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Mercury Prize 2009 shortlist announced

Bat for Lashes

Mercury Prize 2009 shortlist

Florence and the Machine – Lungs
Kasabian – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
Bat for Lashes – Two Suns
La Roux – La Roux
Glasvegas – Glasvegas
Speech Debelle – Speech Therapy
Friendly Fires – Friendly Fires
The Horrors – Primary Colours
Lisa Hannigan – Sea Sew
The Invisible – The Invisible
Led Bib – Sensible Shoes
Sweet Billy Pilgrim – Twice Born Men

The prize, which is voted on by UK critics and members of the music industry, comes with a £20,000 award. To be eligible an album must have been released between July 2008 and July 2009 by an act from the UK or Ireland. The winner will be announced on September 8th.

Of those listed above, Bat For Lashes, Friedly Fires, La Roux, and The Horrors have NYC-area shows coming up (do any of the others?).

Last year’s prize, amid a strong field of contenders, was won by Elbow for their album The Seldom Seen Kid. That band’s performance and award acceptance from the 2008 ceremony, below…

Elbow The Loneliness Of A Tower Crain Driver & winning Mercury Prize