Mercury Music Prize 2007

Okay, before I get onto the meat and potatoes, if you could spare 30 seconds to vote for my blog in the BT Digital Music Awards that would be amazing. Obviously this is a lame popularity contest but last year, I was voted 23rd best music blog in the UK which was mega nice. You should be able to vote by clicking the fancy button below. Thanks!


So I was considering keeping schtum and retaining my 100% record at predicting the Mercury Music Prize winners (see this entry for evidence of my psychic powers [link) but no, I will stick my neck out ever so slightly and plump for Bat For Lashes. Admittedly, as my choice of Arctic Monkeys were last year, Natasha Khan's outfit are strongly tipped by the bookies to win. I'm a big fan anyway, ever since hearing a demo track of hers on a Drowned In Sound podcast many moons ago. In fact, I featured that very song on Keep Hope Inside podcast number deux (still downloadable here [link]).

I actually think Amy Winehouse would have won but for all her current drink(/drug?) related problems. Although the judges seem to court controversy at times, remember the whole Antony and The Johnsons = not British debate? The Go! Team obviously should have won anyway. So she still has a good chance and 'Rehab' remains one of the finest pop singles for some time and here's a nice little cover of it by those crazy popsters Girls Aloud from a BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge session. If only the new Girls Aloud single was this good!

Girls Aloud - Rehab [Yousendit d/l link]//[Sendspace]

Another act I think is in with a strong chance of winning is a fella who's been mentioned here a couple of times but not for a looooooooooong time. It's quite weird to think it's been about two years since I saw a very grubby looking Jamie T sitting on a stool, bass guitar in hand. He's pretty much just as grubby now but he has written some excellent tracks and even though the album has some filler, he would be well deserving of the prize. Here's some live tracks (apologies for the quality, I had to rip them myself) that illustrate his versatility and ear for a good song.

Jamie T - Calm Down Dearest (Live At BBC Electric Proms) [Yousendit]//[Sendspace]
Jamie T - Ike & Tina (Live At BBC Electric Proms) [Yousendit]//[Sendspace

So, who do you lot reckon will win? Surely not t'Monkeys or Dizzee again? Klaxons for heading a new NME fabricated movement?