There are toy soldiers, ancient tape recorders, Mick’s drawings from art school, VHS tapes of Only Fools and Horses and On the Buses, old tickets and concert posters. Album covers dangle on strings, dusty boxes of cassettes jostle for space with stacks of hefty non-fiction books and an empty pizza box. It’s not just any pizza box, though – it’s printed with a picture of The Clash.

Fans and art-lovers can rummage through most of the stuff, though the magazines (Creem, Rolling Stone and so on) are kept in plastic covers and displayed on the wall, to preserve them. Mick Jones himself pops in now and then to re-arrange things or to add new stuff from the lock-up. His dream is to have a public library of rock n’ roll, available for everyone. It will not be the sort of library where you have to whisper – his music plays constantly and there are squeaks of delight from the French teenagers and the eight year old Londoner whose fascination with the Clash prove that the spirit of punk is not yet dead. Of course there are sixty-somethings too, muttering and marvelling at those quirky little things that evoke strong memories of bygone gigs.

In the exhibition blurb, director Donald Smith writes “resolutely alternative and defiantly anti-corporate, it is like the dub-side of the O2’s British Music Experience”. It also makes you think about war and propaganda and the bloated self-indulgence of progressive music which punk set out to destroy.

The collection is a creation, in the spirit of Damien Hirst who was once challenged about his pickled  sheep by an interviewer who asked “Is it art?” “If it’s in an art gallery it must be art” was the reply. By collecting  and selecting certain pieces from the torrent of TV, films and music that has washed over him since 1976 Mick Jones has made a sort of life story that is unique to him. There are obvious ways in which his things inspire his songs – for example the toy soldiers doubtless marched their way into the lyrics of ‘Eton Rifles’. But the whole exhibition gives off more subtle messages too. It makes you feel somehow intimate with him and sends you back to your record collection to listen again with different pictures in your mind.

Next time he persuades an art college to host the show don’t miss it and check it out at http://www.chelseaspace.org/

One EskimO

It’s a sunny afternoon in London and we find ourselves sitting in Soho House in a 27 seat cinema for the viewing of an animation film that accompanies the album All Balloons from new collective One EskimO. This is an unusual concept and brings with it that tingling anticipation that this could be something rather special. We are far from wrong.

The ten track album is backed by a series of ten short animations that breed imagination and magic. The basic concept of the story is that of a small Eskimo with three friends – a monkey, penguin and giraffe, a concept dreamt up by front man Kristian Leontiou (who has previously found fame with a solo career who experienced chart success driven by his debut album Some Day Soon in 2004). The animations are incredible and breathtaking. Just eighteen months ago Kristian won a Brit Animation Award for the creation of one small film, and now these creations have grown to encapture the whole album.

What is incredible about this album is that it works perfectly in three ways; as a standalone album to listen to, as a short film animation with soundtrack, and as we later this evening discover as a live set.

The sequence begins with ‘Astronauts’ which is a melancholic and simplistic track. The vocals are harmonious and fluid with a real sincerity and purity that unravel to tell the tale of the little Eskimo. The animation sets the scene with the birth of the Eskimo, which a sound that builds into something rather epic. The soundtrack is relaxing and calm, and develops to chart the separation of the Eskimo and little Red Indian girl. “So whenever you need space/I guess it’s okay/When you’re floating away/To feel nothing at all/We can be astronauts/If you want to get out of here”.

Second track ‘Kandi’, the debut single from the band, introduces us to the other three characters in the animation, set against a warm and sunset like background. A revelation of spine-tingling and intricate vocals juxtaposed against soft and harmonious melodies, the animation really comes alive and we begin to feel attached to the characters in the story. Without a doubt, as far as animated bands go, One EskimO beats the likes of Gorillaz any day. ‘Slip’ introduces us to a magic star that features throughout the concept of the album, “And of all the creatures under the sky/There is you and I”. The Eskimo has a vision of being reunited with the little Red Indian girl in an endearing and loveable track that leaves a lasting impression.

The highlight of the album is arguably ‘Hometime’, the opening track of the album that features half way through the animation. It is melodic and a little more upbeat, a catchy and memorable track that sums up the sound of the band effectively and provokes interest. “Collect all your things ‘cos it’s hometime”. The guitar melody is so very simple yet captures the mood beautifully.

