mercury music prize 2010 nominations announced

The Mercury music prize is an annual award for the best album in British music.  Now in its 19th year, the award is one of the most important in the UK.  The nominations are normally quite diverse with pop, rock, indie, folk, hip-hop, jazz and even modern-classical acts on show.
 
The nominees for the 2010 mercury music prize have been announced (with links for Spotify users):

• Biffy Clyro - 'Only Revolutions'
• Corinne Bailey Rae - 'The Sea'
• Dizzee Rascal - 'Tongue n' Cheek'
• Kit Downes Trio - 'Golden'
• Foals - 'Total Life Forever'
• I am Kloot - 'Sky at Night'
• Laura Marling - 'I Speak Because I Can'
• Mumford & Sons - 'Sigh No More'
• Paul Weller - 'Wake Up The Nation'
• Villagers - 'Becoming A Jackal'
• Wild Beasts - 'Two Dancers'
• The XX - 'XX'

Of the nominees, three have been nominated previously; Paul Weller all the way back in 1994 (Wild Wood), Laura Marling in 2008 (Alas, I cannot swim) and Dizzee Rascal who won the prize in 2003 with his debut, 'Boy in da corner', and followed that up with another nomination in 2008 (Maths + English).

I have to confess I don't know most of the albums on the list (although I hope to remedy that).  But my current favourite would be Mumford & Sons, although all would probably be worthy victors!  The winner will be announced at a ceremony on 7th September.  The winning act will collect the £20k prize, although the prestige of winning and the associated album sales are the real treasure!!