Hermes Handing Down the Prize: The Mercury Music Prize 2009

Well it's been quite the time since we've visited Aural Pleasure and we're feeling somewhat like we've taken our fingers off the pulse of popular culture (eeek!)

So in an effort to appear topical, and as it's tonight and we wanna get our two penneth in, here's a run down of how we envisage tonight's Mercury Music Prize going...

It cannot have escaped anyone's notice that in the times we're being told that sexism is alive and well in the work place the music industry is fully embracing the femmes fatales in the list of nominees for this year's prize: Florence and her lungs were a sure-thing; La Roux's hair does enough to justify her presence; Lisa Hannigan had a tough time with Damien Rice (surprised?); Speech Debelle is mixing the sweet with the gritty; and Natasha Khan is making her second appearance in as many years to fight it out.

But really, so far so average in terms of the actual output. Yes these albums (and hairdos) have made an imprint in the 08-09 season - but it's really an issue of consistency that may prove the undoing of all these ladies. Similarly so are the inclusions of Glasvegas eponymous debut, Kasabian's 'psychedelic' reinvention and The Invisible's attempts to incorporate every genre under the sun. If you're into 40+ minutes of gloomy Glaswegians, then you may well have already toasted your winners... but by far it seems a two horse race to my mind.

Step forward Friendly Fires and The Horrors, if you will boys.

The Horrors have created a stunning album of aural complexity and satisfaction, that really does much to mend their 'oh so fashionable' entrance into the world of music. Strange House was by far one of the most misdirected efforts of recent times, but it's perhaps the unexpected quality of Primary Colours that makes it seem worthy of the prize. The credibility of it's influences is also, undoubtedly, one of the major factors in its acceptance. Had they of produced Lungs, it seems fair to say they would be nowhere near Mercury... Pluto maybe.

There's also the F*cked up factor to play its part in the debacle. Do the Mercury's want to face another Klaxons classic interview? Not one to point unnecessary fingers, but The Horrors might not be the best behaved of examples to have a camera thrust in their faces.

And so, to Friendly Fires - outsiders certainly if the number 37 chart position is anything to go by - ones that may just sneak up on the far lane to clinch it. Their album is consistently good, nay great. From the infectious party starting of 'Jump In The Pool' to the closing strains of "you're all I need", there is never a jarring moment. There are some loyalties, one could argue, that have lead me to this conclusion. But loyalties aside there really has been no better star in the ascent in the last 12 months.

'Album of the year'... such a dubious accolade, no straying to define what characteristics are actually being interrogated with that statement. But perhaps definition is what is intended - the music defining the year of its arrival. A year of recession has coloured the UK's 2008-2009 and within that time it could be said we've all been in need of escapism.

They made thousands dance, they've turned festival sets into conga lines and the new single 'Kiss Of Life' demonstrates that not even the sky is the limit anymore in the soaring stakes.

I'm half hoping that this doesn't happen. We all like to have something to grumble about. But needless to say, whoever might win tonight, let's hope they can start a bloody good party to take us out of the gloomy depression and into the brighter sights of 2010.

Emily Kendrick