Mercury Prize 2009 shortlist in 'mix of predictable and unpredictable announcements' SHOCKER

is what it's called

i'm all for Uranus

Someone tell me?

probably bfl seen as she didn't win last time round

Sorry y'all. Yeah, the cut off is definitely off calender, apparently the deadline for entries is early June, though I think if the album comes out after that it's fine.

I sort of don't care about this and sort of do but wish it was a new bands only thing (would sadly never have the profile if so); the question of its relevance is always pretty moot, but it unquestionably generates sales and column inches, which would be great for some of those acts, a pointless pat on the back for others.

The Invisible is probs my favorite so far. It's got a former member of Acoustic Ladyland in its ranks

should really be on their list.

changed

I can't think of many other British albums that have been reviewed so positively across the board in the last 12 months. Kasabian and Glasvegas can just fuck off.

I find it much less encouraging that Glasvegas were nominated than Kasabian. TBH I have a bit of a soft spot for them and I would say that their new album is by far their best...as for Glasvegas - just AAAARRGH!

I think, and hope, the Horrors will win.

that doesn't happen every year...

some ever-hilarious comments on NME.com:

"WTF?! wheres white lies????"

I thought they'd be nailed on for a nomination. They're basically this year's Elbow, aren't they? That's what all the press have been saying... ¬_¬

I'd have gone for Grammatics, too.

I'm sure it's no a popular opinion around here, but for me Kasabian have the best album on that list.

I love your intro to this article! :-D

The problem with readers posting comments here saying "x should win it" or "y should win it" is that there are probabley very few of us readers who have properly listened* to every nominated album and are therefore in a position to judge. I mean, personally I'm tempted to say I'd like The Horrors to win it, but I've only heard two of the shortlisted albums; some due to knowledge-of but lack-of-interest-in the album and some due to shear ignorance of their existence.

* Listening once to each nominee doesn't count - you need to listen to an album several times to make a proper judgement.

But where were you able to place that bet? I've never seen a firm price up a market ahead of the nominations before.

I have no idea which of those albums should win because I'm not familiar with them but I can safely say that the stuff I am familiar with is terrible and if that's the best they can come up with then there's something wrong with their scope/taste. I mean really, I'd like to care about the Mercury but it's become a lame joke.

Put a longlist up in January, February. There's normally a thread on Digital Spy around that time as well.

I think last year they really seemed to get it right, bar Portishead's omission. This year it seems to be back to the checklist approach of nomination. I don't think that's done on purpose, just a tragedy of the commons.

La Roux and Florence and too Marmite to win the award, Horrors SD, F Fires and Bat For Lashes I had money on beforehand, £2 at 33s, 50, 18s and 8s. Still think that 5/1 is good value for Two Suns.

Trendy, yeah its the Mercuries, but electro poppy.. who else on that list qualifies as electro pop other than La Roux..?

Surely we all lost faith in the Mercury Music Prize years ago, its a way to get underperforming albums to sell better.

I honestly don;t care who wins ,the only reason i was pleased when Elbow won was because they've been grafting for ages and appear to have won from merit.

they had a whole list up from january onwards - doves was top for most of it at 4/1

either win and the world is not bat shit insane. If Kasabian or La Roux win we ought to cancel christmas

But I'm well happy about The Invisible.
Not even sure why.

just the same pointless miserable indie schmindie shite we've come to expect every year squeezed from out of the gaps in the clenched fists of glasgow's indie schmindie mafia. at least glasvegas are doing something new, even though they're terrible

Camera Obscura and Malcolm Middleton are also great off that list anyway.

with a few exceptions. Here's my take:
Bat for lashes - Great artist and a good album
Friendly Fires- this is good but few would argue there was better albums
Florence and the Machine- Nearly unlistenable whiny voiced Kate Bush wannabee.Effectively a tuneless album
Glasvegas- Didn't quite get this until about 4 listens and now I love it. They are a little melodramatic and over the top but I now admire them for this trait where as before I wasn't sure it worked. I wouldn't mind if this or the Horrors won.
The Invisible- First listens makes one think this is the inventive album illustrating musical progress. Unfortunately it is pretty forgettable fluff.
Lisa Hannegan- seems like they nominate a boring female singer songwriter every year and here's this years token. Real typical, underwhelming female folk that is interchangable with hundreds in her field.
The Horrors- one of the years most exciting albums. Mostly for catching everyone off center and proving there are still surprises out there. Really an amalgamation of every shoegaze era band you've every loved but upon additional listens the albums individualism reveals itself.
Kasabian-haven't heard it so won't comment. Will buy soon.
La Roux-I really like this. This sounds new and edgy and like it has somewhere to go. A good choice to fill the obligatory popular female pop singer. Much better then Lily Allen.
Led bib-Jazz recognition. You can pretend that you enjoy listening to it if you must.
Speech Debelle-i guess it's important to have a hip-hop flavor in the list and this does nicely.
Sweet Billy Pilgrim-who cares. There's a million of these coming out of america. There are more deserving obscure artists.

Frankly the Doves deserved this above anyone for their soaring, majestic endlessly enjoyable missle into the fringes of the mainstream "Kingdom of Rust." Their lack of inclusion is a great injustive to a band whose now put out 4 phenomenal albums and doesn't seemingly compromise on their musical vision. Also the Manics album is a triumphant, significant kick ass accomplishment and it would have been great to see it honored here. I also don't get why everyone's already forgotten about the latest Morrissey album one of the best of his career. The new Veils album would have been a good obscure choice.

at no Phantom Band, but hope Horrors do it. Kasabian being featured is no surprise, and credit where it's due their improvement is for all to see.

Not the first time it has been said but Glasveges- w h y.

goes to prove there isn't endless streams of cash in the Little Boots account if they couldn't buy her a place on the list...!

Am quite reassured that I haven't heard of a few entries this year though, despite the prescence of acts we knew were going to be shoehorned on there it is nice that they're honouring what the Mercury was actually set up to do

http://drownedinsound.com/lists/mercury

The list is a strategy to drive marketing when all is said and done. The amount of comments here and the blanket media coverage yesterday is far more important than the actual albums on the list.

The Mercury is a prize in search of a point and has decided its role is to drive man in a pub debate. On that basis, they are succeeding. And the posts here (including mine) help that process along.

I happen to know some people who like Led Bib. Even though they never win, it's free publicity, good for sales. Someone needs to throw these jazzers a bone.

I would now vote for Speech Debelle, and I really love The Horrors & The Invisible.