The Mercury Music Prize traditionally isn’t the most Classic Rock-friendly awards ceremony in the book – but we would be failing in our duty if we didn’t mention the artists who’ve today been shortlisted for the 2009 shebang. Come inside to find out who’s been nominated – and get our no-holds-barred opinions on their chances of winning.

Words: Geoff Barton

Bat For Lashes: Two Suns
We’ve debated long and hard in the Classic Rock office as to whether we should cover Bat For Lashes in the mag. Certainly we’ve done features and reviews on Kate Bush in the past, so why not Natasha Khan? If you’ve heard the song Pearl’s Dream from Two Suns, you can certainly detect hints of Bush’s Running Up That Hill (even Fleetwood Mac’s Big Love, goddammit). In the final analysis, when BFL appeared on Jools Holland’s show recently, we kinda thought: yes, there is a place for them in CR. What do you think? Check out a clip of Ms Khan from Jools’ prog here.
Should you check them out? YES

Florence & The Machine: Lungs
On the face of it Florence Welch (leader of F&TM) has all the right credentials. She grew up listening to the likes of Incredible String Band, Velvet Underground and Kate Bush, and everyone from the NME to the Sunday Times’ Culture section seems to love her (perhaps more accurately, fawn over her). But all we can hear is appalling caterwauling from a gauche, narcissistic, ginger-haired non-entity.
Should you check them out? NO

Friendly Fires: Friendly Fires
FF are a Hertford-based electro-shoegaze three-piece. Not in Classic Rock’s world at all. Or solar system. Or galaxy. Or universe…
Should you check them out? NO

Glasvegas: Glasvegas
Classic Rock editor-in-chief Scott Rowley (who is, in fact, Scottish) has a soft spot for Glasvegas. “I’m not that keen on them,” he qualifies, “but they do have a great song called Go Square Go my mate copied for me – and, y’know, it does rock.” Go Square Go is named after a Scottish term referring to (and we quote) ‘pugilistic unarmed combat with both parties ready and willing participants’. A one-on-one British Bulldog, it seems. If you were ever a fan of Jesus & Mary Chain (good) or if you like Hard-Fi (bad), you’ll probably enjoy Glasvegas. They certainly sound like they mean it, offering a busted mouth in toothless times. Which can only be a good thing.
Should you check them out? A cautious YES

Kasabian: West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
Fey, faux-psychedelic indie rock’n’roll, listening to this had us eyeing the office Kalashnikov with murder and mayhem in mind.
Should you check them out? An unequivocal NO

La Roux: La Roux
Keep your mullets tucked firmly into your collars, AOR fans: this isn’t belated recognition for the Toto/Loverboy-esque melodic rock legends. (Check out the original – and best – La Roux playing the magnificent Addicted here.) The 2009 La Roux are a London-based electro-pop duo. Not exactly our sack of Midget Gems, but singer/synth player Elly Jackson has an undeniable charisma and their music has a certain watered-down Giorgio Moroder charm.
Should you check them out? NO (but… whisper it… we do sorta like ’em)

Led Bib: Sensible Shoes
Led Bib? Sounds like something Jimmy Page had when he was a baby. Give us sky-high platforms or killer stilettos any day, because these maverick jazzers aren’t on CR’s wavelength at all. That said… what they do, they do extremely well.
Should you check them out? NO

Lisa Hannigan: Sea Sew
Irish singer/songwriter Hannigan reminds us very much of fellow countrywoman (and past Mercury nominee) Gemma Hayes, who we’ve got a soft spot for. Sea Sew ain’t remotely high-voltage rock’n’roll – but it’s brilliant, nevertheless. Knocked out at rehearsals in a freezing barn in the Irish countryside and produced in a friend’s studio in a fortnight, it’s (apologies for the pretentious description, but there are no other words for it) exquisitely ethereal.
Should you check her out? A cautious YES

Speech Debelle: Speech Therapy
Cult female rapper being acclaimed for her sweet’n’sour poetic swagger and ‘anti-hip hop’ style (whatever that is). We don’t know much about this music but, for what it’s worth, there do appear to be some brains behind the bling.
Should you check her out? NO

Sweet Billy Pilgrim: Twice Born Men
Often compared to Radiohead, Sigur Rós, Talk Talk or Elbow, SBP’s recently released second album came out on David (Japan) Sylvian’s label, Samadhisound. We have to say it, we really like Tim Elsenburg’s vocals: imagine a shambling amalgam of Robert Wyatt, Nick Drake and Scott Walker.
Should you check them out? A cautious YES

The Horrors: Primary Colours
We always reckoned we should like The Horrors but they’ve downplayed their initial cartoon-garage excesses here, and their influences (The Cure, Psychedelic Furs, PiL, Joy Division, et cetera) are much, much, much too close to the surface for comfort.
Should you check them out? NO

The Invisible: The Invisible
Nondescript club-funkers obsessed by the bass riff to Queen’s Another One Bites The Dust.
Should you check them out? NO

…So, who will win? We’d put our money on Bat For Lashes, with sneaky side bets on La Roux and Lisa Hannigan. Stay tuned. All will be revealed at the Mercury Prize ceremony on September 8.