Looking for the next hit international music performer? The nominees for the Mercury Prize is an excellent place to look. That award goes the best new album from a British or Irish artist.
Recently we took a look at the half of the albums up for the Mercury Prize. Here’s an overview of the other half. As before, clic, on the corresponding album cover to listen to song samples.
Becoming A Jackal
Villagers
Who they are: An Irish band with dark lyrics that could even make Morrissey cry
Great if you like: The Smiths, Leonard Cohen, U2
Be sure to check out: Becoming A Jackal (track #2), Twenty-Seven Strangers (#9)
Golden
Kit Downes Trio
Who they are: A British jazz pianist, guitarist and saxophonist. Kit Downes is a winner of the BBC’s Rising Star Jazz award.
Great if you like: Nearly any piano-heavy jazz or singer-songwriters like Rufus Wainright and Nick Drake
Be sure to check out: Jump Mimzi Jump (track #1), Homely (#2) , Power and Patience (The Bear) (#3)
Total Life Forever
Foals
Who they are: A quintet from Oxford, England that plays a party-friendly style of poppy rock-punk.
Great if you like: Biffy Clyro, The Cribs
Be sure to check out: Total Life Forever (track #3), Spanish Sahara (#6)
I Speak Because I Can
Laura Marling
Who she are: A folk singer-songwriter gifted with a lovely voice and haunting acoustic style
Great if you like: Indigo Girls, Sarah McLachlan, Jewel, Dido
Be sure to check out: Rambling Man (#3), Devil’s Spoke (track #1)
Two Dancers
Wild Beasts
Who they are: A British post-punk revival band of twentysomethings
Great if you like: The Barenaked Ladies (sort of), Queen (maybe), High Places (kind of)
Be sure to check out: All The King’s Men (track #3), We Still Got the Taste Dancin’ On Our Tongues (#5), The Fun Powder Pot (#1)
Sigh No More
Mumford & Sons
Who they are: A folk-rock band with country and bluegrass influences
Great if you like: Laura Marling (see above), Florence + The Machine
Be sure to check out: Little Lion Man (track #7)
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Hate these albums? Love them? Tell us about in in the The Next Big Thing In Music comments section