Mercury Prize Shortlist Announced

MERCURY RISING: This year’s shortlist for the prestigious 2012 Mercury Prize, awarded to the year’s most critically acclaimed U.K. band, includes Alt-J (An Awesome Wave), Ben Howard (Every Kingdom), Django Django (Django Django), Field Music (Plumb), Jessie Ware (Devotion), Lianne La Havas (Is Your Love Big Enough?), Michael Kiwanuka (Home Again), Plan B (Ill Manors), Richard Hawley (Standing at the Sky’s Edge), Roller Trio (Roller Trio), Sam Lee (Ground of its Own) and The Maccabees (Given to the Wild). Probably the best known over here are Kiwanuka, whose debut recently came out on Interscope; Hawley, Pulp touring guitarist with a stateside following as a solo artist; hip-hop performer Plan B and The Maccabees. Both Ben Howard and Kiwanuka are on Mumford & Sons’ U.K. label, Communion. PJ Harvey, the only artist to win the award twice, took home last year’s prize. Among the artists who didn’t make the cut: Kate Bush, Coldplay, Emeli Sande , Ed Sheeran and 2010 winners The xx. Below a track from nominee Alt-J, “Breeeze Blocks.” (9/12p)