Mercury Prize 2009

JP Liz

La Roux, Kasabian and Florence and the Machine are among this year's Mercury Prize nominees.

Bat For Lashes, The Horrors, Glasvegas and Friendly Fires are also on this year's list, which is voted for by a panel of critics and music industry workers.

The winner, which will be announced on September 8, takes home a £20,000 prize.

The list of contenders features the usual eclectic mix of acts with eccentric Jazz quintet Led Bib, art-rockers The Invisible and folk act Sweet Billy Pilgrim among the more unusual nominations.

Florence and the Machine and Kasabian have been installed as the early bookmakers' favourites by William Hill, with Sweet Billy Pilgrim as the 10/1 outsiders.

Doves (Kingdom Of Rust) and Lily Allen (It's Not Me, It's You), who were hotly tipped to make the list, miss out.

Previous winners have included Arctic Monkeys, Dizzee Rascal, M People, Gomez and Franz Ferdinand. Manchester rock act Elbow took home the gong last year for their Seldom Seen Kid LP.

The full list of 2009 Mercury Prize nominations are:

Bat For Lashes: Two Suns

Friendly Fires: Friendly Fires

Florence and the Machine: Lungs

Glasvegas: Glasvegas

Lisa Hannigan: Sea Shew

The Horrors: Primary Colours

The Invisible: Invisible

Kasabian: West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum

La Roux: La Roux

Led Bib: Sensible Shoes

Speech Debelle: Speech Therapy

Sweet Billy Pilgrim: Twice Born Men

I hope Lisa Hannigan - Sea Shew wins - its great that she is shortlisted

KnifeWRENCH

C'mon Bat For Lashes!

Although I'd be fairly happy too if Glasvegas won.

Driver 8

Pretty underwhelming list. As much as I'd like Lisa Hannigan to have a Mercury Prize to rub in Damien Rice's smug face:p , I'd have to go for Bat for Lashes.

Gillington

Aye,Bat for Lashes for me although theres a couple there I'd never listen to,so they'll probably win!

Spiritoftheseventies

is Sea Shew available on I tunes yet. couldnt find it the last time.

Placid_Casual

Not the most inspiring list - Friendly Fires would be my personal favourite. I find it hard to take the Mercury too seriously, there's been some fairly dodgy winners in the past. M People, anyone?

Spiritoftheseventies

Elbow i think were a good choice last year.

xOxSinéadxOx

definitely an underwhelming list. the horrors would probably be my favourite. nice to see lisa hannigan get a nod. and little boot's album is ****, la roux's is actually alright, I'm delighted little boots didn't make the cut tbh :pac: I hope kasabian or glasvegas don't win it anyway. what is the point of this award anyway? they need to make up their mind. I thought it was for cutting edge music and then last year they were saying it's for representing underappreciated music I don't know what it's meant to be

Spiritoftheseventies

xOxSinéadxOx wrote: »

definitely an underwhelming list. the horrors would probably be my favourite. nice to see lisa hannigan get a nod. and little boot's album is ****, la roux's is actually alright, I'm delighted little boots didn't make the cut tbh :pac: I hope kasabian or glasvegas don't win it anyway. what is the point of this award anyway? they need to make up their mind. I thought it was for cutting edge music and then last year they were saying it's for representing underappreciated music I don't know what it's meant to be

Isn't it chosen by the critics for the best work of the year. who said it has to be cutting edge. Lisa Hannigan's music is good but hardly cutting edge. But A worthy winner i thought a few years ago was PJ Harvey's album "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea" which i think should be the standard bearer for all entries really.