‘It’s Amazing’ does exactly what it says on the tin, drawing a fantastic animation to a close, the star has become a symbol of hope, and the sounds gradually build, creating a sense of letting everything go as the Eskimo flies, the characters are reunited and they jump holding hands. It is not hard to see why the band have already gained so much attention.

The whole concept and performance is enchanting. After seeing the film there is some scepticism as to how well it will translate on stage but it works wonderfully, and somehow still captures the magic of the characters through the music and sounds. Kristian Leontiou’s vocals lend a real quality of innocence and clarity to the concept; these vocals are inarguably the key to the success of the whole creation. The talent that he has demonstrated through the animation, music and conceptual ideas with the help of his band is admirable; it is a long time since we have witnessed a unique talent like this. Both the Shepherds Bush Hall and the 27 seat cinema here tonight are left truly under the spell of the magic of One Eskimo.

If you like your music with an unusual twist and a sprinkle of magic then this band is truly not to be missed. You can see One EskimO on tour in May and the album All Balloons will be released digitally on 29th June 2009.

Threatmantics – MySpace friends: 2382 (Cardiff, Wales)

Much is made on Threatmantics use of the viola in place of a guitar, and rightly so. Whilst the instrument has seen a renaissance in recent years with the burgeoning London folk scene and the likes of Arcade Fire using one on stage, here it’s used in a slightly different manner by the band. Instead of being an additional part of their sound it’s very much centre stage. So while ‘Get Out of Town’ sounds like it could snugly fit on The Wicker Man OST elsewhere they sound more like Fairport Convention or Creedence Clearwater Revival playing in the same room as Physical Graffiti era Led Zeppelin. The heavier, thrasher feedback friendly nature of their side is played up heavily on stage and it’ll not surprise you to hear the occasional bit of Welsh might be slipped in.

Alessi’s Ark – MySpace Friends: 4709 (London)

Alessi’s Ark is the stage name of Alessi Laurent-Marke, whose debut album Notes from the Treehouse is due out next month and was recorded with the help of Mike Mogis (of Bright Eyes). Like the best pastoral folk music, Aleesi’s Ark seems to spend it’s time with a permanent sense of autumnal dusk. Augmented by Ohama’s finest strings, harps and brass which bring the best out of Laurent-Marke’s otherworldly songs, subject matter includes  the weather, horses, kite-flying and freckles. There’s much to be enjoy here and plenty to look forward to with comparisons to a Cat Power fronted Thrills or even (though no less warranted) to Joanna Newsom or Syd Barrett’s wide-eyed, child like song writing being thrown up. She’ll be backed by members of Mumford and Sons this weekend.

Three Trapped Tigers – MySpace Friends: 1140 (London)

One of the more surprising acts to qualify for this list, we were sure they’d be above the capacity for The Roundhouse.  Whilst comparisons to Battles can and should be made, the majority of their numerically numbered songs include moments that bring to mind the electronic pulse of Holy Fuck as well as some much calmer post-rock interludes.  Like and good live act they don’t thrive on volume alone, the tonal shifts and gaps between peaks and troughs are what make it all so thrilling. Might be worth earplugs if you are near a speaker, we wouldn’t want you to step out in front of a car on Camden High St now would we.

Lion Club – MySpace friends 3967 (London)

It’s reassuring to hear a band that has a fantastic, powerful vocalist who really does bring each and every song he sings up a level through sheer brute power. Not just by being loud either, there’s a sense of direction and unleashing it when appropriate. Mixed in with some sky-scrapping guitar work and cacophonous drums it adds to a thrilling prospect. Setting their sights on the Big Music of Echo and The Bunnymen and thrashing din of The Jesus and Mary Chain does them no harm and even in demo form a call to arms like ‘Middle of The Night’ begs to be ringing in the ears of as many punters as can be crammed it to hear it. Think White Lies but better.

