Portico Quartet - Knee Deep in the North Sea

Today we venture down the list to the eighth in our foray through this year's Nationwide Mercury Music Prize nominees. Portico Quartet's Knee Deep in the North Sea is certainly the jazziest entry we've seen so far, and normally that would be right up my alley. I don't know what it is (maybe my aversion to soprano sax) but I have to say, while this album does have a few moments of inspiration, all in all, they're too far between to really satiate me. It's just not my thing. "Relaxing," my roommate said. "Boring" would be another word.

In all fairness, these guys are just starting out. They look incredibly young, and have spent the last two years or so busking in London and getting piecemeal gigs around town. Who knows? Maybe great things will come from them someday. This? Not great. No video today -- the sound quality on the outdoor performances was not good enough for me.