Mercury Music Prize 2010 Nominees Announced

Does anyone remember Speech Debelle?
She was a nice girl and had some good lyrics but after a 500% increase in album sales following her Mercury Music Prize win last year, she sort of bellyflopped into obscurity didn't she? Although 'Speech Therapy' was a good album, I agree with every other critic out there who said she just didn't have any hits. I think 'Speech Therapy' won last year for it's freshness - A female rap record from a relatively unknown in amongst all those indie-schmindie NME darlings.



Speech was up against acts like Florence & The Machine and Friendly Fires last year, so her success was a surprise to many. However, the judging of Mercury Music Prize claims to be based on music quality alone, and album sales/success are completely disregarded.
I'm intrigued as to how they achieve this utopian dream. Are the judges locked away between the months of August 2009 and 2010? Forced to live a sad tuneless life until the nominations are announced and they're allowed to listen to the 12 nominated albums?
In all fairness, how can it be an objective process? Judges will have already formulated their own views about this year's nominated albums that they're familiar with (and those they aren't familiar with, they will probably disregard).
So the winner of this year's Mercury Music Prize will either be the unanimous favourite or, as demonstrated last year, everyone will try and pick the most unheard-of in an attempt to break away from what is expected.

Enough political analysis of the judging; here's who I want to win:



Beautiful, delicate, slowly become adored and understood by everyone.
My XX album is feeling as worn out as Shakira's coffee machine. I am so familiar with every note that I do that annoying thing where I sing the lyrics/do some air guitar seconds before the record does. In their early years, the XX's rehearsals would be whispered in Romy's bedroom as not to wake her parents. Minimalism never sounded so deep. The XX should win for originality alone.



I think I Am Kloot would be a justified winner. They've been struggling for mainstream recognition for years now and I think a Mercury Music Prize win would be well deserved.



Although the Foals album is a good'un, I don't think they need the £20,000 or the recognition. Total Life Forever still shows signs of everything that was bad about Antidotes, and I think they still need to learn their lesson about that.

Dizzee Rascal and Biffy Clyro are nothing special in my opinion. Laura Marling sounds like every other female folk singer and Corine Bailey Rae...? Don't even get me started, she definitely doesn't have enough oomph to deserve 20k!

I am still undecided about Wild Beasts; yet another vocalist that sounds like Ian Curtis, do they have anything that sets them apart from everyone else?

Mumford & Sons have a good shot. 'Sigh no More' is an amazing album and I think the only reason they have acquired haterz is because their songs are bloody everywhere. There's so much fire in their music and like The XX, their album can suit moods of happiness and sadness, which is the true key to success in my opinion.



Villagers and Kit Downs Trio are the two bands I'm most unfamiliar with. I think the lesser-knowns are going to get the most unbiased judgements, which is probably why Speech Debelle made such an impact last year.

From what I've heard of Villagers they sound like Simon & Garkfunkel-esque outfit, with a good chance of winning. Again, I think they deserve the recognition that the prize will grant them. Kit Downs Trio are an interesting jazz outfit, instrumental I think, and quite frankly - regardless of their obvious talent - don't really have a chance in hell. Or do they?

We don't really know which way the judging is going to go. This time last year I was getting into the XX and it irritated me endlessly that they weren't recognised enough and now, they're relatively more successful but they still aren't mainstream. I still go into work and the majority of my musically apathetic colleagues don't have a clue what I'm talking about.

But what should the Mercury Music Prize really be about? Recognition? Quality of music? The poorest band who would benefit from 20k?

What do you think? Comments mucho appreciated!