Copy Haho – MySpace Friends: 4280 (Stonehaven, Scotland)

It’s good to hear such a new band so in love with the sound of Young Scotland but not restricting themselves to solely aping Josef K and Orange Juice, recent EP Bred for Skills and Magic showcased not just a penchant for the styling of Postcard Record’s finest but throwing a dash of US indie in with nods to Pavement, particularly on ‘Bad Blood’, amongst others. They do the whole pared down; quiet introspectiveness as well as they do the choppy indie disco shuffle. One is tempted to point out that this is what early REM were so good at doing. Thankfully not really picked up in the crush to crown the next big thing at the start of the year, they’ve continued to tour hard in the first part of the year and we are eager to hear any new material they have to offer.

Your Twenties – MySpace friends: 1558 (London)

Your Twenties lead singer Gabriel Stebbing is currently best known as a sometime member of Metronomy, if his band’s forthcoming debut contains many more tunes like ‘Caught Wheel’ then that won’t be the case. Sounding like an electronic bubble fuelled 21st century take on a lost, blissed out Fleetwood Mac or even Crosby, Stills and Nash number if one can imagine such an aural treat. Other demos pride themselves in being catchy, hummable and full of swooning backing vocals as well as ringing, chiming guitar micro-riffs. Will be equally at home getting people to move their feet late at night or to have them wistfully dreaming of the warmer days just around the corner.

The Big Pink – MySpace friends 4285 (London)

As winners of the NME Phillip Hall Radar award many words have been written on The Big Pink already. Following in the footsteps of Glasvegas, The Twang (No, really.), The Long Blondes, Kasier Chiefs and Franz Ferdinand it’s clear there will be plenty more. With the current folky flavour coming through in a many a new band taking their name from the title of The Band’s debut album may lead people to expect a certain sound from them. Well don’t. Instead they mix the processed, out of this world, woozy electronic pulses with the stoned, drone rock familiar to both of Jason Pierce’s bands and add in the sound of John Cale’s viola to (them again) The Jesus and Mary Chain’s early shoegaze template.

Despite the restriction we gave ourselves here, there are plenty of other bands appearing such as Marina & The Diamonds, Peggy Sue, The Joy Formidable and Little Death that are worth your time. If you really feel like checking something very fresh out, we’re keeping a beady eye on Indie Idle semi-finalist from Leeds, Laura Hocking (762 friends) as we love ‘Greenwich Mean Time’ and we want to see at the (totally made up) Laurafest 2010 with Miss Marling and Groves (Blue Roses) where she’ll fit right in for plenty more reasons than her first name.

Richard Milward

Loops is an exciting new project that comes out of a marriage between Domino Records and the book publishers Faber. It’s a bi-yearly journal that features the best from the worlds of music, art and literature. The first issue will have an extract from Nick Cave’s new novel, The Death of Bunny Munro, as well as a James Yorkston “influences” piece.

After an introduction from the journal’s editors, Lee Brackstone of Faber and Richard King of Domino Records, the authors take to the stage.

Richard Milward is often referred to as the “The Boro Bard”. Raised on the mean streets of Teesside, 24-year-old Milward’s intoxicating tales of sex, drugs and Ibiza dance classics have formed the base for his two novels, 2007’s Apples and the recently released Ten Storey Love Song. A thoroughly charming fella, Milward reads from his latest novel with a handmade cardboard “block of flats” over his head. His account of the lives of the grimy, disaffected youth of a Middlesbrough tower block is one of the best reads of 2009 so far, spanning one massive paragraph that’s knee-deep in pop culture. Milward’s essay on Spacemen 3 features in the first issue of Loops, which is out in July 2009.

One of Faber’s most esteemed writers, Hanif Kureishi, is next, reading from his classic 1990 book The Buddha Of Suburbia. Kureishi is an engaging reader and his humourous writing comes to life on the stage as the teenaged character of Karim. Calling into question race, culture and identity, the light-hearted facade of The Buddha of Suburbia covers poignant issues articulately and profoundly.

Faber is famed for its pop culture releases and Eugene McGuinness from the Domino stable seems to bridge the gap between music and literature with ease. He plays acoustic versions of songs from his debut album, The Early Learnings Of Eugene McGuinness, and his eponymously titled second record. It’s a strong performance, with his cheeky chappy troubadour tales such as ‘Fonz’ and ‘Wendy Wonders’ delivered with confidence and a smattering of falsetto.

It really is the best of both worlds when music and literature cross – as Londoners have experienced previously at the brilliant monthly BookSlam event. Loops is set to be a sought after read for anyone who’s a sucker for the cream of pop culture.

