No Rock And Roll Fun

SHORT, SHARP, BUT NO SHOCKS: The judges have taken the Shortlist Longlist, and dropped acts they're jealous of, have never heard of, have slept with but want to forget, or have been knocked back by, and now there's a Shortlist Shortlist:

Air - "Talkie Walkie" (Astralwerks)
Dizzee Rascal - "Boy in Da Corner" (Matador/XL)
Franz Ferdinand's - Franz Ferdinand (Domino/Epic)
Ghostface Killah - The Pretty Toney Album" (Def Jam)
The Killers - "Hot Fuss" (Island)
Loretta Lynn - "Van Lear Rose" (Interscope)
Nellie McKay - "Get Away From Me" (Columbia)
The Streets - "A Grand Don't Come for Free" (Vice)
TV On The Radio - "Desparate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes" (Touch & Go)
Wilco - "A Ghost Is Born" (Nonesuch)

Of course, the most interesting thing about this list is that, because of the vagaries of the time periods the awards cover and the UK-US release schedule, there's actually two Mecury prize winners on the same Shortlist shortlist. And you've got to love Franz Ferdinand's chances of winning the whole thing.