Loads of people have loads of opinions (many of which are boring and overstated) about who should and shouldn't have been included in a shortlist such as that for the Mercury Prize...
...here are mine (I'll keep them brief)!
First, I'm chuffed that METRONOMY were nominated. I've been following these guys since drunkenly stumbling into them on a rooftop in Texas at 2007's SXSW festival, and they've come a long way since then to make a really mature record with the variety and character to sum them up as a Great British Pop band.
I could ramble on, but i won't, so here's my favourite track from The English Riviera (which almost reminds me of the self-titled The Good, The Bad and The Queen album closer), Some Written.
Second, while well established as great British artists (which some argue is a reason for them not to be nominated), I'm pleased to see ELBOW and PJ HARVEY in the mix. Both have 2 of the best albums out from the last 12 months, and in particular Elbow deserve a nomination, if only because their opening track 'The Birds' is one of the best tracks they've ever written.
Third, a simple one. I have tried to listen to JAMES BLAKE's self-titled album a few times, and I can't finish it. I just think it sounds rubbish.
Fourth, I think it's a shame (though not surprising) that THREE TRAPPED TIGERS' excellent debut, Route One Or Die, a mental instrumental prog/math/rock record that sounds like no other, didn't get nominated. Likewise, AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR probably deserved a nomination for their debut 'Gangs', a balls-out cacophony of instrumental raucous rock.
And finally, it's also a shame that THE HORRORS latest album, 'Skying' didn't get a nomination, as it's also excellent. Though I wonder if it was released after the deadline, as it's only a very new release...
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