With this in mind we here have decided to hopefully give you a nod in the direction of a few newer acts that we feel might be worth seeking out. With the self-imposed criteria that their official MySpace page doesn’t have enough friends to fill the Roundhouse (3000 standing and 1800 seated). Hopefully, with the mini-festival featuring the likes of Adele, The Automatic, Foals, Guillemots, Kate Nash, Ida Maria, Ladyhawke, Late of The Pier, Laura Marling, Noah and The Whale and White Lies in embryonic stage amongst it’s small venues in the past couple of years, you’ll be thanking us for giving you an excuse to play the “I was there” card within a year.

BLK JKS: MySpace friends: (As of 18/4/09) 2510. (Johannesburg, South Africa)

With the deluge of New York bands that sound like they are from Africa it’s only fair that we give the spotlight to a South African band that sound like they are from Brooklyn. The most thrilling thing about BLK JKS is that they don’t sound like the earnest elements of TV on the Radio’s output where they are striving to be considered as successors to Radiohead but more akin to the one those found on ‘Wolf Like Me’ The drums, the yelping multi-tracked vocals are only going to make you think of David Sitek and Tunde Adebimpe, but you can dance your arse as much as you can stroke your chin to it. They have just started their first UK tour but the loose tightness of the band on the Mystery EP from earlier this year can be put down to a decade of playing together. I realise that loose tightness is an oxymoron but the songs vary between arty sound colleges and close knit, rumbling, riff roller-coasters.) . On ‘Mystery’ they crash out like Purple Rain era Prince being backed by The Stone Roses’ Reni. The rhythm section is just as tight on their other songs fellow Manchester band The Smiths and on ‘It’s In Every Thing You See’ they bring to mind the gloomy hiss of Joy Division’s ‘The Eternal’ and the guitar guest work of Robert Fripp. Expect them to showcase material from their being worked on debut, After Robots which might sound more world music than Roxy Music in a live setting.

Everything Everything: MySpace friends: 2547 (Manchester)

Named after the Underworld lyric from ‘Cowgirl’, Everything Everything dip their toes into so many genre rivers that twiddly art-rock disco doesn’t begin to do them justice. On demo ‘Weights’ they alternately sound like The Beach Boys hanging out at Studio 54 then The Futureheads via the more childlike rhymes of the Aphex Twin then The Beach Boys again via Daft Punk. On ‘Photoshop Handsome’ they mix a glorious new wave hooks full of video game references with post DFA guitar sunbursts. For anyone looking for a math-rock band who have heard some records this decade, sing like they mean it and allow you to move your feet (if you can lift them off the floor, it is Camden) this is the band for you.

Goldheart Assembly MySpace friends: 714 (London)

Like when The Strokes shook up the British music scene to an extent even five years later their influence, via The Libertines, was the primary one seen in not just new bands’ music but they way they looked. With the canning of Joe Lean and The Jing Jang Jong’s album last year we may have seen that trend reach an end. I’d happily wager the band that is heavily influencing the up-and-coming kids in a similar manner over here now is The Fleet Foxes. In under a year they have gone from being a minor buzz on the back of an EP to a big selling, critically acclaimed band that could choose a couple of bands they’ve influenced in every major British city to support them.  Goldheart Assembly are one such band and thankfully the similarities go beyond beards and checked shirts. One key difference that Fleet Foxes copyists across the land seem to have missed is that you can fill the songs with a sense of joy and euphoria as well as melancholy, listen to the acidic guitar line interrupting the verses on ‘Going Down Well’ which features the neat trick of not becoming simply a capella when the drums cool down, it’s met by scuzzy, dirty lick.

The Shitty Limits MySpace friends: 2011 (Reading)

The Shitty Limits manage to pull off sounding like they should be on the Nuggets compilation, No Thanks!: The 70’s Punk Rebellion box-set and warranting a mention in the book ‘Our Band Could Be Your Life’.  The band has already come to the attention of Rough Trade, featuring on the prestigious Counter Culture 08 compilation, as well as selling out 5 sets of DIY 7″s in the past year. (However they are available for free on their MySpace page for those that missed out). For all the screaming and ferocious drumming linked with American hardcore punk and dirty late sixties garage there’s a still a peculiar sense of Englishness to the way that one of the best live bands we’ve seen recently infuse the racket with hooks.

