Alright folks! It's that time of year again (well, sort of, it's a bit later than usual..) where we all argue over what were the 12 best albums of the last 12 (well 15 this time round) months and try and guess which ones the Mercury Panel liked best.
It's been an ok year for albums, not vintage but I'm sure this year's list will look a bit better than last year's here are my picks..
Alt-J - An Awesome Wave Is the bookies' favourite and a dead cert to be on the list, it offers something really different and has captured the imagination of critics and buyers alike, they've had some radio and tv exposure, but not too much, the perfect Mercury formula really!
Django Django - Django Django Another completely original album, it's gained less mainstream exposure than Alt-J, but it's on nearly every critic's mercury list.
Rustie - Glass Sword The Mercurys haven't really ever embraced underground British dance but Rustie might be the one to change that, the broadsheets seem to love him, as do dance magazines like MixMag, it was on many of 2011's best of list and is a heavyweight contender for this year's prize.
Jessie Ware - Devotion Picking up where Katy B left off, but brining something even cooler and sexier to the table. Devotion effortlessly grabbed the attention of everyone in the mainstream and underground media with it's uber-cool post-dubstep pop.
Los Campesinos! - Hello Sadness The third outing from the welsh band sees them more concise and grown-up. They appear on this year's welsh music prize list and I'd be surprised if there isn't a single album on both lists. Los Campesinos could feel unlucky at not having been nominated before tbh and with this album being more rounded than other two, I'd like to think it has a chance.
Ben Howard - Every Kingdom It's a mainstream pop album which has sold steadily over the past year. Howard's vibe is quite different to other things around at the moment and critics quite like his easy going style.
Emeli Sande - Our Version of Events
There's been no escaping Emeli this year and that might count against her (although mainstream artists did fare much better on last year's shortlist than in the past) the album sold steadily in the charts and her appeal and fan based built over the last 12 months culminating in her performances at the Olympics, she might be a pop star but she did (co) write the album, could be an outside bet.
The Vaccines - The Vaccines Come Of Age Only just released but it's made a big impact, it's bolder, slicker and more confident than their debut and the Mercury's always seem kind to guitar bands.
Ed Sheeran - +
Not my cup of tea personally but the album has sold well and has mainstream appeal whilst remaining credible (i.e Sheeran wrote the songs). You'll be hard pushed to find a critic who loves + but could end up on the list anyway, will be surprised if he wins though.
Kate Bush - 50 words for snow Every one likes a veteran and many claim 50 words.. to be one of the best Christmas albums of recent times!
Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials The Mercury panel liked her first album, nominating it in 2009, and in truth her second effort isn't much different, but it pleased critics and fans and even promoted her to festival headliner status (Bestival this weekend)
The XX - Coexist Just making the deadline the former winners' second effort is pleasing critics and fans. The prize likes putting former winners on the list and Coexist certainly merits a place.
The Maccabees - Given to the wild The hype surrounding this album has heightened after a series of headline-stealing festival performances, might it be enough to get them on the list?
Kasabian - Velociraptor! Velociraptor! didn't set the world on fire upon release but the former nominees could just sneak onto the list on the back of successfully headlining Reading and Leeds.
Bright Light Bright Light - Make me Believe in Hope Many were surprised to see the electro-pop man from the valleys on the Welsh Music Prize list but he's up there as one of the bookies favourites, might they know something we don't?
Future of the Left - The Plot Against Common Sense Leftfield rockers FOTL could be in line for their first nomination with this critically loved album, it's not quite as instant as Mclusky (although I suspect that's the point) but it's certainly their most accessible album to date.
Rebecca Ferguson - Heaven A real outsider here I know, but I love it! It gained brilliant reviews in all the broadsheets, sold over 500,000 copies and was co-written by Ferguson herself. The only thing holding her back is her association with The X Factor, might we be in for a shock on Wednesday?
Ok, so I cheated a bit and listed 17
I can narrow my overall winner to Rustie or Jessie Ware though and obviously expect this list to feature a few surprises and atleast a couple of albums I've never heard of!
