Mercury Prize 2006

I always make an effort to listen to all the Mercury Prize Nominees. As always the list is eclectic, with some great albums that I knew and some I'd never even heard of. The reason I get excited about the Mercury Prize over any other is that the shortlist always introduces me to some fantastic music that might otherwise pass me by.

There's not 1 album on the list that I don't like, but I'd be most pleased if Thom Yorke (my favourite album of the year so far), Editors or Sway won. I really don't think Sway will - they like to be different and Sway won the Mobo award last year and a few years ago Dizzee Rascal won the Mercury Prize, meaning it wouldn't be different enough for them to choose.

I don't want the Arctic Monkeys to win. They just don't need it - everyone knows who they are and they've sold tons of albums. It is a cool album but it's over-hyped, over-played and overrated. It's apparently clear favourite to win by the bookies, but I can't see it happening. We'll see...