david bowie leads the short list for the mercury music prize. heathen has a few good songs, but otherwise i find this selection baffling. (as far as 70s glam/art-rock icons go, brian ferry's new album is better by far.) the full list:
david bowie, heathen
doves, the last broadcast
the streets, original pirate material
the coral, coral
ms. dynamite, a little deeper
beverly knight, who i am
roots manuva, run come save me
the bees, sunshine hit me
gemma hayes, night on my side
electric soft parade, holes in the wall
joanna macgregor, play
guy barker, soundtrack

i'm pulling for the streets, myself.

also from rs.com, kurt loder returns to the pages of rolling stone to write a five-star review of bruce springsteen's new album, the rising. he concludes:
i can't think of another album in which such an abundance of great songs might be said to seem the least of its achievements.