As I’ve probably mentioned before, Elbow’s previous album was a firm favourite, and a deserved Mercury Prize winner. Garvey and co. really know how to write a tune, and Seldom Seen Kid was a masterpiece of simple, direct and heart-rending tunes, so I was keen to hear where they’d go next: a retread of the commercial and critical success, or something else entirely?

Adele’s 21 is definitely the commercial hit of the shortlist. 17 weeks at number 1 thanks largely, it would seem, to a performance of Someone Like You at the Brits. So does the album merit this huge success?

I’ve heard PJ Harvey talking in interviews about how this is a set of folk songs. Well, not sure about that Peej, but it is a fine, evocative album, dealing with the horrors of war in an honest and often outspoken manner. It’s being hailed as her masterpiece, which I can kind of see, but then I’m a long-time admirer of her music, so it’s a bit difficult for me to get perspective.

…aka “the jazz one”. It starts at a cracking pace with some lovely rhythmic and free (tonally) piano work. It’s another mood-evoking album which moves from joyous celebrations to thoughtful ramblings to wistful, erm, whistlings. I’ve no idea, really.

I already own, know and love this album. It’s a really great combination of intimate, whispered moments and (ahem) “rocking wig-outs”. Obvious touch points are PJ Harvey, Chrissie Hynde, Patti Smith, the angular cool of Walkmen or Interpol, but this does not come across as derivative (although The Devil has definite echoes of Ms Harvey’s song of the same name). This is a hugely self-assured, strong and vibrant collection of alternative pop songs.

Every Mercury shortlist has its “the folky one”, and Diamond Mine is this shortlist’s. Reductionist genre-tarring over, this is a lovely set of songs. Very pastoral, with the album being kicked off with a field recording of what sounds like a small Scottish cafe.

This album announces its intent fairly clearly in the opening moments: you will be seduced, then confused, then alienated, then hugged by the womb-like production. Wonky is the word. It’s incredible that this album represents the far end of the dubstep spectrum from Katy B and Tinie Tempah.

It’s 1991! Well, certainly that’s what On A Mission’s dubstep sounds like to me. Pop, yet again, is eating itself. The music is well produced if not particularly ground-breaking, and she has a great voice that brings a soulful tinge to the bouncy rave backing.

The word “bombast” is definitely somewhere in Mr Tempah’s mission statement. In heavy black marker pen and underlined. Might be the entire mission statement. Fantastically energetic noise.

Messing with my head in a baaaaad way, this album announces itself with a massive left-right pan. I love the lunched-out vibe that is in evidence here. Vocal delivery seems to owe something to Roots Manuva on helium (or a cooler Maxi Jazz from Faithless), but this is much less bombastic and more intimate than either.