London Trio XX Walk Off With Mercury Prize And £20,000 Prize Money

London based trio The xx have been announced as the winners of the 2010 Barclaycard Mercury Prize for their imaginatively titled album “XX”.

Revealed as the winners last night at the official awards ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House which for some reason Queeried wasn’t invited to, the award was presented to the boys by musician and broadcaster Jools Holland with Simon Frith, Chair of Judges commenting:

“The xx have a unique sense of time and space – urban and enigmatic. The result is a wonderfully atmospheric album – sparse, urgent, hypnotic and powerful”.

Recognisng and celebrating UK music, the shortlist of 12 “Albums of the Year” released between July 2009 and July 2010 saw a diverse range of albums which included Biffy Clyro’s Only Revolutions, Corinne Bailey Rae’s The Sea, Dizzee Rascal’s Tongue N’ Cheek, Foals’ Total Life Forever,I Am Kloot’s Sky At Night,Kit Downes’ Trio Golden,Laura Marling’s I Speak Because I Can, Mumford & Sons’ Sigh No More, Paul Weller’s Wake Up the Nation,Villagers’ Becoming a Jackal and Wild Beasts Two Dancers.

Judged by musicians, producers, presenters and music journalists, the decision is apparently made solely on the music on the albums and all genres of music are treated equally, something that sounds rather easier to say than actually do!

Whilst the prize may havbe been awarded, it’s definitely not time for The Mercury Prize is disappear for another year as it’s been giving it’s support to live music in the UK through monthly live ‘Barclaycard Mercury Prize Sessions’ with The Hospital Club.

Congrats to The xx we hope you enjoy your £20,000 prize money. We assume the drinks are on you?

XX by The XX is available to download online from iTunes and Amazon.