Winehouse, Arctic Monkeys Up for Mercury Prize

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mojo-photo-mercuryprize.JPG The nominees for this year’s Mercury Prize, honoring the best album by a British or Irish artist, were announced today in London; the list has both surprises and shoe-ins. Retro-R&B sensation Amy Winehouse and jumpy rockers Arctic Monkeys seemed guaranteed nods, and have been pegged as equal favorites to win, with booker William Hill giving them each 4-to-1 odds. (I love this whole British “odds on everything” thing. I’m 2-to-1 for going to grab coffee after this.) The Arctics won the prize last year for their debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not; fellow nominee Dizzee Rascal has also won before, back in 2003. Other artists nominated include Klaxons, The View, and New Young Pony Club. A full list of nominated albums, William Hill odds, and “for fans of” descriptions after the jump.

2007 Mercury Music Prize Nominees

ArtistAlbum (Odds) (MySpace and YouTube links)
For Fans Of: two other bands and something else

Arctic MonkeysFavourite Worst Nightmare (4-to-1) (MySpace, “Brianstorm” on YouTube)
For fans of: The Libertines, Franz Ferdinand, youthfulness

Amy WinehouseBack To Black (4-to-1) (MySpace, “Rehab” on YouTube)
For fans of: The Ronettes, The Supremes, eyeliner

Dizzee RascalMaths And English (8-to-1) (MySpace, “Fix Up Look Sharp” on YouTube)
For fans of: Busta Rhymes, Tricky, English as a foreign language

Jamie TPanic Prevention (8-to-1) (MySpace, “Sheila” on YouTube)
For fans of: Billy Bragg, The Clash, boozing it up

KlaxonsMyths Of The Near Future (8-to-1) (MySpace, “Golden Skans” on YouTube)
For fans of: Kaiser Chiefs, Liars, Doctor Who

The ViewHats Off To The Buskers (8-to-1) (MySpace, “Wasted Little DJs” on YouTube)
For fans of: The Fratellis, The Strokes, obscure Scottishisms

Bat For LashesFur And Gold (10-to-1) (MySpace, “Prescilla” on YouTube)
For fans of: Bjork, Tori Amos, autoharps

Fionn ReganThe End Of History (10-to-1) (MySpace, “Be Good or Be Gone” on YouTube)
For fans of: Nick Drake, acoustic Beck, adorable mop-haired Irish boys with guitars

The Young KnivesVoices Of Animals And Men (10-to-1) (MySpace, “Here Comes the Rumour Mill” on YouTube)
For fans of: Hot Hot Heat, The Cars, tweed suits

Basquiat Strings with Seb RochfordBasquiat Strings (12-to-1) (MySpace)
For fans of: Kronos Quartet, Jon Metcalf, National Public Radio

MapsWe Can Create (12-to-1) (MySpace, “It Will Find You” on YouTube)
For fans of: Spiritualized, My Bloody Valentine, sitting alone in your room

New Young Pony ClubFantastic Playroom (12-to-1) (MySpace, “Ice Cream” on YouTube)
For fans of: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Blondie, asymmetrical haircuts

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THE FACTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

At least we hope they will, because that’s our approach to raising the $350,000 in online donations we need right now—during our high-stakes December fundraising push.

It’s the most important month of the year for our fundraising, with upward of 15 percent of our annual online total coming in during the final week—and there’s a lot to say about why Mother Jones’ journalism, and thus hitting that big number, matters tremendously right now.

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So we’re going to try making this as un-annoying as possible. In “Let the Facts Speak for Themselves” we give it our best shot, answering three questions that most any fundraising should try to speak to: Why us, why now, why does it matter?

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