Mercury Prize 2010. Let it be folk this year.

It's that time of year again: the Mercury Prize nominees have been announced. A few good ones, a few bad ones and an ugly one.

Biffy Clyro (Only Revolutions): Standard festival rock. I do think grunge is making a small revival soon, but perhaps not by September's gala. And this album has come a bit too far from their original edginess. I don't want to use the word tired, but...

Laura Marling (I Speak Because I Can):...I'm using the word tired now. I'm slightly tired of these pretty female singer-songwriters who top every possible list every year. Talented? I guess so. Exciting? No.

Wild Beasts (Two Dancers): Definitely no injustice done if these guys walk away as winners. I do feel this would be a bit of an East London-centric choice (or then it's just my own narrow mind, they have been playing in festivals around the country) but then again, the band and the album are rather stellar indie rock.

I am Kloot (Sky At Night): This could be a dark horse, although pitch dark. I think they've been 'bubbling under' for so long that the proper breakthrough is never going to come. Fits perfectly to the Manchester underground scene and dodgy indie venues, but I don't see them holding any shiny plates while cameras flash around them.

The XX (XX): The XX have claimed so much appraise with their eccentric debut album -and deservedly so- that them winning here would perhaps be too much of a good stuff for Jamie and Romy and their fans. I don't think anyone would have any objections if they won. Which might actually be the problem. Too obvious?

Dizzee Rascal (Tongue N' Cheek): This is the ugly one.

Corinne Bailey Rae (The Sea): Copy paste my Laura Marling rant. Albeit this particular album sounds deeper and more interesting than any florencemarlings together. The albums tells about the death of her husband so no wonder there's some true emotion in it.

Mumford & Sons (Sigh No More): Yes, please. I'm a massive fan of this band (and have a crush on Marcus Mumford, but this does not affect my objective opinion of them, nor of Laura Marling, the girlfriend of Marcus. Seriously, it doesn't.) I remember listening to this album for the first time and being immediately in love. Pure, soulful and cleverly written indie folk that just crawls under your skin a little bit. A very well balanced and wholesome album that would make a beautiful winner.



Villagers (Becoming A Jackal): Who? ...Ok, just checked them out. Not bad, but this would be another Speech Debelle (who?), with the difference that this album could actually be liked by people. But still, too marginal.

Foals (Total Life Forever): Foals used to be 'ok'. Their new album is just bad. Frantic and boring.

Kit Downes (Golden): Who? Ah, must be the mandatory jazz act. Last year saw Speech Debelle (who?) winning the prize so I hope the 'yes, let's shake things up and pick the obscure one' attitude has been buried for the next few years.

Paul Weller (Wake Up The Nation): A legend, no doubt. Legendary names in the album cover, no doubt. But is being a legend enough to win the Mercury? I would gladly hand some sort of a trophy pot to this former The Jam man, but maybe not here. More fresh material on the list.