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The full shortlist is as follows:
Basement Jaxx - 'Rooty'
Ed Harcourt - 'Here Be Monsters' reviewed
Elbow - 'Asleep In The Back'
Goldfrapp - 'Felt Mountain'
PJ Harvey - 'Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea' reviewed
Radiohead - 'Amnesiac' reviewed
Super Furry Animals - 'Rings Around The World' reviewed
Susheela Raman - 'Salt Rain'
Tom McRae - 'Tom McRae' interviewed
Turin Brakes - 'The Optimist LP' reviewed
Zero 7 - 'Simple Things' interviewed
In the past the Mercury Music Prize has been a bit of a poisned chalice with many of the former recipients failing to follow up their success. Many have slid into the 'where are they now' file. Tho' this is not always the case.. The £20,000 prize was won last year by Badly Drawn Boy's 'The Hour Of Bewilderbeast'. Winning the award is widely recognised to heavily boost sales and help artists find the mainstream.
The winner will be announced on September 11th and for the first time ever the ceremony will be televised on Channel 4 the next day.
Meanwhile, Gorillaz have withdrawn their nomination from the awards. The official word on da big bad streets comes from bass player Murdoc.. "Mercury Award? Sounds a bit heavy man! Y’know sorta like carrying a dead albatross round your neck for eternity. No thanks man! Why don’t you nominate some other poor Muppet!" [lowers handbag]
