Led who? Some thoughts on the Mercury dozen
Complaining that you haven't heard of half the acts on the Mercury shortlist doesn't just miss the point, it flies wide of the target altogether. If you have heard of all of the 12 albums, the judges have failed in their primary task, which is to give greater exposure to artists who fall under the mainstream media spotlight.
The Brit Awards are there to garland Lily Allen and Little Boots - both of whom have failed to make the chosen dozen. Doves and Manic Street Preacher, not on the list either, can simply re-read the kind reviews for their latest efforts and reflect that their best days are behind them. But for acts such as Led Bib, The Invisible and Lisa Hannigan - who have made the cut - a Mercury nomination is worth its proverbial weight in gold, for there is no way without it they would reach a wider audience, an audience who might be grateful for having made the acquaintance.
In recent years, the Mercury has had some pretty drab inclusions, ranging from the thumpingly obvious to the uninspiring compromise - which is the only way I can account for Elbow's win last year. But this year is a nice mix, I think, containing, seven debuts and, by my estimation, five acts who might cause a "WHO?" among your average music fan:
Bat for Lashes - Two Suns
Florence & The Machine - Lungs
Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires
Glasvegas - Glasvegas
Kasabian - West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
La Roux - La Roux
Led Bib - Sensible Shoes
Lisa Hannigan - Sea Sew
Speech Debelle - Speech Therapy
Sweet Billy Pilgrim - Twice Born Men
The Horrors - Primary Colours
The Invisible - The Invisible
There are lots of creative females - Florence, La Roux, Bat For Lashes - but none of the irritating ones (Little Boots). There are the more interesting mainstream rock bands, such as the emotive Glasvegas and the eclectic dance act Friendly Fires, plus Kasabian and the Horrors, who have both upped the ambition on their last albums with rewarding results.
But keep an eye on the curve balls. There's not one but two token jazz albums! Led Bib make a formidable, forbidding racket centring on leader Mark Holub's drums; it will terrify many listeners but that's half the point. The Invisible, who I recently saw supporting Acoustic Ladyland, are a kind of British TV on the Radio, fashioning psychedelic art rock built on singer Dave Okumu's extrodinary guitar playing. Then there's Speech Debelle, a very talented young rapper who rhymes eloquently over an acoustic backdrop; Lisa Hannigan used to be Damien Rice's backing singer and, having stolen the show each time she supported him, forged her own folky path - Sea Saw was lovely on cursory listen, and I will dig it out again now.
Which leaves Sweet Billy Pilgrim, who I have never heard of (hurrah!), but who apparently "take the listener into a strange, dislocated and compelling musical landscape".
So it's a pretty decent list, all things considered, not that that will stop one faction complaining it's too elitist and another that it's too mainstream. Acoustic Ladyland I'd have liked to see endorsed; Madness made a fun album. And I enjoyed the Camera Obscura album. But I can't think of another British album I'd really stick my neck out for (plenty of American, Canadian, Swedish and French albums mind you). Maybe that brings up another controversy: there just aren't that many...?
What do you think?


