Congratulations Elbow!

So to everyone's surprise, Elbow won the MercuryMusic Prize this year for The Seldom Seen Kid. It came as a slight shock to me because even though they write good music and on that level they are deserving winners, the prize is meant to be about innovation and breaking boundaries - something the band have kind of failed to do with their album.

But still... Kudos to you Elbow, hopefully this makes up for when you lost to PJ Harvey in 2001!

Mercury Round-Up

Feeling guilty is horrible - I promised to give a full round-up of all the Mercury nominees before the prize was announced. It's being done tomorrow. And I still haven't discussed British Sea Power, Estelle and Burial. So quickly, here's the mini-roundup of these peeps.

BSP - Maybe "Waving Flags" and "No Lucifer" should win it for them. "Do You Like Rock Music" has been touted as being absolutely brilliant, but if I'm honest (and it's not really that easy to say this) I don't think they have a brilliant chance of winning at all. 'Tis a shame.

Estelle - Oh gosh, where to start? Well I think I'll start by saying... WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!? Every year there seems to be someone on the list who should have been left off altogether and this year I'm saying that Estelle should be written off. I don't mind different styles of music winning the prize and I have nothing at all against R'n'B - when it's done well. Sorry, but I have no kind words. However, M People managed to shockingly win one year so perhaps it wouldn't be too hard to see why she's in with a shout.

Burial - The outright favourite. By far. Even beating Radiohead and Last Shadow Puppets. I think perhaps this is the true winner - the style never faulters, there's no ego and until recently the guy was completely anonymous, a bit like a Dubstep version of Banksy or something! Unless of course we have a screw-up like last year when (with all due respect) Bat For Lashes was robbed by Klaxons, and the year before Richard Hawley was robbed by Arctic Monkeys, we're staring at the winner right here.

So there. Stand-by for the winner to be announced. Reaction wil hopefully come on Wednesday...

Mercury Month: Radiohead

Who: Oxford five-piece Radiohead have been going for years, and frontman Thom Yorke has been nominated 6 times for the prize (including his solo album "The Eraser" and his collaborations with PJ Harvey on her winning 2001 album "Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea")

What: Their new, somewhat controversial album "In Rainbows" (people could pay what they wanted for the album, which is okay because why do a massive band like this need the money anyway) which has been hailed as a masterpiece.

Why: I'm definitely not a fan. I know there's a lot of people out there who are absolutely CRAZY about Radiohead but I agree with the frontman from the Hold Steady who says they've lost the plot. If I was ever going to get in to Radiohead it was going to be around the time when they were more rock, since the only song I actually think is any good by them is "Just" (thanks to Mark Ronson who has slaughtered the angst and replaced it with posh-boy brass sections on his cover version. Write your own songs and wreck 'em!). So really they've gone all thoughtful and "weird" on "In Rainbows" and everyone's gone ape over it. I've found listening to the singles very hard going indeed, especially "Nude" which lumbers along like a snail going against a headwind. Not to mention depressing as hell. God, am I the only person in the world who just detests them? I'm sure they've nice enough blokes but they need to lighten up. Nevertheless they're joint favourites to win. "No Surprises" there (oh lord that was an awful joke).

Mercury Month: Elbow

Who: Veteran Manchester rockers Elbow, fronted by the humorous and yet still mysterious Guy Garvey.

What: Their fourth album "The Seldom Seen Kid", a more upbeat and accessible collection of tracks compared to their third attempt.

Why: Look, in my own humble opinion you should just give the prize to them for "The Fix" (in which hard-done-by-Mercury-loser Richard Hawley guests) for its hilarity - who would have thought rigging a horse-race could be so much fun? Watch out - that jockey's cocky and vicious... heh heh.... Getting back to being serious for a change though and they've been a bit unlucky not to win it in previous years. Perhaps a sympathy vote will come into play - they've certainly been one of the most consistent British bands of recent years, but it's only really with the release of this album that they're getting some very strong recognition. "One Day Like This" is becoming a bit of an anthem, with everyone knowing the words at the festivals they've played and it being plastered on nearly every promotion that the British Olympic Team have featured in. Deserving winners, more so than some of the other people on this list...

Mercury Month: Laura Marling

Who: Laura Marling is an 18-year-old singer/songwriter who also works with bands such as Noah and the Whale (who are currently sitting in the Top 10 in the Charts, with a little help from her)

What: "Alas, I Cannot Swim" is a collection of modern folk songs mainly focusing on love and heartbreak, as most of the albums coming out from new young things generally are these days

Why: To be honest, she seems more wrapped up in her side-projects to take her own solo work seriously! It was a shock entry in a way because so many people expected the Mystery Jets (whose album Laura provides vocals for, surprise surprise) to make the list. Her inclusion probably means that the prize is looking to give awards to people who perhaps are a bit different and break outside the indie mould. However, my personal feeling is that she just can't sing! She has a girly but weak voice that rarely strays outside the framework of a few simple notes. It also grates after a while. If she wins the prize it will be more for her songwriting skills and the arrangement of the music on the album rather than her skill as a singer.

