They Like Editors

The Mercury Prize (that bastion of the uber-hip and ultra-hyped but often worthwile work)s hortlist has just been released in London this morning.

Eyewear has yet to hear half the popular music (& indie-textured) albums on the list, but is especially eager to listen to Mr. Thom Yorke's notes on The Eraser, which has songs of - to put it mildly - a political nature.

Seeing Scritti Politti on the list is a thrill - he was one of the most ingenious wordsmiths of the 80s - recall his line "I need a new hermeneutic"? - a first then, no doubt, for a pop song. Arctic Monkeys, whose lustre has gone a bit cold, despite this blog's raves, are likely to seize the day. Still, The Back Room by Editors (they deleted the the) has grown in majesty over the last months, and, while surely not the safe bet, is the dark horse worth backing.

Meanwhile, the album of the year is likely to be Dylan's latest, forthcoming while we all hold our collective breath.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5188692.stm

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IQ AND THE POETS - ARE YOU SMART?

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