Paul Flynn

Florence and the Machine is going to walk it

MGLman

Hey,

Wertz

Paul Flynn wrote: »

Florence and the Machine is going to walk it

Agree 100%.
The amount of hype surrounding this band the last 6 months is enough to guarantee that
Friendly fires outside favourite, just on the strength of the album..

sinbadthesailor

Anyone else think Glasvegas are one of the most over rated bands of the last few years? I remember laughing first time I saw them on a TV show they looked like a bad velvet underground tribute band. I've given their music a chance though- but it's really REALLY s**te.
Also, they have a horrid cover version of "be my baby"- truly awful

Spiritoftheseventies

sinbadthesailor wrote: »

Anyone else think Glasvegas are one of the most over rated bands of the last few years? I remember laughing first time I saw them on a TV show they looked like a bad velvet underground tribute band. I've given their music a chance though- but it's really REALLY s**te.
Also, they have a horrid cover version of "be my baby"- truly awful

Geraldine a good song to be fair. But not groundbreaking by any stretch of the imagination.

enola/alone

Kasabian are fantastic. I know they're favourites, but their new album is fantastic. Seen them supporting Oasis, and I'm seeing them in Holland as well. Think they deserve it.

loyatemu

Paul Flynn wrote: »

Florence and the Machine is going to walk it

they frequently go for the outsiders in the final judging (not always, but often) and Florence is the favourite at the moment.

I'd definitely go the the Friendly Fires record out of that list, but nothing on there is world-beating (nor can I think of any other British\Irish albums from the last year that I'd describe as "world-beating")

xOxSinéadxOx

Looking at that list again it really is a **** list. a bad year for british music eh? I want the horrors to win and I think they have a good chance.

Spiritoftheseventies

xOxSinéadxOx wrote: »

Looking at that list again it really is a **** list. a bad year for british music eh? I want the horrors to win and I think they have a good chance.

You mean British and Irish music dont you (Lisa Hannigan included in list)!

xOxSinéadxOx

bayviewclose wrote: »

You mean British and Irish music dont you (Lisa Hannigan included in list)!

yeah but it goes without saying that it was a bad year for irish music :pac:

Spiritoftheseventies

Ýes gone be the days when Something Happens and Stars In Heaven ruled. That said Damo a lej.

squod

xOxSinéadxOx wrote: »

yeah but it goes without saying that it was a bad year for irish music :pac:

Eh.......
Can't understand your statement, from my point of view it was excellent.
New material from heaps of Irish bands.
The aftermath, Super Extra Bonus Party ,Delorentos, Ash, Director, Codes ,U2, Fight Like Apes......... and may more

Jay P

Go Florence. But that's solely based on her performance at Oxegen.

cozziej

la roux?? terrible list...few good ones, but completely overshadowed by horrendous bands...Doves should have been listed.

Xavi6

Glasvegas is probably the best of an average lot (though that 'Stabbed' song drags it down sooooo much). Kasabian's album is woeful.

Doves not being listed is a disgrace.

Spiritoftheseventies

squod wrote: »

Eh.......
Can't understand your statement, from my point of view it was excellent.
New material from heaps of Irish bands.
The aftermath, Super Extra Bonus Party ,Delorentos, Ash, Director, Codes ,U2, Fight Like Apes......... and may more

Btw what are the Immediate doing at the moment. Ghost in this house was a great song but haven't heard anything of them since.

Ian C

bayviewclose wrote: »

Btw what are the Immediate doing at the moment. Ghost in this house was a great song but haven't heard anything of them since.

They broke up in 2007. Frontman has a new band called Villagers.

Basq

I'd be happy if it went to Florence or Glasvegas to be honest..

phasers

I hope Florence gets it, although I'd prefer if Doves won.

I can't believe they didn't get nominated.

cashback

phasers wrote: »

I hope Florence gets it, although I'd prefer if Doves won.

I can't believe they didn't get nominated.

I think the fact that Elbow won last year definitely worked against Doves. Still they at least deserved a nomination ahead of the likes of Kasabian or Little Boots.

Probably would go for Bat For Lashes or Florence from the list, though still haven't heard the Friendly Fires album.

Spiritoftheseventies

yeah heard her for the first time today. Same one from the 02 ad is that right?

cashback

bayviewclose wrote: »

Same one from the 02 ad is that right?

Florence + the Machine? Yep.

Spiritoftheseventies

cashback wrote: »

Florence + the Machine? Yep.

