I reckon Julie Feeney will get it, tho hoping it’s her or ASIFYFA. (No offence to any of the others, like. Best of luck and all that!)

I think Adrian Crowley will take it this year. He ticks all the right boxes. Not too mainstream, but doesn’t make outlandish inaccessible music (the way many felt about past winner SEBP), and he’s performing on the night, which has to be a help.

But maybe after a solo fella last year, and a band the previous year, it’s time for a lady to win. No, no, I’ll stick to my guns. Adrian Crowley to win.

I’m giving it a few goes but I just can’t get the big ASIWYFA love. They’re good, granted but they dont do it for me the way Adebisi Shank or even The Cast of Cheers.

Would be happy if Julie Feeney, Adrian Crowley, Duckworth Lewis or ASIWYFA won, but I’ve said all along that I think Valerie Francis will nab it.

Only wish I’d put my Paddy Power cash earlier – she’s now the 5/2 favourite. Grrr.

I think Dark Room Notes will win.

A very good selection of albums up for the Choice this year i have to say. I’d plum for Dark Room Notes though i’m basing that on my own particular tastes as opposed to the boxes that should be ticked. The DLM album is really good and perhaps they’re in with a shout though while I had the album on constant rotation for a period during the late summer it has been a while since i’ve dusted it off. Anyway, that’s always the way with some music isn’t it? You gorge and over-indulge and lose the taste for a while but come back later on with a renewed appetite. Our palate changes, apparently every 7 years and it’s bound to be a lesser period for the aural equivalent. Despite this i find that the more i listen to music and “new” artists (to me) the better i appreciate the more established tunes in my collection. Apolgies, i went completely off point there. What were we talking about again?

Valerie Francis or And So I Watch You From Afar would be my preferences, if not just for their music then for their work ethic, but it is just for their music, isn’t it? I don’t think Codes or Dark Room Notes’ albums are varied enough to win it. Likewise, I don’t see a former Meteor winner (Laura Izibor) or Bell X1 (poorest album of their career) getting it. Julie Feeney and (half) of the Duckworth-Lewis Method have won it before, which will probably go against them, but the latter’s album really is something special. Adrian Crowley’s album is good. The Swell Season’s isn’t great.

So… Far or Fran.

I say it will be either valerie Francis or ASIWYFA to win.
PS: flight of the conchords playing two nights at the Olympia in May. Presale at 9am sharp! I better get my mitts on two

I reckon either Adrian Crowley or Laura Izibor. My personal choice would be ASIWYFA, but they’d be a bit of a long punt.

Actually speaking of bets and wagers, how many people actually do put a few quid on the CMP? Always curious about that.

I don’t put real money on it because I prefer to guess the winner correctly and then moan about the fact that I should have put money on it for the remaining week.

Much more fun.

I predicted the Choice & the Mercury last year. Alas, I neglected to share with Mr. P Power … Speech would have been healthy odds too. Ah well.

Let me be the first to express my OUTRAGE at the awarding of this year’s prize to such an unworthy act… ALL the other nominees deserved it more… Did the judges even LISTEN to the albums etc. etc.

You could do a live book in vicar st on the night and (more than likely) make a killing – like Premiership clubs do on matchdays in the stadium.

Now you tell me

I always stick money on every year, just for a bit of fun. I usually go for a head and heart bet, so I put some cash on Valerie and on Adrian this morning.

Amazing tension on this today, it’s great to see everyone on such a buzz, vaunting their favourites. There’s gonna be some atmosphere in the judges’ quarters all right.

I didn’t put money on ASIWYFA and will be seeing them at the Mercantile. Should be a deadly night for absolutely everyone!

adrian is the winnah!!!