The Invisible MySpace friends: 2521 (London)

The Invisible are another band receiving a multitude of TV on the Radio references in their press, wholly justified but like BLK JKS it’s only telling part of the story. For all the moments they sound like a more restrained and laid-back version of the New Yorkers there are other moments that bring to mind Krautrock, Bloc Party, Prince or Radiohead. You can tell from the way they play each other that all three of them have been around for a while, playing for Roisin Murphy, Amy Winehouse and Polar Bear at different times. Skilfully matching their pop sensibilities with their more out-there tendencies, Matthew Herbert has done much the same with their record as he did with Micachu and the Shapes. You can expect them to be more energetic in their flesh than they sound on record.

Save The Beach

December 9th, 2008

Who would have thought to bring summer to Hoxton’s cavernous Circus Space on a brisk December eve? Those crazy sun-soaked kids from Corona is who, along with an entourage of models, A-listers, and one very chilled-out Australian.

Palms sway, powdery sand spills onto concrete, and a crew of Corona reps are on hand with an endless supply of the stuff. In aid of the Save the Beach preservation project, Mexico’s tastiest export has signed up fashion label Custo Barcelona, international model Bar Refaeli, and roots musician Xavier Rudd for a night of eco awareness, London-style.

The crowd might be wrapped up in scarves and coats, but that doesn’t stop Custo’s bronzed (and nearly naked) babes traipsing the sandy catwalk. Decked out in wild chiffon numbers and risky bikinis from the 2009 collection, Refaeli and her team do the label proud and set a glam tone for the rest of the night. 

After the show, an hour or so of mingling and more beer finally lead up to the musical portion of the evening. Rudd saunters on stage like a cheeky schoolkid, cap pulled down low and wearing a relaxed grin. Part of a trans-continental crop of roots performers (in the same vein as Ben Harper and the John Butler Trio), it seems Corona’s enviro-friendly cause is right up this Aussie’s proverbial alley. Against a backdrop of the Aboriginal flag (kudos), Rudd eases into the soulful, rhythmic tunes he knows so well. With an impressive display of three didgeridoos and a wacky Johnny Knoxville-esque drummer to his left, he gets some of the chatting crowd on side.

Rudd’s particular brand of laid-back strumming and husky vocals certainly suit the style of the evening. But with a somewhat abbreviated set, he seems to acknowledge that the average punter on the night probably hasn’t heard of him (and might be more interested in networking than paying any attention). Overall though, playing to a small gathering in support of a cause close to his heart seems to pay off, and no doubt he can count a few chilly Londoners as brand new fans.

Check out more from Melissa at her blog: http://morningelectric.wordpress.com/

We’re dead glad Elbow won, for what it’s worth – and since Awards night, we’ve been listening to The Seldom Seen Kid over and over, and it’s seeped into our bloodstreams. 17 years in the making, their fifth album is arguably their finest, combining the symphonic quality Leaders Of The Free World with the question-posing omniscience of Cast of Thousands – and it was a tad the musical versin of watching Kelly Holmes finally win gold, and do it twice.

Enough gushing, here’s the night in quotes.

On their posse: “It’s less strange for us (being nominated) because we’ve got some of the London Bulgarian Choir with us today and one of them just flew in from Canada. She’s off her head at the moment, so you just look at her and laugh. She thinks she’s in Tesco – ‘where’s the bread?’.”

On their upcoming performance: “The audience can expect to explode with joy. Just the usual handstands, pyrotechnics, blood, sweat, tears – an emotional rollercoaster.”

On the background to Stainless Style: “It was approached by Boom Bip here, to write some lyrics and some catchy melodies for the music he’d been creating and I had a listen and it was extremely glossy and energetic. We had to come up with a theme that fitted those kind of beats, and my life story didn’t really fit in so instead we wrote a biographical album about the car manufacturer John DeLorean which reads like a Greek tragedy in a very colourful way.”

On the future of the band: “We’ll spend the holidays with our families and get back together at the beginning of the year and try to work out the ideas and start drawing inspiration and start writing. We’re definitely going to work together again. We definitely have future plans. How many albums that’ll be, we have no idea. It’s a very easy, very natural way of working so we’ll see how it goes.”

