Mercury Prize nominations announced

The prize which recognises the best music out of Cockneywood, The Motherland, or The Former Islands of Posh n’ Becks (that’s the UK just in case you had no idea what I’m talking about) has been announced. Yes, The Mercury Music Prize which has had its fair share of controversy through its history. The latest shortlist has just been announced as per every July.

And so (drum roll etc etc) here they are:

Adele – 19
British Sea Power – Do You Like Rock Music?
Burial – Untrue
Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid
Estelle – Shine
The Last Shadow Puppets – The Age Of The Understatement
Laura Marling – Alas I Cannot Swim
Neon Neon – Stainless Style
Portico Quartet – Knee Deep In The North Sea
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – Raising Sand
Radiohead – In Rainbows
Rachel Unthank & The Winterset – The Bairns

Personally, I’ll be hoping that either the groundbreaking dubstep of Buriel or the quant and beautiful vocal stylings of Rachel Unthank & The Winterset come through with the goods, and there are some formidable entrants as well (Neon Neon and British Sea Power brought out releases which really sounded fresh). Radiohead have this sewn this years prize up already though I reckon. Game, set and match. It would be a brave man or woman to bet otherwise.

You never know with those Poms though. Judge for yourself and see what you think with the below tracks, all from the above releases.

Adele – Chasing Pavements
British Sea Power – Waving Flags
Burial – Archangel
Elbow – The Bones Of You
Estelle – Come Over
The Last Shadow Puppets – Standing Next To Me
Laura Marling – Ghosts
Neon Neon – Raquel
Portico Quartet – Knee Deep In The North Sea
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – Polly Come Home
Radiohead – 15 Step
Rachel Unthank and The Winterset – Blue’s Gaen Oot O’the Fashion

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