Hot albums... Mercury special

Alt-J (∆) An Awesome Wave

Latest odds: 5/1

I will admit that I would have preferred to have talked about the Django Django album, but because we reviewed the Dalston boys only a few months ago, it is only fair to give a mention to the album which in my opinion runs a close second. ∆’s debut album has managed to win over the mainstream with jutting, angular pop rhythms in the flavour of Bombay Bicycle Club but with more lyrical steel in ‘Breezeblocks’ and ‘Tessalate’. Is this a perfect album? Definitely not. There are too many interlude tracks and filler to compete with some of the very best releases, but its undoubted strength lies with the effevescent singles.

Mark England

Field Music Plumb

Latest odds: 10/1

The Brewis brothers’ fourth album is possibly their finest to date, and finally starts to garner them some of the acclaim that they have so richly deserved. Many are giving the Sunderland boys little chance with competition from the Maccabees and Plan-B, but write them off at your peril.

Plumb is most definitely a pop album, with more hooks than a Prince best-of, yet it still pursues a distinct and ‘odd’ aesthetic. This album could be called fragmentory but that is where its beauty lies: the jumble of ideas, the lyrics laced with self doubt, and the intelligent pop choruses all make this album a winner.

Mark England

Michael Kiwanuka Home Again

Latest odds: 8/1

Fresh from supporting Adele, Michael Kiwanuka sings the sort of soulful shmooze which you would expect, and your mum would probably love. Myself, I am undecided about the merits of Mr Kiwanuka’s spiel. I cannot debate that this a wholly accomplished album, but it doesn’t grab me at all. I think retromania has passed me by completely. The romance of ‘Bones’ is a standout moment, but there is so much polish on this record that the best songs are lost under their own production. Coming from a poor North London background, I was hoping for a mix of grit and gloss, but sadly that is lacking.

Mark England