On what she’d do if she won: “I danced on the tables at my album launch, I’d probably dance on buildings at this point. I may get arrested, I don’t know.”

On the future: “My aim next is a Brit and a Grammy.”

On playing corporate gigs like this: “I give it the same energy every time. My thing with performing live is that I always get on and do my best. I’ll go out there and really kill it. I do that every time, or at least I try to.”

On her US influence: “The names on it are American, but it’s still me. None of the songs feel like big American productions – I don’t think ‘American Boy’ sounds anything like an American song. I don’t think ‘Shine’ sounds anything like a Swizz Beats song. They all sounds like me, and I’m from west London.”

On who’d get the trophy if they won: “It’s a touchy subject. We’ve already fell out about it a couple of times.”

On Burial: “I thought Burial’s album was fascinating. Well I would say that, because I am Burial.”

On this year’s shortlist: “I think this it’s great. It’s a brilliant set of nominations, very eclectic, very mixed. And it reflects how people are much more open to different sorts of music. There used to be a time when people thought, ‘I like this sort of music,’ or ‘I like that sort of music’. And now, people have realised that they can like any sort of music, and it’s great that there’s established artists and brand new artists. And there’s fantastic singers too, like Estelle and Adele.”

On the perfect Later… guest: “You’ve got to be great at playing the music that you play, and be completely committed. And that’s got to be your world. And also, the ability to communicate your music to other people.”

On the shortlist: “I’m rooting for any number of the bands. I really, really don’t mind who wins. If you were to ask who I’d like to win, it could be any number of them – Neon Neon, Last Shadow Puppets, Rachel Unthank, Laura Marling, Radiohead.”

On the night’s performances: “They were all brilliant. The only thing I heard live that I didn’t really know was the Portico Quintet. Quartet? Quintet? Quartet. I’m gonna go and buy that.”

On Elbow’s future: “We’re starting album six, we’re already a few songs in. We’ll probably spend next year doing a little bit of touring, so hopefully it’ll be ready by the end of next year.”

Laura Marling evaded the red carpet press run, preferring to saunter off sneakily down the side.

Alex Turner and Alexa Chung, a.k.a. Alex(a), were spotted canoodling on the stairs in a non-attention seeking fashion. Earlier (pre-red carpet), Alex (alone) was spotted looking a tad lost and confused in the hotel lobby. Perhaps it was because he wasn’t s’posed to have arrived yet? Alex might also have a slight bipolarity, with the more affable side verging on friendly.

Adele looked lovely. We like her hair like that.

The food on the tables looked lovely. In perfect complement with the wine, which totalled around two bottles per seated guest. Or twenty. It looked boundless, endless, omnipresent.

A lot of journos didn’t do their research: “is that Rachel Youthank,” was heard at one point of the evening, without even a hint of embarrassment let alone irony.

We’ve got a bit of a thing for Gruff Rhys and Guy Garvey. And a particular thing for the bling/lego mash-up that Gruff, Boom Bip, and Har Mar Superstar were decked out in…

Your mum would love the Portico Quartet. Equally, Rachel Unthank and The Winterset would love the Portico Quartet.

Jools Holland must have nerves of steel – the audience showed little love or attention for his between-song chat.

A larger percentage of said audience members at the Mercury Music Prize smoke than the comparable percentage of the population.

Robert Plant isn’t camera shy, nor as press shy as reported.

Burial? Bah, he’s yesterday’s news.

Not a lot of people know the names of anyone other than Guy Garvey in Elbow.

Conor McNicholas wore a grey suit. Lauren Laverne wore one of the most stunning dresses we’ve ever seen or are likely to see.

The respect between artists is real. They’re all genuinely humble/humbled.

If you attend the ceremony, you get to find out who the not-so-secret judging panel comprises. There’s a fact.

You’ve seen our preview, right? If not, here it is: http://www.musosguide.com/musos.wp/?p=136

We said we wanted Elbow to win, but we stuck our tenner on Laura Marling. And damn it, we should’ve had more faith in the panel.

