The nominees for 2009’s Mercury Prize are in.

As anyone could’ve predicted, Florence and the Machine [above] and La Roux are both in on the strength of their debut albums Lungs and La Roux, as are Bat for Lashes and the Horrors on the basis of their worthy sophomore LPs Two Suns and Primary Colours.

Astonishingly absent is Little Boots: alright, Hands wasn’t as good as anyone dared to think it might be based on early singles ‘Stuck on Repeat’ and ‘Meddle’, but it’s still better than anything lad-rockers Kasabian have ever made – inexplicably their new LP West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is on the shortlist for this year’s prize. That was their ‘psyche’ album, remember?

Friendly Fires are also on the shortlist, along with Glasvegas, Speech Debelle, The Invisible and some others that won’t win (Led Bib, Lisa Hannigan, Sweet Billy Pilgrim). Bookies’ early favourite is Florence, followed by Bat for Lashes. To be honest, we wouldn’t be disappointed if either of those two took the prize home, but we’re gutted there’s no nomination for Kevin Martin, whose London Zoo was one of the best British albums of last year. Guess The Invisible are this year’s Burial. Ahem.