Mercury Month: Last Shadow Puppets

Who: Miles Kane from The Rascals and Alex Turner from the Arctic Monkeys (winners in 2006) teaming up for this stylistically different side-project

What: "Age of the Understatement", an apparently semi-conceptual album that sees the pair going epic and retro all in one

Why: Well let's put it this way - if I had a choice between The Last Shadow Puppets and either of their "everyday" bands, I'd choose this side-project. I really wasn't that keen on their first single "Age of the Understatement" but I think "Standing Next to Me" is definitely a grower. I still can't get past Alex Turner's voice, which I find doesn't have much soul or heart in it (actually I'm under the impression that he can't sing) but yet this is still more deserving than the Monkeys' "Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not". No-one has ever won the prize twice (even though I think PJ Harvey has been robbed of this accolade on several occasions) - can he make history and win it with two separate bands? We'll just have to wait and see. At least if this pairing wins I won't be bitterly disappointed like I have been for the last couple of years.

Mercury Month: Adele

Who: 20-year-old London-born singer/songwriter Adele Adkins.

What Is She Nominated For: "19", a critically acclaimed set of songs that focuses on hometown life and heartbreak.

Why She Should Win: It's hard for me to say since I'm not a fan but she has achieved a lot for such a young age - everyone knew that either she or Duffy would gain a nomination and Adele probably got the nod because of her youth. Her songs have been described as heartfelt, soulful and down-to-earth.

Chances of Winning: Bookmakers have put her at 6/1, on a par with Burial and Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. The front runners Last Shadow Puppets and Radiohead both have odds of 5/1 so it can definitely be said that she's in with a chance. Personally I wouldn't vote for her; despite "Chasing Pavements" being a hit, it wasn't much of a song. Repeating a chorus over and over again with only one verse and making it sound different by lowering your voice now and then isn't a big achievement. Anyone could do that - and the same could be said for "Cold Shoulder". I think her best song is "Hometown Glory" but the judges will maybe pick her because she seems so innocent.

What I'm Listening To Right Now: "Attention" by The Raconteurs

Thanks to www.banquetrecords.com/graphics for the pic!

Mercury Month: Neon Neon

Who: Super Furry Animal Gruff Rhys and Boom Pip teamed up to create Neon Neon, an 80s-styled electronic outfit.

What Are They Nominated For: "Stainless Style", a conceptual album about playboy designer JohnDeLorean.

Why They Should Win: They've written such catchy pop-electronica. Some might say that they're not doing anything new, since their style is firmly rooted in the 80s, but in a way that makes them more interesting than some of the other new bands coming out right now. "I Lust You" always ends up in your head whenever and wherever you hear it, and so does new single "I Told Her On Alderaan". Gruff Rhys still shows all of his odd quirks on this album as well, and you've got to love that weird little Welsh pixie really.

Chances of Winning: Well, I think I'll be rooting for them because I love "Stainless Style" - it's one of my albums of the year so far. However, they have a mountainous task to get past Radiohead, Elbow and the Last Shadow Puppets. I wouldn't be surprised if they were one of the dark horses but then people might say that Laura Marling has more of a chance than Neon Neon does. Bet if you're feeling incredibly lucky - you never know, there might be another surprise like last year when Klaxons won against heavily tipped Bat For Lashes and Arctic Monkeys.

What I'm Listening To Right Now - "Paris Is Burning (Gopher Remix)" by Ladyhawke

Finally Announced

The Mercury Music Prize nominees have finally been announced! And... what were they thinking with some of these choices? Seriously! Here's the list:

1. Adele - 19
2. British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?
3. Burial - Untrue
4. Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
5. Estelle - Shine
6. The Last Shadow Puppets - Age Of The Understatement
7. Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim
8. Neon Neon - Stainless Style
9. Portico Quartet - Knee Deep In The North
10. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
11. Radiohead - In Rainbows
12. Rachel Unthank and the Winterset - The Bairns

More Mercury news to come, and I'll probably do a little feature on each of the albums in turn. Don't expect me to be kind to them all though - last year's prize contained a long list of people I liked. This year I might not be so kind.

What I'm Listening To Right Now - "50ft Queenie" by PJ Harvey