Mercury Prize 2010

I like the Mercury Prize. Yes, it's true that every year great albums get left out, greatly overrated ones get left in, and that some think that winning the prize is "like carrying a dead albatross around your neck for eternity".

But on the whole it's got to be a good thing for UK music. Winning doesn't necessarily guarantee you commercial success - just look at Speech Debelle after last year's win - but it certainly gives some much needed exposure to a few artists hovering on the edge of the mainstream.

In fact, the nominees list is always more interesting than the eventual winner. Even if you know some of them will never win (token jazz nominee anyone?) there are always some artists in there that I've never heard of and appreciate the chance to check out (including the token jazz nominee).

Here's this year's list, announced last week:

The xx 'xx'
Wild Beasts 'Two Dancers'
Villagers 'Becoming A Jackal'
Laura Marling 'I Speak Because I Can'
Dizzee Rascal 'Tongue N’ Cheek'

Foals 'Total Life Forever'
I Am Kloot 'Sky At Night'
Mumford & Sons ‘Sigh No More’
Kit Downes Trio ‘Golden’
Corinne Bailey Rae 'The Sea'
Biffy Clyro 'Only Revolutions'
Paul Weller 'Wake Up The Nation'

If you've got Spotify, I've made a playlist with two tracks from each artist - just click here: Mercury nominees 2010. Kit Downes isn't available on the site yet, but you can get to their Myspace by clicking here. Dizzee only has clips, which is rubbish, so I figure he can fend for himself.

No time to review them all now, but I may come back to my favourites.