The Barclaycard Mercury Prize: who to put your money on
Barclaycard Mercury Prize
Our lovely writers at Muso’s are known to enjoy sticking 20p each way on the horses, and even for making some cash from betting on the annual Mercury Prize. So who are they tipping for the gong this year? Is Florence odds on favourite or are Kasabian going to kill it?
My Pick: This year it’s all about the chicks. Florence Welch, Bat for Lashes and La Roux. But whom out of the three? I mean they’ve all released solid albums, they’re all a bit weird and they’re all fit: therefore they all fill the requirements for a lass winning the award. “Evidence?”, you cry? PJ Harvey who won 2001′s award with Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea. She crafted a solid album (not her finest though), she’s mad as a box of frogs and you wouldn’t kick her out of bed, would you?
Some will go for Bat for Lashes because she missed out last year, but my filthy lucre is on Florence and the Machine because they/she came straight out of left field and immediately bowled over audiences and critics alike. And frankly, that voice is amazing, as is her crazy dancing. She’s the complete package. Personally, I also really hope she does win because I’m sick and bloody tired of seeing Two Suns posters all over London Underground, and if Bat for Lashes wins, you can bet your bottom dollar that they’ll stick a “Mercury Price Winner” banner on them just to really piss everyone off.
Daft Fiver: Kasabian – because they’ve got stupid hair and some people like that sort of thing; oh, and this applies equally to Glasvegas; James Allan’s quiff probably houses a brood of pigeons – with space for a can of Special Brew and a packet of Lambert & Butler Gold.
Florence Welch
My Pick: Unfortunately the Mercury Prize nominations list has become rather formulaic with the indie darlings, the pop flavour of the month, and the token entries from the worlds of folk, jazz and hip hop. None of these are ‘great’ albums, but I am picking Florence to be the first female winner since Ms. Dynamite in 2002. She’ll win because she’s more likeable than Bats for Lashes.
Daft Fiver: The Horrors.
My Pick: I think Bat for Lashes will win; I wouldn’t actually agree with that decision, but I think the album is good enough. From the shortlist, my favourite album is probably The Invisible, but I can’t see them winning. I was personally disappointed not to see Emmy The Great, Dananananakroyd or Liam Frost on the list; guess there’s always next year for Liam.
Daft Fiver: Put five bucks on Kasabian, Glasvegas or La Roux. If you’re going to witness the death of creditable music, you may as well profit financially. It’s the recession, y’all!
Friendly Fires
My Pick: Obviously Friendly Fires or Glasvegas should clearly win, but I reckon the ‘kooky charm’ of Florence and her Machine will sway the judges. I don’t get it myself – she seems to be this year’s Marmite act – but her eclecticity seems like exactly the sort of thing that the Mercury judges usually go for. Her acquired taste vocals and penchant for vintage style makes her a highly watchable performer, and despite the amount of filler on her album Lungs, I can’t see where else the prize could go this year.
Daft Fiver: Kasabian. Having been written off as just another ladrock band, they genuinely seem to be rising above that and doing something different. Critically, their third album was well recieved, and this year has seen them become one of Britain’s biggest bands. It would be a shock, but the judges might just reward them for trying to stand out from the crowd in their field.
My Pick: The Horrors – Primary Colours. Although it rarely turns out that way, the Mercury Prize should be awarded on merit, creativity and talent. So by that logic, the only obvious winner from the shortlist is Primary Colours by The Horrors – an album so far ahead of the other eleven for quality that it’s crass. If the bookies are to believed then it appears that Faris Badwan et al will be overlooked, but after the criticisms levelled at them for Strange House, many will see this as a leap in the right direction, whatever the outcome on results night.
Daft Fiver: Stick all twelve into a hat, and cross your fingers.
My Pick: Looking over the current music trends in the UK, the number of years since the last female victory and most importantly the strength of the album and her narrow failure to beat the Klaxons in 2007 I’m going to have to go with Bat For Lashes’s Two Suns. ‘Daniel’ is one of the singles of the year, opener ‘Glass’ sounds like it was produced by Martin Hannett and of course Scott Walker actually sings, not dribbles down his chin, on ‘The Big Sleep’.
Daft Fiver: There’s no such thing as a daft fiver if you’ve covered five acts on Betfair. Friendly Fires and La Roux are good value at 11/1, Florence and The Machine won’t win, 7/2 is not a good price.
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