certainly deserve the attention that the nomination will attract, and while they might be outsiders to win the award - they're up against the likes of David Bowie and teh Arctic Monkeys - it's entirely possible the judges will decide that the award should go to a new act rather than to one of the old guard.

We can certainly hope so anyway, they certainly deserve it.

Savages: Mercury Prize shortlist

Great to see the band Savages making the shortlist for this year's Mercury Music Prize award.

Their are shortlisted for the best album for their debut Silence Yourself which was released in May this year.

While up against some big names, with David Bowie and Arctic Monkeys the favourites, the London-based band led by Jehnny Beth (Camille Berthomier) would be a fine choice.

Jehnny has already been involved in music, with the act John & Jehn who released two albums, their self-titled debut in 2008  and the album Time for the Devil in 2010.

The pair are also founders of the Pop Noire label in 2011, who have released material by Lescop as well as Savages and Johnny Hostile, the other half or John and Jehn.

However, it is with Savages that Jehn has found both commercial and critical success, and whether or not Savages win the award, a French singer getting onto the shortlist for best album from the UK and Ireland is no small achievement.