It's been an ok year for albums, not vintage but I'm sure this year's list will look a bit better than last year's here are my picks..
Alt-J - An Awesome Wave Is the bookies' favourite and a dead cert to be on the list, it offers something really different and has captured the imagination of critics and buyers alike, they've had some radio and tv exposure, but not too much, the perfect Mercury formula really!
Django Django - Django Django Another completely original album, it's gained less mainstream exposure than Alt-J, but it's on nearly every critic's mercury list.
Rustie - Glass Sword The Mercurys haven't really ever embraced underground British dance but Rustie might be the one to change that, the broadsheets seem to love him, as do dance magazines like MixMag, it was on many of 2011's best of list and is a heavyweight contender for this year's prize.
Jessie Ware - Devotion Picking up where Katy B left off, but brining something even cooler and sexier to the table. Devotion effortlessly grabbed the attention of everyone in the mainstream and underground media with it's uber-cool post-dubstep pop.
Los Campesinos! - Hello Sadness The third outing from the welsh band sees them more concise and grown-up. They appear on this year's welsh music prize list and I'd be surprised if there isn't a single album on both lists. Los Campesinos could feel unlucky at not having been nominated before tbh and with this album being more rounded than other two, I'd like to think it has a chance.
Ben Howard - Every Kingdom It's a mainstream pop album which has sold steadily over the past year. Howard's vibe is quite different to other things around at the moment and critics quite like his easy going style.
Emeli Sande - Our Version of Events
There's been no escaping Emeli this year and that might count against her (although mainstream artists did fare much better on last year's shortlist than in the past) the album sold steadily in the charts and her appeal and fan based built over the last 12 months culminating in her performances at the Olympics, she might be a pop star but she did (co) write the album, could be an outside bet.
The Vaccines - The Vaccines Come Of Age Only just released but it's made a big impact, it's bolder, slicker and more confident than their debut and the Mercury's always seem kind to guitar bands.
Ed Sheeran - +
Not my cup of tea personally but the album has sold well and has mainstream appeal whilst remaining credible (i.e Sheeran wrote the songs). You'll be hard pushed to find a critic who loves + but could end up on the list anyway, will be surprised if he wins though.
Kate Bush - 50 words for snow Every one likes a veteran and many claim 50 words.. to be one of the best Christmas albums of recent times!
Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials The Mercury panel liked her first album, nominating it in 2009, and in truth her second effort isn't much different, but it pleased critics and fans and even promoted her to festival headliner status (Bestival this weekend)
The XX - Coexist Just making the deadline the former winners' second effort is pleasing critics and fans. The prize likes putting former winners on the list and Coexist certainly merits a place.
The Maccabees - Given to the wild The hype surrounding this album has heightened after a series of headline-stealing festival performances, might it be enough to get them on the list?
Kasabian - Velociraptor! Velociraptor! didn't set the world on fire upon release but the former nominees could just sneak onto the list on the back of successfully headlining Reading and Leeds.
Bright Light Bright Light - Make me Believe in Hope Many were surprised to see the electro-pop man from the valleys on the Welsh Music Prize list but he's up there as one of the bookies favourites, might they know something we don't?
Future of the Left - The Plot Against Common Sense Leftfield rockers FOTL could be in line for their first nomination with this critically loved album, it's not quite as instant as Mclusky (although I suspect that's the point) but it's certainly their most accessible album to date.
Rebecca Ferguson - Heaven A real outsider here I know, but I love it! It gained brilliant reviews in all the broadsheets, sold over 500,000 copies and was co-written by Ferguson herself. The only thing holding her back is her association with The X Factor, might we be in for a shock on Wednesday?
Ok, so I cheated a bit and listed 17
I can narrow my overall winner to Rustie or Jessie Ware though and obviously expect this list to feature a few surprises and atleast a couple of albums I've never heard of!
Although to be fair they were also very deserving winners.