Yeah she has a great voice yer one. Reminds me of Nico a bit. I think when they look back on winners in few years time PJ Harvey's album will be up there with the best. Album stripped down the the bare minimum in terms of production which gave it a very authentic feel. A definite classic.

cashback

Thought I'd bump this seen as the ceremony is tonight. It's been the year of Florence so for that reason alone I don't think she'll win. The panel don't often go for the most hyped act. Plus I think the album is pretty good but no classic.

I do think they'll try acknowledge that it's been a big year for female artists so I reckon La Roux is in with a big shout. Stuck a couple of quid on at 12/1.

Anyone care to make a prediction ahead of tonight?

Basq

I think it's between Glasvegas, Bats for Lashes and Florence And The Machine.

I hope Florence wins myself.. I loved the album!

KnifeWRENCH

I like Florence, Glasvegas and Kasabian, and am recently getting into The Horrors and Friendly Fires.

But I still definitely want Bat for Lashes to win. I thought Fur and Gold was a bit overrated and had some filler, but Two Suns is spectacular. One of the few albums I'll listen to from start to finish, over and over again.

thebigcheese22

sinbadthesailor wrote: »

Anyone else think Glasvegas are one of the most over rated bands of the last few years? I remember laughing first time I saw them on a TV show they looked like a bad velvet underground tribute band. I've given their music a chance though- but it's really REALLY s**te.
Also, they have a horrid cover version of "be my baby"- truly awful

Saw them support Muse last year and they were truly awful, never heard of them before but will not be willingly listening to them again! Also, their drummer was a joke :rolleyes: Really doesn't do that stereotype of female drummers any favours....!

Basq

Live on BBC2 now... I despise Lauren Laverne though!

Basq

Forgot how stunning Lisa Hannigan's voice is!

Basq

Congrats to Speech Debelle...

.. never heard her album unfortunately. But congrats all the same!

projectmayhem

Speech Debelle's album is great... but not better then Florence & The Machine.... robbed by commercial success?

Every year I manage to get more and more tired and cranky about the Mercury Music Prize...

Spiritoftheseventies

Yes saw highlights of the show. What was all that nonsense about Lisa Hannigan's album being too nice to win the prize. Those two music pundits were a bit annoying to be honest. Has anyone heard the album that won the prize. Does it stand the test of time on repeated listenings?

JP Liz

London born rapper Speech Debelle, has won the 2009 Barclaycard Mercury Prize beating others like La Roux, Kasabian, Glasvegas and (bookies favourite) Florence + the Machine.

As well as her debut album "Speech Therapy" crowned 'Album of the Year', she also receives a cheque for £20,000. The Mercury Music Prize awards the best album from the UK and Ireland with 12 albums compete for one prize each year, and this is their 18th year.

well done but must admit never heard of her until now

joseph brand

Guy from Irish Times (his name eludes me), on Matt Cooper yesterday mentioned that the winner had sold 1,500 copies of her album before winning. An embarassing amount as he put it. The sort of number you get when friends and family and the record company purchase copies.

Sorta reminds me of David Brent's cover version of Simply Red's 'If You Don't Know Me'. Classic. (Gareth admits having 10 copies of his single in his garage, not gonna listen to them)

Since she has won sales rocketed to 3,000.

Spiritoftheseventies

joseph brand wrote: »

Guy from Irish Times (his name eludes me), on Matt Cooper yesterday mentioned that the winner had sold 1,500 copies of her album before winning. An embarassing amount as he put it. The sort of number you get when friends and family and the record company purchase copies.

Sorta reminds me of David Brent's cover version of Simply Red's 'If You Don't Know Me'. Classic. (Gareth admits having 10 copies of his single in his garage, not gonna listen to them)

Since she has won sales rocketed to 3,000.

Well obviously it is not a mainstream record. Florence and the Machine which is a very big on production and had a song on 02 add to boost sale. Should we necessarily be judging music on sales
Agree 3,000 it is a low sales figure but wouldn't hold that against artist.