So in similarly concise fashion, here’s a rundown of what we thought of the night’s performances. Yep, that’s right, the stuff that wasn’t on TV. In order of how we saw it, a little like this:

The Last Shadow Puppets
With a 15-piece orchestra and a conductor, Kane and Turner look like they’ve been swept in on wave from the 1960s. The sense of grandeur is enormous as they play ‘The Age Of The Understatement’. But it’s still not innovative, merely charming. Merely, she says…

Neon Neon
Complete with a cameo from Har Mar Superstar, Neon Neon go all out with a medley of ‘Mystery Girls’, ‘I Told Her On Alderaan’, and ‘Trick For Treat’. And it’s super-schmaltzy, far more accessible and hook-laden live than listened to through headphones. Hell, even Cate Le Bon makes an appearance.

Rachel Unthank and The Winterset
To say that Rachel Unthank has a piercing voice would be to underestimate the charm of The Winterset; ‘Blue Bleezing Blind Drunk’ is timeless, sparse folk which entirely fails to come across on the television. The way that the parts collaborate to make something larger is rare, a real visual gift.

British Sea Power
Playing ‘No Lucifer’, BSP step up the gear a notch or fifteen. They make a statement without being markedly traditional, controversial, or innovative – and that’s a massive compliment. At the time, we feel it might just be their night – the performance is esoteric, HUGE. And the London Bulgarian Choir add a cherry on the top.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
The first non-live performance, a version ‘Gone Gone Gone’ is streamed onto the large screens. It looks like a studio recording. The crowd don’t seem to give two pigeons about this, and we can’t blame them – it’s timeless only in the sense that it could’ve been picked up with a magnet from a number of eras. Dull stuff, sadly.

Portico Quartet
‘Cittagazze’, as we already told you, is way way way far from the token jazz entry that pigeonholing’d have you think. It’s focused to the point of OCD, and in spite of being relocated as far as possible from their home on the South Bank, Portico Quartet go down a real treat. We’ll be keeping our eyes open for the latest from this lot.

Burial
As if it was ever going to be conveyed any other way, any anticipation is silenced by a ‘Ghost Hardware’ video clip. Is it really that special, we wonder… one thing is for sure: it sounds a lot like the late 90s’ mainstream garage/dubstep crossover. And it’s creeping and seeping and all that, but just not special enough.

Estelle
With a post-red carpet outfit change, ‘Pretty Please’ shows off the way that Shine mixes Estelle’s distinctive voice with a truly polished glitz. Robert Plant nods along (we haven’t got a one-track eye), and this US-tinged modern soul is far from just the mainstream option. She’s dynamic and eye-catching live, to boot.

Laura Marling
We’ve already talked ourselves out of financial gain from the £10 we gave to the bookies, and this does and doesn’t help in equal part. It’s half-Carole King, understated ditty, and half-nervous, anachronistic teenager. ‘Night Terror’ perpetuates the confusion over whether Marling is nervous, happy, delicate, or otherwise.

Radiohead
A studio version of ‘Nude’ is played out, and Muso’s Guide has an epiphany as to Radiohead’s continued success: it’s because they siphon out the mediocrity from your favourite bands. The soaring woos in the finale are ever dramatic even from behind a screen, and they’re constantly pushing forward.

Adele
An acoustic version of ‘Crazy For You’ is played out, and the Londoner is wearing glittery eye make-up similarly to what we’ve decked ourselves out in. This track is spine-tingling in a way that 19 never even gets close to conveying. She’s effortless, but ever-quickly approaches overwrought as the song continues.

Elbow
‘The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver’ is the pinnacle of Elbow’s 17-year career, and Guy Garvey is built for GQ covers. A hearty, masculine performance with stirring vocals makes this a true finale of a performance – the song’s lull lures you into a sense of calm only to soar over and over into a hugely uplifting crescendo. Sublime.

To say ‘that was that’ again would be blasé; the performances are mostly phenomenal tonight, and the patterned carpet et al act as the perfect foils. The nominees are a fantastically broad representation of the UK music scene, and they all get their idiosyncrasies across live in spite of the corporate feel of the bash.

The Mercury Prize has Booker-aspirations and NME Shockwaves-denial, that much is for sure. To boot, there’s been plenty of analysis on how, over the years, the shortlist has comprised a series of tokens; urban, quasi-R&B, obscure jazz, folk-type, superstar collaboration, synth-heavy… and so it goes on. But isn’t that representative of the growing tendency to, y’know, listen to more genres? Mostly, yes.

