Two Suns - Bat For Lashes: They got this one 100% right, Natasha Kahn is a gloriously creative force and Two Suns was beautiful spacious and sparse. Each track is goregously arranged and she brings together the best of Bjork, PJ Harvey, Kate Bush and Tori Amos into something positively unique and completely her own (minus one Bjork tribute track). It came in 49th in my 100 greatest albums of the decade and it throughly deserves this award.
Lungs -Florence & The Machine: The media is touting Lungs as the favorite but I don't see why, there is no doubt that Florence is a force of nature, with a gloriously fresh and invigourating sound, yet the album fell flat. It was sparks of genius surrounded by half baked ideas and okayish efforts. Undoubtably promise was shown, but this album did not live up to the hype. See her live, skip the album.
Friendly Fires - Friednly Fires: Yes its your standard pander to the NME readers nomination, yet this was a good choice, it was a realitively consistant album with some remarkable highs and some ice cool indy dance sensations. The albums heart is in the right place, and it's certainly a fine outsider but it should not be anywhere near winning the award.
Glasvegas - Glasvegas: This album simply had to be nominated. It's simply too honest, too tragic, too tender and too damn heart breaking to be left of this list. Glasvegas has a sort of religious power, it's such an affecting record. Now musically it's not always top notch and there's a couple of tracks that are a bit wishy washy but this is minor. This is a powerful album, it aims to move, it's big, brave and leads itself totally vunerable out in the open, a triumph and worthy nomination. Should it win, probably not, but its emotive power will make sure it stays in contention. (Glasvegas placed 71st in my 100 greatest albums of the decade).
Primary Colours - The Horrors: The Horror's debut Strange House was the ultimate victory of style over substance, the look was perfect, the sound was cool and posing was just right but musically it was eh...okay. Primary Colours then was a revelation, The Horrors found a sound to match their looks a sprinkly of the Eighties pop sheen and a little less shock rock and the Horrors were complete. Honestly just watch the video for Who Can Say it's magic. Now is it critical good enough for a mercury nod, not really, but its been a lean year thus far and this reinvention was such a joyous triumph a nomination is somewhat understandable. It shouldn't have a hope of winning though, although I'd be ecstatic if it did.
The Invisible - The Invisible: The first of the "outsiders" nominations and in a year where the mainstream hasn't exactly set the world on fire this could be the first year since I Am A Bird Now that a geniune "unknown" wins. The Invisible have been members of both Polar Bear and Hot Chip and while I must admit I haven't heard this album (it has popped up on any of the usual sneaky places yet), I do own serval of the individual tracks. They comprise these lovely smooth arrangements and soft vocals, some sublime inventive drum loops combined with some very subtly jazz horn samples. The vocal performance is understated yet excellent. I strong recommend you check out their myspace (http://www.myspace.com/theinvisiblethree). If the album is of a standard as high as the singles they more than deserve their place.
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum - Kasabian: Are they serious? Kasabian? They must be having one hell of a bubble, right? I really don't get this one, Kasabian make great pop records, soaring anthemic indie anthems, and West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is probably there best single collection of work, it has greater consistancy but not the great highs. However at its hard its still the retro lad rock that made Kasabian famous in the first place there's really not an individual thought on the whole album, fun but that's it. Should not be nominated, should not win.
La Roux - La Roux: There's definitely a debate over how good this album is, there are some clangers but all in all it's a remarkably powerful slice of retrorespective electro-pop, that while reflective never feels dated or overly endebted. The start is wall to wall hits the second half has some more serious balladry. I'm happy with this nomination it's the best straight pop record of the year, and compared to Kasabian it's a masterpiece. It has a fair chance of lifting the prize, but because of it splits opinnion I imagine it will have the same effect on the judges.
Senisble Shoes - Led Bib: Okay I'm going to throw my hands up, I'm no great Jazz expert, not contemporary Jazz but I do know that the Times called them "the future of Jazz". Then again I've heard that term thrown about in the Guardian and Times more times than I care to count, and it never comes to everything. Listening to their myspace the music is powerful and haunting and quite visceral in places. Kind of like a Jazz Kid A but as far as I know this could be par for the course, but it certainly sounds more exhillerating than your standard Jazz fair, and the arrangements are complex, they shift, constantly and morph unrecognizably throught the tracks, it feels very free form. So is this anymore than the token entry? Unless it wins, I can't see this truly being the "future of Jazz".
Sea Sew - Lisa Hannigan: Of all the "outsiders" I think Lisa Hannigan could go supernova if she were to win. She writes lovely minimalistic charming folky-pop songs, that could steal the nations hearts given the platform. I only know the videos (and what videos they are Lille is undoubtably the best video of the year, it suits the song sublime) but the music is of great heartfelt quality. Having not heard the album, I can't speak for the overall quality, so many singer songwritters fade, or look out of their depth and repetitive on albums, so I'd be interested to see if she avoided such pratfalls. If they go with and outsider, in particular this outsider, she really could set the world alight.
Speech Theraphy - Speech Debelle: Being label mates with Roots Manuva will always bring a certain level of anticipation and excitement and south london rapper Speech Debelle stands out by rejecting the in your face squeelch of Grime and instead opting for subtle jazz and blues arangments. Oft with soft double base in the back ground. She has a knack for great cuplets "For Every Malcolm X There's A President Bush", "A Proper Attitude Is Better Than Fancy Clothes" and "I Can't See Your Face on Facebook / Why? / Cause We're Not Friends On Facebook...I Really Wish I'd Never Met You / I Really Wish I Never Kissed You". Huge congrats to Mercury, Speech Theraphy may not be quite good enough overall to win the prize, but make no mistake this 100% the correct choice for this urban nomination.
Sweet Billy Pilgrim - Twice Born Men: Now this is a band I'm really not familar with, quick to Youtube! Ah okay, Sweet Billy Pilgrim are a band who draw there songs together exculsively from samples, including the banjo, and then sing goregous harmonies over the top. Not bad, but not particularly destinct from what I can see here. I am impressed with the harmonies, but I can't see this winning to be honset. See for yourself (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBL0jN3oaS8 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS9AdnCfbnQ)
So my there we go all the entries not the strongest year I have to say, anyway that can't be helped here are my top three:
1. Two Suns - Bat For Lashes (has to win clearly the best)
2. Glasvegas - Glasvegas (the most powerful album)
3. Sea Sew - Lisa Hannigan (I don't own the album but I could see this lady storming the mainstream should they opt for an accesible outsider.
Natasha Kahn definitely deserves it but I would jump up and down if the Horror's won, it'd just be so odd and they'd look amazing accepting the award, and reflect a career salvaged.
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