A Totally Unbiased Rundown Of This Year's Mercury Nominees

It's that time of year again! The time when the British music press get extra bitchy about the Mercury Music Prize nominees, and write completely unique articles on how the industry is going tits up, littered with "WHERE WAS [insert your own musician here]'S NOMINATION? WAH WAH WAH" whinging.

But if you want a calm and non-sour-faced rundown of 2012's contenders, look no further…

Alt-J An Awesome Wave

The intelligent, R&B pop band who have charmed most of the country with their exceptional debut record, leaving only a handful wondering what the fuck everyone else sees in them. They were the favorites until about the time the dude from the bookies randomly appeared on stage to do his little real life advert speech last night. Maybe he changed his mind. Anyway, An Awesome Wave has some brilliant moments, some awesome tunes if you will, check out Taro if you’ve only heard the singles, so if this wins we won’t be that disappointed. Good luck.

Ben Howard Every Kingdom

He played a Mercury TV show gig so it should have been obvious he’d be nominated but as he hasn’t bothered the internet much we just sort of forgot about Ben. The Devon boy has legion, devoted fans and a solid radio presence if you listen to Radio 1 and 2, and many people actually do. Seems to be a lovely boy who makes emo-folk music, so if that’s your thing brilliant, it’s just not ours.

Django Django Django Django

Django Django deftly dropped this record back in January without much hype, igniting high hopes for a tonne of amazing music to come in 2012, most of which then failed to materialize. Django Django has however stayed on firm rotation on our stereos since. Apparently its just their warm up effort too, not even the real thing, so award winners or not, we’re just really excited to see what they come out with next.

Field Music Plumb

Field Music’s fourth album, deigned by some as their most accessible, is still as complex and unpredictable as their previous works. This is a good thing. Honestly give the record a go it’s quite an ear opener. They manage to create tracks of varying lengths, styles and mutating time signatures that still sound like pop music. Maybe it’s because they never left their hometown, Sunderland, where they can be left in peace that they have been able to produce such a remarkable record. Maybe London is bad for musicians?

Jessie Ware Devotion

Well that’s obviously bollocks as look what London’s done for Jessie Ware. It’s been truly heartwarming to see this charming, ex-journalist leap into so many’s affections over the year. Since her PAs at Boiler Room and her singles with SBTRKT and Sampha, people have known there was something really, really special there. The record, produced by Dave Okumu and Julio Bashmore is stunning and makes the most of her elegant, soulful vocals. It makes me want to write words like funky about it too, but then I’d have to jump under a bus, so let’s say it makes you want to move. It’s also the closest to an electronic release we have in this list, which is sort of tragic, but it’s something. Also we’ve never heard a bad word said about the lady, and that in this bitchfest of an industry is very telling in itself. Universally liked and with a brilliant LP, amazing, and if you still haven’t heard Devotion (really? where the fuck have you been?) stop reading this and go listen immediately.

Lianne La Havas Is Your Love Big Enough?

Lianne has an incredible voice. We saw her live once and she turned out to be smart and funny as well as really talented. The record’s not bad at all. There’s some pop, some folk, and some soul in there. It’s quirky too and this is where we get turned off a little. The quirk thing. Good luck to her though. Impressive start lady.

Michael Kiwanuka Home Again

First time we saw Michael Kiwanuka play he was in the attic of Corsica Studios doing a live acoustic set for Boiler Room. Amongst the piles of junk, thick smoke and Red Stripe cans he created a pretty magical moment. His voice is gorgeous. Really is. His soulful, troubadour image isn’t just an image and he really, really feels his songs. And again, it’s actually quite a good record. An amazing one if you like that sort of thing. Buy it and give it to your mum or your granny, just maybe don’t give it this award?

Plan B Ill Manors

We still can't quite take him seriously but he made this quite seriously themed record to accompany his directorial debut this year. iLL Manors is an epic single too. Maybe he's meant to be token urban/ token yoof? Either way it's more token

mainstream even with his social conscience blasting out from it.

Richard Hawley Standing at the Sky’s Edge

Token old dude.

Roller Trio Roller Trio

Token Jazz.

Sam Lee Ground Of Its Own

Now we were going to say “token random” and leave it at that, but Huw Stephens played a little of this at the weird, drinks party full of old industry suits that we ran off from swiftly after the awards last night and it sounded interesting enough so we just put it on. Yea, might have been better at leaving it at token random. It is really, really fucking random.

The Maccabees Given To The Wild

The Maccabees have grown up. They sell out huge venues and they fit playing them. Big. We would have been more into this record if Universal had bothered to send any CDs, PlayMPE, doesn’t help anyone get fans. Anyway, from what we’ve heard on Spotify, the radio and seen live they’ve produced some brilliant tunes and we’re very pleased they’re in this contest as frankly they could almost pass as the edgy, cool choice musically, in a scruffy, south London lads made good way. Just what the fuck is going on?

Follow Suze on Twitter @SuzeOlbrich