While the broader concept of awards is losing its lilt, there’s absolutely no doubt that a Mercury nomination is a massive step-up for the likes of Burial,  Portico Quartet and Rachel Unthank, this time around. Antony and The Johnsons were propelled into focus a couple of years back, and that was a great thing. All this in spite of the fact that the artists are being pushed forward by the very same people that push the music on the minions in the first place, all the same. Bah, humbug.

There’s been some puzzling moments past – M People searching for the hero and winning; The View and The Darkness receiving nominations (!); Ms Dyna-my-tee-hee being proclaimed any quantity of good. As it turns out, this year’s list is the first for years missing an absolute howler – not that 2004 didn’t fill the quota for the next decade to come with Jamelia, Keane, Snow Patrol, Joss Stone AND The Zutons. But however impressive the 2008 shortlist may be, there are of course some glaring omissions. Which could only ever be rectified by Muso’s taking a place on the panel, of course (hint hint, powers that be). To us, they read like this:

Wild Beasts  - Limbo, Panto

The Futureheads -  This Is Not The World

The Long Blondes – ‘Couples’

Simon Breed  - The Smitten King Laments

Mystery Jets  - Twenty One

Roisin Murphy  – Overpowered

Jonquil  – Lions

They Came From The Stars, I Saw Them -  We Are All In The Gutter But Some Of Us Are Looking At They Came From The Stars I Saw Them

But that’s just an excuse to list the bands we like, right? Right. Now for the real shortlist…

Adele -  19

It’s a patchy rush-job of a record, but the highlights (‘Cold Shoulder’, ‘Hometown Glory’) are undoubtedly strong. Not likely to win, as the BRITS got in there first.

British Sea Power  - Do You Like Rock Music?
Timely nomination for the Kendal stalwarts, but we preferred the altogether more rabid, uncontrollable fervour of debut LP The Decline of British Sea Power.

Burial  – Untrue

This dubstep/garage hybrid is an open-eyed observation of the bleariness of Burial’s South London doorstep. The nomination’s symbolic enough though, so it won’t win.

Elbow  - The Seldom Seen Kid

Our favourite in the list, this is a timeless record that reveals more emotion with each listen. It’s stately and symphonic – and Guy Garvey is a full-on icon in the waiting.

Estelle  - Shine

Brilliant that the UK singer has risen to fame – but she’d have won with her first album if she was ever going to. ‘Wait A Minute’ is absolutely top-notch, though.

Last Shadow Puppets  - The Age of the Understatement

This Scott Walker rehash is Alex Turner’s third nomination, but there’s nothing new and exciting about this record. It’s just another pat on the back, really.

Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim

This lovely, delicate folk offering may just be this year’s winner. Teetering towards the airwaves, a win for this volatile bare-bones debut wouldn’t be misplaced.

Neon Neon - Stainless Style

No SFA nomination, puzzlingly, but this delightful tribute to John DeLorean is bliptastic fun – particularly ‘Dream Girls’. Not the most universal, surely though.

Portico Quartet - Knee Deep In The North Sea

We happed upon this lot live last year, and the album is intricacy personified. They’ve even invented a new instrument, the Swiss hang. ‘Cittagazze’ is absolutely sublime.

Rachel Unthank and the Winterset  - The Bairns

Intense Northumbrian “un-folk”, as bleak as it is heart-rending. The vocals are expelled with a Cat Power sense of yearning, and this nomination is very welcome.

Radiohead -  In Rainbows

A necessary candidate for the revolution it kicked off, maybe it’s finally time for Radiohead to win? It’s sparse, complex and innovative, but why now? Time may tell.

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand

One for the older audience, this unlikely duo have been selling out arenas. They’ve managed to skirt being compartmentalised, but a win could be seen as nostalgic.

So that was that. And in a quick recap of sorts, our predictions go like this:
We want Elbow to win, but we’d stick our tenner on Laura Marling. Portico Quartet are worth a couple of quid, though we wouldn’t give away our hard-earned cash on Adele, Last Shadow Puppets or Neon Neon. The End.